B&H Photography Podcast

We return to our annual Cameras of the Year conversation for today's installment of the B&H Photography Podcast and, as usual, we welcome a member of the B&H staff who knows these cameras as well as anyone. In addition to being a pro photo sales specialist at the B&H SuperStore, Llinelva De Castro is a wedding and portrait photographer and former proprietor of a family photo studio, in Queens, NY. We are pleased to hear her insights on these featured cameras and to get her sense of the public's reaction to this new gear. In the running for "2021 Camera of the Year" are certainly the new flagship mirrorless offerings from Nikon, Canon, and Sony, but there are some surprises when it comes to the cameras we each liked best this year. The Canon EOS R3, Nikon Z 9, and Sony a1 take much of the spotlight of our conversation, but we also discuss new mirrorless, point-and-shoot, and medium format cameras from Panasonic, Sigma, Pentax, Olympus, and several from FUJIFILM. Our conversation also includes mention of new drones and phones, thoughts on the trajectory of the camera industry, and a look back at our favorite cameras from the past five years. Please check out all the photography equipment at the B&H Photo website and in the comment section, let us know your favorite camera from 2021. Guest: Llinelva De Castro

To take photographs on ships or to work in ports and cover maritime transportation requires a full range of photographic know-how, including portraiture, landscape, product, aerial, architecture, corporate—even adventure-photography skills. And that's just on the first day! On today's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast we discuss this type of industrial and corporate photography, which at its core is rooted in documentary and visual storytelling. We welcome to the program photographer Nick Souza and writer and photographer, Todd Vorenkamp. Nick Souza translated years of photojournalism and sports photography experience into a career as corporate industrial photographer. He has traveled the world on assignments for companies including Maersk, DHL, Kalmar, Konecranes, Sperry Marine, and many others. A specialist in maritime transportation, his photographs have been exhibited at The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. With Souza we discuss the practical tools needed to stay safe and capture compelling imagery for clients. Souza is a Nikon shooter who will not apologize for his love of zoom lenses, including the 24-70mm and 200-500mm NIKKORS. Todd Vorenkamp is a photographer, writer, and an adjunct instructor of photography at Dakota College at Bottineau. He is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a former merchant ship deck officer, and a former US Navy and Coast Guard helicopter aviator. His photo work has been published in Maritime Executive Magazine, Rotor & Wing, and Vertical Magazine, among others. With Vorenkamp we talk specifically about working on huge aircraft carriers and merchant ships and we learn how to maintain creativity on long ocean journeys. Join us for this fascinating and very practical conversation, supported by Pelican. Guests: Nick Souza and Todd Vorenkamp Photograph © Nick Souza

The title for this episode of the B&H Photography Podcast is taken from a comment made by guest Tonika Johnson, describing the moment she recognized the effect her work could have on citizens of her hometown of Chicago. I'm certain that our other guests have had a similar moment when they see that their artistic work has gone beyond just the oohs and ahhs of aesthetes and afficionados and truly helps to educate and change the world for the better. On today's program, we speak about photo projects that are used to address social problems and to bridge gaps between diverse people. In addition to Johnson, we welcome photographer John Noltner, the founder of A Peace of My Mind, and Michael Skoler, Communications Director at Weave: The Social Fabric Project. From Skoler we learn of the founding of Weave by the Aspen Institute and its mission to enable "weavers" to create connections between varied people, to act as good neighbors, and to "heal" communities. A Peace of My Mind, which has collaborated with Weave, uses photography and portraiture to foster discussions on peace and its many interpretations. Through exhibitions, workshops, and even his new book, Noltner's visual storytelling sparks conversation and, hopefully, brings new understandings on diversity and tolerance. In the second half of the program, we focus on the work of Tonika Johnson and her Folded Map Project, which provides a unique method to compare historically segregated neighborhoods in Chicago and, ultimately, to bring the residents of these neighborhoods together. We speak with Johnson of her work as a photo teacher and activist and learn how this project had been gestating since her high-school days. Join us for this inspirational conversation. Guests: Michael Skoler, John Noltner, Tonika Johnson Photograph © John Noltner

Our guest on this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast is physician and astrophotographer, Robert Gendler. The distinguished assignments, numerous international accolades, and five published books are an indication of the significance of the work of this self-described amateur. His mosaic of the Andromeda Galaxy has been used to create 3D IMAX films and is considered the largest image of a spiral galaxy ever taken. With Gendler we discuss his craft and career. We talk of his early days creating deep sky images from a suburban driveway and how his process and gear has evolved over the years. We talk a bit about telescopes and binoculars and clarify some of the terminology used in astrophotography. We learn of important figures in the field and just how difficult space photography was in the pre-digital days. Our conversation in the second half of the show focuses on Gendler's recent work creating large mosaics of galaxies and nebulae, often from hundreds if not thousands of unique exposures. We get a sense of how the colors are determined and how he mines data from the Hubble Heritage Team and other the amateur and professional archives to create these beautiful images. This episode of the B&H Photography Podcast was supported by Pelican. Guest: Dr. Robert Gendler Photograph © Robert Gendler

