Stuart Palley joins the podcast to talk about how he went from a degree in business and finance to chasing some of the biggest wildfires in the history of California and creating beautiful images in the midst of chaos with his project and book "Terra Flamma".  Over the last couple of years Stuart has received a lot of press and recognition for his outstanding wildfire work and we sit down to talk about how it all got started and his plans for the future.  Although Stuart always loved photography, he earned an undergrad degree in business and finance and began interning in the bank world during the tough financial times of 2009.  It was then that he would revaluate what he wanted from life and make the switch to a photojournalism post graduate education in Missouri.  During that time, on trips home to California, he became very interested in what was happening with the climate, and the fires that seemed to be increasing in intensity in his home state.  Combining his love for nighttime imagery and environmental awareness, Stuart created a body of work around wildfires that would bring awareness to him as a photographer.  During our conversation we talk about what inspired him to start taking long exposure images of wildfires early on in his career, the specific challenges and dangers of shooting wildfires, and the advice to those who think they want to be a part of it.   To Learn More About Stuart Palley Visit: https://www.stuartpalley.com/index And Follow him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/stuartpalley/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/    

Award winning snowboard and lifestyle photographer and Burton principle shooter for almost 20 years Dean Blotto Gray joins the podcast to talk about how he went from his early years of sponsored snowboarding in Flagstaff to being one of the most recognizable names in snowboard photography.  From his earliest years of bmx racing, to the first time he was turned on to skateboarding, Blotto appreciated the individualism and creativity that came along with those types of scenes.  Inspired by the DIY attitude of skateboarding and punk music, he was trying to figure out what to do after high school until a trip to Flagstaff to go snowboarding that would change the direction of his life forever.   He quickly realized that he didn't have what it took to become a top pro, but wanted to figure out a way to stay in the industry.  When he got the opportunity to work with the newly created company Technine, he picked up a camera and began a life of photography and content creation.  Before long he was offered a position with Burton that would soon lead to becoming the principle photographer, a position that he has continued to fill for almost 20 years, all while also working closely with other companies on content creation and social media story telling.  On this episode we talk about what has changed in the world of snowboard photography, how he has adapted to social media and found a niche of personal story telling and content creation for companies through Instagram stories, why there are not as many avenues for action shooters anymore, and the advice he gives to others coming up in the world of snowboard photography.   To Learn More About Dean Blotto Gray Visit: https://deanblottogray.com And Follow Him on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/deanblottogray/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/  

Commercial and editorial sports photographer and Nikon Ambassador Andrew Hancock joins the show to talk about how he went from his early years of college soccer to being a sought after photographer with cover images from Sports Illustrated to Time Magazine.  Growing up in Midland Texas, Andrew was surrounded by sports culture.  Although he was a soccer player in a football crazed town, he found a home and success within his sport that would elevate him on to college level competition.  During those years, while taking some down time, he got his first camera and was encouraged to take classes on how to use it.  Before long it was all he wanted to do.  He pursued journalism with a new passion and, after earning his degree, found a job at a small paper in Indiana and began the slow climb up the rungs of the editorial ladder.  After getting the opportunity to attend the Eddy Adams workshop, Andrew made a connection at Sports Illustrated that would soon change the direction of his career and start him on the path that he's known for today.  Before long he would be shooting some of the biggest named athletes in the world and covering events from the Super Bowl to the Kentucky Derby, as well as earn a spot on the original lineup of the Nikon's ambassador program. During our conversation we talk about what it's like shooting a huge sporting event where you only get once chance to accomplish what you need, what goes into the pre-production for those types of shoots, what it's like working as an ambassador for Nikon, how he comes up with his artistic approach to sports and portraiture, and the advice he gives to others coming new to the industry.   To Learn More About Andrew Hancock Visit: https://www.andrewhancock.com And Follow Him On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/hancockphoto/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/  

Troy Conrad joins the show to talk about how he went from his early years as a stand up comic, to filmmaking, to producing a TV series, to photographing some of the biggest names in comedy and forming a unique relationship with the legendary Comedy Store in LA.  Growing up in Phoenix, Troy was always inspired by the late night comedy of David Letterman, but also had a curious mind on how things worked and became fascinated by his Dad's cameras and slide shows.  Throughout college, while working on his degree, Troy pursued stand up comedy and became a frequent local and touring act.  Before long he made the move to Los Angeles to further chase his dream.  It would be in LA however that Troy would start playing around with filmmaking and create several shorts films that would eventually lead to his role in producing the TV show and live touring act Setlist: Stand Up Without a Net.  During all this time Troy continued to love photography and soon found the opportunity to shoot the new phenomenon of Roast Battle at the Comedy Store which would lead him to a unique opportunity to start shooting many of his long time friends and other comedy heroes inside the famed walls of one of the country's most respected clubs.  During our conversation we talk about some of the unique challenges that come with shooting live comedy, how stand up comedy helped him let go of his fears of failure, how he stays organized and motivated while trying to juggle so many creative pursuits, and the advice he gives to others trying to chase their own dreams.   To Learn More About Troy Conrad Visit: https://tcphoto.photoshelter.com/index And Follow Him on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/troyconrads/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/  

