Thoughts on Photography

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! As winter approaches it's important to be safe outside and it's helpful to know a few tips ahead of time.  On this episode I talk with Alex Soh, travel and landscape photographer from Singapore, about details we should be aware of and look for while shooting outside in the winter.  Just because it's cold out doesn't mean you shouldn't be out there shooting! Share YOUR thoughts on photography in our Facebook group here.  Join me on Instagram @brianmcguckin Keep up with Alex on Instagram @alexsohphotography

What happens when a conservationist who loves frogs has a camera? He goes to Haiti to create change.  In this episode I talk with Robin Moore - photographer, conservationist, author, lover of frogs, and cofounder of Frame of Mind - an initiative empowering youth to connect with their natural and cultural world through photography and visual storytelling. You can see his work at www.robindmoore.com and check out his book Frame of Mind Haiti here. Join me on Instagram and share YOUR thoughts on photography in our Facebook group.  

I just got back from a workshop with ImprovePhotography.com shooting in the BEAUTIFUL area in Utah and Arizona around the Grand Canyon!  What I love about workshops is that there are so many people there to learn from and be inspired by.  Check out this episode on learning through workshops with nature photographer Majeed Badizadegan.   Be sure to join us on Facebook and share YOUR thoughts on photography.  Join me on Instagram! Keep up to date on many FREE workshops offered through ImprovePhotography.com.

We all have different learning styles.  Many of us learn best by struggling through things and trying to figure it out on our own; others can read or see something once and get it.  In this episode I talk with Jim Harmer, founder of ImprovePhotography.com, about the benefits of learning photography online. Be sure to join us on Facebook in the Thoughts On Photography Podcast group to share YOUR thoughts on photography.

With thousands and thousands of photographers out there, how do you get your name known?  What do you do to market your photography business?  In this episode I am joined again by Sarah Petty from The Joy of Marketing to talk about what we should do to market our photography businesses.   Check out more about how to best market your business and all the great resources the Joy of Marketing offers at http://www.joyofmarkeing.com Join us on Facebook to share YOUR thoughts on photography!

How is does YOUR BRAND reflect YOUR BUSINESS?  Not sure what it means to "brand your business?"  In this episode, I talk with Sarah Petty - photographer, marketing guru, and New York Times best selling author.  This interview is just a peek into what it means to have a brand for your photography business.  To find out more, go to http://www.joyofmarketing.com and be sure to check out her FREE resource for our listeners at http://www.joyofmarketing.com/click You can also check out her best selling book Worth Every Penny: Small Business Marketing Help here.    

How do you learn photography?  Do you learn best when someone is there to walk you through and explain everything?  Or do you learn best experimenting and working through struggles on your own?  Or maybe you spend your time learning online through courses such as ImprovePhotography.com and Photography Start. In this episode Dan Helrigel (Photography Chair at Indianapolis Art Center) and I explore learning photography and the different possibilities.  This episode birthed the idea of staring a series on "Learning Photography" and the different options we have as learners.  Enjoy this show and stay tuned for more on this topic! 

Are you ready for some football?!?!  It's (American) football season here in the United States and if you're a photographer and you like football, this episode is for you!  In this episode, I talk with Jeff Lewis NFL photographer based out of California.  Jeff and I both love football and photography, so we get a little carried away at times.  You'll definitely learn some great tips and learn what it's like on the sidelines of a NFL game.

Many of us dream about having our photography on display in a gallery somewhere.  Anyone who has work displayed had to start somewhere.  In this episode I speak with Kara Lane, author of "From Photographer to Gallery Artist."  Kara gives us a peek into her book sharing tips, recommendations, and resources for how photographers can make this dream a reality.    

Clearly photography is a passion of yours, but what is it that you REALLY love to shoot?  Are you working on a project?  Maybe it's something private that you want to keep to yourself because you're capturing personal hardships that you're working through.  Maybe it's something that you are SOOO excited about that you find yourself posting about it on every piece of social media out there that exists.  Whatever it may be, there are many benefits to having some type of personal project.  In this episode I talk with Jose Rosado about these benefits and his article, "Why You Should Always Make Time for Personal Projects."    

