F-Stop Collaborate and Listen

One of the most under-appreciated photography locations in the United States is Appalachia, a region that stretches from Alabama in the south to New York in the north. Appalachia is not home to towering mountains, arid deserts, or epic displays of geology; however, a skilled photographer who takes care to connect with this place is able to create fantastic photographs that are personally expressive and evocative. Today's guest on episode 306 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast, Michele Sons, is one such photographer. Her attention to detail and personal connection to Appalachia, fog, and geographic peculiarities has given her photography a voice in the crowded space of nature and landscape photography. Michele has come to specialize in quiet, contemplative images of the Appalachian region and beyond. She has worked with National Geographic for years on their Beautiful Landscapes calendars, and other clients of hers include The Wilderness Society, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Eastern National, Gladstone Media, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. If you want to learn how Michele is able to make stunning images of this seemingly less-than-iconic location, then you have come to the right place. On this week's episode, we discuss: Michele's 111-page e-book, Riversong, all about the New River Gorge in Fayetteville, West Virginia (Use the code FSTOP20 for 20% off). Michele's personal connection to place and how she goes about making images that are connective in this way. Michele's approaches to making images from less than iconic destinations. How photography has served Michele in a healing capacity. How Michele's mental health has shifted since she took up photography full-time. Michele's strategies and challenges for monetization as a full-time photographer. How knowing yourself can lead to better photographs. Michele's "The Feminine Landscape" project. Our mutual obsession with fog. And a lot more! If you enjoyed our conversation, you can catch our bonus episode on Patreon where Michele and I discuss her strategies for using lead magnets to increase her mailing list. Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Join me on Nature Photographer's Network for an amazing photography experience. Use the code FSTOP10 for 10% off your membership. Support the podcast on Patreon. Watch the podcast on YouTube. Here is who Michele recommended on the podcast this week: Derek von Briesen. Sam Krisch. 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. Scroll down to see more of Michele's fantastic Appalachia photography!

One of the most frequent question I see other photographers asking is "how much should I charge for my services or prints?" Pricing your photography can be tricky, no matter what genre of photography you are engaged with. As such, it was awesome to have a conversation with this week's guest on Episode 305 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast. This week I had a blast speaking with Walid Azami. Walid is a photographer and commercial director living in Los Angeles and originally from Kabul, Afghanistan. He photographs celebrities, commercial products, and a lot more while offering his services as a coach and mentor to other photographers relating to business practices and pricing. On this week's episode, we discuss: Similarities between landscape photography and other genres as it relates to pricing and monetization. The biggest mistakes photographers make in relation to pricing their photography. Determining when monetization is worth pursuing. Strategies for pricing your artwork and services. Dealing with customers that low-ball you. How to differentiate yourself as a photographer in the crowded marketplace we find ourselves in. Advice for how to start thinking monetization of your work. And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. AirBnB Experiences. Walid's Course. Walid's website for photographers. Walid on YouTube. Here is who Walid recommended on the podcast this week: 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.

Finding actionable tips to improve our nature and landscape photography can often be hard to come by in today's noisy environment where catchy and click-bait titles on YouTube dominate the day; however, there are still ways to find these tips. A great place to find them of course is right here on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast!  This week I had a wonderful time chatting with long-time photographer Hank Erdmann, who shared with us some great tips for finding compositions in nature that might not seem obvious.  On this week's episode, we discuss: How Hank got into photography, Hank's process for finding images through the use of the five senses, Using artistic sensory perception to create better photographs, Practical tips for people that say they are not artistic, A discussion on "what is art" in photography, Defining art, The differences between representative photographs and artistic photographs, Hank's role with NANPA, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. Brooks Jensen's Ask Me Anything on NPN. My article on Art in Nature Photography on NPN. Guy Tal's article on Mindfulness in Nature Photography on NPN. Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network and use the code "FSTOP10" for a 10% discount! Here is who Hank recommended on the podcast this week: Willard Clay. David Ward. Craig Blacklock. Did you know we are also now showcasing our episodes in video format on YouTube? It's a great way to see the conversation unfold while seeing images shared by our guests or images that we discuss.  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.

This week I had an amazing time chatting it up with one of my favorite photographers - Sigfrido Zimmermann. Sigfrido is an ecologist for his day job and an fantastic nature photographer in his spare time. He combines his knowledge of ecological processes to make some really stunning images, which is what we talk about in this week's show, at length. Sigfrido and I had a wonderful conversation and started out with a lot of background on his area of scientific research, which I think will help you later on if you stay tuned! On this week's episode, we discuss: Sigfrido's journey into nature photography, Sigfrido's area of scientific research as an ecologist, Why Sigfrido makes images, The connection between Sigfrido's scientific research and his photography, How non-scientists can leverage science to make better photographs, Working in projects as a photographer, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Join me for a Muench Workshop at White Pocket - June 6-11, 2023. Support the podcast on Patreon. Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network and use the code "FSTOP10" for a 10% discount! William Neill's book: The Photographer's Portfolio Development Workshop. Theo Bosboom's article in OnLandscape on Project Based Work. Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Here is who Sigfrido recommended on the podcast this week: Alfredo Mora. Hans Gunnar Aslaksen. Jason Pettit. 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.

