The Beginner Photography Podcast

#356 This podcast follows Harry Skeggs, a fine art wildlife photographer, to discuss the impact and importance of photography in preserving the world. He motivates listeners to take a tool in their hands to influence the world and bring awareness to issues near and far. He shares his story of not knowing the value of photography until he was forced to have time for himself due to an accident, and ended up winning runner-up in a Nat Geo Photography of the Year competition.The Big Ideas with Timestamps00:03:09 Learn art to take better photos.00:11:43 Animals are family members.00:13:39 Follow your passion.00:22:52 Tell a story before taking photos.00:27:00 Protect animals we love.00:30:06 Wildlife conservation is essential.00:39:03 Make mistakes to improve photography.00:43:15 Be the change you want.Resources:Fine Art Wildlife Photographer Harry Skegg’s websiteFollow Harry on InstagramJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#355 On this episode, I interview photographer and educator Heather Lahtinen about how to tackle the feelings of overwhelm that come with learning photography. Heather explains how she became an unintentional wedding photographer and eventually made the transition to going full-time.THE BIG IDEASOverwhelm Is a Choice: Feeling overwhelmed is normal, but it’s often a self-imposed barrier. Flip the narrative—view challenges as exciting adventures, not obstacles.Progress Over Perfection: You don’t have to be the best from the start. Commit to improving just a little each week and focus on your journey, not comparison.Action Beats Fear: Waiting until you’re “ready” and free of doubt will only hold you back. Growth comes from shooting, learning, and saying yes before you’re comfortable.Your Value Goes Beyond Gear: Clients value the connection and experience you offer, not just technical perfection. Confidence and authenticity resonate more than perfect images.Resources:The Flourish AcademyThe Flourish Academy on InstagramFlourish Academy Episode 73: How to deal with imposter syndromeHeathers Free Pricing guide for photographersJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#354 On this episode of the Beginner Photography Podcast, host Raymond Hatfield interviews Anja Poehlmann, a documentary family life photographer. They discuss how shooting every day can affect both creativity and personality. Anja also shares how digital cameras have made shooting easier since she moved to Hawaii for a 6-month internship. She created a website as a way to document her life in her new home and was inspired to start shooting photography as a career.THE BIG IDEASCelebrate Authentic Moments: Capturing genuine, everyday experiences creates meaningful photos that reflect real life—not just posed perfection.Embrace Imperfection: Accept clutter, chaos, and less-than-ideal lighting as part of your story. These imperfections often reveal true emotion and connection.Commit to Daily Creativity: Practicing photography every day, even in tough conditions, builds discipline, confidence, and creative problem-solving.Guide Your Perspective with Intention: Ask yourself (and your subjects) what moments are truly valuable to document, then use your unique viewpoint to create images that matter.Resources:Brighton Family Photographer Anja Poehlmann’s website Follow Anja on InstagramJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#352 Today I cover Photography Manifesto Rule #2, To Be A Half Way Decent Photographer You Must Dedicate All of Your Available Time To It. That this does not mean focusing on it 24/7, instead I urge you to keep a photographical eye on in-between moments. THE BIG IDEASStory and Emotion Matter Most: Great photos are built on the ability to convey stories and emotions, not just technical perfection.Dedicate Attention, Not Just Time: You grow as a photographer by consciously looking for moments, light, and composition in daily life—even without a camera in hand.Tools Are Just Tools: Mastering your camera settings is valuable, but true artistry comes from seeing creatively and telling stories.Critically Engage with Photography: Evaluating both your own and others’ photos deepens your understanding and improves your skills.Resources:Listen to the full Photography Manifesto Episode, BPP 334Join The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#351 In this episode I delve deep into the importance of making mistakes and how it can help photographers develop their skills faster. I share how Huy Nguyen, one of the most talented wedding photographers shares his wisdom surrounding the knowledge vs wisdom paradigm and learning through practical experience. Through this, Raymond tries to encourage listeners to take risks, make mistakes and not be afraid in order to elevate their photography and understanding of the craft.THE BIG IDEASMistakes Fuel Growth: Every error teaches a lesson that knowledge alone can’t provide; real learning comes from doing and adjusting after setbacks.Perfection Isn’t the Goal: Even the most seasoned professionals expect things to go wrong. Chasing perfection only creates fear and stunts progress.Experience Beats Theory: Practical, hands-on shooting will teach you more than endless hours of tutorials ever could. Wisdom is earned, not downloaded.Reflect and Share: Owning your missteps and discussing them with others accelerates improvement and builds community with fellow photographers.Resources:Join The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#350 Mica McCook is an Austin based food photographer. Mica recollects her journey to becoming a photographer which had begun in 2015 when