
F-Stop Collaborate and Listen
This photography podcast takes you well beyond camera gear each week with weekly interviews and panel discussions with professional photographers, industry insiders, enthusiasts, and hobbyists alike. Our candid but laid-back conversations deeply explore the craft of photography and psychological drivers relating to creativity, motivation, inspiration, and workflow. We also discuss social media, photography business practices, marketing, sales, and hot topics impacting photographers from all genres, with a particular focus on landscape, nature, and wildlife photography. The show is hosted by Matt Payne, a professional full-time nature photographer and the co-founder of the internationally renowned photography competition, the Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Matt is also a mountaineer, climbing the highest 100 mountains in Colorado. Matt leverages skills he gained in pursuit of his Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology to dig deeply into the hearts and minds of his passionate guests, revealing secrets and inspiration in every episode.
Latest episodes

Jul 8, 2020 • 1h 15min
168: Manuel Palacios - The Relationship Between Photographic Art and Science
Welcome to episode 168 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's episode features a landscape photographer and scientist hailing from upstate New York - Manuel Palacios. Manuel has a wonderful body of landscape photography work on his website and I have always appreciated his Instagram feed.
For the past several years, Manuel has spent countless days and nights wandering around and basking in the beauty of the Adirondack State Park in New York, a subject he considers to be his muse.
Manuel and I discuss some interesting topics, including:
His obsession with the Adirondacks.
How he shoots with intent and how he has "conversations" with the landscape.
The relationship between science and art.
Storytelling through landscape photography.
The advantages of photographing in your backyard.
Various breakthroughs he has had as an artist.
... and more!
Over on Patreon this week, Manuel shared his thoughts about COVID-19 from a scientist's perspective.
I hope you enjoy our conversations!
Here are the people that Manuel recommended for the podcast:
1. Benjamin Williamson.
2. Robert Rodriguez Jr.
3. Finn Hopson.
4. Josh Lowe.
5. Nikhil Nagane.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. Gary Randall Alaska Workshop.
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. Join the discussion over on Nature Photographer's Network! We have weekly discussions about each episode of the podcast. It's also free! We also have an Instagram page and a Facebook page for updates.
Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.
As a reminder, you can also support the podcast by shopping at B+H for your photography gear using our Affiliate Link.

Jul 1, 2020 • 1h 11min
167: Todd Caudle - A Passion for Colorado Through Landscape Photography
Welcome to episode 167 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's episode features a photographer I have been following for many, many years and have had many interactions with on social media over the years. Todd Caudle is perhaps one of the most well-known landscape photographers in Colorado and is the owner of his own publishing company, Skyline Press, a vehicle that Todd uses to publish photography calendars, books, and note cards (and I'm confident if you were looking for someone to help you do the same that Todd would help you out).
Todd is an award-winning photographer who has explored countless miles of trails and backroads, primarily in our beloved home state of Colorado, seeking landscapes as they are experiencing their most fleeting moments. Rarely content to photograph a static landscape, he is always in pursuit of those dynamic events as weather ebbs and flows, as nighttime turns to day and back again, and as seasons change. His propensity for capturing dramatic climatic events led one close friend and fellow photographer to dub him Cloudman, and the nickname stuck.
Todd and I discuss some interesting topics, including:
How Todd got his start as a photographer.
What it was like to photograph super-star musicians.
How he transitioned into landscape photography.
How he got into the publishing business.
What encourages and discourages him about the current state of photography.
Mountain stretching in post-processing.
Lessons learned from Todd's critique of my work back in 2012.
... and more!
If you enjoyed our chat, you can join us for more on Patreon while supporting the show - we discuss what makes a great or compelling photograph.
I hope you enjoy our conversations!
Here are the people that Todd recommended for the podcast:
1. Dave Showalter.
2. Mike Pach.
3. Darren White.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. 60-day Trial to Nature Photographer's Network.

