F-stop Collaborate And Listen

One of the hottest topics to emerge in 2023 as it relates to landscape photography is the advent of Artificial Intelligence or AI. AI has swept the world by storm and is changing so rapidly that the one-month gap between when I recorded this podcast and when it was released probably saw huge shifts in the capabilities of AI and the challenges that have emerged in the U.S. legal system. AI presents photographers with multiple challenges and opportunities and in this panel discussion on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, we examine it all in depth. Meet our panel for AI and Photography: Arka Chatterjee - a photographer, artist, and intellectual property lawyer. Diana Nicholette Jeon - a photographer and artist using AI as a tool to make art. Tim Parkin - Editor of OnLandscape Magazine. Bruce Couch - a photographer and outspoken critic of AI. On this week's episode, we cover a lot of ground about AI and Photography: A comprehensive analysis on how AI image creation works and whether or not AI uses our p

One of the most under-appreciated photography locations in the United States is Appalachia, a region that stretches from Alabama in the south to New York in the north. Appalachia is not home to towering mountains, arid deserts, or epic displays of geology; however, a skilled photographer who takes care to connect with this place is able to create fantastic photographs that are personally expressive and evocative. Today's guest on episode 306 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast, Michele Sons, is one such photographer. Her attention to detail and personal connection to Appalachia, fog, and geographic peculiarities has given her photography a voice in the crowded space of nature and landscape photography. Michele has come to specialize in quiet, contemplative images of the Appalachian region and beyond. She has worked with National Geographic for years on their Beautiful Landscapes calendars, and other clients of hers include The Wilderness Society, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Eastern National, G

One of the most frequent question I see other photographers asking is "how much should I charge for my services or prints?" Pricing your photography can be tricky, no matter what genre of photography you are engaged with. As such, it was awesome to have a conversation with this week's guest on Episode 305 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast. This week I had a blast speaking with Walid Azami. Walid is a photographer and commercial director living in Los Angeles and originally from Kabul, Afghanistan. He photographs celebrities, commercial products, and a lot more while offering his services as a coach and mentor to other photographers relating to business practices and pricing. On this week's episode, we discuss: Similarities between landscape photography and other genres as it relates to pricing and monetization. The biggest mistakes photographers make in relation to pricing their photography. Determining when monetization is worth pursuing. Strategies for pricing your artwork and services. Dealin

Finding actionable tips to improve our nature and landscape photography can often be hard to come by in today's noisy environment where catchy and click-bait titles on YouTube dominate the day; however, there are still ways to find these tips. A great place to find them of course is right here on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast!  This week I had a wonderful time chatting with long-time photographer Hank Erdmann, who shared with us some great tips for finding compositions in nature that might not seem obvious.  On this week's episode, we discuss: How Hank got into photography, Hank's process for finding images through the use of the five senses, Using artistic sensory perception to create better photographs, Practical tips for people that say they are not artistic, A discussion on "what is art" in photography, Defining art, The differences between representative photographs and artistic photographs, Hank's role with NANPA, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Suppo

This week I had an amazing time chatting it up with one of my favorite photographers - Sigfrido Zimmermann. Sigfrido is an ecologist for his day job and an fantastic nature photographer in his spare time. He combines his knowledge of ecological processes to make some really stunning images, which is what we talk about in this week's show, at length. Sigfrido and I had a wonderful conversation and started out with a lot of background on his area of scientific research, which I think will help you later on if you stay tuned! On this week's episode, we discuss: Sigfrido's journey into nature photography, Sigfrido's area of scientific research as an ecologist, Why Sigfrido makes images, The connection between Sigfrido's scientific research and his photography, How non-scientists can leverage science to make better photographs, Working in projects as a photographer, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Join me for a Muench Workshop at White Pocket - June 6-11, 2023. Support the p

Ever since I created my landscape and nature photography podcast, there was one person from the United Kingdom that I have always wanted to have as a guest - Joe Cornish. Fortunately, my friend Alex Nail asked if he could interview Joe and I was beyond thrilled at the suggestion. Joe is an inspiration to so many landscape photographers, so it was a true pleasure hearing him answer our tough questions. As such, it was a great honor to have him join us for our 302nd episode of the podcast, and the 5th iteration of our "Artists Asking Artists" series. Joe's approach to composition and field craft are quite renowned and appreciated by photographers across the world, so it was so amazing hearing him discuss practical ways in which he approaches the making of his images. On this week's episode, we discuss: Joe Cornish's approaches to making landscape photographs, Perfectionism in landscape photography, Complexity in composition in landscape photography, Qualities of light and Joe's preferences for light, Various di

For many landscape and nature photographers, Antarctica is a dream location to visit and photograph. What's not to appreciate about it? It has incredible wildlife that has no fear of humans, making them quite easy to photograph. It has towering landscapes that are untouched by man. It has massive icebergs that float in the sea ice in dramatic and contrasting color and light. I was incredibly lucky to join the Muench Workshops team as an instructor to Antarctica back at the start of December and even luckier to be able to sit down and record a podcast while on board the Sea Spirit with the Poseidon Expedition Team, a delightful group of experts in their own areas of expertise, including biology, logistics, and photography. I was joined by John "Flipper" Suta, our Zodiac driver and logistics expert, Piet van  den Bemd, the Expedition photographer, and Tomas Marina, a biologist and researcher on climate change. It was an amazing experience to witness and photograph towering mountains, exuberant Penguins, Humpbac

