Jonathan Hsu and Kathryn Butler are photographers who specialize in capturing dance. They met at the Bates Dance Festival where they bonded over their mutual love of photography and desire to balance their craft with a freelance dance career. As they worked together, they found a rich dialogue about…
Per usual, Kathryn and Jonathan are super busy! Jonathan talks about making a composite Marvel-style movie poster and creating his first photo album, and Kathryn shares the adventure of making her first dance film with her Canon R camera!
Kathryn and Jonathan discuss the new Canon R lenses, talk about compression when using long focal lengths, and Jonathan adds a piece of gear to his wish list.
In this episode Kathryn and Jonathan catch up and talk about printing, workflow, and how to make things more efficient
Kathryn introduces her new dance photography packages at Classic Kids, Jonathan talks about a recent film project he was a dancer in, and they close out the episode discussing who has more directorial responsibility when making a dance film: the choreographer or the videographer.
Kathryn and Jonathan troubleshoot unwanted motion blur when photographing dancers with strobes.
Kathryn and Jonathan discuss taking photos on background paper, and how to deal with the ripples, bumps, and creases that are hard to avoid.
Jonathan is working on a new dance film project at VCU, Kathryn discovered a trick in photoshop to modify clothing, and both Capture Critiques feature interesting and new lighting set-ups.
After taking a short break for the winter holidays, Kathryn and Jonathan are back with their first episode recorded in 2021! Kathryn has a new lens, Jonathan is excited about a bunch of new gigs he has lined up, and they share a new image challenge component of the podcast. For more information, click here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CJl7felHoPa/?igshid=zl53co840fjo
After discussing the virtual Nutcrackers of 2020, Kathryn and Jonathan share their dance and photography goals for the new year.
After busy weeks for both Kathryn and Jonathan, they discuss Jonathan's transition in to full freelance work, Kathryn's recent outdoor dance photo shoots, and different options for backing up and safely storing photos / videos.
Kathryn and Jonathan catch up after a few busy weeks, discuss their new two-camera set-ups, and share some facts about the new iPhone 12 Pro. And, Jonathan shares a big announcement!
In this special episode Jonathan and Kathryn sit down with Jillian Sanders, a freshman dance major at Virginia Commonwealth University and the editor behind the most recent episodes of the podcast!
From small color modifications and clone stamping to reshaping someone's figure and swapping people from one photo to another, Kathryn and Jonathan dig into the variety of ways Photoshop is used by photographers, and what they are comfortable doing with their own images.
Jonathan's long-awaited Canon R5 camera arrived just in time for his residency with Orange Grove Dance. Kathryn and Jonathan discuss the camera's performance, settings, and ways it differs from the 5D Mark IV cameras they are used to.
Kathryn and Johnathan dig into the topic of photo credit: when you need it, when you don't, and why it's important for amateurs and professionals alike.
Jonathan talks about using a retouch service for the first time, which leads Kathryn and Jonathan into a conversation about outsourcing different parts of their business and how it may affect their branding.
Kathryn and Jonathan chat with Mallory Pettee about the story behind her photography business, Maljpet Photo, and how she balances photography work and her career as a performer in NYC. They dig into the pros and cons of using multiple camera bodies and discuss how they have been staying inspired and creatively active during the Covid closure.
Kathryn talks about her big move, Jonathan eagerly awaits the arrival of his new gear, and they revisit the topic of shooting outside at sunrise vs. sunset.
Kathryn shares some really exciting news, Jonathan talks about live streaming performances at work, and they debate on when to raise your ISO vs raising your flash power.
Kathryn and Jonathan talk about the value of a college degree in the arts, Kathryn gives some private lessons and Jonathan orders the new Canon R5!
Jonathan and Kathryn sit down with dance photographer Jaqi Medlock to talk about her experiences as someone who still actively performs with other artists and companies while having a full time photography business focused around dance. And they get a look at Jaqi's new in home studio!
Jonathan and Kathryn chat with Jordan Eagle about her experience photographing dance competitions, creating her own business, and starting her #dancersofquarantine project on Instagram.
Jonathan shares his new video project, Kathryn is happy to be back at work, and both discuss their needs for having a back-up camera but aren't sure what camera that should be!
Kathryn and Jonathan talk with videographer, dancer, teacher, and projection designer Lindsay LaPointe. They discuss Lindsay's journey to working at the Bates Dance Festival, her opinions on creating projection that works with, rather than overpowering, choreography, and how she balances the many hats of video work, dance performance, dance teaching, and family.
In this episode Kathryn and Jonathan talk with New York based photographer and performer Bjorn Bolinder. They talk about Bjorn's journey to NYC, performing and taking pictures on cruise ships, shooting with film, personal practices, and life in general as freelance artists invested in their work. Also make sure you check out Bjorn's incredible self portrait project "One-a-Day" at https://www.findthelightphotography.com/One-a-Day/
Jonathan explains his high-tech dance teaching set-up, Kathryn learned some new Photoshop tricks, and both discuss their experience with and love for the dance practice Contact Improvisation.
Kathryn and Jonathan chat with Hope Spears about marketing, dance photo shoots, and how she started a photography business while still in college.