Jun 24, 2020 • 1h 1min
166: Ethan Deshaies - Defining What Makes a Good Photograph
Welcome to episode 166 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's episode features an "up-and-comer" named Ethan Deshaies. Ethan is a 20-year-old college student studying abroad in New Zealand (lucky!) and has some fresh perspectives on photography as an art-form. I think this episode is a nice compare and contrast with the ones we have done with more well-established photographers that have been around since before the digital revolution in photography.
Ethan and I discuss some interesting topics, including:
What makes a photograph good or bad?
Concrete definitions of good and bad as it relates to art.
Dimension, Depth, and Intrinsic Beauty.
Defining art.
... and much, much more
I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Here are the people that Ethan recommended for the podcast:
1. Jeff Lewis.
2. Rob Visser.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. NPN Free 60-Day Trial.
2. Richard Wong's contact for his article idea, based on his 10-year old article.
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. Join the discussion over on Nature Photographer's Network! We have weekly discussions about each episode of the podcast. It's also free! We also have an Instagram page and a Facebook page for updates.
If you'd like to support the show, head over to Patreon.
Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.

Jun 17, 2020 • 1h 28min
165: Epic Astro-landscape Photography Panel Discussion from Out of Chicago LIVE!
Welcome to episode 165 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's episode comes to you from the Out of Chicago LIVE event that I took part in back in April. I moderated a panel discussion about night / astro-photography with some great panelists, including Royce Bair, Ian Norman, Diana Southern, Mike Taylor, and Chris Nicholson.
It was a really fun panel discussion, in my opinion. We discussed some fun topics, including:
How to make night photography unique, creative, and relevant.
Favorite tricks and techniques for night photography.
Astro-photography from home.
Artificial light bans in National Parks.
Ethical considerations for night photography.
Starlink satellites and their impact on the night sky.
... and much, much more
I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. Out of Chicago LIVE recordings.
2. Michael Rung's YouTube videos.
3. Michael Rung's Lightroom workshops.
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. Join the discussion over on Nature Photographer's Network! We have weekly discussions about each episode of the podcast. It's also free! We also have an Instagram page and a Facebook page for updates.
Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.
As a reminder, you can also support the podcast by shopping at B+H for your photography gear using our Affiliate Link.

Jun 10, 2020 • 1h 17min
164: John Barclay - Discovering the Contemplative Style of Landscape Photography
Welcome to episode 164 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's episode features a landscape photographer whom I have admired for a long time - John Barclay. John hails from Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is a fantastic photographer, musician, and a great guy. John and I had a wonderful conversation this week and covered a wide variety of topics, including:
His beginnings in photography.
John's Contemplative Photography Retreats.
The "why" of landscape photography.
Your connection to your subject and how to choose how to capture it.
How bringing ourselves to our photography has an impact on the final product.
... and much, much more
Over on Patreon this week, John and I talk about how he leverages his communication skills to be a better photographer, business person, and how it has aided in his success.
I hope you enjoy our conversations!
Here are the people that John Barclay recommended for the podcast:
1. Cole Thompson.
2. Mitch DoBrowner.
3. Betty Wiley.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. NPN Free 60-Day Trial.
2. Photo Namer website.
3. ArcPanel Luminosity Masking Panel.
Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.
As a reminder, you can also support the podcast by shopping at B+H for your photography gear using our Affiliate Link.

Jun 3, 2020 • 1h 34min
163: Nick Carver - Soul-Searching for Personally Meaningful Photographs
Welcome to episode 163 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's episode features a landscape and architecture photographer living in Orange County, California. Nick Carver has been entrenched in photography since 2006 when he dove head first into business side of photography where he was met with many challenges. Nick almost gave up after several years of teaching for people on Craigslist until he made some difficult realizations about his work... Nick and I had a wonderful conversation this week and covered a wide variety of topics, including:
His beginnings in photography.
How he transitioned into architecture photography to make money.
How he looked at his work and made some painful realizations that almost caused him to quit.
His path of soul-searching and why he actually makes photographs.
The resurgence in film photography.
His YouTube channel (which is highly entertaining).
... and much, much more
Over on Patreon this week, Nick and I talk about the nuances of website portfolio design and his approach to showcasing his work.
I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Here is who Nick recommended for the podcast:
1. Carlos Beltran.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. Out of Chicago LIVE!
2. NPN Free 60-Day Trial.
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. Join the discussion over on Nature Photographer's Network! We have weekly discussions about each episode of the podcast. It's also free! We also have an Instagram page and a Facebook page for updates.
Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.
As a reminder, you can also support the podcast by shopping at B+H for your photography gear using our Affiliate Link.