her then-boyfriend encouraged her to take up photography as a business. On receiving payment from her first gig, she realized she could turn it into a career. Mica shares how she began her journey as a photographer by experimenting with different types of photography, and eventually landed on food photography. Mica believes that light is an important element of her work and uses it to create dramatic photos.The Big TakeawaysYou can be a photographer.Start with a passion.Develop emotional sensitivity.Learn the rules to break them.Bring life to still images.Try the thing.Light and shadows create art.Prepare before shooting.Give yourself permission to fail.Resources:Check out Austin Food Photographer Mica McCook’s websiteListen to the Savory Shot PodcastFollow Mica on InstagramJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#349 You have photo questions, I want to answer them for you here on the show.Whenever you have a question about photography, day or night, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, head to https://beginnerphotopod.com/qa , and send me your questions.After shooting for more than a decade and interviewing 300+ world class photographers, its time to share some of that practical information with you!Todays Photography Questions:Can you market yourself as a weekday wedding photographer?Can you use CloudSpot in Sweden?What tips do you have for orginizing all of your photos from vatious locations into one place?What to use, Lightroom or Lightroom ClassicHow do you deal with imposter syndrome when the more you learn about photography the more critical you becomeHow can photographers earn money in a recession when luxury items are typicly the first expense cut.Resources:Ask your photography questions to get answered on the show!Join The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#348 Gary Pope is a self-proclaimed Geeky Wedding Photographer. We discuss the importance of niching down when marketing yourself and why it’s important to find the right audience in order to better align with your goals. Gary shares his story of learning how to use his camera for YouTube videos and taking photos for a whole year before he realized he loved wedding photography.THE BIG IDEASFind your niche and stand outAlways keep learningPay attention to guestsFind a way to stand outBe a friend with a cameraServe clients with careBe polarizing and uniqueBe true to your nichePassion draws people inBe creative and realisticPlan ahead for photosEnjoy your niche passionKnow your worthResources:Check out Geeky Wedding Photographer Gary Pope’s WebsiteFollow Gary on InstagramJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#347 Stephanie Robinson is a Denver-based wedding and elopement photographer and a member of the Beginner Photography Podcast community. Growing up, Stephanie had an affinity for photography and was encouraged by her dad who, like her, was a photography enthusiast. After having her own Covid wedding, Stephanie decided to take the plunge into professional photography and left law school, where she was studying. Stephanie noted that with photography, her left brain and right brain are equally used, which is something she found satisfying and engaging.Big Take AwaysLearned photography with engineering backgroundWork to capture authentic momentsPrioritize urgent projects firstBack up your dataBe confident and preparedAuthenticity is keyBuild a sustainable business modelInvest in help for successTrack analytics to succeedResources:Check out Denver wedding and elopement photographer Stephanie Robinson’s websiteFollow Stephanie on InstagramFollow Stephanie on TikTokJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook Group!Sign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#346 Today we are chatting with birth photographer Tavia Redburn and we get real technical about what you need and what you need to know before shooting your first birth session! In this episode Tavia talks about how she got interested in photography and the experiences that led her to becoming a birth photographer. She teaches beginners the technical aspects of the craft and encourages them to practice as much as possible for better results.Theres this phrase that says, you’re only an expert on something if you can explain it to a 5 year old and today, that is me, I may as well be a 5 year old with how little I know about birth photography and Tavia explains it as an expert and in a very pragmatic way that I know many of you will appreciate! She also host the From better half to boss podcast which is focused on the business side of photography but if you like Tavia’s teaching style here today, be sure to check out her podcast as well!The Big IdeasLearn to use the tools you have.Capture special moments.Control camera settings to capture vision.Capture moments authentically.Look for small details.Communicate expectations clearly.Embrace the grain in low light.Control light with flash.Timestamps00:05:17 Learn to use ingredients available.00:10:05 Photograph Anything and Everything.00:17:51 Adding a family member through birth.00:24:20 Control your camera for best results.00:25:11 Capture moments as they happen.00:31:20 Capture meaningful moments.00:40:25 Communicate non-negotiables upfront.00:47:47 Embrace the grain in birth photography.00:50:05 Control your light with flash.Resources:Tavia Redburn’s birth photography education websiteFollow Tavia on InstagramJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunitySign up for your free CloudSpot account to deliver beautiful images galleries todayFree Lightroom Presets!Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!