Podcasts about Lighting

Send us a textQuick Episode Summary:Matt Lucio shares Air Force leadership lessons, motivation, and authenticity.-SEO Description:Air Force Noncommissioned officer (NCO) Matt Lucio shares leadership lessons, motivation, and career insights with host Martin Foster on Passing The Torch. Inspiring stories await!

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: ams OSRAM Q3 2025 Results Highlight 9% Semiconductor Growth AIA Architecture Billings Index Shows Continued Softness Illuminating the City: Leni Schwendinger's Vision for Urban Nightscapes The Lighting Quotient Unveils Next-Generation tambient® Lighting

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: LIT Lighting Design Awards 2025 What's in a Name? Everything! Your Fee Is Only HOW MUCH? Lighting Industry Chapters Host Atlanta Lighting Holiday Gathering with Toy Drive for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Step into the mind of a true industry veteran - the Founder of Lighting BOSS, an AOLP Board Member, and an ILLI Graduate with nearly 20 years of experience. In this podcast, we'll explore how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of the outdoor lighting industry, blending time-tested expertise with cutting-edge innovation to illuminate what's next for lighting professionals.

This week on the show, you're going to ride along with me from the incredibly comfortable and stylish VW ID.Buzz, which served as the mobile podcast studio at CEDIA Expo / CIX this September in Denver, Colorado. This is part two of The Ride Along Series recorded live at CEDIA Expo/ CIX. CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) is the global trade association for home technology professionals, specializing in smart home, automation, audio-visual, networking, and integrated systems. Its mission is to advance the home technology industry through education, certification, advocacy, and networking. Members include integrators, designers, manufacturers, and consultants who shape the connected environments we live and work in. CEDIA Expo is the industry's largest annual event for residential technology professionals. With hundreds of exhibitors, educational sessions, live demos, and global networking opportunities, it's where new ideas and innovations in smart home and AV integration take center stage. The Commercial Integrator Expo (CIX), co-located with CEDIA Expo, focuses on commercial integration technologies—from conferencing and IT infrastructure to building automation and emerging AV solutions—bringing together commercial integrators, IT pros, designers, and tech managers. Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. Design Hardware - A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home! TimberTech - Real wood beauty without the upkeep LOME-AI.com, simple, inexpensive, text to video harnessing the power of AI to grow your firm, beautifully. This road trip was a blast, and I'm excited to share these conversations with you. Designing Sound: Caitlin Stewart on Leon Speakers' Mission to Lead by Design Caitlin Stewart of Leon Speakers joins Convo By Design to talk about design-first thinking in an audio-driven world. From Ann Arbor to the global design stage, Leon Speakers has carved out a unique identity—not as a technology company, but as a design company that happens to make exceptional audio and concealment solutions. Caitlin shares how Leon engages the architecture and design community, cultivates relevance in a shifting industry, and builds partnerships that challenge conventions of form, function, and beauty. Background & Role: Caitlin's work as Director of Sales for residential at Leon Speakers, leading account managers and shaping residential market growth. Leon's Identity: Founded in 1997, Leon is entering its 30th year as a design-first company—blending sound, aesthetics, and concealment with creativity. Design Integration: How Leon's “Lead by Design, Leave Nothing Unfinished” philosophy drives the balance of form and function. Relevance in the Industry: Shifting influence from general contractors to architects and designers, and Leon's effort to stay essential in conversations that shape environments. Inspiration & Missed Opportunities: Why designers need exposure to products at shows like CEDIA and ICFF, and the challenges of communicating AV in relevant, non-technical language. Partnership with A&D Community: Meeting designers where they are, co-designing products, and listening to their needs around fixtures, finishes, and materiality. Industry Challenges: Designers often photoshop out tech in portfolio images—highlighting the need for intentional, beautiful integration of AV. Educational Outreach: Designer visits to Leon's Ann Arbor factory, engaging directly with materiality and finishes to bridge the language gap. Innovation at Leon: Hand-woven acoustic treatments, creative concealment solutions, evolving product frames for video walls, and form-function collaboration. Partnership Opportunities: Caitlin's advice to designers—start casual, share ideas, reach out. Leon thrives on nimble, creative collaborations that spark innovation. Lighting the Future: Tyler Hahn on Lutron,