With new mirrorless cameras coming out weekly, infrared photography will become easier and easier to shoot.  In this episode I talk with Luka Gorjup - infrared photographer based out of Europe in Slovenia.  Luka explains the hows and whys to help you get started.   Join us on the Thoughts On Photography Podcast group on Facebook to share YOUR thoughts. Follow me on Instagram to see what I'm up to with all these camera bags!

It's time for me to start the giveaway process for the camera bags I've been reviewing for ImprovePhotography.com  Check out the podcast to see how YOU can win a bag.   "Photography Start" is one of the best ways to improve your photography!  Check it out and be sure to use the coupon code "THOUGHTS" to get $40 off through the month of September.  www.improvephotography.com/start    

Although photojournalist have been doing it for years, there seems to be a growing interest lately in street photography.  So many questions arise: How do you do it tactfully?  What gear do you use?  How do you avoid looking like a "creeper" or "stalker?"   In this episode, I talk with black and white street photographer Andre Wagner about what it's like to be a street photographer in New York and how he goes about capturing just the right moment in just the right way. Follow Andre on Instagram @photodre Follow me on Instagram @brianmcguckin to participate in a camera bag giveaway! Don't forget to join the Thoughts On Photography Podcast group in Facebook to share YOUR thoughts on photography.

Black and white images are both classic and iconic.  In this episode I speak with award winning black and white photographer Jack Curran about his process for getting a classic shot.  You can read his article in Outdoor Photography here.  Be sure to check out the article on Improve Photography for 15 Tips For Stunning B&W Photography! Want to join us in China?  Find out more here. Join me on Instagram! @brianmcguckin  

Photography is making a difference in lives all around us!  In this episode I talk with Katie Taylor, from Film School Africa, about how photography is impacting people of all ages in South Africa. Consider donating old gear, memory cards, bags, etc.  Purchase a donation through Amazon!  Find out how here. Follow me on Instagram.

Photographers often dream about having their work hanging somewhere to be adored by the world, but aren't sure how to go about it.  In this episode I talk with Nick Page, landscape photographer and podcast host, about his recent artist's reception and ideas for where and how to display your work.   Find out more about joining us in China at www.improvephotography.com/China Follow me on Instagram!

Every photo tells a story.  Someone somewhere pushed a button to capture a moment in time.  What if that image was never seen?  What would you do if you found an undeveloped roll of film?  What if that roll had never before seen images of someone's birthday?  Or the last image of someone's loved one?  Or even the President of the United States?  On this episode I talk with Levi Bettwieser of The Rescued Film Project about what he is doing to share those images with the world.  

As photographers, we've all faced struggles - especially when starting out.  In this episode, I talk briefly with a young photographer, Sinikka Rohrer, about struggles and decisions new photographers need to make.  Improvephotography.com is one of THE best resources for photographers of all levels to learn how to improve their photography.  Join me in the new Facebook group, Thoughts On Photography Podcast, and share YOUR thoughts on the newest trends, techniques, and issues in photography. Follow me on Instagram for a chance to win a camera bag that I introduced in this episode.

Lately I've had a hard time believing some of the images I've seen that have gone viral with an animal riding on another animal's backs.  Wildlife photographer, Juan Pons, claims it's more common than one would think.  In this episode I invited Juan Pons back on to share with us a little bit about the ins and outs of wildlife photography and how it doesn't take the most expensive gear to do it.    

As photographers we value the opportunity to grow and learn how to improve our craft.  Often we take advantage of conferences and what they have to offer, but don't bother considering what it takes to get one up and running.  Any interst in bringing one to your city?  In this episode I talk with Chris Smith, outofchicago.com, about what it takes to launch a successful conference in your own city.    

