B&H Photography Podcast

Today we welcome two photographers from two distant parts of the globe, but both share a sense of a serene underwater world that they envision mostly in black-and-white. Perhaps, surprisingly, Hengki Koentjoro and Christian Vizl claim Ansel Adams as a prime influence on their work, and we talk with them about not only about their artistic influences but about their choice of gear, shooting styles, post-process techniques and safety concerns. We start our episode with Hengki Koentjoro, who is based in Indonesia, and whose work on land and sea is simply stunning. His black-and-white compositions of sea creatures and the interplay between sun and water are more still life than wildlife, as they explore the textures, lines, and shapes found in the waters of his native archipelago. Koentjoro speaks with us about the simple set of tools with which he captures his images and his uncomplicated approach to exploring the waters he knows so well. Christian Vizl brings a similar perspective to his relationship with the sea, although the creatures he normally photographs tend to be much bigger and faster-moving, and the waters he explores extend across the planet. A life-long diver, Vizl has recently received well-deserved attention for his black-and-white images of rays, sharks, and whales, including a 2017 Sony World Photography Award. His approach places experience before image and his respect for the sea and its animals is evident in all he does and says. Stay tuned to the end of this show, when we announce a limited promo code for a 10% discount on all Ikelite camera housings, and, specifically for this episode, we encourage you to visit our podcast landing page to see examples of the images created by these two supremely talented photographers. Guests: Hengki Koentjoro and Christian Vizl

It has been "Macro Week" at B&H Explora, and this week's episode will put a nice bow on all the articles and photos we have published on the subject, with an overview of what type of macro photography lenses and systems are available. We begin this podcast talking with photographer Marc Silber about his new book Advancing Your Photography: A Handbook for Creating Photos You'll Love, in which he provides a complete guide to get you from concept to completion. He stresses visualizing your image, gathering the correct gear to accomplish that, and walks the reader through all the steps of production, post-production, and exhibition. The tools he provides are apt for beginners. Enthusiasts—and even pros—will pick up a few tricks. After a short break, we continue the macro photography theme with a listing of the latest macro lenses available at B&H, and a practical conversation on what defines macro, techniques for improving your macro photography, and alternative methods for creating close-up and macro images. Guest: Marc Silber Photo: Allan Weitz https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcast

A simple twist of fate (OK, I clicked a link) introduced me to the wedding photography of Jide Alakija and I immediately knew he should be a guest on the podcast. His work falls into the category of documentary wedding photography, but the intimate connection he makes with his subjects and his compositional skills place his work above the popular trend of fly-on-the-wall work. He captures moments of humor, tenderness, and joy that many photographers would miss, but still fills a frame the way Grandma wants the photos on her mantel to look. We talk about his composition decisions and shooting techniques, but we also wanted him on the show because his work brings him to many different countries and cultures. With this in mind, we take on numerous aspects of traveling to photograph a wedding, whether that is a "destination" wedding or simply being invited to shoot a wedding far from home. Our conversation includes the practical side of travel—what gear to bring, who to hire as an assistant, how to budget—but we also discuss the intricacies of working in a locale where you are not familiar with the cultural traditions and may not even speak the language. Join us for a lively chat with our new friend, Jide Alakija. Guest: Jide Alakija Photograph by Jide Alakija https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcast

We start this week's episode on a congenial and practical note with Frank Meo, aka "The PhotoCloser," talking about what can be a very difficult aspect of photography for some—negotiating with clients and establishing a rate for your services. Meo, who has been a "rep" for many photographers, now concentrates on being a "collaborator." His services include estimating and negotiating fees. Meo also speaks on the subject at many conferences and workshops, and he offers brainstorming sessions designed to empower, motivate, and inspire. On our show, he discusses business practices that will garner "clients for life," and offers a few ideas on what you should consider when charging for your services. After a break, we take a dramatic turn and present the first segment of our serial, "Dispatch." We begin this series with photojournalist Adriane Ohanesian, who introduces us to her work, discusses her life as a freelancer based in Nairobi, Kenya, and prepares us for her upcoming assignment in Somalia. Once a month, Ohanesian will offer us insight into the working life of a photographer in conflict zones. Since 2010, Adriane Ohanesian has covered crises in South Sudan, Darfur, and Somalia, and has been recognized as one of Magnum Photo's top "30 under 30." She has also received LensCulture's Emerging Talent award. In 2016, she won a World Press Photo award for her work in Darfur, and the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. This year Ohanesian was selected as one of PDN's 30 new and emerging photographers. Guests: Frank Meo and Adriane Ohanesian Photograph: Adriane Ohanesian Caption:His caretaker holds the phone as Mohamed, age 4, speaks to his mother Amina from Eastleigh, Nairobi, Kenya, January 31, 2017. www.thephotocloser.com www.adrianeohanesian.com