Kathryn shares some speedlight discoveries, Jonathan gets creative with a jar of water, and both share updates on quarantine life during COVID19.
We brought our first guest on the podcast! Meet Ellen Maynard, a dancer and videographer based in Brooklyn, and listen as she shares challenges, funny stories, and advice as a freelance artist documenting dance in NYC and beyond.
Kathryn and Jonathan discuss the future of online dance classes post-COVID 19, break down the differences between RAW and JPEG files, and touch base on how NYC and DC are handling self-quarantine.
Sorry about the delay in getting this out everyone! Kathryn and Jonathan talk about the initial response in the dance community to COVID-19 and how it has been affecting their own communities.
The audio from Kathryn and Jonathan’s Capture Critique video on IGTV! Kathryn shares images she took at Orange Grove Dance’s dress rehearsal and Jonathan shares photo shoot images he took before the show.
In the second half of their in-person episode, Kathryn and Jonathan talk about networking, the differences between speedlights and strobes, and what it means to be a "professional" artist.
After a busy week of tech for Jonathan and some gear challenges for Kathryn, they reunited in DC for an exciting weekend of dance competitions, performances, photography, sightseeing, and, best of all, a late night podcast recording session!
Jonathan and Kathryn share their thoughts on teaching, Jonathan tricks Kathryn with a sneaky Capture Critique image, and Kathryn reports in after shooting an event with her new flash modifier.
Following a busy week of rehearsals and dance competitions for Jonathan and Kathryn's first full week at her new job, they dig into the topic of zoom vs prime lenses and launch a new segment on the podcast called Capture Critique!
Kathryn and Jonathan share teaching stories, discuss the benefits of getting your flash off camera, and realize "spot metering" doesn't quite work the way they had hoped.
Kathryn reports back after her big show, Jonathan accepted a dance studio challenge, and the topic of focus points is once again brought to the table. Disclaimer: this episode has some audio quality issues. We apologize!
Kathryn and Jonathan cover a huge range of topics including the future of camera auto modes, when to use Lightroom presets, and the challenges of taking photos of incredible dancers. Kathryn has her last rehearsal before her show and Jonathan has a new project in the works!
Kathryn reports back about her most recent event photography gig, Jonathan got some new video lights, and both discuss different ways they keep their bodies healthy and ready for their long rehearsal days.
Kathryn shares white balance challenges from taking photos at the Bates Dance Festival winter intensive, Jonathan recounts some complex performance photo eye-swapping, and both strategize event photography tactics for carrying gear and using on-camera flash. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFk8ZmIDrFM&fbclid=IwAR2v-nyqJHsx-VIw5JgzZ0EKvvaA-6pkBjoGgRwxebyqlkuNVcdv_RSZu-4 https://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/aa-battery-holder?_pos=1&_sid=96785764f&_ss=r
Jonathan speeds up his workflow with a new keyboard, Kathryn rehashes her New Years Eve in Disney World, and both dig into how they use Instagram to promote their dance and photography work. https://petapixel.com/2020/01/02/this-photographer-used-a-drone-to-lightpaint-a-giant-baby-yoda-in-the-sky/
Jonathan and Kathryn reflect on 2019, share thoughts about collaborative choreography, and dig into the pros and cons of contracts in this last episode before the new year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pVHOaT9CZ4
Kathryn reflects on her recent headshot session, Jonathan changes up his camera settings at The Nutcracker, and both question how working multiple jobs in different fields might change the dance economy.
Kathryn and Jonathan chat about some historical dance images, camera body speculations, and, most importantly, how to take artsy photos of Christmas lights! https://petapixel.com/2019/12/04/75mp-canon-eos-rs-with-dual-card-slots-coming-in-february-2020-report/?fbclid=IwAR3x31GAobXopm3B1tSjgHEzfNaVREtu8tIKxIB-9-UIeCiKCtgT5kD6zE4 https://www.dancemagazine.com/alvin-ailey-photo-archive-2641494135.html
After a busy Thanksgiving holiday of shooting and editing, Kathryn and Jonathan dive into a complicated topic: how can choreographers better market their work?
Kathryn makes a focus mode discovery, Jonathan dreams of owning a mirrorless camera, and both break down the gear essentials they recommend for starting out shooting dance performances. https://clarkvision.com/articles/night-photography-in-the-field-setup/ https://www.creativelive.com
An autobiographical episode where Jonathan and Kathryn go back in time to share their personal journeys to becoming dancers and photographers.
Kathryn and Jonathan are back together for the first time since the Bates Dance Festival! They chat about some exciting recent gigs, Jonathan's new night light, Kathryn's cropping workflow, and the big question: what type of performance is the most challenging to shoot.
Jonathan and Kathryn brainstorm about light challenges, work flow glitches, website settings, and the importance of being paid appropriately for the work you do.
Kathryn and Jonathan get in a heated debate about the pros and cons of shooting dance during a dress rehearsal or live performance. Jonathan discovers a new photoshoot set-up he is super excited about, Kathryn remembers her love of floor reflections, and both question the importance of developing a signature photoshoot style.