Skylum's Behind the Seen Podcast

3D artist and photographer Joshua Sommerfeldt joins the podcast this week to discuss the evolution of his art and how a desire to create in 3D led to a realization of the parallels and infinite possibilities when creating in 3D worlds.   Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/lowbassguy Photography Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lowbassphotography 3D Art Instagram - https://www.twitch.tv/lowbassart Web - https://discord.gg/ynTVD3pU4r

Mixed-media artist Laurel Richardson joins the podcast to discuss the motivations behind her mixed-media art technique, her gallery shows, her ballet career and more. https://www.laurelrichardson.com

  New York City street photographer Gerard Exupery joins the podcast to talk about his 40 years of street photography adventures in the Big Apple. Gerard Exupery has been a New York City Street Photographer for 40 years. He fell in love with photography when his father helped him take his first picture with a Rolleiflex at age eight. From then until now, it is the only thing Exupery has ever wanted to do. Growing up, he worked for his local and high school newspapers doing sports photography. In 1973 a friend’s mother showed him a copy of the catalog from the Diane Arbus exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum, and it changed his life. Exupery attended the School of Visual Arts and studied with Lisette Model at The New School. His first job was driving a New York City taxi to pay for classes. He has worked as a fashion photographer’s assistant, a custom printer, motorcycle mechanic, oil rig roustabout, audio engineer, video engineer, and line producer. Every day he carried his camera with him and used it. Until 10 years ago, Exupery had never shown his work publicly. When he discovered the photography website Flickr, he began to post his pictures. Due in part to the interest he received there, he began to promote his photography and writing.  

Taya Ivanova joins for a discussion about the delicate art of self-portraiture. We discuss technique, gear, and even the negative side of the art form. https://500px.com/tayaiv

Joel Robison is a creative portrait photographer from British Columbia, Canada. His work is a blend of whimsy and realism and focuses on the fine line between our imagination and the real work around us. Much of his work is inspired by his own interpretations of real life events, dreams, fears and his understanding of mental health. His work has been featured around the world with clients like Coca-Cola, Google, Oprah Magazine, Adobe and others. He has taught workshops both online and offline around the world and is passionate about inspiring other artists to develop their own creative identity.

In this chat I speak with architectural and real estate entrepreneur Tyler Kinzer. Tyler and I dive into the business of photographing real estate. We discuss the tools, the business, and the techniques needed to be successful in this competitive industry. Tyler Kinzer is a photographer based in Tucson, AZ. He specializes in architectural and portrait photography.  His goal is to bring the beauty out of his subjects, capturing their true personalities, or the precise vision of your brand. http://tylerkinzer.com

Sacramento commercial photographer and native Tim Engle cultivated a passion for photography in his early teens and has since successfully turned that love into a full-time career. Flowing seamlessly between portraits, fashion, avant-garde, and commercial photography. He was voted best photographer in Sacramento by Sacramento Magazine and KVIE PBS selected him as one of California’s Master Photographers in 2011. https://www.englephoto.comhttps://www.instagram.com/englephoto_inc

Stephen Scharf is commercial photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area specializing in real estate, architectural and product photography. He has also been a professionally accredited motorsports photojournalist since 2003, and one of the track photographers for Sonoma Raceway, covering their professional motorsports and racing events. His personal photographic work also includes landscape, urban exploration, fine art, and documentary street photography. Stephen is also are retired molecular biologist, working in Biotech in the SF Bay Area during his professional career as a scientist. http://www.stephenscharf.com

In this interview I chat with photographer and corporate strategist L. Renee Blount. L is a fascinating individual and we dive into her recent thrust into telling outdoor and adventure stories from a black perspective. We discuss her challenges, motivations, and future aspirations. She is a 2017 grad of Harvard's Graduate School of Design. As a consultant, she mixes my loves of innovation & tech, mobility, adventure, research, and visual storytelling to help brands go beyond what’s possible. After working at some of the best boutique innovation firms in the world with Fortune 100 companies, she's currently exploring the world and blazing new trails. http://www.lrblount.com

In this interview, we're joined by World Travel photographer Elia Locardi. Elia shares some of his amazing adventures traveling the globe on assignment. We learn about how he manages to keep his gear safe, what clothes he packs, and more. We also discuss how a photographer, whose main source of income is heavily reliant on travel, is managing to pivot and thrive during a time when travel has been severely curtailed and the perception of destination travel has shifted from rest and relaxation to self-preservation and nervousness.

