F-Stop Collaborate and Listen

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.

Ethics is a subject that often gets a bad reputation in photography circles. People that discuss ethics are often wrongly seen as sanctimonious and elitist, when in fact, ethical considerations are really at the core of what makes us human. Ethics is an often misunderstood subject; however, it is paramount for us as nature photographers to be mindful of ethics when in the field. As this great article from Santa Clara University suggests, "ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues." As it relates to wildlife photography, ethics can provide us with guiding principles to protect our subjects and to remain true to our personal values as photographers.  This week on the podcast I was joined by two amazingly talented wildlife and nature photographers, Pam Dorner and Jennifer Leigh Warner to discuss ethics in wildlife photography. This topic is one that is near and dear to me and I hope you enjoy both Pam and Jennifer's thoughtful responses to my questions relating to the challenges we face regarding wildlife photography and ethics. On this week's episode, we discuss: The contrast between landscape photography and wildlife photography, Our personal feelings about ethics in wildlife photography and why they are of import, Personal rules for ethical behavior as wildlife photographers, Respecting wildlife and wild places, Bear jams - what they are, and the pros and cons of them, The problems with using live bait in "wildlife photography," How to properly define wildlife photography and the problem with photographing captive animals, Spotting fake wildlife photographs, The importance of honesty in wildlife photography, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network. Use the code FSTOP10 for 10% off! Support the podcast on Patreon. Nature First. NANPA Ethics. Article about Pam & Nature Photographer of the Year. Winning image in Nature Photographer of the Year. Here is who Pam and Jennifer recommended on the podcast this week: Betsy Botsford. Alyce Bender. 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 Pam and Jennifer's photography.

One of the best ways to monetize nature and landscape photography is to sell it at regional art shows across the U.S. Entering these art shows can either leave a photographer wildly rich or bankrupt, and the difference between the two is not very large. Fortunately, there are actionable steps that can be taken in order to maximize your success in selling your work at art fairs & art shows. This week on the podcast I had a great time speaking with Jay Rasmussen, a photographer from Minnesota. Jay is a retired college professor where he spent 30 years training other teachers. Jay is relatively new in the photography scene but has found wild success selling his work at art fairs. In this week's show, we talk about Jay's entrance into photography, how he arrived at selling his work so quickly, tips for other photographers looking to monetize their work, and some excellent discussion and practical insight relating to teaching photography. On this week's episode, we discuss: How Jay found himself as a photographer, How to decide which art fairs to apply for, How much to invest in selling your photography at art fairs, What kind of photography sells at art shows, Staying true to yourself as an artist selling at art shows, Tips for teaching photography to students, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network. Support the podcast on Patreon. Art Fair Sourcebook. Join us on Patreon for our bonus conversation where Jay talks about using a growth mindset as a photographer. Here is who Jay recommended on the podcast this week: David Barthel. Steve Wewerka. 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. See the full show notes here.

One of the most common questions I hear from other photographers is, "how can I monetize my photography?" It's a complicated question with many valid answers. Most importantly, it's crucial for photographers to understand some of the complex underpinnings, psychological challenges, ethical questions, and the impacts on creativity that often accompany monetization in landscape photography. This week on the podcast I had an amazing time talking with Israeli Landscape Photographer Ilan Shacham. Ilan is one of those photographers that flies under the radar and when you see their work for the first time you'll ask yourself why you have never heard of them before! Ilan made the challenging transition to becoming a full-time photographer in 2017 and in today's episode we delve deep into monetization and internal conflicts that can arise relating to monetization. On this week's episode, we discuss: Ilam's journey as a photographer, Why Ilan made the leap to become a full-time photographer and how that impacted his work, Ways in which monetization both helps and hinders his photography, Ways to overcome the challenges of monetization, Actionable ways to make money in landscape photography, Educating the public on the challenges of making good images, Photographing Israel as a landscape photographer, The implications of AI and photography, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. Here is who Ilan recommended on the podcast this week: Michael Kenna. Ian Bramham. John Leech. Alex Bazeos. 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 Ilan's excellent work!

Learning about other subjects such as philosophy, psychology, economics, and geology can all make you a better photographer and also a better businessperson in your photography. I'm a strong advocate for cross-disciplinary study to make yourself a more well-rounded person, which I think makes you a better photographer. As such, this week on the podcast I'm happy to introduce you to Radomir Jakubowski, a German landscape, nature, and wildlife photographer. Radomir has a huge collection of awesome images in his portfolio and lots of interesting ways to think about the world that I think may help you in your journey as a photographer. On this week's episode, we discuss: Radomir's journey as a photographer, How studying other subjects can benefit your photography, How Radomir approached competitions early on in his career as a photographer, How Radomir thinks like an economist to improve his photography and photography business, Being a brand ambassador - how / why / what makes sense, Why and how Radomir uses his images to protect Europe, 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. If you enjoyed our chat, you can join us for a bonus episode on Patreon where we discuss ideas to making more evocative images for your portfolio. Here is who Radomir recommended on the podcast this week: Jan Wegener. Stefan Forester. Bence Mate. Jasper Doest. Zeitweise. Audun Rickardsen. 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 ways to engage with nature and landscape photography in a way that goes beyond simply capturing the natural beauty of nature can be a huge challenge that a lot of photographers struggle with. While there's certainly nothing wrong with simply capturing beauty, some photographers wish to go further with their work and use it as a vehicle for personal expression or to say something about themselves through the photographs. This week's guest on the podcast, Alister Benn, has coined his business expressive photography for a reason. He had an epiphany when photographing the Gobi Desert several years ago that completely changed the way he creates photographs. Ever since then, he's been sharing his approach with the world through his platform, Expressive Photography. On this week's episode, we discuss: Alister's experience that facilitated his epiphany, Actionable tips for creating personally expressive photographs, The challenges and realities of running your own photography business, Making tough choices as a business-person in photography, Challenges with mental health and how photography can help others, Alister's new book, Out of Darkness, how it was made, why it was made, and the challenges of making books in general, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Join me over on Nature Photographer's Network. If you enjoyed our chat, you can join us for a bonus episode on Patreon where we discuss the importance and value of relationships as it relates to photography. Here is who Alister recommended on the podcast this week: Dorin Bofan. Astrid Preisz. 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.