Ever since I created my landscape and nature photography podcast, there was one person from the United Kingdom that I have always wanted to have as a guest - Joe Cornish. Fortunately, my friend Alex Nail asked if he could interview Joe and I was beyond thrilled at the suggestion. Joe is an inspiration to so many landscape photographers, so it was a true pleasure hearing him answer our tough questions. As such, it was a great honor to have him join us for our 302nd episode of the podcast, and the 5th iteration of our "Artists Asking Artists" series. Joe's approach to composition and field craft are quite renowned and appreciated by photographers across the world, so it was so amazing hearing him discuss practical ways in which he approaches the making of his images. On this week's episode, we discuss: Joe Cornish's approaches to making landscape photographs, Perfectionism in landscape photography, Complexity in composition in landscape photography, Qualities of light and Joe's preferences for light, Various discussion around color hue shifts in digital cameras, Reconciling our carbon footprint while travelling great distances, Adding value to the world as a photographer, Comparing and contrasting landscape photographers from the United Kingdom and the United States, The influence of painters on landscape photographers, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. Joe's article over on OnLandscape. Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network and use the code "FSTOP10" for a 10% discount! 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. Please see our full listing of show notes and links for more information! P.S. you can also support the podcast by purchasing items through our B+H affiliate link.

For many landscape and nature photographers, Antarctica is a dream location to visit and photograph. What's not to appreciate about it? It has incredible wildlife that has no fear of humans, making them quite easy to photograph. It has towering landscapes that are untouched by man. It has massive icebergs that float in the sea ice in dramatic and contrasting color and light. I was incredibly lucky to join the Muench Workshops team as an instructor to Antarctica back at the start of December and even luckier to be able to sit down and record a podcast while on board the Sea Spirit with the Poseidon Expedition Team, a delightful group of experts in their own areas of expertise, including biology, logistics, and photography. I was joined by John "Flipper" Suta, our Zodiac driver and logistics expert, Piet van  den Bemd, the Expedition photographer, and Tomas Marina, a biologist and researcher on climate change. It was an amazing experience to witness and photograph towering mountains, exuberant Penguins, Humpback Whales, Orcas, Seals, and incredible light while teaching photography, something I'm deeply passionate about. On this week's episode, we discuss: What makes Antarctica one of the most special locations on Earth for landscape photography. What a trip to Antarctica is really like. What one can expect from a trip to Antarctica. How studying and learning about different sciences can help your photography in Antarctica. The impacts of climate change on Antarctica. The impacts of tourism on climate change and protection of the Antarctic continent. And a lot more! 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! Join the Muench Workshops Team for a trip to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctica. Join the Muench Workshops Team for a trip to Antarctica on board the Sea Spirit. See the full show notes and some of my photographs from Antarctica. 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.

I created this podcast in April, 2017. The first thing I did was to create a list of interesting and inspirational photographers I wanted to talk with on my podcast, and one of the first names I added to that list was Marc Adamus. Marc probably does not need an introduction for most of our listeners; however, it is safe to say that he has become a modern icon in the landscape photography community. His style of photography has inspired and propelled many other photographers, including myself. Marc's influence popularized the fantastical and dreamy look that has become mainstream over the past decade, much to the chagrin of old school practitioners and the excitement of up-and-coming digital artists. It is safe to say that Marc single-handedly revolutionized landscape photography as we know it. As such, it was a great honor to have him join us for our 300th episode of the podcast, and the 4th iteration of our "Artists Asking Artists" series. I am incredibly thankful for my friend Rajesh Jyothiswaran, who joined me on today's special episode with Marc. Rajesh recruited Marc for this podcast episode and I'm so happy he was able to! On this week's episode, we discuss: Marc's childhood and how he found himself in landscape photography, Marc's obsession with weather maps, How Marc has pushed the artform of landscape photography, Marc's various travel experiences and the story of how he severely injured himself on a glacier, How Marc identifies new places to photograph, Safety and security concerns in the areas he photographs, Logistics involved in his exotic workshop offerings, How Galen Rowell was an inspiration to him, Marc's home life and relationship with his wife and son, How and why Marc edits his photographs the way he does, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and landscape photography, And a lot more! 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! Here is who Marc recommended on the podcast this week: Ignacio Palacios. Panos Laskarakis. 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.

