Shutterbug Life Podcast

“What’d you do today?"   “Excuse me?” I responded.   This wasn’t an innocent or idle question. I’d been fretting to a colleague that I didn’t reach a goal I’d set for myself. Her response was curt and dispassionate.   “What’d you do today? What did you do yesterday?”    She never said anything else but just let me live with my own responses.   If you want to make a difference with your photography, your degree of success is often found in the actions you took today. And yesterday. It’s your level of effort. It’s your hustle.   I was listening to Chase Jarvis interview Levar Burton on the 30 Days of Genius series when Levar dropped this truth bomb.   You have to not only be the artist and creator, you have to be the promoter, too. The distributor. The chief bottle washer. You have to sweep up. You have to hustle. You have to hustle. And I believe one’s hustle is a sign of the degree to which one is really passionate about getting it done. So where is your hustle game?   Let’s unpack that quote because in it Le

Karen said she needed to call me with some exciting news, but what she told me broke my heart. She had an exciting opportunity — a request from a national TV publication to use her photo — and she planned to give her photo away. Karen decided that her photo wasn't worth any money because of her lack of experience and because she shot it with an entry level camera. I know the feeling because I have thought that myself. This photo can't be worth much because I didn't really work that hard to get it. I don't deserve payment. Fill in your own reasons. If you have ever nursed one of these seeming innocent untruths, I have three messages for you. Listen to the podcast.

When Mike Bowen ran through Constitution Gardens and down to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, he completed his goal of running 58,282 miles — one mile for each name on the wall. And that is where I will begin my personal photography project, Warriors at the Wall. In today’s episode, I practice what I preach. We will talk about how you can create a personal photo project, but it won't be just theory. I will use the framework to create on a photo project for myself. Create your photo project, too. Let's build them together.

I dreamed I bumped into a younger version of myself. It was me from college, the guy taking his first photography class. I saw the younger me in the French Quarter working on a photo assignment, so I stopped to say hello. I wanted to tell him to stick with that photography thing. It works out in the end. You'll end up teaching right here. But before I could say that, younger me asked a question. "Based on what you know now, what helpful advice can you share?" Good question. Here's what I told younger me. Come to think of it, this advice is just as useful for me, the old guy, too. Listen to the podcast

As a bonus, I am also sharing a selection of an interview with gallery owner Cory Woods. I interviewed Cory several years ago during a photography webinar. Many of his insights back then are valuable in this context.  Listen to the bonus interview

It took almost a year for Bridget Murray Law to finally agree that it was time to hang her photos. It's not like she shouldn't have known. Bridget is an accomplished Washington, DC  street photographer who loves to document the transformation in many of the local neighborhoods. She has even attracted an Instagram following of more than 5,000 fans. But she didn't think she was ready. "As a photographer, you’re always going after the perfect shot. A lot of times I don’t think of my photos as a collection. I’m always going after the next perfect shot." Her fiancee, Gary Nabors, knew better. He said, "why don’t you look at what you have already done?" After a year of pushing Bridget to do a show, she relented. Listen to the podcast.

Some people might go to their local bookstore to find books. Others might go to read magazines or sip coffee. Steve Rosenbach went to his local bookstore to hang a photography show. But he didn't stop there. He hung shows at a local library, a city hall, and a camera club. In fact, after more than six photography shows, he has learned a few tricks. In our interview, he shares what works and doesn't and how you might hang a photography show in one of your neighborhood businesses. Listen to the podcast.

I have a big ole hug for thehanterman1. He says my video put him to sleep. I also have a big ole hug for snapjockey. He said my video sound was "crap".  You ought to save some hugs for your haters, too.  I just read the book "Hug Your Haters," by Jay Baer. With his subtitle, "how to embrace your complaints and keep your customers," Jay is clearly speaking to business owners and marketing professionals.  But I wondered, doesn't this message apply to photographers as well?  Listen to the podcast

Part of my ritual when I return from my weekend workshop is to do an After Action Report. It’s an old habit from my Army days where you document what you learned after each exercise, and more importantly, what you can improve.   After my most recent trip, I also thought about some random photography principles as part of my lessons re-learned.   Here are five lessons that occurred to me in New Orleans that will work for you anywhere you travel. You can even use them in your home city.   Listen to the podcast

