B&H Photography Podcast

There’s a special feeling to photographing sports action that hooks you from day one. Listen in as we talk sports with Sony Artisan of Imagery Jean Fruth, and longtime Sports Illustrated Director of Photography Steve Fine. In 2019, Fruth co-founded Grassroots Baseball to celebrate the amateur game at the youngest levels. In her latest book Grassroots Baseball: Route 66, Fruth photographs young players in the same heroic manner as the pros. When it comes to equipment, she recommends the best gear to fit your budget, while singing the praises of fast lenses, As Fruth’s longtime editor, Fine weighs in on the three pillars of sports photography and the vital importance of cropping. In Fine’s view, great pictures are a shared accomplishment between a photographer and an athlete in a moment that cannot be repeated. Please join us for this spirited discussion about Grassroots Baseball and learn how the aforementioned three pillars can be woven into Sports Photography gold. Episode Timeline: 4:30: Jean Fruth’s start in sports photography 11:40: Synopsis of Fruth’s Grassroots Baseball nonprofit 14:24: Capturing golden hour light and the love of the game 22:08: Steve Fine discusses the three pillars of sports photography 29:22: Neil Leifer’s advice to shoot for the double truck 31:34: Sports is messy, hence the importance of cropping 34:29: Rules for retouching and manipulation in sports photography 37:00: Episode break 37:51: Key attributes of a great sports photographer 40:46: What’s preferable: trigger happy photographers or more selective shooters? 43:42: What separates football from other sports? 45:00: There are two kinds of hocky pictures: Great and awful 46:40: Sports photography don’ts from the editor’s desk—less is more 52:02: Tips for parents when photographing their kids’ sporting events 56:08: Gear recommendations for the aspirational sports photographer 1:01:00: Fruth’s new project about women in baseball. 1:04:00: Grassroots Baseball: Route 66 book tour and gallery exhibits For further details about our guests, their gear, and for a Grassroots Baseball: Route 66 photo gallery, check out this episode on the B&H Explora blog. Photograph © Jean Fruth

With a camera in his hand, Harvey Stein owns the streets, having spent the past 50 years capturing quintessential moments and making sensitive portraits of the people he meets there. In this two-part episode, he shares details about his photographic process while also conveying the wisdom he’s acquired in publishing 10 books of photographs. We first caught up with Stein at the 2022 B&H OPTIC Conference in June, where he spoke about his newest book Coney Island People: 50 Years. He describes his interactive approach to street photography by traveling near and far in search of the human animal. Although he packs a Canon 5D for foreign locales where vibrant colors can be an important element, Stein is most at home with his Leica M4, a 21 mm lens, and a finder that lets him maintain visual contact with his subjects. We also learn about his Manhattan darkroom, and all the money he’s saved by rolling his own film for all these years. In addition to his substantial photography chops, Stein is also an expert in photo book publishing. To leave no stone unturned, we continue our conversation in the studio after a break. Stay to the end for insights about working with publishers, including pitfalls to avoid and tips for turning your own photo project into book form. Guests: Harvey Stein Photograph © Harvey Stein Sponsored by Logitech Blue Yeti Mics