Send us a textDenny Giamazzo graduated from UMASS, Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government and served in the Massachusetts Army National Guard for seven years. He is also the founder and co-host of the Be The Standard podcast. By sharing his story, his mission is to enable others to set aside their self-imposed limitations to become a person they admire through the implementation of four key principles:Setting StandardsCreating Unbreakable HabitsExecutionAccountability-Quick Episode Summary:Denny Giamazzo shares his powerful story of overcoming adversity, resilience.-SEO Description:Discover Denny Giamazzo's journey from a tough upbringing to author, veteran, and podcast host on Passing The Torch. Inspiration, resilience, and leadership insights.-

This time I'm joined by photographer Lukas Piatek to talk about AI, lighting, and composition - three things shaping photography right now. We break down the AI tools worth using, how to elevate your images with stronger light, and why developing your own style matters more than following trends.Meet Lukas:Lukas Piatek is a destination wedding and elopement photographer known for his cinematic, emotive imagery and work across more than 30 countries. Based in Germany, and splitting his time between Europe and beyond, Lukas captures weddings with a raw, storytelling approach that blends editorial elegance with genuine emotion. Lukas is also the creator behind Meridian Presets, used by thousands of photographers worldwide to achieve natural, film-inspired tones. Alongside his photography work, Lukas mentors creatives in SEO and brand strategy, helping photographers elevate their online presence and grow sustainable businesses.Connect with Lukas:Website: www.lukaspiatek.comInstagram: @lukaspiatekphotographyPatreon: www.patreon.com/c/lukaspiatekConnect with Me:Subscribe to our emails for updates on all things Summer School!SUBSCRIBE HEREShow Notes: the-summerschool.comInstagram: @summergrace.photo  @the_summerschool Shop My Products:Become a Member of Summer SchoolMy Summer Grace x G-Presets (discount code: SUMMERSCHOOL)My Pricing Guide

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: The November edition of The Spec is here! NLB Announces Call for Entries for the 7th Annual Tesla Awards Ledra Brands Names Jade Turney President Lauren Rottet and INTERIOR DESIGN Editor Cindy Allen Headline Lightovation Design + Build Day Schedule Lighting Industry Chapters Host Atlanta Lighting Holiday Gathering with Toy Drive for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Kev has lost a family heirloom, but fortunately, Neale finds the X100V he left on a car roof in Chelsea. Also today, Kev's looking to expand his photographic library, just don't tell Gemma, what makes a good photographic retreat, Kev's studio lighting workflow for portrait work, when to use Auto ISO, shutter speed choice, do you have a Gary in your life, plus correct preset and profile workflow in Lightroom. Email the show with your questions: click@fujicast.co.uk  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

For more, check out The Profit Circle: patreon.com/theprofitcircle

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: Get a Grip on Lighting Announces The Farewell Series Industry Leaders React Building a Lighting Maintenance Strategy for the Future LED-to-LED Upgrades: An Emerging Opportunity

Guest host Richard Syrett and Soft Lights Foundation founder Mark Baker discuss the negative impacts of pervasive LED lighting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we talk about cheap real estate in the Caribbean and next week's high profile guest.  Follow Brian on Threads, Instagram and X - Support the show and get bonus audio/video episodes, ringtones, bonus footage and more!! All at patreon.com/brianmccarthy. 

00:00-20:00: Macklin Celebrini/Connor Bedard. Lighting up the NHL. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last week we had only one real upset---Wisconsin over Washington—which did have a field storm. This week…??? If you want your house to be the ‘beacon of your neighborhood,' contact HaloCustomLighting.com today or Neemann & Sons  Show Sponsored by NEBCOOur Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: Lux Collaborative Will Become a Worker-Owned Cooperative in 2026 An Approach to Lighting-HVAC Integration Call for Entries: 2026 Lumen Awards Now Open for Submissions

This week on Geezers Of Gear - FutureTech, Chris and Lacy break down everything you need to know about the new ACME LYRA fixture. From its cutting-edge technical specs to its rugged outdoor build and innovative effects, it's a deep dive into one of the most versatile new moving lights on the market.

In this powerful episode of Lighting The Candle: A World That Works, the hosts explore the deep inner shifts shaping how we think, connect, and lead in a changing world. Bill Correll, Jan Jeremias, and Austin Jacob open a thoughtful conversation about energy, coherence, and the courage to stay present when everything around us feels uncertain. They reflect on how our minds, hearts, and intuition guide us through confusion, and why laughter, authenticity, and quiet moments of clarity help us return to who we really are. Together, they reveal how harmony, curiosity, and true connection can transform not only our own lives but the world we share. This is an uplifting, grounded discussion that reminds listeners they have the power to contribute to a world that works for everyone.Listen now at exvadio.com or your favorite podcast app.