Conservation photography can take many forms and we will offer our definition, but more importantly, we will speak with noted outdoor photographer Art Wolfe about his definition of the term. After "Al's Gearhead Pick of the Week," we are joined by Mr. Wolfe for a segment in which we discuss how he produces beautiful images in the service of a greater cause. Wolfe is currently working on a project on African elephants and the critical need to safeguard their existence. From this topic, the conversation easily flows to the funding of expeditions through workshops and book deals to the work of other photographers promoting awareness on a global scale and photographers tackling local issues of concern to them. After a break, we are joined by David Brommer, director of OPTIC 2017- Outdoor, Photo/Video, Travel Imaging Conference, who will give us a preview of this year's event, held June 4-7, in New York City. The theme of this year's conference is conservation and the environment, so it is fitting we pair him with Art Wolfe; however, the photographers who present at OPTIC represent a wide range of styles and concerns, and the topics discussed range from the aesthetic to the technical to the practical. Brommer provides us with a sense of the breadth of this photographic talent, as well as the manufacturers who will attend and stock their booths with gear to play with. Guests: Art Wolfe and David Brommer Photograph: Art Wolfe Subscribe to the B&H Photography Podcast

This is one of our most informative and, dare I say, best episodes yet. We talk about emulsion-based and inkjet photographic paper, with an emphasis on inkjet papers. We are fortunate to be joined by two talented and articulate guests, photographer Robert Rodriguez Jr. and August Pross, Print Manager and co-owner of LTI-Lightside photographic lab, in New York City. In addition to his outstanding landscape photography, Rodriguez is an author with three books on photography to his credit. He leads a very popular workshop series and is an ambassador for Canson-Infinity paper products. LTI-Lightside is well-known for its professional photo services and as the custom printer for many acclaimed fine-art photographers. In this episode, we talk about the various types of paper available for printing at home and at a lab, and discuss the differences between paper from Fujifilm, Epson, Kodak, Hahnemuhle, Ilford, and others. Topics we touch upon are optical brighteners, outgassing, printing profiles, and Wilhelm Imaging Research, but the focus of our conversation often returns to the tactile nature of the print and the need to understand a photographic print as an entirely different concept than an image on a screen. In addition to the wonderful dialogue, stay tuned throughout the episode for a B&H Photography Podcast exclusive promo code for a discount on all Canson paper products. Also, be sure to visit our podcast homepage for all of our episodes and, while you are there, leave us a voice message on the SpeakPipe widget. Click on this link to subscribe to our show on iTunes. Guests: Robert Rodriguez Jr. and August Pross Photograph: Robert Rodriguez Jr.

What are the latest camera and lens offerings announced at recent trade shows? We'll let you know, and throw in our two cents regarding their purpose and performance while we're at it. In February, the WPPI and CP+ shows were held, the former being the major wedding and portrait photography conference, held in Las Vegas. It is attended by hundreds of photographers, and features seminars, networking events, and product exhibitions. CP+ is the annual "camera and photo imaging show," held in Yokohama, Japan, and is a major platform for the announcement of new gear from the Japanese-based manufacturers. Along with our resident product expert Levi Tenenbaum, we'll discuss the gear that was announced and offer our opinions—in some cases we even got our hands on the goods and can provide an insight beyond just the specs. We also incorporate a little promotional moment into this week's episode and, never wanting to be predictable, we do so in Spanish. In truth, the B&H Event Space is offering a two-day workshop with noted Spanish photographer Pepe Castro and, because this event is a Spanish-language presentation, we follow suit and speak to Castro in Spanish, with help from event organizer Carmen Rojas. Don't worry if your español is rusty—we'll give you the gist afterwards. Check out our new landing page, listing all our episodes, and take a minute to leave us a voice message while you are there. It's a one-click process and we really want to hear your opinion of the show—on a mobile device, scroll down to the bottom of the page for the SpeakPipe feature. Guests: Levi Tenenbaum, Carmen Rojas, and Pepe Castro Photo: Andrés Aberasturi by Pepe Castro