May 27, 2020 • 1h 6min
162: Drew Armstrong - All About Drone Photography!
Welcome to episode 162 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's episode features a photographer hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah - he's a great guy and a supporter of the show. Our guest is an absolute master of drone photography, including cityscapes, landscapes, architecture, night-time, and everything in between. We had a wonderful time chatting all about drones. Without further ado, welcome Drew Armstrong to the show! Drew and I had a wonderful conversation this week and dove deep into the world of drones, including:
Why Drew likes using drones for his photography.
How to choose a drone for your photography.
Getting a Part 107 License for drone photography.
How to deal with people yelling at you while piloting.
What to do about losing or crashing your drone.
Governmental regulations around drone photography.
... and much, much more
Over on Patreon this week, Drew shares his experience raising his transgender son and how that has impacted his photography work.
I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Here are the people Drew recommended for the podcast:
1. Kirk Keyes.
2. MaryBeth Kiczenski.
3. Jahn Muracki.
4. Vic Moss.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. Out of Moab. Use the code, "PAYNE" for $250 off.
2. Out of Acadia. Use the code, "PAYNE" for $250 off.
3. Gary Randall Kenai Peninsula Workshops.
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. Join the discussion over on Nature Photographer's Network! We have weekly discussions about each episode of the podcast. It's also free! We also have an Instagram page and a Facebook page for updates.
Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.
As a reminder, you can also support the podcast by shopping at B+H for your photography gear using our Affiliate Link.

May 20, 2020 • 1h 31min
161: Christian Fletcher - Creating Original Landscape Photography in Western Australia
Welcome to episode 161 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week features an incredible landscape photographer hailing from Western Australia, Christian Fletcher. Christian was the very first winner of the International Landscape Photographer of the Year award in 2014 and his work continues to inspire many people across the globe. Christian is especially well-known for his incredible aerial photography and for owning and operating a fabulous gallery. Christian and I had a wonderful conversation this week and covered a wide variety of topics, including:
A walk down a path of history in the industry of landscape photography.
Christian's style of photography and how he creates unique and personal imagery.
The business of owning a photography gallery.
Christian's online training website.
... and much, much more
Over on Patreon this week, Christian and I talk about his belief that all great landscape photographs have to have "perfect light."
Also - Christian is offering listeners of the podcast a 50% discount on a subscription to his training website. After you add a subscription to the cart you will then be able to enter the clever discount code, "shrimponthebarbie" which will bring the cost down to about $30 U.S. Dollars.
Christian has over 60 tutorial videos on the website that show hands on how he edits his photos.
I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Please consider supporting the podcast on Patreon! There's a ton of bonus content over there for subscribers!
Here are the people Christian recommended for the podcast:
1. Peter Eastway.
2. Tony Hewitt.
3. Nick Rains.
4. Ricardo Da Cuhna.
5. Adam Williams.
6. Ignacio Palacios.
7. Les Walkling.
8. Murray Fredericks.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. Out of Moab.
2. Out of Acadia.
Use the code, "PAYNE" for $250 off.
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. Join the discussion over on Nature Photographer's Network! We have weekly discussions about each episode of the podcast. It's also free! We also have an Instagram page and a Facebook page for updates.
Thanks for stopping in, collaborating with us, and listening. See you next week.
As a reminder, you can also support the podcast by shopping at B+H for your photography gear using our Affiliate Link.