Photographer, cinematographer, and respected Atlanta hip hop archivist Zach Wolfe joins the podcast to talk about how he managed to go from his small town roots in Iowa to being one of the biggest names in southern hip hop photography.  From a very early age Zach was passionate about rap music and photography.  Thanks to a colombia house records subscription he was able to get his hands on a lot of early hip hop records in his small town, and thanks to the encouragement of a high school photography teacher, he had early dreams of one day becoming a professional photographer.  It wouldn't be until later that he would realize he could combine the two passions and create an amazing body of work around rap music.  After studying photography in Colorado, and a brief stint in LA interning with SmashBox Studios, Zach would make the journey to Atlanta to chase the dream of shooting the bourgeoning southern hip hop scene he had been obssessing over since he first heard OutKast.  He soon realized that the idea that he could actually imbed himself into the local hip hop community might prove harder than he had imagined, until a chance meeting with Lil John' secretary that would change his life forever.  Before long Zach was working with some of the biggest up and coming names in hip hop and establishing himself as the go to sourthern hip hop photographer.  During our conversation we talk about the evolution of his career into motion work and the chance to focus his talent on other niches, what the current state of music photography looks like, the specific challenges he faced in shooting with rappers, and the advice he gives to others coming up in the world he has dedicated his life to.   To Learn More About Zach Wolfe Visit: http://zachwolfe.com And Check out the Adobe Creative Feature on him at: https://vimeo.com/277501740 Visit Shine and Polish at: https://www.shineandpolish.com To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary or to Donate to the show go to: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/  

Professional climber, filmmaker, and photographer Jon Glassberg joins the podcast to talk about his production company Louder Than 11 and how he went from getting recognized by his talents on the rock to working behind the camera producing films and content for some of the biggest names in the climbing industry.  Growing up in central Virginia, Jon was introduced to rock climbing at a young age during a summer camp he attended and fell in love with it instantly.  Although photography would also be introduced to him early on in his high school years, Jon's attention during that time was focused solely on the pursuit of climbing.  As he moved through the ranks of competition climbing and also began making a name for himself by sending some of the hardest boulder problems in the country at the time, Jon soon found himself attracting sponsorships and attention from the climbing community.  It would be later in college while studying business and graphic design that Jon would start to plan out the possibility of creating a company that could quickly produce short films of all the adventures they were having.  Over the years that company has evolved into a full fledged filmmaking and content creation studio working closely with brands like Mountain Hardware and USA Climbing.  During our conversation I ask Jon about what it's like trying to balance a career as a creative with the responsibilities of being a sponsored athlete, the type of work he seems to be moving more towards with companies in the outdoor retail space, how he manages to not burn out in such a niche industry, and the advice he gives to others who want to do what he does.   To Learn More About Jon Glassberg Visit: http://www.jonglassberg.com To Learn More About Louder Than 11 Visit: https://www.lt11.com To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary or To Donate to the Podcast Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/    

Renowned skateboard photographer and magazine editor Dave Swift joins the show to talk about his long history with skateboarding, the early days of the Del Mar Skate Ranch, his many years as editor in chief of Transworld Skateboarding, and cofounding the Skateboard Mag.  Although Dave grew up a short drive from the beaches of San Diego, his small town felt more like a ranching community and his days were filled with baseball and football until the age of 13 when skateboarding entered his life and changed his whole outlook on the future.  He quickly fell in love with not only the act of skating, but the culture that surrounded it and before long became a local fixture at the infamous Del Mar Skate Ranch.  After years of trying to make it as a professional, and a stint as a sponsored skater for Schmitt Stix, he lucked into a position writing and editing for Transworld magazine.  It was there that he would he begin to experiment more with photography and, under the mentorship of people like Grant Brittain, start to hone his craft.  He slowly moved through the ranks of the magazine and before long became the editor in chief, all the while continuing to photograph the scene around him. Although Dave experienced a couple of the slowest years of Skateboarding's history, he also experienced the boom, and in the late 90s and early 2000s, as street skateboarding helped propel the sport back into the spotlight, Dave was there to witness all of it and finally decided to go out with some others and create their own publication.  After 30 years in the industry, Dave continues to love it all, to keep shooting, and most impressive of all to keep skating.  During our conversation we talk about how he feels about social media vs editorial content, the regrets he has of not traveling more in his younger years, what the future of magazines might look like, and the advice he gives to those coming up in this world.   To Learn More About Dave Swift Visit: http://daveswiftphotography.com And Follow on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/daveswift01/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary and to Donate to the show visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/    