In this interview I sit down with Texas based photographer and director Dixie Dixon. We discuss her process for building an amazing and powerful brand while also staying passionate about her craft and keeping her photographs fresh and relevant. About Dixie... Dixie Dixon has always been inspired by the allure, magic and unique challenge of creating fashion photography. As one of the sixteen original Nikon ambassadors in the United States, Dixie has spent the last decade bringing creative visions to life for brands, ad agencies, fashion/commercial clients as well as educating others about the the latest cutting-edge photography techniques and technology.

Los Angeles, California based photographer and director Michael Grecco is an industry veteran. He has photographed a long list of celebrities and understands the fine art of working with the ultra-popular as well as the people who manage them. In this interview Michael shares some insider tips, techniques, and stories he's gained from photographing some of the worlds most famous people. Michael Grecco is an award-winning internationally renowned director and photographer of celebrity portraits, advertising and editorial commissions, private collections and fine art. https://michaelgrecco.com

In this interview, Lee Morris and Patrick Hall, co-founders of Fstoppers.com join the show to discuss the past, present and future of their wildly popular site. We get some insight into how and why they relocated to Puerto Rico, and some valuable lessons about how easy or hard it can be to follow your dreams, and make them a reality.

In this interview we discuss how having the right mindset with regard to pursuing your passion is critical. When is it time to "go pro", or is it ever? And how do you find your sustainable passion so that you can continue doing it in the long term without fear of burn out. In this episode, Pye Jirsa of SLRLounge.com shares some wisdom and experiences you can use immediately to refocus, and reframe your business, and maybe even your life. Pye Jirsa is a director, photographer and educator. He's a founder and partner of Lin and Jirsa Photography — a boutique Southern California wedding and portrait photography studio composed of an incredible creative team that shoots over 300 weddings each year, with nearly 1,000 yearly client commissions. URL's: www.slrlounge.comwww.vfpresets.com@bornuncreative on TikTok@pyejirsa on IG

Craig Stampfli is an accomplished photographer above and below the water line. His work is meticulous and demonstrates an attention to detail that only passionate artists imbue. The challenges to working underwater are many, and it's those challenges that drew Craig to this genre. In this interview you'll learn how he shoots underwater, safety issues, as well as the magic of shooting through liquid. It all started when I went back to the West Indies to visit family and I borrowed a friends camera, I shot several rolls of film and decided that this was for me. That was 25 years ago, and in that time I have traveled the world with a camera in my hand. I've been known to set an alarm for 3am to then drive to THE spot, set up and wait for the light to be just right. I have also been known to make people feel at ease within seconds of being in front of my camera. Whether your event is Black Tie, or you want to get your feet wet with an Underwater Portrait Session, I can help make your occasion with me both enjoyable and memorable with a bit of fun thrown in for good measure. http://stampfli.photography

Wedding photography is arguably one of the most import jobs in photography. Not only is it a record of one of the most important days in the lives of the subjects, but the skill required before, during and after the wedding far surpass that required from most other genres. In this episode, veteran wedding photographer Troy Miller of Imagery Concepts discusses his workflow from start to finish. We discuss some of the challenges involved with making a living with this type of photography as well as the tools and mindset necessary to do the job right! We are Imagery Concepts. A husband & wife team uniquely offering a dual perspective with an exciting blend of romantic, candid and photo journalistic qualities as full-time professional photographers for over 20 years. This site is just a teaser of who we are and what we do. There is no way we could convey our personality, creativity and passion with only these few words and images. Our clients come to us by referral only from other clients and vendors that love what we do. If we didn’t impress them we wouldn’t be here. It’s that simple. http://imageryconcepts.com