Sapna Reddy and Matt Kloskowski have more in common than just colorful photos of birds in nature and soothing landscapes. In this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we investigate how their respective work lives have fueled the technical mastery that allows their creative vision to flourish. We spoke with them both as part of our continuing coverage of B&H’s 2022 OPTIC Conference. We begin the show with Dr. Sapna Reddy, who balances a rigorous medical career in radiology with the creative freedom of time spent outdoors, capturing scenic landscapes. Reddy’s medical work is limited to a strict analysis of grayscale image data, yet her colorful landscapes provide a healing influence from the world of hospitals. Listen in to learn how she follows the light based on what nature delivers—choosing extreme wide-angle lenses for scenes with powerful foregrounds that draw the viewer’s eye and using longer focal length lenses for compositions that isolate elements. Reddy also tells of mastering the technical to allow the aesthetic step in, a process she freely shares with students during awe-inspiring photography workshops in destinations both near and far. After a break, we shift the conversation to Sony Artisan Matt Kloskowski, whose passion for bird photography is central to his motto of “Embrace the Chaos.” During our chat, Kloskowski emphasizes how technical knowledge of one’s gear can minimize barriers between the eye and the subject. Along with an honest assessment about absorbing failure and challenging success rates, Kloskowski describes how the blazing frame rate of his Sony A1 and its bird eye autofocus help him achieve razor sharp bird pictures. Widely known as an Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, onOne type guy, Kloskowski also fills us in about the massive collection of online courses, YouTube tutorials, and Lightroom presets that fuels his career as a photo educator, and takes up 99 percent of his time and effort. Please join us for these insightful conversations about photographing birds, wildlife, and scenic landscapes, and balancing the creative with the technical until your process becomes innate. Guests: Sapna Reddy and Matt Kloskowski Photograph © Matt Kloskowski Sapna Reddy and Matt Kloskowski have more in common than just colorful photos of birds in nature and soothing landscapes. In this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we investigate how their respective work lives have fueled the technical mastery that allows their creative vision to flourish. We spoke with them both as part of our continuing coverage of B&H’s 2022 OPTIC Conference. We begin the show with Dr. Sapna Reddy, who balances a rigorous medical career in radiology with the creative freedom of time spent outdoors, capturing scenic landscapes. Reddy’s medical work is limited to a strict analysis of grayscale image data, yet her colorful landscapes provide a healing influence from the world of hospitals. Listen in to learn how she follows the light based on what nature delivers—choosing extreme wide-angle lenses for scenes with powerful foregrounds that draw the viewer’s eye and using longer focal length lenses for compositions that isolate elements. Reddy also tells of mastering the technical to allow the aesthetic step in, a process she freely shares with students during awe-inspiring photography workshops in destinations both near and far. After a break, we shift the conversation to Sony Artisan Matt Kloskowski, whose passion for bird photography is central to his motto of “Embrace the Chaos.” During our chat, Kloskowski emphasizes how technical knowledge of one’s gear can minimize barriers between the eye and the subject. Along with an honest assessment about absorbing failure and challenging success rates, Kloskowski describes how the blazing frame rate of his Sony A1 and its bird eye autofocus help him achieve razor sharp bird pictures. Widely known as an Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, onOne type guy, Kloskowski also fills us in about the massive collection of online courses, YouTube tutorials, and Lightroom presets that fuels his career as a photo educator, and takes up 99 percent of his time and effort. Please join us for these insightful conversations about photographing birds, wildlife, and scenic landscapes, and balancing the creative with the technical until your process becomes innate. Guests: Sapna Reddy and Matt Kloskowski Photograph © Matt Kloskowski