I created this podcast in April, 2017. The first thing I did was to create a list of interesting and inspirational photographers I wanted to talk with on my podcast, and one of the first names I added to that list was Marc Adamus. Marc probably does not need an introduction for most of our listeners; however, it is safe to say that he has become a modern icon in the landscape photography community. His style of photography has inspired and propelled many other photographers, including myself. Marc's influence popularized the fantastical and dreamy look that has become mainstream over the past decade, much to the chagrin of old school practitioners and the excitement of up-and-coming digital artists. It is safe to say that Marc single-handedly revolutionized landscape photography as we know it. As such, it was a great honor to have him join us for our 300th episode of the podcast, and the 4th iteration of our "Artists Asking Artists" series. I am incredibly thankful for my friend Rajesh Jyothiswaran, who joine

Aerial Nature and Landscape Photography is often viewed by more traditional landscape photographers as somewhat of a cheat code for making surprising images; however, I don't think this is necessarily the case. Capturing interesting, compelling, and thought-provoking images from the air still requires a great deal of artistic talent, technical talent, and perfect execution, especially when photographed from an airplane. This week on the podcast I was joined by Aussie nature photographer and aerial specialist, Mieke Boynton (pronounced Mee-ka), who has an incredible passion for aerial photography. You may recognize Mieke's name from last week's episode with her partner, Matt Palmer. They co-manage a gallery together in Bright, Australia. Mieke was also the winner of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards Abstract and Details category with an evocative, elegant, and thought-provoking aerial photograph that will absolutely astonish you. Mieke and I cover such a fun variety of subjects this week, including her

It is often the ultimate dream for nature and landscape photographers to open and run their own gallery and doing so is often filled with a heap of questions that don't always have easy answers. Talking about these realities with photographers that have already gone down this path is one way to learn more about it before investing tens of thousands of dollars on your own gallery opening. This week on the podcast I was joined by Aussie photographer Matt Palmer. Matt was the Australian Professional Photographer of the Year in 2019 and won the Natural Landscape Photography Awards Project in 2021. Before entering the landscape scene, Matt previously photographed in commercial, portrait, wedding, sporting and music genres. Matt was documenting some of the world's biggest musicians such as Metallica, Pearl Jam, TOOL, Nick Cave, Joan Jett and hundreds more. His work is usually instilled with a strong sense of justice and spans several genres. He lives in Bright, Australia, where he runs a gallery with his partner, M

Creativity is a subject that rightfully gets a ton of attention in the nature and landscape photography community. Making seemingly "creative" photographs is a high bar that we set for ourselves as photographers and artists; however, it can be a nebulous descriptor that is difficult to define. As such, it is often discussed without giving it proper thought or consideration as to what it actually means to "be creative," or to create something that demonstrates "creativity." This week on episode 297 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, I was joined by a landscape photographer living in St. Louis, Missouri, Nick Becker. Nick is someone who continually writes thoughtful articles that I have greatly enjoyed over the years and his photography is quite contemplative and enjoyable to look at, so I thought he would make for an excellent guest on the podcast. Nick and I talk quite extensively about creativity and neuroscience that supports various theories on creativity, so sick back and enjoy our conversation

Ethics is a subject that often gets a bad reputation in photography circles. People that discuss ethics are often wrongly seen as sanctimonious and elitist, when in fact, ethical considerations are really at the core of what makes us human. Ethics is an often misunderstood subject; however, it is paramount for us as nature photographers to be mindful of ethics when in the field. As this great article from Santa Clara University suggests, "ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues." As it relates to wildlife photography, ethics can provide us with guiding principles to protect our subjects and to remain true to our personal values as photographers.  This week on the podcast I was joined by two amazingly talented wildlife and nature photographers, Pam Dorner and Jennifer Leigh Warner to discuss ethics in wildlife photography. This topic is one that is near and de

One of the best ways to monetize nature and landscape photography is to sell it at regional art shows across the U.S. Entering these art shows can either leave a photographer wildly rich or bankrupt, and the difference between the two is not very large. Fortunately, there are actionable steps that can be taken in order to maximize your success in selling your work at art fairs & art shows. This week on the podcast I had a great time speaking with Jay Rasmussen, a photographer from Minnesota. Jay is a retired college professor where he spent 30 years training other teachers. Jay is relatively new in the photography scene but has found wild success selling his work at art fairs. In this week's show, we talk about Jay's entrance into photography, how he arrived at selling his work so quickly, tips for other photographers looking to monetize their work, and some excellent discussion and practical insight relating to teaching photography. On this week's episode, we discuss: How Jay found himself as a photograp