We replace a camera with a controller for this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, but if artistic interpretation of your surroundings is the goal, is there any difference between the two? Today, we talk gaming and photography and, specifically, the practice of in-game or virtual photography. While grabbing a screenshot of your high score is nothing new, using a gaming system's increasingly advanced photo tools to capture images of the gaming world in which you are immersed is becoming a discipline unto itself. For sure, some gamers are still looking to show off their accomplishments and share them with fellow gamers, but others approach it as a landscape photographer, documentarian or combat photographer might, utilizing light and exposure controls to create dramatic images that showcase or even surpass those created by the game itself. We are joined today by our in-house gaming expert, Akeem Addy, as well as Tobias Andersson, Senior Producer of the Hunter: Call of the Wild, by Avalanche Studios, and two gamers who have explored in-game photography from distinctive perspectives, photographer Leo Sang and artist Eron Rauch. We also take time talk a bit about the history of in-game photography and suggest games with some of the strongest photo tools. The debate about whether this is "real" photography will rage on. However, our guests are over that, not only creating beautiful and interesting photos, but elevating the dialogue to create images that question the relationship between the virtual and the "work-a-day" world. Join us for this multi-faceted episode and let us know your thoughts on gaming and photography—and even share with us your best images on Twitter @BHPhotoVideo with #BhPhotoPodcast. Guests: Akeem Addy, Tobias Andersson, Leo Sang, and Eron Rauch Image: by Leo Sang from Battlefield 1

Today's episode broadens our normal photographic sphere as we discuss ophthalmic photography and how the eye's own optical system is used in conjunction with camera equipment—some very common, some not so—to examine the interior of the eye and to diagnose illnesses that go far beyond problems with vision. We are joined by Mark Maio, clinical medical and ophthalmic photographer and developer of the first high-resolution digital imaging system in ophthalmology. We talk with Maio about his early interest in social justice photography, working as a "jack-of-all-trades" photographer for hospitals, and how his eventual concentration in ophthalmic photography led to adoption of digital technology and the development of a tool that helped to transform the industry. Throughout this conversation, we learn about the use of analog and digital photography in the biomedical field and how fundus cameras and other specialized gear are used to diagnose optical and systemic maladies. When the pupil is dilated, they eye becomes a portal into the body, and with the proper tools, we can see inside our corporeal system without cutting. Maio is also an accomplished fine art and documentary photographer, and we will also discuss how these various disciplines have intersected throughout his career and resulted in the workshops he leads on ophthalmic imaging, documentary, and landscape photography on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Guest: Mark Maio Photo: Mark Maio

The B&H Photography Podcast team was invited to a special event hosted by DJI and the B&H Marketing team to introduce filmmakers and photographers to the Phantom 4 Pro and Inspire 2 drones. Not only did we get to fly these incredible machines, but we took the time to talk with several photographers and drone experts to get their impressions, not only on the latest DJI models, but on other drone platforms and aerial photography applications. We begin this episode with Adam Lisberg, U.S. spokesperson for DJI, and hear his thoughts on its most recent offerings. We then sit with a previous guest, Randy Scott Slavin, of Yeah Drones and the New York City Drone Film Festival. Slavin discusses the technical leaps that drones have made in the past year and highlights his favorite platforms. Next, we talk with Andrew Scrivani, food photographer and stylist for the New York Times and other publications, on how he is incorporating drones into his work. After a pause, we turn to a lively chat with Sara Dietschy, Kraig Adams, and Ollie Ritchie, three social media influencers using drones in their content creation. Then we speak with Roberto Blake, a YouTube educator, who took advantage of this event to fly his first drone; he offers wonderful insight from the perspective of a newbie. We then welcome podcasters Chris Barrows and Amir Zonozi, from "Why I Social," for information on the P4 Pro and on flying in restricted areas, and we conclude with drone builder and pilot Parker Gyokeres, from Propellerheads Aerial Photography, to get his take on why he switched from homebuilding drones to DJI. Join us for this multifaceted episode on the latest in drone technology, and listen for a B&H Photography Podcast exclusive promo code to get free propellers and a discount on the extended protection plan for the Mavic Pro, from DJI.