I don’t think I’ve ever seen Allan as happy as he was during our recording of this episode and, if you are into vintage cameras, lenses, and all things film photography, just sit back and enjoy our conversation with Bellamy Hunt, aka the Japan Camera Hunter . The palpable enthusiasm between these two camera lovers cannot be feigned, and they talked like old friends about Nikon SP, Canon rangefinders, Hasselblads, and anything with a red dot. We also learn how an Englishman arrived in Japan, work...
Aug 24, 2017•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast On August 21, 2017 there will be a total solar eclipse passing across the United States from the northwest to the southeast. While the path of totality will be in the center of the country, at least 60% obscuration will be seen throughout the U.S. and into Canada and Mexico. This is a historic event and millions of people will be viewing and photographing it. On today’s episode, we will discuss the what, when, and where of the eclipse and concentrate on the best and safest ways to view and photo...
Aug 17, 2017•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Structure and limitation is a key to the artistic process. This is the idea that opens our conversation with photographer and publisher Brooks Jensen . In addition to his work as a fine-art photographer, Jensen is well recognized as the publisher of LensWork , the beautiful print magazine (and website) about photographs (not cameras!). We speak with him about LensWork’s “Seeing in Sixes” competition, in which photographers submit a series of just six images with the idea that this limited number...
Aug 11, 2017•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast We tried something a little different with this episode of the B&H Photography Podcast . We took three writers from our Explora blog along with us as we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the much praised photography retrospective, Irving Penn: Centennial . Upon our return we gathered to talk about the exhibit and the influential work of Irving Penn. If you love photography, the name Irving Penn should be familiar to you, but this retrospective places equal emphasis on work that falls...
Aug 03, 2017•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast we take a look at wide-aperture, wide-angle lenses. With our guest, Neil Gershman, a lens expert from the B&H Superstore , we touch upon the history of wide-angle lenses, their design and general applications, and then we discuss some pros and cons of wide-angle lenses with maximum apertures wider than f/2. Given the market demand and the technical capability, lens manufacturers have been introducing wide-angle prime and even zoom lenses with...
Jul 27, 2017•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast When you get a chance to speak with an expert, you take advantage. At this year’s OPTIC 2017 Conference, when Lance Keimig and Chris Nicholson passed by our mobile studio, we did just that. Keimig is an author, instructor, and above all, a photographer who specializes in night photography. Well before digital technology made photographing the Milky Way an easy endeavor, Keimig was experimenting with film stock and developing processes to create long-exposure images in dark settings. He is curren...
Jul 20, 2017•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Steve Giralt is an accomplished still life, food, and product photographer and director with a list of advertising clients that includes Harman Kardon, Godiva, BBDO, Starbucks, PepsiCo, Petrossian, and Verizon. With a deep background in digital tech and engineering, and a long list of awards for his still photography, he began to include motion capture in his repertoire and is now on the cutting edge of what he has dubbed, “ visual engineering .” That term is an attempt to describe what he does,...
Jul 13, 2017•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast We return to OPTIC 2017 this week for two wonderful conversations with photographers who ply their trade on the road. First, we speak with Jonathan Irish , who, along with his partner, Stefanie Payne, spent 2016 crisscrossing the country in an Airstream trailer on an epic quest to photograph all 59 U.S. National Parks. They succeeded, and have branded their adventure The Greatest American Roadtrip . Irish discusses the planning it took to reach all of the parks, the sponsorship they received, an...
Jul 07, 2017•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Many photographers begin their careers wanting to “make a difference” with their photography, to bring some good to the world, or at least to the people they photograph. It’s one of the greatest aspects of the craft and its adherents, but can a photo really bring about long-term change? This is an increasingly relevant question, and one that dogs even the most experienced and socially conscious photographers. Despite this dilemma, many photographers forge ahead, shining a light on horrors and gl...
Jun 29, 2017•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast At this year’s OPTIC Photography Conference , we sat down with representatives from camera and gear manufacturers to talk about their latest products, and question them on their company philosophies and the general state of the camera industry. We present here a compilation of conversations with four of our guests: Rudy Winston from Canon , Marc Farb from Sigma , Thomas Curley from Panasonic and Rod Clark, founder and CEO of Wine Country Camera . Within this informative episode, we speak about C...