One of the most common questions I hear from other photographers is, "how can I monetize my photography?" It's a complicated question with many valid answers. Most importantly, it's crucial for photographers to understand some of the complex underpinnings, psychological challenges, ethical questions, and the impacts on creativity that often accompany monetization in landscape photography. This week on the podcast I had an amazing time talking with Israeli Landscape Photographer Ilan Shacham. Ilan is one of those photographers that flies under the radar and when you see their work for the first time you'll ask yourself why you have never heard of them before! Ilan made the challenging transition to becoming a full-time photographer in 2017 and in today's episode we delve deep into monetization and internal conflicts that can arise relating to monetization. On this week's episode, we discuss: Ilam's journey as a photographer, Why Ilan made the leap to become a full-time photographer and how that impacted his wo

Learning about other subjects such as philosophy, psychology, economics, and geology can all make you a better photographer and also a better businessperson in your photography. I'm a strong advocate for cross-disciplinary study to make yourself a more well-rounded person, which I think makes you a better photographer. As such, this week on the podcast I'm happy to introduce you to Radomir Jakubowski, a German landscape, nature, and wildlife photographer. Radomir has a huge collection of awesome images in his portfolio and lots of interesting ways to think about the world that I think may help you in your journey as a photographer. On this week's episode, we discuss: Radomir's journey as a photographer, How studying other subjects can benefit your photography, How Radomir approached competitions early on in his career as a photographer, How Radomir thinks like an economist to improve his photography and photography business, Being a brand ambassador - how / why / what makes sense, Why and how Radomir uses his

Finding ways to engage with nature and landscape photography in a way that goes beyond simply capturing the natural beauty of nature can be a huge challenge that a lot of photographers struggle with. While there's certainly nothing wrong with simply capturing beauty, some photographers wish to go further with their work and use it as a vehicle for personal expression or to say something about themselves through the photographs. This week's guest on the podcast, Alister Benn, has coined his business expressive photography for a reason. He had an epiphany when photographing the Gobi Desert several years ago that completely changed the way he creates photographs. Ever since then, he's been sharing his approach with the world through his platform, Expressive Photography. On this week's episode, we discuss: Alister's experience that facilitated his epiphany, Actionable tips for creating personally expressive photographs, The challenges and realities of running your own photography business, Making tough choices as

Focusing on one geographic area has many tremendous advantages for nature and landscape photographers. It can provide familiarity with your subjects, light, times of day, and so much more which is often overlooked by most folks. This week on Episode 291 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, I had a wonderful conversation with landscape photographer Jon Norris about his obsession with Joshua Tree National Park. On this week's episode, we discuss: Jon's journey into nature photography, How Jon developed a relationship with Joshua Tree, How urban and abstract photography influenced his approach to making images, His approach called "Explore, Experience, Create," How revisiting a location over and over again helps his approach to photography, Recommendations for people that might get bored of a location, How his career in Engineer influenced his photography, Why he has decided to give back to organizations like Nature First, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support t

Dedication to a single area in your landscape photography can yield incredible results and keep you immersed and engaged as a photographer for a lifetime.  This week on Episode 290 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, I had a wonderful conversation with  landscape photographer and canyoner Rich Rudow about his adventures in the Grand Canyon in Arizona and how he has developed a life-long relationship with this spectacular place. On this week's episode, we discuss: Rich's journey into nature photography, Why Rich has chosen to focus on the Grand Canyon. How Rich approaches photographing the Grand Canyon in a unique way. Keeping his gear lightweight for his adventures. Adventures gone wrong in the Grand Canyon. The human threats to the Grand Canyon Wilderness. Access issues for areas in the Grand Canyon including Tahatatso Point.  Canyoneering adventures in the Grand Canyon. And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podcast on Patreon. Into the Canyon Documenta

We are back with our third installment of the Artists Asking Artists Series on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast.  This week's podcast, Episode 289, features two of my favorite nature and landscape photographers, Guy Tal and Alex Noriega. When I first conceived of the idea of creating this series for the podcast, Guy and Alex were the first two photographers that came to my mind knowing that Guy has been such an inspiration to Alex and both of them have been such a huge inspiration to me. I honestly believe this might be one of my favorite episodes of the podcast ever recorded, so I think you will really enjoy it! Alex did a wonderful job coming up with questions for Guy and Guy was an amazingly humble and generous guest, as always.  On this week's episode, we discuss: Suffering, depression, and artistry, Choosing to live close to nature, The importance of confidence as photographers, How Guy developed his connection to Utah, Equivalence in nature photography, Grand Landscapes and creativity, Leaving

Small scenes in nature photography are like finding little surprises to explore visually with the camera. They can lead to an enriching relationship with nature and photography and expand a photographer's appreciation for light, subjects, and field craft. This week on Episode 288 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, I had a wonderful conversation with L.A. based photographer Martin Gonzalez. We discussed his attraction to smaller scenes, why he makes photos, how he balances his f/t job with photography, anxiety in photography, and so much more, so have some coffee, tea, or beer, and enjoy the chat. On this week's episode, we discuss: Martin's journey into nature photography, How Martin finds balance with his full-time job and photography, Why Martin thinks he will stay away from full-time photography, Anxiety and nature photography, Martin's diagnosis of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and its impact on his photography, And a lot more! Other topics/links discussed on the podcast this week: Support the podc