May 13, 2020 • 2h 3min
160: Women in Landscape Photography - A Panel Discussion
Welcome to episode 160 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week features a very special panel conversation with some amazing landscape photographers. In this week's episode, we explore gender issues in the landscape photography industry from the perspective of our fabulous panel of women, including:
Sandra Bartocha
Viktoria Haack
Jessie Johnson
Dani Lefrançois
Sarah Marino
Anna Morgan
Varina Patel
Jennifer Renwick
Various topics that we covered include:
Balancing photography and family
Pursuing a career in landscape or nature photography as a woman
Spending time in nature alone
Representation of women in the landscape photography industry
Advice for other women that wish to pursue landscape and nature photography
Positive changes in the landscape photography industry for women
... and much, much more
Over on Patreon this week, the panel playfully tackles the subject of man-splaining as it relates to landscape photography and how our panelists handle those moments in the field. Be sure to stick around to the end to hear about various special offers and upcoming events that our awesome guests would like you to know about. Let's support them as best as we can!
I hope you enjoy our conversation!
As promised, here are some ways to support our guests.
Varina Patel is currently running a spring sale over on Visual Wilderness - you can get deals on tutorials on Focus & Sharpness, Bracketing & Blending, Light & Colors and Macro & Night Photography. Just go to visualwilderness.com/special-offer
Dani Lefrançois is running two upcoming workshops - one is a fall color tour of the Canadian Rockies in September 2020 and the other is a tour of Newfoundland in May 2021. Check out the show notes for links to both of those offers.
Viktoria Haack is teaching a business of photography course; you can get $50 off by using the code VICTORIAHAACK
Sandra Bartocha has a new book entitled Lys - an Intimate Journey to the North which looks really fantastic.
Sarah Marino has since launched a YouTube Channel which looks to be quite promising. She's showcasing her techniques for composing smaller, more intimate scenes.
Lastly, Jennifer Renwick and her partner David Kingham have been releasing some great webinars on YouTube for photographers through their website Nature Photographer's Network. Check out the show notes for links to all these and a lot more!

May 6, 2020 • 1h 35min
159: Brooks Jensen - Creating Personally Meaningful Landscape Photography
Welcome to episode 159 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast.
This week's amazing guest is none other than Brooks Jensen, someone I have admired for many years. Brooks Jensen is a fine-art photographer, publisher, workshop teacher, and writer. He and his wife Maureen Gallagher are the owners, co-founders, editors, and publishers of the award winning LensWork, one of today’s most respected and important periodicals in fine art photography. With subscribers in 72 countries, Brooks’ impact on fine art photography is truly world-wide.
LensWork Publishing is also at the leading edge in multimedia and digital media publishing with LensWork Extended — a PDF based, media-rich expanded version of the magazine. Brooks' personal work can be seen in his on-going series, Kokoro, a PDF based, downloadable periodical.
LensWork Online, a membership website, features 10 channels of content featuring Brooks’ 50-years of experience in fine art photography including:
Audio programs — Editor’s Comments, Looking at Images, Those Who Inspire Me (and Why), and interviews with over 400 photographers.
Video programs — our daily Here’s a Thought . . ., Feedback Reviews, Exploring the Possibilities, and Creative Labs.
Brooks is the author of ten best-selling books on photography and creativity: Looking at Images, The Creative Life in Photography, Letting Go of the Camera, the three volume set Single Exposures: Random Observations on Art, Photography and Creativity. His most recent books are Photography, Art, & Media; The Best of the LensWork Interviews, and Seeing in SIXES (four volumes published in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019). A monograph of his work was published in 2012 titled Made of Steel.
Brooks and I has a wonderful conversation about a variety of topics this week, including:
Creating personally meaningful landscape photography work.
His historical perspective as a landscape photographer.
How and why landscape photography has evolved into what it is today.
What types of images he looks for to publish in LensWork.
...and a lot more!
Over on Patreon this week, Brooks and I discuss the pros and cons of doing open edition prints vs. limited edition prints - a conversation based on an article Brooks wrote which has defined my views on the subject.
I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Here are the people Brooks recommended for the podcast:
1. Huntington Witherill.
2. Carl Chiarenza.
3. Dominic Rouse.
4. Cole Thompson.
Other items mentioned on the show:
1. My conversation with Ian Plant on Shuttermonkeys.