One of the best ways to improve our photography skills is to attend a workshop.  With so many photographers out there hosting their own workshops, we have to be cautious about who and where we invest our money.  In this episode, I speak with Juan Pons (wildlife photographer and host of The Digital Photo Experience podcast) about what we need to consider when choosing a workshop to attend.  Find out more about Juan at www.juanpons.org 

One of the most challenging parts of starting a photography business, and keeping it going, is trying to do it alone.  There are so many benefits of being in a community with other photographers, whether it be locally or online.  In this episode, I speak with photographer Josh Newton about the importance of community for photographers.  Follow Josh at http://instagram.com/joshnewton  Check out some resources such as http://shootandshare.com and http://improvephotography.com/workshops 

It's that time of year here in the U.S.  Photographers and families are traveling on vacation.  In this episode, John Bragg and I share some of our stories and tips on travel photography.  You can check out some of my travel pictures at www.brianmcguckin.com and John's pictures from Europe at www.europefineartphotos.com Also, check out more of John's work at http://www.johnbragg.com  

Photographers are being discriminated against because of their professional quality gear - at least that's what this episode's guest believes.  On this episode I speak with professional photographer, Jason Lanier, about why he believes many photographers are being discrimanted against.  Check out his youtube video of two different situations where he is questioned by security.  See more of Jason's work at... https://instagram.com/jasonlanierphotography https://www.facebook.com/jasonlanierphotography http://www.jasonlanierworkshops.com  

With wedding season taking off, many photographers are too intimidated to shoot them. In this episode, I talk with Erica Kay about her workflow to help give photographers a glimpse of wedding photography.   To find out more about traveling to China with the Improve Photography Network and how you can be there with us go to www.improvephotography.com/china      

Today there seems like there's a Reality TV show for almost anything - so why not photography?  In this episode I talk with Justin Mott, resident photographer of the first ever photo reality TV show - Photo Face-Off.  Justin tells us about his experience on the show and shares about some of the challenges he faces.  Learn more about Justin by following his journey here on facebook.   Here's his award-winning shot mentioned in this episode!   

What would you do if you saw a picture you took, but it wasn't a picture you took?  What if you found out someone was copying your photography and profiting from it financially?  Sound confusing?  In this episode I talk with creative portraiture, Joel Robison, and his recent experience.  Check out the article here and follow him on Facebook here!

With wedding season kicking off, one of the most important aspects of wedding photography is having relationships with wedding planners.  In this episode I talk with wedding planner Monica Richard of Mon Amie Events Inc. about how photographers can build those relationships and the importance of working together as a team with other vendors. Also, be sure to check out Improve Photography's Lightroom Preset Sale lasting only three days (May 4th-6th, 2015) as mentioned in the podcast.  

Why bother using a drone when you can shoot from a helicopter or airplane?  In this episode I talk with Brad Cavanaugh from Air One Aerial Photography.  Our conversation ranges from recommended gear and settings to keeping an eye on the weather.  Check out Brad's work at aironephoto.com

If you've been a subscriber to Thoughts on Photography over the years you may have realized a recent change in the host's voice.  With the wonderful Paul Giguere retiring from podcasting, Thoughts on Photography is now hosted by Brian McGuckin from the Improve Photography Network.  Brian McGuckin has been shooting since 2006 and has had many unique photography opportunities ranging from the NFL and celebrity/athlete events to weddings and travel photography that has taken him all around the world.  In this episode, fellow Improve Photography Network host, Nick Page, talks with Brian about the podcast and his photography journey.  To see more of Brian McGuckin's work go to www.brianmcguckin.com     

Instagram is much more than a place to post pics of your favorite food or selfies.  In this episode I talk with photo enthusiast, Elaine Li, about how she networks with some of her 68K+ followers through Instagram.  Check out Elaine here and follow her on her journey! 

Who doesn't like the idea of standing on the top of a skyscrapper, giving a whole new perspective of how you view the world???  In this episode, rooftopper Daniel Lau and I talk about what it's like on top of the world.  Check out some of the amazing views he's captured here on Instagram or on his website.  

To watermark, or not to watermark?  That is the question.  Many photographers have a strong opinion on when, where, and how to add a watermark to their images.  In this episode, commercial photographer Jason Lavengood and I discuss the use of watermarks and why you may or may not want to use them.    