This episode of the B&H Photography Podcast was originally published on July 29, 2021. We revisit it today to mark the passing of the podcast torch from creative producer John Harris to Jill Waterman, a creative content writer for the B&H Explora blog, who appears as a guest with Davies. Harris will continue to be an avid listener to the show, and we hope he’ll also grace us with his voice on occasion as a future guest.  Photographer Sally Davies embodies a remarkable creative spirit, and we think that spirit also resides in the homes of the 72 New Yorkers she photographed for her colorful book of environmental portraits, appropriately titled, New Yorkers. If this spirit does not exist and Davies is not in tune with it, how could she have captured the essence of her subjects and their abodes so efficiently, in some cases in just minutes? We answer that question and many others in this discussion about the making of her book. We are also joined by Jill Waterman who has been photographed by Davies, and has written about her work. Our conversation gets to the heart of Davies’ fanciful project, and touches upon its themes of inclusiveness and of gentrification, but also digs into the process of photographing in cramped quarters with little time, and of the surprisingly difficult task of getting people not to smile for a portrait. We talk about Davies’ decision to eschew light stands for on-camera flash and to use a Sony mirrorless camera and Zeiss 18mm lens. We also talk about the importance of creative freedom and rejecting preconceived expectations. Davies photographed a wide range of New Yorkers for this series and did not refuse a single person suggested to her, but when it came to organizing a book, edits needed to be made, and we discuss this process, as well. Davies is well-known for her street photography, and we mention her projects on neighborhood storefronts and vintage cars, but this series of interior portraits is as “New York” as it comes. Join us for this engaging conversation. Guests: Sally Davies and Jill Waterman Photograph © Sally Davies For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we continue our coverage of the 2022 OPTIC Conference with two highly invigorating segments about exploring the world after dark. Our first guest is Susan Magnano, who specializes in luminescent night painted portraits. Our chat is revealing on many levels, from the balance of careful orchestration and randomness inherent in her portraits to a mention of the OM Systems OM1 as Magnano’s newest secret weapon. After delving into her playful yet powerful arsenal of lighting tools, we gain insight into her multifaceted career—from beginning at a local newspaper to her currently thriving wedding photography business, and her upcoming schedule of intensive photo workshops. After a break, we welcome Sigma Ambassador Jack Fusco to discuss his unique blend of astrophotography with idyllic nocturnal landscapes. During our conversation, Fusco distinguishes astro work from deep sky photography, weighs the differences between DSLRs, the latest in mirrorless cameras, and even mobile phones such as Google’s Pixel 6 Pro, (check out Fusco’s Pixel 6 Pro photos here). In addition to elaborating on his favorite Sigma lenses for nocturnal imaging, Fusco provides insights about advanced accessories such as star trackers, all the while offering encouragement to anyone seeking to embark on a new adventure chasing the stars. Please join us for these otherworldly conversations about photography at night.  Guests: Susan Magnano and Jack Fusco Photograph © Susan Magnano For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast we return to the 2022 OPTIC Conference for two enjoyable and pragmatic segments about macro photography. While both photographers we speak with are well-rounded professionals, their not-so-secret joy is crawling around in gardens and woods, making beautiful close-up macro photographs of insects, plants, and the tiny wonders of nature.   Our first guest is Chris McGinnis, who specializes in spider and insect photography and is an OM System Ambassador. Our chat with McGinnis is incredibly elucidating, not only about OM System lenses and cameras, but also about computational photography and his macro techniques with flash.   After a break, we welcome Sigma Ambassador Heather Larkin to discuss her macro work with flowers and to learn a bit about her specialty portrait work. Primarily, we discuss the wealth of macro subjects available in your own backyard and garden, but we also learn of the latest Sigma macro lenses and a few very specific tips for approaching your subjects and maintaining focus. Join us for these insightful conversations on macro photography.   Guests: Chris McGinnis and Heather Larkin Photograph © Chris McGinnis   https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we are pleased to welcome photographer and director Brandon Tauszik and journalist Pendarvis Harshaw to talk about their recently completed project, “Facing Life,” an effective blend of form and content, whose principal image format is the cinemagraph and whose content speaks to one of our society’s most pressing issues: prison reform.   Our discussion takes on both aspects as we learn how cinemagraphs are produced and how Tauszik uses this process to create resonating portraits that blur the line between still and motion photography.  We also come to understand the motivation for these two creators to address the changing landscape of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and profile the joys and struggles of eight people recently released from life sentences. Our conversation brings together the technical and creative aspects of this imaging process, including Tauszik’s thoughts on portraiture and the specific gear and techniques for making these hybrid images, as well as the issues of mass incarceration and “mass integration.”   We also come to understand the working relationship between Tauszik and Harshaw—who is primarily an audio journalist and author—and how they met their subjects and developed their stories over several years. While this project may ultimately find its way into galleries or print form, it was devised as an online project and we see, in “Facing Life,” eight stories that succinctly and compassionately blend form, content, and presentation to tell important contemporary stories.   Guests: Brandon Tauszik and Pendarvis Harshaw   Photograph © Brandon Tauszik https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts https://www.facing.life/