What's it like to pack up all your photography gear and drive across the country photographing anything that looks good? That's what Mike Lennett hopes to find out. He recently embarked on a two-month bucket list photo trip. He was one day into his excursion when he stopped to chat about his expectations. Listen to the podcast

In a rooftop graveyard overlooking Flemington, NJ, Matt Hill created a ghost with his camera — and was hooked on night photography. Listen to the podcast

Let's get the easy answer out of the way first. No Steve Heiner is not giving away free Nikon DSLRs. As Nikon's senior technical manager, Steve has answers on just about every other question you might have about Nikon cameras and lenses. If you have ever wondered how Nikon decides what technology to include in the upcoming DSLRs, why you should spend more money on Nikon lenses rather than off brand options, or what Nikon was thinking with their mirrorless line, Steve answers all these questions and more. In this episode of the podcast, I wove your questions and mine into a very interesting 45-minute conversation. Canon shooters might even find it interesting.    Listen to the podcast. 

She said I created more work for her.  That's what one of our listeners told me after she launched her new blog. "I made the blog like you said. Now I don't know what to put on it. You just made more work for me," she said. I get it. The empty canvas can be so intimidating. You created this living thing that you now need to feed. Did we just create more work? Here's the good news. If you can write an email or a Facebook post, you have the skills you need to publish a blog. And it's a lot easier than you think. Here are some ideas on blog topics. Use these to attract more viewers for your photography. Listen to the podcast

Whether you travel to an exotic location or scoot around the corner in your neighborhood, here is a simple formula for creating your next great photo.The answer is in the questions.  The answer is in the questions.  You can work through the process of identifying your photo and choosing your camera settings with this simple format. Answer these eight questions. In fact, use them as a checklist to create great images consistently. Listen to the podcast.

Have you ever tried to take a photo of a beautiful scene only to find that the image looked nothing like you saw or expected? In photography, what you see isn't always what you get.  Why is that? Your camera sees differently than you do.    Here's the good news. Once you learn how the camera sees, you will find it much easier to create great photos anywhere. Listen to the podcast

A lot of photographers were really ticked with Brooklyn Beckham. Brooklyn, the 16-year-old son of David Beckham, is considering a photography career rather than following in his father's footsteps. Here's what really upset many photographers. Burberry commissioned the photographer to shoot its the company's fragrance campaign, passing over so many established and professional photographers. What those photographers missed is that Brooklyn is using the new rules of photography. With the new rules anyone can make an impact with their photography and photographers still employing the new rules will always be left behind.  Listen to the podcast.

By now most of us are trained to resist the salesperson’s final question. “Do you need any bags, batteries, filters to go with that camera?" We know it is the equivalent of “do you need fries with that that?” Before you politely reply, “no thank you. I’ll take that Canon 5D Mark III to go,” consider purchasing these useful accessories. Listen to the podcast.

You know that great photo you took? The one you really love? You shared it on Facebook and on your blog. I think you might have even won some awards for it. That one. It's easier than ever for someone to steal it and share it as their own. Some people will even sell it as if they created it. It can and probably will happen to you. What are you going to do about it? Here are 13 suggestions and one radical one for good measure. Listen to the podcast

If you are surfing between Instagram, Facebook, Flickr and other social media platforms wondering what is the best way to use social media for your photography, then Jenna Martin has some advice for you. Jenna Martin built a successful photography business promoting her underwater photography using largely online platforms. Social media can be an effective tool for photographers. In this episode, Jenna shares her favorite platforms, how she uses each differently, and what strategies work best for photographers. I interviewed Jenna while she was holding her new four-month-old baby, Leila. They both have plenty to say. :-)   Listen to the podcast

In episode 52, I spoke with Joe Newman about his experience creating a photography Meetup and community for DC Focused. Joe gave me so much good information about the Meetup, but we also talked about his experience creating the DC Focused photography blog. You can hear that part of the interview in this bonus to episode 52. Here is Joe Newman on the DC Focused blog. Listen to the podcast.