Photography changes lives - period.  Not anyone can be a professional photographer, but almost anyone can take a photograph.  There are many organizations out there that use photography to impact the lives of others.  This interview is with MaryBeth Jackson, founder of The Viewfinder Project, a nonprofit organization that provides a curriculum to anyone wanting to teach photography and create change makers.  We discuss how her ideas have been used all over the world and hope this converstion will help plant seeds for others wanting to make a difference.  Find out more about The Viewfinder Project at www.theviewfinderproject.org    

Sports Illustrated fired all of their staff photographers.  This interview is with Evan Habeeb, a freelance photographer who has had images published in Sports Illustrated magazine.   We discuss the impact this has on freelance photographers as well as the future of the Sports Illustrated magazine itself.  Afterall, aren't the photographs the reason why S.I. is so successful today?  

The International Guild of Visual Peacemakers (IGVP) is an organization devoted to the breaking down of stereotypes by displaying the beauty of cultures around the world. The IGVP seeks, through it’s members, to build bridges of peace across ethnic, cultural, and religious lines through visual communication that is both accountable to an ethical standard and created by those who authentically care about people. For this podcast, I interview Mario Mattei, president and co-founder of IGVP.

Pete Brook is a freelance writer who focuses on the politics of media, visual culture and issues of social justice as they relate to photography and photojournalism. Since 2008, he has published writing about photography produced within and about prison on his own website Prison Photography. This year, Prison Photography was awarded a LIFE.com Photoblog Award and Prison Photography was also recommended among the Top Ten Best Photoblogs by the British Journal of Photography.For two years, Pete was a volunteer art teacher and working board member with University Beyond Bars based here in Seattle. But he'll soon be leaving to embark upon a 12-week research trip interviewing photographers who've documented the rise of America's prison industrial complex.You can support his Kickstarter project until September 29th, 2011. Pete is also lead blogger for Raw File, Wired.com’s photography blog. Pete is interested in how images are manufactured, distributed and consumed.

Dave Anderson is an image-maker whose work as both a photographer and filmmaker have been celebrated in the United States and abroad. Dave's project Rough Beauty was the winner of the 2005 National Project Competition from the Santa Fe Center for Photography and became the focus of his first book, which was published in three languages with an essay by Anne Wilkes Tucker. His latest monograph, One Block: A New Orleans Neighborhood Rebuilds, was published in 2010 by Aperture Books and featured in the New York Times and Time Magazine as well as on Good Morning America and CNN.

Wouter Brandsma has been involved with photography since his childhood. He uses photography as a form of personal expression. In January of 2011 Wouter began a photo-a-day project and posted his results to his blog. I began following Wouter's journey at the outset and have been intrigued at how his photographs truly represents a personal exploration rather than merely snapshots of his surroundings. Now, six months into the project, I felt it was time to talk with Wouter about this engaging technique for living a photographic life.

Matt Black is a documentary photographer who has focused much of the past fifteen years on photographing forgotten people and places. He has a deep interest in the themes of changing rural economies, migration and cultural change. His work has received many honors and has been noted for its combination of emotional depth, social conviction, and visual intensity.Matt's work has received grants and awards from the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the California Council for the Humanities, and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace. Matt has also been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and has received a Golden Eye award from the World Press Photo Foundation. Matt is currently raising funds through Kickstarter.com to continue a long-term project called The People of Clouds which is documenting the migration of a whole culture of indigenous Mexicans called the Mixteca (or People of Clouds) to the Central Valley of California in the United States. This fundraising effort ends on August 23rd of 2011 so please visit Matt's Kickstarter page for more details or to pledge.

Susana Raab describes herself as "a recovering English major who lives to create visual narratives." Her photographs strike a balance between poignancy and humor (with a bit of irony sometimes thrown in). Raab's work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and has received critical recognition from many sources.

Christopher Churchill is a documentary photographer based in Massachusetts whose work has been featured in exhibitions throughout the United States, has been published widely, and is in the permanent collections of several museums. His most recent project "American Faith" examines the topic of faith from within several contexts including religious as well as culture and beliefs.