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we are pleased to present a conversation with photographer Camille Seaman, and pleased to do so from the halls of the OPTIC 2022 Photo Conference, which we have certainly missed over the past two years.   Seaman was a keynote speaker at the 2022 OPTIC Outdoor, Wildlife & Travel Photo/Video Conference, which is hosted by B&H and held from June 12-15, 2022, in New York City. Please check the above link to find an archive of the conference’s presentations, but settle in now for an enjoyable and inspiring conversation with Seaman that we recorded in person after her keynote address.    Seaman’s photographs have been published in National Geographic, Italian Geo, TIME, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Newsweek, Outside, and American Photo, among many others. She frequently leads photographic workshops and is a TED Senior Fellow, Stanford Knight Fellow, and a Cinereach Filmmaker in Residence. It is her work photographing Earth’s two poles that first captured our attention and her “portraits” of icebergs, specifically. She has published two books on the subject, including 2014’s Melting Away: A Ten-Year Journey through Our Endangered Polar Regions. But her subjects also include extreme weather in the Midwest, the peoples of Tibet, and Native Americans.   Our talk was insightful, at times emotional, and her personal story is as inspiring as her photography. Join us for this wonderful chat, and in case you were wondering, the title for this week’s podcast is from a quote by Seaman’s mentor Steve McCurry, and holds much significance for her—as we discovered in the course of our conversation.   Guest: Camille Seaman   Photograph © Camille Seaman https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts

The 2022 OPTIC Outdoor, Photo/Video, Travel Imaging Conference or just “OPTIC 2022” is live and in-person again and we are excited to welcome the event’s director, David Brommer, to the program. Brommer will give us a sense of the updated conference, which after two years online is now a fully hybrid in-person and online event. Of course, we at the B&H Photography Podcast look forward to being back at the live events and talking with the many photographers who speak and present their work.    This year’s OPTIC Conference runs from June 12–15, 2022, and includes presentations by Chester Higgins, Camille Seaman, Joe McNally, and many others. There are also opportunities to try the latest gear in specialized environments, expert-led panels, portfolio reviews, a sunset cruise, the OPTIC Challenge Print Competition, and OPTIC Signature Photo Walks sponsored by Lindblad Expeditions. Online participants can check the selection of available webinars.   After our brief chat with Brommer, we present a very important encore episode—important in the sense that it was our first recording at OPTIC, back in 2016, and because we interviewed three incredible photographers and really began to understand the potential of our podcast. Our guests were Michael Kenna and, in another segment, Paul Caponigro and his son John Paul Caponigro. Each of these photographers offer wonderful insights into their creative processes and to speak with father and son artists is always a treat. Join us for this enjoyable conversation and register for OPTIC 2022 here.   Today’s episode is sponsored by Audio-Technica. Check out their AT2040 Hypercardioid Dynamic Microphone, ideal for podcasting!   Guest: David Brommer     Above photograph © Camille Seaman

It’s been a minute since we spoke about drones on the B&H Photography Podcast. The last time we did, it was about drones in news photography and before that, drone work in landscape photography. But today we welcome back to the show one of our earliest guests on the podcast, Randy Scott Slavin.   Slavin is an aerial photographer and drone operator, as well as a motion director and still photographer. He started his company Yeah Drones in 2013, at the dawn of drone use in film and commercial work, and his clients include Showtime, Netflix, ESPN, Saturday Night Live, and CNN, among many others.  Slavin’s work crosses all genres from advertising to film, working with small teams and big crews, and he understands drone use from the photographer’s perspective as well as a flyer, racer, and builder of drones.   With Slavin, we discuss his recent projects, his workflow, and how he decides which drone is best for each assignment. We also talk about drones and cameras for large professional shoots and those geared more for advanced amateurs. We discuss new technologies and the recent improvements made in navigation, cameras, and batteries and ask which manufacturers are competing with DJI in the drone marketplace. Join us for this informative conversation. This episode is sponsored by Logitech for Creators, and their Blue Yeti USB Microphone.   Guest: Randy Scott Slavin   Photographs © Randy Scott Slavin