WHAT A CRAZY YEAR! Covid-19 has definitely made 2021 one of the most difficult and complex years in my life. Essentially launched at the start of the pandemic, the podcast's been growing extremely well. So I'm delighted to have the last episode of 2021 be with Anna. Working out of the Chinese University, Anna is a great example of the kind of person I want to highlight through Shooting it RAW: A service leader, strong woman, and a person who's open to sharing how she finds meaning and fulfillmen...
Dec 27, 2021•55 min•Season 2Ep. 92
This episode, as a few others, came to life thanks in great part to Rachel Smith. When she and I met, she said I shouldn't miss the opportunity to talk to her husband and partner in crime, Stephen Lai. It took some schedule-dancing but we eventually met – cue fireworks! We met and sat on a cozy couch, surrounded by whatever it is professional poker players like to have around. Nice lighting. Sound baffles on the walls. Posters. Murals. Bottles of whiskey. A table. As I discovered Stephen's histo...
Dec 20, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 91
Dare I say that SDG is in THE HOUSE! OK, to be fair, I've known Stephanie since before... Well sheeeyet, 1990. We went to high school together, and along with Raugi Yu (from waaaaaay back in episode 13), Stephanie and a few others have committed all these years to acting. Amazing. We eventually connected after decades, and when we first exchanged she was in Los Angeles. In the thick of it, the global hub when it comes to the world of acting and related performing arts. Double amazing. So we conn...
Dec 13, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 90
As a conservationist, I have long appreciated how much ecology is a critical tool for understanding how we fit in the world and our impact. Wanting to build the choir of voices on the podcast that address conservation, climate change, and what science tells us, I stumbled upon Thor Hanson. Was it a TED talk? A Wired clip? An article in some magazine or other? I don't remember. But I reached out and he generously agreed to meet. Fantastic! Thor is a Switzer Environmental Fellow and an award-winni...
Dec 05, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 89
Thanks again to Rachel Smith from Senseless Art Studio and other events, I met with Nooshin on her houseboat in Aberdeen, on Hong Kong island. While her home pitched, yawed, and swayed, she unpacked a joyous tale of what it was like to become an artist in Tehran. For those beyond Iran's opaque borders, we can only wonder what it was like to grow up in such a place. With the means to leave her homeland, Nooshin eventually landed in Hong Kong. That road was not an easy one. She offered some strong...
Nov 28, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 89
Thanks again to the fantastic Rachel Smith who let us use her studio to record, I met up with James for an unexpected tale on how he evolved as an established photographer. Big smile, easy to laugh, and a great storyteller, James brought us from his early days as a stock photographer through his love of Latin and other classics. We spoke, I cursed, we traded notes on digital to medium-format film photography. James is a photographer's photographer, as well as a fount of information on what it's ...
Nov 21, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 87
Hawaii. One of the high centers of marine and ocean love, culture, science, and advancement. Thanks to Doug Woodring and his incredible network of marine conservationists, he put me in contact with Jan Hafner and the great people of Global Ocean Surface Ecosystem Alliance. As I seek to bring more researchers and conservationists to the podcast, it's a humbling treat for me to meet and exchange with great people like Jan. Join us as he explains the connection between atmospheric and oceanic scien...
Nov 15, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 86
Riding out to Lam Tsuen Valley, I enjoyed the view of the distant Tai Mo Shan peak, the banana trees and large trees that look like eucalyptus but I couldn't name off-hand. I arrive at our meeting spot and David greets me with his warm smile. We walk up to his house, lost in a small village and what immediately hits me is the space he has and the earthiness of his environment. We sit in a shed, converted into a painting studio, filled with brushes, canvasses, various tools, but also jars and tok...
Nov 08, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 85
I love each episode in this podcast, but some episodes transcend what I bring as an interviewer and what the guest brings from their life. In this case, my exchange with Monica was magical. Grounding ourselves in the outdoors and what being in our bodies can do for our mental state, Monica began by sharing how she connects to hills and trails. We soon dove into her experience of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, what it was like to be under threat of going hungry and how to survive in New York Cit...
Oct 31, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 84
One of the main pillars of the podcast is conservation, under which I put climate science. So, scanning around for some people to talk to, I stumbled upon Charles Addey. So I reached out and we set up a time to meet. As it happens, he's based in China... Luckily in the same time zone as Hong Kong. Excellent. I asked him for some images and we set up a time to meet. It turns out that he's got an incredible story... Overcoming major challenges and barriers to learning, establishing his career, and...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 84
I'm re-releasing this episode because the movie Raugi directed, called "Attic Trunk" is now playing! Check it out and be inspired! To view the full episode, click here: https://youtu.be/V2yB-R3szgM * EPISODE LINKS IN DESCRIPTION – BELOW * **** See more photos and learn more about Raugi at: - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1059765/ - https://www.facebook.com/raugi.yu- https://www.instagram.com/raugi **** More from Shooting it RAW: * Website: https://www.shooting-it-raw.com/ - Amazon Music: https://m...