Morea Steinahuer is a photojournalist who's work has taken her across Latin America and Haiti. Morea most recently has been working on collaborative projects connected to end-of-life care and families effected by migration/immigration legislation.  A person who seeks out environments of collaboration, mutual mentorship, and engagement around social issues - Morea is someone who is always open to exploring new project ideas and forming new partnerships.

In this podcast, Gordon Stettinius returns to Thoughts on Photography to discuss his involvement with Gita Lenz and how that led to publishing a book of her photography and mounting an exhibition as a way of introducing her to a new audience. Gordon also discusses his latest photographic projects as well as his new photographic book publishing company.

Here is a list of my favorite photobooks of 2010: Outside Inside - Bruce Davidson One Block: A New Orleans Neighborhood Rebuilds - David Anderson Coming Back: New Orleans Resurgent - Mario Tama Street Photography Now - Howarth & McLaren Unposed - Craig Semetko The Cubans - Jack Beckham Comb Violet Isle - Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Webb Zwelethu Mthethwa War is Personal - Eugene Richards Japanese Photobooks of the 1960's and 1970's - Vartanian & Kaneko

Kickstarter.com is a social funding platform for individuals working on creative projects. Using Kickstarter, anyone can pledge money towards a project that they feel is worthy however only projects that reach a certain funding goal within a certain time period will actually result in a pledge being paid out. I recently launched a new Kickstarter pledge drive to raise funds for a documentary project that I hope to do in Haiti in February of 2011. You can learn more about this project by visiting:http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1544246638/ile-a-vache-haiti-a-roadmap-forwardFunding any project like this is costly which is why I have turned to using Kickstarter as a way to connect with people (in a light touch sort of way) and hopefully raise the funds necessary to make this project work. In addition: Anyone who makes a pledge of $50 or more receive a 5″x7″ (approx. size) archival print from the project Anyone who makes a pledge of $75 or more will receive an 8″x10″ (approx. size) archival print from the project Anyone who makes a pledge of $100 or more will receive an 10″x13″ (approx size) archival print from the project I'm hoping you will be able to pledge (any amount would be wonderful) but I fully understand if you are unable to assist at this time. Even if you are unable to help support this project, I hope you will check back on my web site in the Spring of 2011 to see the results. The deadline for raising funds is December 31st, 2010 at midnight (EST). Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments regarding the project and please feel free to forward the link to anyone else who think might be interested. Thanks in advance for your interest.

Leslie Granda-Hill's approach to social documentary photography involves not just making great photographs that tell a story but making great photographs that allow her subjects a way to tell their story from their perspective. Her recent project, Wounded Warriors, exemplifies this personal approach to the photographic essay.

Documentary photographer Eliza Gregory focuses on the lifecycle of communites be they in Cuba, Tanzania, or the United States. In addition to working on photographic projects around the world, Eliza also works for PhotoPhilanthropy, an organization committed to supporting documentary photographers in carrying out their work. 

Gloria Baker Feinstein is a photographer who follows her heart when deciding what to photograph. Her earlier work explored childhood, the relationships between twins, and even the Holocaust. Her latest book, "Kutuuka", focuses on the children of the St. Mary Kevin Orphanage in Uganda and, while a great documentary project in itself, it is the combination of the black and white and color photographs along with drawings made by the children and included in the book which elevate this work to a new level. All proceeds from the sale of the book go towards supporting a non-profit organization called Change the Truth that Gloria started to continue to provide assistance to the orphanage.

In this episode, I discuss the topic of persistence in our photographic lives. While one-hundred podcast episodes is an achievement, in a way, the path that I have travelled in getting to this milestone (with the podcast being a reflection of where I was and currently am in my photographic life at any one time) is really what's important here. Persistence is not only important in achieving our goals, it is one of the keys to living a photographic life.

In this podcast I discuss two specific ways to approach a photographic project that takes into account the many varied kinds of projects that are possible.