Tit for Tat: Part 1. Three couples head off for a wild weekend together. Based on a post by Many Feathers. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. It was the second year that the six of us had come up here to spend a long weekend together. Jeff and his wife Becky, Bucksy Becky, a tall very buxom brunette. Then there s Pete, and "Repeat", as we called her, Susan; because she looked more like his sister than his wife, each of them with dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, and short in stature at not even five and a half feet, though again Susan too had fairly large tits. Though not as large as my wife's were, more noticeable because of her short size perhaps, almost looking top heavy. And then there was my wife Darlene and myself. Personally, I thought my fiery little redhead was the most attractive of the lot, though again; most likely, I was just prejudiced in that regard. But the thing I loved so much about Darlene was her total lack of inhibitions, and carefree attitude about life and love. That; and her almost too daring nature, especially when it came to matters of sexual persuasion. But once again; it was just another aspect about her personality that kept life extremely interesting, especially for me. David, dear; You know what day tomorrow is? Darlene said, as we turned off the highway to go down a gravel township road and the old family hunting cabin. Uh, Saturday? I stated. True, but more significantly, it s national nude day! Darlene winked. I m serving notice that I fully intend to hike nude, tomorrow. Please plan on joining my observance. You know it ll be worth your effort. But we have guests. Darlene? Leave that to me. She dismissed my objections. When the time comes for a hike, I plan to have the issue resolved. Probably a lot sooner. The old cabin we were staying in had been in the family for years, an old hunting cabin. It had a well with a hand pump. I d installed some solar panels for small appliances, radios, phone charging, and a few LED lights. The old icebox had big ice blocks, which we kept operational while away, so that perishable foods could last a weekend, even in cloudy conditions. But we heated the cabin with the big fireplace. It was northern Minnesota, so even summer nights got chilly. The cabin s purpose and intent had never been one of luxury or spaciousness, even though for an old cabin like it was, even then it was still pretty big. Inside, it was basically just one gigantic room. A fairly large fireplace filled one wall, an open area in front of it. Four Plywood double bunks accommodated air mattresses. Plenty large enough to sleep the three couples comfortably together, Two bunks on each side of the big stone fireplace. There was seriously no real privacy, though; which had limited everyone's libedos to some extent, as we'd all been forced to put up with the lack of sexual activities, the last time we'd been up here together. Though Darlene and I had snuck off once or twice, to fool around out in the forest, as we were pretty sure the rest of them had done as well, a time or two. There was a small kitchen area and a table just large enough to seat the six of us together, where we very often played cards late into the evening. Lighting was all by lantern or candlelight. We did most of the cooking outside on the porch, utilizing the barbeques or Dutch ovens we'd brought along with us. It was, needless to say, rustic in every aspect. But the scenery, serenity and quietness of the mountain area where the cabin was, made the trip up here well worth it. We'd already finished up with dinner, gotten a nice warm fire going as even the nights during the summer time could get pretty cool in the mountains. Darlene had already made up a batch of Margaritas for us to sit down and enjoy together which was usually the case. Later on cards perhaps; again, as usual. We'd already managed to kill off one pitcher of margaritas as Darlene began making another when Bucksy Becky asked me a question. "So David; how many years now has it been that the three of you've been coming up here anyway?" Jeff, Pete and I had been friends for years, growing up as kids in the same old neighborhood in fact. Years later, old enough to hunt, we'd started out coming up here with dad, and then later just by ourselves. When the idea and concept of hunting didn't appeal to any of us any more, we'd continued our yearly excursions up here even then for several years. Up until we'd all started getting married. And then hadn't done so for several years. Now; here we were again, just like in the old days; but now with our respective wives in tow. As we started in on the second pitcher of margaritas, and with everyone starting to feel their oats at this point, it wasn't too unexpected when Darlene brought up a rather embarrassing question. "So tell me honey; if you and your friends no longer came up here to go hunting, what did you do? Sit around and jerk off?" Unknowingly, she had hit the nail on the head so to speak. Early on when we'd been young, much younger, we'd actually done just that. And by the look in each one of our respective faces when she mentioned that, she knew; as did the other wives, she had inadvertently stumbled onto something. "You did didn't you! The three of you; sitting around, watching one another jerk yourselves off! Oh my god!" She laughed, as did the other wives, all teasing and jabbing at us now with their personal questions. In an effort to deflect part of that perhaps, though it was already too late to sit