Oct 18, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 82
Hong Kong has 7.5 million people and a world-renown skyline. Although one of the most densely populated cities in the world, just 45 minutes away is a country park with a small village that has about 10 houses in it. One of them is mine, and one of them is where we find Tamera Bedford. Welcome neighbor! As it happens, I discovered through Episode 30 guest Martin Reise that there's a talented, dedicated artist who lives right in my village! How unexpected and amazing. Tamera soon invited me over ...
Oct 04, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 81
Daaaaaaaamn. 79 episodes later, Cadence joins me again to catch up after our first episode, back on April Fool's Day 2020. Two birthday cycles later, we sat down and reviewed some photos that capture her imagination and she uses as anchors to the past. Listen in as this fun 10-year-old shares her worldview. Thanks K-Pop! To view the full episode, click here: https://youtu.be/lKglCHijf4c * EPISODE LINKS IN DESCRIPTION – BELOW * **** More from Shooting it RAW: * Website: https://www.shooting-it-ra...
Sep 27, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 80
Cadence was an early reader, so the challenge has always been to find an author who can capture her imagination without it going waaaaaaay over her head. New York Times best-selling author Margaret Peterson Haddix is one writer that fits the bill perfectly. It took a while for our schedules to align, but I was finally able to sit with Margaret for one of these Shooting it RAW chats. And she's great! At the heart of our conversation was what it's been like to both create these novels and then go ...
Sep 19, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 79
Sometimes, a conversation comes out of the blue and moves you to tears. That's what meeting José became. We connected because for years I've been on his peripheral because of marine conservation. I set up the time to speak and then noticed he was out in Brazil. Represent! He shared how he evolved into a marine conservation warrior, literally on the front lines of protecting whales, sharks, rays and so many other species. Want to be moved? Join us. Que homem incrível! To view the full episode, cl...
Sep 12, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 78
This podcast is turning out to be such a treasure trove of AMAZING people, such as Natalia Mota. Things have gotten so complex that I no longer remember how we crossed paths, but we set up a meeting time and this episode resulted. Natalia has already built momentum around podcasting (see the link, below), bringing art into people's lives, pushing herself to keep physically and mentally healthy, and connecting to her passion around animal welfare. A well-balanced, Renaissance life! Be inspired by...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 77
PAUL IS THE MAN! We met thanks to Jenny Page, who was my guest for episode 71. Paul is a bit of a mensch for Hong Kong's music scene, helping so many and recording for many more at Sunset Studio. I also heard a bunch about how he loves his chili sauces. So we agreed to meet and it was PURE LOVE. Everything about this episode captures the fun, energy, and sheer abandon of someone who lives each second to the hilt. Seriously. What a fun, amazing conversation. To view the full episode, click here: ...
Aug 30, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 76
For episode 72, I met with the magical Rachel Smith at her Senseless Art studio in Prince Edward. We had the best conversation and as I took my leave she said a great person I should meet with was Sao-Mai Nguyen, the author who was her current artist in residence. As it happens, Sao-Mai is also from Montreal – even growing up in Pierrefonds. A funny coincidence! From her name, I could tell her family was of Vietnamese origin. I knew nothing beyond that. So we agreed to meet after she sent me her...
Aug 23, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 75
For years now, I've heard about and wanted to start doing some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I always knew it would be outside my comfort zone, but being a beginner at this kind of practice is exactly what I was looking for. When I found out someone was offering BJJ courses right here at the Hive in Sai Kung, I thought how perfect! As soon as I met Jonathan, I could hear right away the warmth and slow pace of the South – my guess of somewhere in Georgia hit the spot. A few times a week, I began training ...
Aug 15, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 74
Cadence, Delian and I hiked over to Ham Tin when I spotted a few letters in Hebrew. I caught the guy's attention and chimed in with, "You know, that tat says 'Hummus and Falafel.' " We laughed and within ten minutes, I invited Jared to be on my podcast. We could even record it at his place in Wanchai. This is the result... An incredible, unexpected, endearing, and totally rewarding conversation. We talked about travel, what it is to be a pastry chef, rabbits, binkies, solo camping, and what love...