Jun 15, 2017•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Underwater photography does not have to include sharks, whales, or seals and, for that matter, does not even have to utilize scuba equipment or be near the ocean. Our second episode on underwater photography profiles two photographers who have found their niche shooting wedding, portrait, fine art, and dance themes beneath the surface. Jenna Martin walked away from a career in psychiatry, built her own underwater housing and began using friends and models local to her home in Billings, Montana, ...
Jun 08, 2017•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s a short week here at the B&H Photography Podcast , so we thought we’d take care of some cleaning that we have put off all winter. Unless one is a full-time pro or serious enthusiast, most of one’s photography is done in the fairer months of spring and summer, whether that be on family vacations, at sporting events, weekend picnics, or just working out that macro lens in the garden. So, it’s time to pull the camera bag from the closet and give our gear a quick once-over to make sure everythi...
Jun 02, 2017•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today we welcome two photographers from two distant parts of the globe, but both share a sense of a serene underwater world that they envision mostly in black-and-white. Perhaps, surprisingly, Hengki Koentjoro and Christian Vizl claim Ansel Adams as a prime influence on their work, and we talk with them about not only about their artistic influences but about their choice of gear, shooting styles, post-process techniques and safety concerns. We start our episode with Hengki Koentjoro , who is ba...
May 25, 2017•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast It has been “Macro Week” at B&H Explora , and this week’s episode will put a nice bow on all the articles and photos we have published on the subject, with an overview of what type of macro photography lenses and systems are available. We begin this podcast talking with photographer Marc Silber about his new book Advancing Your Photography: A Handbook for Creating Photos You’ll Love , in which he provides a complete guide to get you from concept to completion. He stresses visualizing your image,...
May 18, 2017•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast A simple twist of fate (OK, I clicked a link) introduced me to the wedding photography of Jide Alakija and I immediately knew he should be a guest on the podcast. His work falls into the category of documentary wedding photography, but the intimate connection he makes with his subjects and his compositional skills place his work above the popular trend of fly-on-the-wall work. He captures moments of humor, tenderness, and joy that many photographers would miss, but still fills a frame the way Gr...
May 11, 2017•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast We start this week’s episode on a congenial and practical note with Frank Meo, aka “ The PhotoCloser ,” talking about what can be a very difficult aspect of photography for some—negotiating with clients and establishing a rate for your services. Meo, who has been a “rep” for many photographers, now concentrates on being a “collaborator.” His services include estimating and negotiating fees. Meo also speaks on the subject at many conferences and workshops, and he offers brainstorming sessions des...
Apr 27, 2017•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Conservation photography can take many forms and we will offer our definition, but more importantly, we will speak with noted outdoor photographer Art Wolfe about his definition of the term. After “Al’s Gearhead Pick of the Week,” we are joined by Mr. Wolfe for a segment in which we discuss how he produces beautiful images in the service of a greater cause. Wolfe is currently working on a project on African elephants and the critical need to safeguard their existence. From this topic, the conver...
Apr 06, 2017•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is one of our most informative and, dare I say, best episodes yet. We talk about emulsion-based and inkjet photographic paper, with an emphasis on inkjet papers. We are fortunate to be joined by two talented and articulate guests, photographer Robert Rodriguez Jr. and August Pross, Print Manager and co-owner of LTI-Lightside photographic lab, in New York City. In addition to his outstanding landscape photography, Rodriguez is an author with three books on photography to his credit. He leads...
Mar 30, 2017•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast What are the latest camera and lens offerings announced at recent trade shows? We’ll let you know, and throw in our two cents regarding their purpose and performance while we’re at it. In February, the WPPI and CP+ shows were held, the former being the major wedding and portrait photography conference, held in Las Vegas. It is attended by hundreds of photographers, and features seminars, networking events, and product exhibitions. CP+ is the annual “camera and photo imaging show,” held in Yokoha...
Mar 23, 2017•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast We replace a camera with a controller for this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast , but if artistic interpretation of your surroundings is the goal, is there any difference between the two? Today, we talk gaming and photography and, specifically, the practice of in-game or virtual photography. While grabbing a screenshot of your high score is nothing new, using a gaming system’s increasingly advanced photo tools to capture images of the gaming world in which you are immersed is becomi...