here and deny any of it, Pete did remember something and then curiously scrambled over to check out our old stash, wondering if it was still even there. Something I myself had completely forgotten about at this point. "You think your dad ever discovered our stash of Playboys?" he asked. I laughed, curious now myself. "I don't know; check it out, see if they're actually still there!" Long ago, we had in fact stashed a collection of old dog-earned Playboys, and then later, one or two really pornographic magazines up in the rafters. A portion of the ceiling area had been given a false shelf of sorts where dad sometimes stored things. It was there we had put up yet another false front in front of that, tacked down so we could still get at it easily enough, but where we had long ago placed our "Jerk off" material as we'd called it. Using the bench seat to stand on from the table, Pete easily pulled himself up into that old section. "Careful Pete! I don't want you hurting yourself up there," Susan warned. "I can just see us having to rush you to the hospital from falling and breaking your neck; or worse." "Yeah, like his hard cock if he actually finds those porn mags," Jeff quipped. Even I laughed at that; it had been Pete who'd been the first one brave enough between the three of us to actually whip his out and start whacking it off the first time we discovered what had then been dad's collection of magazines. We'd simply added to it after that with the far more dirty, filthy porn magazines we'd brought along. "Very funny," we heard Pete calling down as he rummaged around in the old creaky loft area looking for the false boards we'd nailed over one section of the ceiling. "Ah; found it!" he called out seconds later, and then using his knife to pry that section away, laughed out loud. "Oh my god! They're still up here!" "Bring them down; I want to see what the three of you used to look at when you jerked off," my wife said calling up to him. "And probably still do," she then said turning to the other girls, likewise making them laugh. Almost gingerly he handed four well-worn magazines down to my wife, lowering himself down seconds afterwards. By the time he had, Darlene had already taken them over to the table spreading them all out for us to look at. "This one might actually be worth some money," Bucksy Becky said thumbing through the really old Playboy. "I doubt it," I told her. The covers really torn for one thing, and I happened to remember, we; ah; well, the three of us sort of destroyed the centerfold as I recall, and ended up burning it." "Why'd you do that?" Susan asked curiously. "Was she ugly or something?" Darlene burst out laughing. "Oh honey; I doubt that. Remember now, they sort of admitted to sitting around jerking off looking at these, try and picture it unless I miss my guess; the three of them standing there mostly likely squirting their white sticky stuff all over the centerfold. Back then; boys did that when they didn't have anyone else to squirt it on," she continued chuckling. Though once again, my wife had nailed that one too. I could still clearly remember the day we had done that, and by the embarrassed looks on Jeff and Pete's faces, they could too. "I believe you're right Darlene, look at this one, some of the pages are actually stuck together!" Bucksy Becky exclaimed letting out a squeal of feigned disgust as she held it up trying to shake the pages apart. "God, how much cum did you guys squirt on this one anyway?" She continued to laugh poking fun at her husband Big Jeff, as well as Pete and myself. "A lot," I openly admitted. That was the first illegal X-rated porn magazine any of us had ever seen before. Needless to say, it became the primary one we used to look at, while jerking off to. First time any of us had actually seen anything where the men and women were really doing it. Where you could actually see that they were."     "Wow, no shit! Look at this one!" Bucksy Becky suddenly exclaimed, showing everyone the other X-rated magazine she held in her hand. One of the larger old black and white photos actually showed a guy standing there in the throes of climax. The camera had caught the precise moment he'd shot a ribbon of semen. It showed a long lengthy rope of it shooting off into the air, the look of orgasmic joy etched in his face, caught forever in time. "That's fucking hot!" She then added surprising everyone. And almost as one, we all turned looking at Jeff, his face beet red, though grinning. "Yeah, she likes it when I do that; like's ah; well you know, seeing me squirt." "Ditto that!" My wife said joining in. I Love seeing guys squirt, something very sexy; very provocative about seeing that." I had no idea where any of this was going of course, but I was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. Not because of what was being said, but because I was actually getting horny standing here listening to it. "You know; maybe we should change the subject and play a game or something?" I suggested. Once again, my wife knowing full well of my sudden discomfort pounced on it. "Why is that honey? Getting a little too horny are we?" I just smile at her and nodded my head. No sense trying to hide the fact that I was, or that the air suddenly seemed a little sexually charged. "Yeah, maybe we should play a game," Darlene said turning towards the other two girls. She then walked over towards them, drawing them off to one side, whispering. "Ah oh; I said looking at my friends. "Something tells me, we're not in Kansas anymore." That