F-Stop Collaborate and Listen

For most photographers, the thought of trying infrared photography fills us with a whole list of questions. How do we even start? What is the point? Why should I even try infrared photography? What will my photographs look like? How much will it cost? Fortunately, the guest of today's podcast has already gone down this rabbit hole and has the answers to your questions. This week on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Ciccone, a Canadian landscape photographer living in Australia. Michael has recently been specializing in infrared photography and shared his knowledge with us on today's episode. On this week's episode, we discuss: How Michael got into photography and more specifically, infrared photography. How and why Michael started in street photography. How studying architecture has helped Michael in his pursuit of photography and vice versa. The different types of infrared photography (IR) that exist, including full-spectrum and 720nm. What we should know about converting our cameras for IR photography. Places to convert your camera to infrared, including Kolari Vision and Life Pixel. Tips for starting to print your work from home. How photography has enhanced Michael's relationships. And a lot more! If you enjoyed our conversation, you can listen to our bonus episode on Patreon where Michael and I discuss the challenges of balancing photography with our busy lives. Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Daniel Laan's article on AI and the photography community. Landscape photography discord channel. Jose Rodriguez's YouTube channel on printing. Canon Pro-200 Printer. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Ricardo recommended on the podcast this week: Michael Robinson. Jeremy Payne. Dale Gribble. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Niche communities exist for the purpose of providing education, resources, and a sense of belonging. The need for these communities is greater than ever in our age of polarization on social media and the impersonal interactions often found there. In the nature photography space, no better community exists than on Nature Photographer's Network (NPN). On today's podcast episode, I sit down with the owner of NPN, David Kingham, and the Editor for NPN, Cody Schultz, to discuss photography communities, critique, and the launch of Nature Vision Magazine.  On this week's episode, we discuss: The meaning of community as it relates to nature photography. The value of belonging to a community. The benefits of becoming a member of Nature Photographer's Network, and a discussion on what has changed at NPN as of late. The value of critique and how to get the most out of it. Connecting with our audience in a community such as NPN. Outdoor Photographer Magazine's demise and how Nature Vision Magazine seeks to fill this void. How Nature Vision Magazine will work and what benefits it will offer to subscribers. And a lot more! If you enjoyed our conversation, you can listen to our bonus episode on Patreon where we discuss the importance of providing platforms for photographer's to contribute their expertise and be compensated fairly for it. Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Join us on NPN and save 10% using the code FSTOP10. Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Creative Banter Podcast. PetaPixel article on Outdoor Photographer Magazine. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Creating personal work in our photography is harder than it sounds. One possible way to give us a path forward is to develop a set of guiding principles that help set the stage for our future work. On today's podcast episode, my guest, Ricardo Da Cunha, explains how this has helped him improve as a photographer.  On this week's episode, we discuss: How Ricardo got into landscape photography. The role photography plays in Ricardo's day-to-day life. How his true passion for animal welfare intersects with his photography. How Ricardo goes about creating more personal work. Ricardo's goal with his photography. Why it is important for Ricardo to create images that are infused with a part of himself. The development of guiding principles and how to do it. The role collaborations have played in shaping his photography career. And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Bruce Percy's e-books. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Ricardo recommended on the podcast this week: Paul Hoelen. Adam Williams. Chris Saunders. Ignacio Palacios. Luke Austin. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Innovation and design thinking are at the forefront of tech start-ups and lots of corporations looking to maximize profits and meet the demands of their customers. Interestingly, there's lots of profound parallels where these concepts can improve our landscape photography when implemented. Today's guest on my podcast, Jeff Zias, is a photographer who spends his time as an innovation coach. He's a thought-leader in the innovation space and we both thought his ideas would provide tremendous value to photographers looking to improve their images. On this week's episode, we discuss: How Jeff got interested in photography. What is "design thinking" and how does it relate to landscape photography? The concept of deep empathy and how it relates to our photography. The concept of self-empathy and how it can improve our work. Knowing when we have had a true emotional response with our subjects. Figuring our what our photography should be about. Narrow and rapid experimentation and how it relates to nature photography. Photography as a metaphor. And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Jeff's book, The Intrapreneur’s Journey. Jeff's book, The Innovation Animals. Jeff's photography book, Along the Coast. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Jeff recommended on the podcast this week: Shane McGeehan. Adrian Hill. Lynne Blount. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Including man-made objects in our landscape photographs is sometimes quite challenging! I personally find it to be one of the hardest things to do well in this genre of photography; however, today's guest on my podcast, Michael Blanchette, has mastered it.  On this week's episode, we discuss: How Michael transitioned from his career in software engineering to landscape photography. Michael's proclivity for including "the hand of man" in his landscape photographs. Michael's approach for including man-made objects in his photographs. What Michael loves most about landscape photography. Michael's approaches to planning his photography shoots. The tools that Michael uses to maximize his success as a photographer. The pros and cons of social media and how it has changed over the years for Michael. Michael's thoughts on compositing. And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Nature Photographer's Network - get 10% off using the code "FSTOP10". Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Mike recommended on the podcast this week: Betty Wiley. Tom Mackie. Jeremy Noyes. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Immersing ourselves in other cultures can be a very rewarding experience and can dramatically improve our photography.  On today's episode, I had a blast speaking with Kevin Pepper, a Canadian photographer and fellow Muench Workshops instructor. Kevin and I first met on my first trip with Muench last year to Antarctica and we really hit it off. I became deeply interested in his passion for Mongolia, which was largely the focus of today's podcast.  On this week's episode, we discuss: How Kevin transitioned from working for Autotrader.com to being a FT photography instructor. Kevin's deep immersion into the Mongolian culture. Tips and tricks for telling stories with our images. How Mongolia has changed over the past decade. Kevin's approach to making images within a different culture. Mongolian Eagle Hunters - their history and why they exist. And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Workshops with Kevin Pepper. The Eagle Huntress movie. Kevin Pepper on Instagram. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Kevin recommended on the podcast this week: Jeff Wendorff. Richard l'Anson. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Nature Photography can be a powerful tool for self-expression, self-discovery, and personal transformation. The keys to leveraging this visual communication medium for these purposes can be elusive, but once they are tapped into fully, the impacts can be quite fruitful! On today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Astrid Preisz, a phenomenal photographer from Austria. Astrid has some of the most creative and mind-bending images I've seen and so it was great to get to know her through the podcast and get to learn what her approaches are to making her exceptional images. In this episode, you'll learn how her approach to photography has set her on a path of self-expression that has completely transformed her as a person. On this week's episode, we discuss: Astrid's journey into nature photography starting in 2015. How photography has aided her in finding a path for self-expression which has allowed her to shed her emotional armor. How we can encourage other photographers to place less pressure on themselves to perform and why that approach can help us. Pitfalls for visual communication and overcoming them. The concept of play and how it makes us better creatives. Defining our work as photographers. And a lot more! If you enjoyed our chat, you can catch a bonus episode on Patreon where Astrid and I discuss our approaches to focusing on experiences instead of results.  Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Astrid on Instagram. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Astrid recommended on the podcast this week: Madeleine Lenagh. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