Aug 08, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 72
A fascinating thing is happening with the podcast guests. At first, the contacts are direct or indirect, and over time the links to people outside my circle seem to reveal themselves. For example, all of a sudden I became aware of Rachel Smith, her artistic work and the Hong Kong Stories podcast. We have both called Hong Kong home after growing up Canadian. Living almost in parallel, our paths finally crossed. What a treat! We could easily have talked for HOURS. Her dedication to exercising a cr...
Aug 01, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 72
No idea how we connected. It was through Facebook or Instagram that I saw Jenny Page’s eye-catching image. Was it the one she was in cosplay around Lord of the Rings? Was she as Legolas? Or was it a shot with her shooting a traditional Mongolian bow at a shooting range? Or was it with her with a fiddle at her neck playing some musical venue? Again, no idea. But here we are. We agreed to meet because I figured it would be great to have another musical guest, a spirit who could add some aural dept...
Jul 28, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 71
I love that I can meet people like Galiano. A few weeks ago, I read a thought-provoking article about Elon Musk and where Tesla is investing. The journalist mentioned how one such company was this outfit from Las Vegas is trying to reinvent house production. They're called Boxable. So I reached out to the CEO and said how about we meet? He agreed and we lined up a call. Turns out that sure enough, Boxabl is doing something perfectly incredible. The short of it is that they're putting houses into...
Jul 19, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 70
Such a treat! I called Jacqui who's back in Capetown, South Africa to get a deep dive into her engaging, engaged world. The first time I saw her speak was at a CSR Asia event, and since then I've seen her involved with various conservation campaigns. The more we study a subject, the more fascinating it becomes and also the more we understand, the more complex things can be. Namely, marine and ocean conservation. Balanced against the front-line activism that is so crucial for raising awareness an...
Jul 12, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 69
We live in AMAZING times! I was uploading images to Instagram when I spotted an incredible photo. Some hidden algorithm found that I would probably groove to a guy called Jayanth Sharma. He was obviously incredibly talented, and with that name he was clearly of Indian heritage. But sure, why not? So I went through his photos and this is one extremely talented photographer. I reached out, he agreed to set up a call, and here we are. Join us to listen to Jayanth's refreshing take on what it is to ...
Jul 05, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 68
For episode 59 (link: https://youtu.be/julnLiti3oc), I spoke with Karina about her amazing work with Animals Asia. This was a great stepping stone to speaking with Jill, who had founded Animals Asia and who I already knew would be an incredible guest. For the conversation, we recorded at Jill's house where she reviewed the most recent achievement they had just completed: saving more than 100 moon bears from a bear bile harvesting farm. Want to be moved and inspired? Easy. Listen in to our conver...
Jun 27, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 67
John could so easily be someone you pass one day, lying on the ground, sprawled with a camera on a tripod before him, making a photo of the most... Peculiar scene. You would notice that he's got a good kit and obviously knows what he's doing, but why would he spend so long photographing a close-up of a scratched-up boat hull? Or paint-splattered plastic seat? And yet, here's a man who both makes a living with a camera and still takes his craft even farther to create stunning works that inspire a...
Jun 21, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Charmian met me on Lockhart Road, in Wanchai, Hong Kong. She took the ferry over from Lantau Island. What inspired me to get Charmian on the podcast is how dedicated she is when it comes to making an accurate record of Lantau's incredible fauna. I had also seen her book, called "Lantau Life: A Year on Lantau Island by Charmian Woodhouse" and just knew we would have TONS to talk about. From coasteering to geology, entomology to learning a new craft, join us to learn and be inspired! To view the f...
Jun 14, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 65
Sometimes, we see names floating by here and there and over time they become so familiar... Marco Chan. I've seen his amazing photos on the snakes page I'm on, as well as where people post local insect shots. Whoever this Marco guy is, he sure knows his stuff and is a fantastic photographer. I reached out and we agreed to meet on the campus of the University of Hong Kong. Enthusiastic, intense and lighthearted, Marco is just great. At first, we sat on some benches but the traffic over the railin...
Jun 07, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 64
The first time I met Dean, I was waiting outside my village for a bus, minibus, or car into town. I love to hitchhike because I love meeting people and hearing their stories. Stepping into his sedan, I was greeted by a perfectly lovable man who I've admired ever since. This is a LIVING surfer. A life designed and shaped to be out on the water. We met this week by his house – that is, the closest point to the water from his front door. Surrounded by leafhoppers, birds, a beautiful sunset, and cra...
May 30, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 63