On this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast we welcome the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Lensbaby, the special effects lens manufacturer. Lensbaby was started by Craig Strong in 2004 and quickly established a name for itself. Over the years, they have added lenses, optics systems, and accessories to grow their brand while maintaining their emphasis on creative expression and embracing imperfection. With Strong, who worked as a staff and freelance photographer before co-founding Lensbaby, we discuss tinkering to create a prototype, founding the company, growth decisions, and motivation. We also talk about dealing with successes and failures in the very competitive camera and lens business. On the gear side, we ask questions about the research and development of lenses, the various mounts available with Lensbaby lineup, and we get a sense of what is on the horizon for the company in 2022. Guest: Craig Strong Photograph © Allan Weitz

On today's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we are pleased to welcome Peter Cohen and Bill Shapiro to discuss "vernacular" photography and the historical and cultural significance of snapshots and other images that fall outside the realms of fine-art and commercial photography. Peter J. Cohen is recognized as one of the country's foremost collectors of vernacular photography and portions of his collections are now included in institutions such as Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, MFA Boston, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Morgan Library, and SFMoMA. Bill Shapiro is the former Editor-in-Chief of LIFE Magazine and the founding Editor-in-Chief of LIFE.com. He is the author of several books, including Gus & Me, a children's book he co-wrote with Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, and What We Keep, from 2018. Shapiro is also a curator and has written about photography for The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Esquire, and others, including an article for Texas Monthly, which contains images referred to in this episode. With our guests we discuss the joy of collecting old photos, of discovering themes, creating romantic stories, and of the beauty of the photograph as object. We also consider the surge of interest in vernacular photography from museums and other institutions, the marketplace distinctions among these and fine-art photos, and most important, what these images can tell us about our country and cultures. Join us for this enjoyable and insightful conversation. Guests: Peter Cohen and Bill Shapiro Photograph Courtesy of the Peter J. Cohen Collection

We want to celebrate our guest Alexis Cuarezma in this encore presentation and also note what great info this episode offers for those interested in portrait lighting, especially for dance and sports photography. Alexis' career has been growing steadily since he joined us in 2019, he recently presented at the Eddie Adams Workshop and will be speaking at ImagingUSA in January 2022 and at the very interesting Pas de Deux Dance Photography Conference in Austin, Texas in February, 2022. Enjoy. On today's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome California-based advertising, sports, dance, and fashion photographer (and director), Alexis Cuarezma, who packs a considerable amount of practical and creative insight into our hour-long conversation. Ostensibly, Cuarezma was joining us to talk about his lighting techniques and, while he does dive deep into lighting schemes, we discuss so much more. Cuarezma is generous with is thoughts on production, composition, models, gear, self-promotion, and marketing really anything that he understands to help him in his burgeoning photo business. Just a glance at his work, and one will realize why Cuarezma is here to discuss lighting techniques, he has shot for Sports Illustrated (including six covers),Fortune magazine, Ring magazine, the New York Times, and his clients include Nike. Cuarezma emphasizes his belief that getting it right "in-camera" is the key to his success, not just for the sake of the final image, but for his creative process. Researching, planning, arriving early, being hands-on in every phase of the work, and understanding that your vision, when properly executed, will win over a client, is the other key to his success. With Cuarezma we discuss his decision-making process when creating a portrait; each of the small problems that needs to be solved to create the desired look that works best for his particular subject. While comfortable renting the needed gear to fulfill each project, he also discusses the gear he owns and uses, including Profoto B1 lights, Rosco Gels, and his Canon 5DS R. Join us for this insightful and very educational episode. Guest: Alexis Cuarezma Photograph © Alexis Cuarezma