Dogs are well regarded as "mans best friend", and Thomas Aaron is uniquely skilled at showing the personalities of those friends. He is a certified dog trainer based in Denver Colorado, and also a celebrated dog photographer. Thomas self-admittedly just loves dogs, but he also loves photography. In this interview you'll learn how he was able to successfully merge his passion for pups with his passion for taking pics. Thomas Aaron is a dog trainer based in Denver Colorado. He loves photographing dogs as much as he loves training them. His passion for canine photography was a natural evolution as he became more experienced with getting to know the animals, and how best to bring out their personalities using portraiture. http://www.fetchmasters.com

Photography is nothing without light and Laura Tillinghast is a master at controlling light. However, understanding and controlling photons is only part of the equation. The other parts are using psychology to connect with your subject. Understanding technology to ensure you're getting the best image possible, and using software to render the final image. In this interview Laura Tillinghast shares with us how she is able to continually create such a diverse body of work, while also devoting a significant amount of her time to writing, and conducting photography workshops. San Francisco Bay Area photographer Laura Tillinghast began taking photos in the 90’s and never stopped. Shooting primarily advertising and commercial content, you never know what you will find in front of her lens. Whether it's a gorgeous model, a bowl of oatmeal or a rock band, she shoots with the same goal in mind: make it beautiful. https://lauratillinghast.com

Los Angeles based boudoir photographer Michael Sasser joins the show to discuss the oft misunderstood art of boudoir photography. We discuss many of the misconceptions around this art form and the confusion with Glamour and Nude photography. In this candid and revealing conversation we dive into how photographers looking to experiment in the genre can do so respectfully, and safely. We discuss both the artistic side as well as the business side. If you’ve ever wanted to shoot this kind of photography, this interview will give you the information you need to either make the leap, or steer clear. Michael is an internationally known boudoir photographer in Los Angeles, CA. He’s been teaching photographers how to start their boudoir businesses for a few years. You might have seen one of his YouTube tutorials giving boudoir tips to over 115,000 subscribers. Michael believes in the transformational experience of boudoir and wants you to help be a part of that experience for someone else. https://sasserstillsboudoir.com

In this interview I'm joined by Aneta Filiciak, and Karen Biilmann; the CEO and Sr. Art Director, respectively at 500px.com. We discuss the past, present and future of the company and dive into a riveting discussion about the directions they're seeing photography moving in. We discuss their thoughts on how "social distancing" might affect photography, and photographers going forward. We also discuss so-called "pure" photograpy, versus compositing work. Check out the site at: 500px.com

One of the most underserved genres of photography is action sports. Sure, there are plenty of sports photographers at major sporting events, but capturing "ordinary" people, doing extraordinary things is the forte of action sports photographer Michel Grenier. In this interview Michele and I discuss her choices for moving into this genre and her path to learning photography then turning this skill into a lucrative business. We discuss her passion for sports and the gym and how she was able to merge that passion with her love for photography. Michele is an independent photographer based in Quebec City, Canada. She specializes in high-performance and strength-related sports. Michele is also an author, a speaker and an educator. http://www.michelegrenierphoto.com

Alex Qian was not happy. He was not fulfilled in is 9-5 day job in the financial industry and decided to make a change. His love for photography and traveling was the logical choice for him so he made the leap. In this interview Alex and I discuss his career move, the challenges as well as the joys he's experienced. We also dive into his gear, and workflow. http://www.wayfaringprofessional.com

Welcome to the Behind the Seen podcast. This is a brand new podcast from your friends over at Skylum Software. Every week we will showcase a different photographer and dive into how they are creating amazing bodies of work. You'll learn about the successes and the challenges they encountered along the way, and you're sure to take away some valuable tips from each episode. The podcast was created to inspire, educate and entertain you. So sit back, relax and go "behind the seen" of the amazing stories from people around the world, connected through photography.