Award winning portrait and commercial photographer Randal Ford joins the podcast to talk about his new book "Animal Kingdom" and to tell the story of how he went from a business major to quickly establishing himself as an accomplished editorial and advertising photographer at what many would consider a young age.  Although Randal fell in love with photography early on his high school years, he would go to study business at Texas A&M without much consideration of a possible future as a photographer.  During his college years he decided to join the university newspaper as an extra curricular activity, and quickly remember why he loved photography in the first place.  Before long he got his hands on his first digital camera and the learning curve elevated exponentially.  When he graduated, he wrote down a goal of shooting covers for the respected Texas Monthly and began the slow process of trying to form his own aesthetic and create a name for himself.  Before long he accomplished that goal and began rising up the ranks and shooting for much bigger clients all while still in his early 20s.  Known for being a shooter that could achieve a very hyper real look, and crediting influences like Norman Rockwell, Randal would go on to create a signature look and help companies like L.L. Bean with vintage looking campaigns.  During our conversation we talk about not getting pigeon holed by one look and how he has continued to evolve his style, his aesthetic, and his goals for the future.  We also talk about what it was like trying to take control in the chaos of shooting al the different animals for his latest project, trying to make the transition from commercial photographer to fine art photographer, having a good idea of what you want to do early on in your career, and the advice he gives to others coming up in the world of photography.   To Learn More About Randal Ford Visit: https://www.randalford.com To Purchase his book Animal Kingdom Visit: https://www.rizzolibookstore.com/animal-kingdom-collection-portraits To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/    

Photographer, director, Nikon ambassador, and educator Joe McNally joins the show to talk about his legendary career, shooting for everyone from National Geographic to being Life Magazine's final staff photographer.  Although Joe says there wasn't much creativity in his early years, he remembers a book of war photography his father gave him that definitely put a seed in his mind of what visual story telling could look like.  He was always fascinated with good story telling and ended up going to college at Syracuse and majoring in journalism with the dreams of one day telling some of his own stories.  During that time he would be required to take photography classes and, soon after seeing his first images come to life in the developer, quickly realized that he would prefer to tell stories with a camera instead of a pen.  Once finishing his education, he would move to New York City and begin chasing his dreams of becoming a photographer, moving up the ranks from a stock boy at a newspaper to shooting for some of the biggest publications in the world.  During our conversation we talk about staying in the present moment while creating a photograph and not becoming distracted by your surroundings, how he feels about the current state of photography and social media, becoming an ambassador for a company like Nikon, what keeps him motivated to keep shooting after all these years, and the advice he gives to those coming up in the world of photography.   To Learn More About Joe McNally Visit: https://portfolio.joemcnally.com/index To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary and To Donate To the Podcast Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com    

On this episode of the podcast we are joined by commercial and lifestyle photographer and filmmaker Dean Bradshaw who talks about making the career leap from zoologist to photographer/director and how he's continued to evolve his aesthetic as an artist to reflect his own maturing taste and stay relevant in an ever changing industry.  Growing up in Perth Australia, Dean always loved the outdoors and  the vast array of reptiles Australia is famous for.  This interest would soon have him studying zoology and working in the field capturing and collecting data on different species.  Around this same time digital photography was introduced to Dean and he soon became obsessed with the best way to capture and light the reptiles.  Before long he was shooting other subjects and growing more and more interested in photography, lighting, and post production.  His skills eventually led him to LA and a whole new career path.  He quickly became known for being one of the new shooters that could capture and produce the hot new hyperreal look of the time.  Within years he was shooting large advertising campaigns for some of the biggest companies a photographer could want to work with but became dissatisfied with his own style and knew he had to make a change.  That would lead to the look, feel, and subject matter that many currently know Dean for.  During our conversation we talk about stepping past the fear of changing a certain aesthetic that has made you successful to pursue your own changing tastes, how he became involved in filmmaking and how that influenced his photography, the challenges of the current era of photography and content and how young people need to value their own work, and advice he gives to others coming up in this industry. To Learn More About Dean Bradshaw Visit: https://deanbradshaw.com And Follow Him on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/deanbradshaw/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary or Donate to the Show: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow in Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/