Today's episode is an encore presentation of the show originally published on March 19, 2020. If you were otherwise preoccupied that week, we recommend you take a listen to this conversation about photographer Jim Marshall and the film "Show Me the Picture", a documentary on his life and work as a rock-n-roll photographer. The film is now streaming on AppleTV/iTunes and if you are in Boston, MA on November 13, The Leica Store Boston is hosting a special screening of the film, followed by a conversation with author and the film's producer Amelia Davis and editor Bill Shapiro (coincidentally our guest on next week's new episode). There will also be a book signing of the companion book, "Jim Marshall: Show Me the Picture". The event is free but its necessary to sign up on eventbrite. -------------------------------------------------------- Today we discuss some of the most recognized images of rock-n-roll history. Our first guest is photographer Amelia Davis who is the owner of Jim Marshall LLC, the living archive of the prolific photographer Jim Marshall, most known for his images of jazz and rock musicians of the 1950's through the 1970s. If you are familiar with photos of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, or the Allman Brothers Band, then you are certain to know his work. Marshall not only covered the Monterrey and Altamont festivals, but was the only photographer invited by the Beatles to cover their final concert. Marshall also documented the Civil Rights movement and the Haight-Ashbury scene in San Francisco. With Davis, we discuss how she came to be the proprietor of the archive and how she protects and manages the collection. We also talk about Marshall, the man, and why he was seemingly able to photograph "everyone" in that era. Davis is also part of the production team behind the new film "Show Me the Picture: The Story of Jim Marshall", which is well worth seeing to get a better understanding of Marshall's motley personality and his incredible body of work. After our chat with Davis, we welcome photographer Elliott Landy, who is producing a book of his images on the seminal rock group, The Band. Landy was the official photographer of the famed 1969 Woodstock music festival and responsible for unforgettable images of Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, and others. Guests: Amelia Davis and Elliott Landy Photograph: Courtesy Jim Marshall Photography LLC https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exclusive-jim-marshall-film-screening-leica-gallery-boston-tickets-191284486047

We were expecting this episode to be a great one and it did not disappoint. The B&H Photography Podcast team welcomes photographer Lester Sloan and his daughter, author Aisha Sabatini Sloan, to discuss their new book, Captioning the Archive: A Conversation in Photographs and Text. The book is a conversation about photography and photojournalism, but more a conversation between father and daughter, one that had been taking place for years, for a lifetime, and finally put to print. Selecting images from his long career as a Newsweek staff photographer, as well as his personal projects dating back to 1960's Detroit, Sloan and Sabatini Sloan provide extensive "captions" to these images, offering not only details about past events but personal reflections from both of their perspectives. The book is also an intensive contextualization of the images with the benefit of hindsight and of insight. Backstories from a life in photojournalism, of photos of Nelson Mandela, of David Hockney, of Steven Spielberg, of political turmoil and day-to-day assignments, and the right questions posed to fill in the deeper meaning around a photo taken. "I took pictures of everything that happened." – Lester Sloan Unfortunately, in the weeks before we recorded this episode, Sloan's archive of original slides and negatives was damaged in a flood. The damage to some of his most important originals is extensive and a Kickstarter campaign has been established in an attempt to repair, restore, and digitize the collection. Please consider donating. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lester Sloan began his photography career as a cameraman for the CBS affiliate in Detroit, then worked as a staff photographer in Newsweek magazine for twenty-five years, documenting the 1967 uprising in Detroit, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the OJ Simpson trial. Lester was a contributing essayist with NPR's "Weekend Edition" the recipient of the prestigious Neiman Fellowship and was the on-set photographer for Spike Lee's 1996 film, Get on the Bus. Aisha Sabatini Sloan is a writer whose work has appeared in anthologies such as Dear America, Truth to Power, and The Paris Review. Her 2017 book, Dreaming of Ramadi in Detroit, was chosen as the winner of the "1913 Open Prose Contest", she is the recipient of a 2020 National Endowment for the Arts Award and this year she received the National Magazine Award for her essays in the Paris Review. Guests: Lester Sloan and Aisha Sabatini Sloan Photograph © Lester Sloan

A listicle is an article comprising a list. A listicle is any piece of digital content that's formatted as a list. A listicle is an article comprising a list, usually with some kind of extra detail added to each item. What we have here, then, is a podsticle. Today on the B&H Photography Podcast, we catch up with the new photography gear that has been announced over the past few months. Attention goes to the Canon EOS R3 and Nikon Z 9 as big deal mirrorless reveals, the Nikon still scant on details, but what's clear from these releases is the continued shift away from the DSLR format for these manufacturers. FUJIFILM, Pentax, Olympus, and Sigma added mostly updates to existing cameras over recent months, while Panasonic and Sony offered new models aimed at vloggers and streamers. An odd couple of Sony a7R series updates also made our list of new cameras, a list that will surely have many additions by the time we host our "cameras of the year" episode, in December. The second half of the show is dedicated to lenses and accessories. Canon's funky new RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye 3D VR lens is highlighted and we mention several new Canon RF lenses, including the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM. FUJIFILM introduced two new fast aperture lenses to go with the X-T30 II camera announcement and a beautiful 18mm f/1.4 R WR lens. Nikon put out several lenses for the Z system, including the affordable NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 lens. Of the other manufacturers, all of whom released new lenses recently, Tamron was the busiest, with five entries. Also of note is Sigma's new "Sports" designated 150-600mm f/5.6-6.3 DG DN OS telephoto zoom lens available in Leica L, Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony E mounts and the Venus Optics Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 lens. We conclude the gear update with new light systems from Profoto, Godox, and Aputure, and we also mention webcams, drones, and new tabletop tripods from Joby.