Aerial Nature and Landscape Photography is often viewed by more traditional landscape photographers as somewhat of a cheat code for making surprising images; however, I don't think this is necessarily the case. Capturing interesting, compelling, and thought-provoking images from the air still requires a great deal of artistic talent, technical talent, and perfect execution, especially when photographed from an airplane. This week on the podcast I was joined by Aussie nature photographer and aerial specialist, Mieke Boynton (pronounced Mee-ka), who has an incredible passion for aerial photography. You may recognize Mieke's name from last week's episode with her partner, Matt Palmer. They co-manage a gallery together in Bright, Australia. Mieke was also the winner of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards Abstract and Details category with an evocative, elegant, and thought-provoking aerial photograph that will absolutely astonish you. Mieke and I cover such a fun variety of subjects this week, including her passion for an area called the Kimberley, which is an area of Australia that has deep Aboriginal roots, which we discuss at length. On this week's episode, we discuss: Mieke's journey into photography, The story behind how Mieke and Matt Palmer met and become Australia's photography power couple, Why Mieke has chosen to open a gallery in her small home town of Bright, Australia, population 2,600, Mieke's connection to the Kimberley Region, Mieke's desire to share the cultures of the Aboriginal people with her audience, Advice for others seeking a connection with place, Tips and stories about aerial nature and landscape photography, Why Mieke doesn't believe that aerial photography is cheating, Mieke's stance on processing her images, And a lot more! 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! Matt & Mieke's Gallery, Alpine Light. Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Join us on Patreon for our fun bonus conversation where Mieke tells us about her history as a competitive athlete and making it to the Olympic games, and how competition drives each of us in different ways. Here is who Mieke recommended on the podcast this week: Viktoria Haack. Tania Malkin. Jordan Cantelo. Paul Hoelen. Ricardo Da Cunha. Chris Saunders. Tony Hewitt. 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.

It is often the ultimate dream for nature and landscape photographers to open and run their own gallery and doing so is often filled with a heap of questions that don't always have easy answers. Talking about these realities with photographers that have already gone down this path is one way to learn more about it before investing tens of thousands of dollars on your own gallery opening. This week on the podcast I was joined by Aussie photographer Matt Palmer. Matt was the Australian Professional Photographer of the Year in 2019 and won the Natural Landscape Photography Awards Project in 2021. Before entering the landscape scene, Matt previously photographed in commercial, portrait, wedding, sporting and music genres. Matt was documenting some of the world's biggest musicians such as Metallica, Pearl Jam, TOOL, Nick Cave, Joan Jett and hundreds more. His work is usually instilled with a strong sense of justice and spans several genres. He lives in Bright, Australia, where he runs a gallery with his partner, Mieke Boynton. Matt and I had a great chat covering a wide variety of subjects, so sit back, relax, and enjoy our conversation. On this week's episode, we discuss: Matt's journey into landscape photography, Matt's rough childhood and how it shaped him as a photographer, Photographing in projects, Choosing and submitting photographs and projects to competitions, Judging competitions, How to handle negativity, Running a landscape photography gallery, Business models for galleries, Pricing work for a gallery, Matt's YouTube channel, Matt Talks Photography, And a lot more! 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! Matt & Mieke's Gallery, Alpine Light. Wirestock. Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Join us on Patreon for our bonus conversation where Matt and I discuss Visual Hierarchies and composition. Here is who Matt recommended on the podcast this week: Mieke Boynton. Paul Hoelen. Ricardo Da Cunha. Chris Saunders. Tony Hewitt. 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.

Creativity is a subject that rightfully gets a ton of attention in the nature and landscape photography community. Making seemingly "creative" photographs is a high bar that we set for ourselves as photographers and artists; however, it can be a nebulous descriptor that is difficult to define. As such, it is often discussed without giving it proper thought or consideration as to what it actually means to "be creative," or to create something that demonstrates "creativity." This week on episode 297 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, I was joined by a landscape photographer living in St. Louis, Missouri, Nick Becker. Nick is someone who continually writes thoughtful articles that I have greatly enjoyed over the years and his photography is quite contemplative and enjoyable to look at, so I thought he would make for an excellent guest on the podcast. Nick and I talk quite extensively about creativity and neuroscience that supports various theories on creativity, so sick back and enjoy our conversation. On this week's episode, we discuss: Creativity! Why Nick makes photographs, How becoming a new dad has influenced Nick's thought processes as a photographer, How Nick's background as a computer scientist has impacted his photography and vice versa, Nick's article, "What Neuroscience Tells Us About Creativity and How to Use It To Our Advantage," The Two models of creativity, How to make creative nature and landscape photographs, Nick's article, "The Experience is Everything," Nick's software called, ColorTools - and his tutorial for using it, Roger Beaty’s article that discusses idea generation/evaluation model of creativity, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. Guy Tal's article, "On Artistic Usefulness." Sign up for Nick's newsletter. Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Join us on Patreon for our bonus conversation about the importance of photographing areas close to home, and Nick's project showcasing his growth as a photographer. Here is who Nick recommended on the podcast this week: Paulo Valdivia. Michael Forsberg. Donna Doyle. Adam Bolyard. Saikat Chakraborty. 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.