The journey of nature photography can be amazing. Through it, we can learn to be better humans. Such is the case for today's guest of my podcast, Nic Stover. Nic has successfully managed to grow his online and physical photography business by aligning his core values and focusing on what really matters to him.  On this week's episode, we discuss: How Nic has found a way to differentiate himself by aligning his core values. Why Nic isn't on social media and how he promotes his business instead. Finding the right framework to evaluate your creative journey. Lessons learned from his experience being in a gallery and being critiqued at FotoFest. How Nic has carved out a niche presenting to camera clubs and what he's learned along the way. Having a professional mindset. Nic's website, Nature Photography Classes and the Speaker Series - use the code "FSTOP" for a discount! How Nic is giving back through The Inspired Creator. And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. The Wallas Model for Creativity. The Artist Way by Julia Cameron. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. The E-Myth book. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Nic recommended on the podcast this week: Tony Sweet. Sean Tucker. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Development of a unique style in nature photography is something most of us strive for in our quests as photographers of the landscape. Sometimes it is hard to put into words what that even means or looks like, and there are a plethora of variables that impact one's unique style. On today's podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of my favorite Canadian nature photographers, Jason Pettit, about his journey and approach to the craft, including his approach for distillation of subject, which I found to be quite interesting. Sit back, relax, and enjoy our chat! On this week's episode, we discuss: Jason's journey into photography. What life is like in Prince Edward County, where Jason lives and grew up. Using photography as a vehicle for self-discovery and therapy. Why we choose nature photography over something else. Our evolution as photographers. Identification of a unique style and what even means in nature photography. Distillation of subjects for maximum impact. Making home a lifelong photography project. Jason's earliest and current influences. How Jason copes as a nature photographer who is color blind. And a lot more! If you enjoyed our chat, we did a whole bonus episode on Patreon where Jason and I pontificate the ramifications of AI on nature photography. Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network and use the code "FSTOP10" for a 10% discount! My article in On Landscape on Jason Pettit. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. My Print Lab Review Article and Video. LensWork #161 & The Plateau of Despair. Eliot Porter - Intimate Landscapes. Galen Rowell - Mountain Light. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube, where we overlay photos with our conversation via video. Here is who Jason recommended on the podcast this week: Paul Wakefield. Alexey Korolyov. Donna Doyle. I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

Printing our landscape and nature photographs can bring a lot of joy and can provide tremendous opportunities for making money from your artwork. There's a lot to decipher before you start. What paper do you use? How do you calibrate your monitor? Why are my prints so dark? Fortunately, resources exist to make this process easier for you to figure out. As such, I was excited to record this week's podcast! On today's episode, I sat down with the legendary Australian print-maker and fine art educator, Les Walkling. Dr. Walkling has devoted his life to the arts, and taught contemporary fine art photography and history at RMIT University for many years. He is perhaps more well-known in the landscape photography community for his excellent YouTube videos that compare and contrast various fine art papers for printing. On today's podcast we talk about his research, how to evaluate and choose a fine art paper, and tips for monitor calibration. Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. Watch podcast episodes on YouTube. Essays & Notes from our Les Walking's website: Words Calibrating The Joy and Despair of Becoming a Photographer Digital Print Categories and Characteristics Paper Classifications Introduction to Monitor Calibration Matching Prints to Screen Lighting Theory Why Les Walkling & Co. Pty Ltd Bespoke Printer Profiles? My Emotional Theory of Aspect Ratios My Emotional Theory of Print Size Peter Dombrovskis - Journeys into the Wild Videos from Les Walkling's YouTube Channel Evaluating Files Before Printing Advanced Soft Proofing Monitor Calibration Advanced Soft Proofing Monitor Addendum The New Canson Infinity Inkjet Papers An Aesthetic Evaluation of Fine Art Inkjet Papers Brush Work Education & Services Workshops (Live and interactive via Zoom) Consultations (Online) Production Services (including remote Bespoke Printer Profiling) Here is who Les recommended on the podcast this week: Tony Hewitt Peter Eastway Adam Katseff I love hearing from the podcast listeners! Reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter if you'd like to be on the podcast or if you have an idea of a topic we can talk about. We also have an Instagram page, a Facebook Page, and a Facebook Group - so don't be shy! We also have a searchable transcript of every episode! Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week. P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.