Mar 16, 2017•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s episode broadens our normal photographic sphere as we discuss ophthalmic photography and how the eye’s own optical system is used in conjunction with camera equipment—some very common, some not so—to examine the interior of the eye and to diagnose illnesses that go far beyond problems with vision. We are joined by Mark Maio , clinical medical and ophthalmic photographer and developer of the first high-resolution digital imaging system in ophthalmology. We talk with Maio about his early i...
Mar 10, 2017•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast The B&H Photography Podcast team was invited to a special event hosted by DJI and the B&H Marketing team to introduce filmmakers and photographers to the Phantom 4 Pro and Inspire 2 drones. Not only did we get to fly these incredible machines, but we took the time to talk with several photographers and drone experts to get their impressions, not only on the latest DJI models, but on other drone platforms and aerial photography applications. We begin this episode with Adam Lisberg, U.S. spokesper...
Mar 02, 2017•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode of the B&H Photography Podcast we talk LED lighting for photography. We start with an introduction to the basics of LEDs, discussing their advantages and disadvantages compared to tungsten and fluorescent lights, and why an LED system might be the right choice for your work. We then open the conversation to the recent improvements made in LED technology and the various types of LED lights available. After a break, we talk about specific photo applications, the appropriate LED sys...
Feb 16, 2017•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we discuss long-term documentary projects, particularly those that deal with immigration and social issues. Both of our guests are currently working on projects that span several years, and we talk about the commitment, the technique, the goals, and the gear that go into their work. Our first guest is Griselda San Martin, a Spanish photographer who has been telling stories of immigration, deportation, and the often-blurred lines of national iden...
Feb 09, 2017•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast As we asked in an earlier episode, “When was the last time you touched a photograph?” It’s an interesting question and some of us are still enjoying the tactile nature of a print, or our time in the darkroom, but most photographers now only experience their photos through a monitor. On today’s episode, we try to change all that with a visit from printer and printing experts Jay Tanen and Sam Celebi. We offer an overview of the options available when it comes to printing your photographs digitall...
Feb 02, 2017•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today’s show, we continue our conversations on landscape photography with Daniel Kordan, one of the most interesting nature and landscape photographers working today. Amongst his many accomplishments, he can count having an image used as wallpaper for Apple computers, and while that is indeed impressive, if you dig deep into his Instagram feed or website, you’ll soon realize that his talents run wide and deep. From Greenland to Ushuaia, and Russia to Japan, the work he produces is consistentl...
Jan 26, 2017•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast We are in a Golden Age of landscape photography. Digital cameras and improved software enable the kind of imaging that until recently was only possible via the budgets of large publications and the talents and ambitions of a few select photographers. Ambition and talent remain, and with enhanced dynamic range and color algorithms, higher sensitivity settings, simplified stitching and compositing software, and a network of websites to display work, impressive landscape photography is abundant; ho...
Jan 19, 2017•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast is on third-party lenses and the alternatives to the “glass” produced by the major camera manufacturers. From high-end optics to affordable knock-offs to respected lens makers, such as Tamron and Tokina, we will discuss what is new, what is available, and for what type of shooter these lenses may be the right choice. Joining us is photographer, Product Specialist, and B&H trainer extraordinaire Levi Tenenbaum. In the first half of the program, w...
Jan 12, 2017•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today’s episode, we welcome Katrin Eismann and Peter Krogh to our studio and, with a chance to speak to the “Photoshop Diva” and the man who wrote "The DAM Book", you count your lucky stars and soak up as much insight from these experts as possible. Peter Krogh is a photographer, writer, consultant, and a foremost authority on digital asset management and workflow. His clients include top-tier photographers, the Library of Congress, and he has served on the ASMP Board of Directors. A recent c...
Jan 05, 2017•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Join us as we talk with two of our most regular and insightful guests about new cameras that were announced in 2016. We hesitate to use the phrase “best” cameras of the year because there a few cameras that we’re not all that crazy about, and a few we can only judge based on their announced specs, but there is plenty to talk about. Shawn Steiner and Levi Tenenbaum test and review cameras for B&H and the Explora blog, and bring to this conversation not only extensive product knowledge, but a prac...
Dec 22, 2016•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