too had been a running joke amongst the three of us. Having grown up in Kansas City, whenever we embarked on some adventure, or did something we were very likely to regret later, we had a tendency to say that. When I saw Susan suddenly look over towards where the three of us were standing, and actually blushing a bit; though nodding her head yes to whatever, I knew then; we were in trouble. If my wife could convince shy little Susan to go along with whatever she had in mind, then that didn't bode well for the three of us. They soon parted, coming back towards us, evil wicked smiles on each of their faces. "Okay; what?" I simply had to ask. "I know that look Darlene; what are you up to now?" "Like you suggested, a little game, something to pass the time, make things sort of interesting, for all of us." "What; kind; of; a; game?" I said slowly, worriedly. Like I said, I knew my own wife. "Let's call it; tit, for tat." "Tit for what?" Pete asked. "Boob's for cocks then," if you prefer. "Tits for tat; or rather that; them," she said pointing at our lower extremities. "You're kidding right?" Jeff asked anxiously; though more hopefully perhaps as his voice had gone up an octave upon asking that. "Girls?" Darlene said turning towards them. "Let's show them that we're serious here," and with that, all three suddenly reached down pulling off the tee shirts they were wearing. Now true; they all had bra's on. No worse than the bikinis we'd all seen them wearing before; but there was something about bras in general, especially when they were actually threatening, or rather promising; to show you more. "You're; you're serious!" I exclaimed realizing that my wife was anyway, though I still wasn't sure about the other two. "Very," she challenged back. "And as a sign of good-faith here," she now stood reaching behind her back, undoing the clasp on her bra, which I did think surprised Susan a little when she did that. She allowed it to fall away from her shoulders, though still managing to catch it against herself, not quite revealing her magnificent tits. "Well? Jeff? Pete? You don't count David; you've already seen my tits. But if they want to, then one of them at least, has to show us some cock here." "Oh for heaven's sake's Jeff, do it; pull your pants down," his wife challenged him. "You know how much of an exhibitionist you truly are; so now's your chance. Especially if you really want to see Darlene's tits, like you're always telling me about how much you'd like to," she said startling everyone including Darlene, who now smiled looking directly at him. "Well? Tit for tat. Last chance; now or never!" She said staring at him directly. And then Jeff began unbuckling his pants, though turning towards the two of us. "Don't look at me!" He exclaimed. "This might be a once in a life-time opportunity here, and if you guys think I'm going to pass this up; you're crazy!" Good old Jeff. He always could be counted on to be the first amongst us to do something like this, but in doing so; he also knew, the two of us would soon follow. Before I knew it, both Pete and I were now undoing our pants. All three of us at the point of dropping trow, though now it was up to the other two girls to get to the same point my wife was; tits free. To my surprise, both Susan and Bucksy Becky had reached back around themselves, likewise undoing their bras, though like my wife, still holding them firmly against their chests even after they had. "On the count of three then? We all show? One? Two? Three!" Pete, Jeff and I all dropped our pants, though funny enough; Jeff was the only one with a full blown erection. I was partially so, with Pete not even close. But then again, he'd also been the one most nervous around us, even after we'd gotten comfortable jerking ourselves off in front of one another years ago. Pete had without a doubt, the biggest cock I'd yet seen, and that included a few porn movies to boot. It didn't stay that way long however, nor did mine. Not with the three of us standing there looking at three gorgeous pairs of tits. And the night was just getting started. "Now then, that wasn't so bad was it?" My wife asked the three of us. And though they both stood there smiling, (Jeff and his hard cock) I knew that there was more to this than what was meeting the eye here. I could almost see it coming. "Now then; how about we move onto the next; tit for tat, especially seeing that good old Jeff appears to be more than ready for it." "Next; tit for; tat?" Pete asked worriedly. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "Yeah, let's see if you guys can do as well as this picture of the guy here shooting his load," Bucksy Becky said speaking up. "You are joking right?" Pete said incredulously. "You really don't expect me to; to stand here and actually jerk myself off in front of you now do you? Really?" And now it was my turn to look incredulous as Darlene began undoing the shorts she had on, dropping them down around her ankles seconds later. "Well certainly not without a little additional incentive at least. Like I said; tit for tat. So; here's your next, well; not tit, but how's a bare-naked pussy sound? Willing to do it then?" Up until now I figured this was a little silly alcohol talking, and the girls just trying to yank our chains. My wife had upped the ante so to speak in seeing if any of us; including me, were that willing to take it to that extreme. Even Pete s little wife, Susan looked a bit skeptical at this point, her hands actually coming up to criss-cross over her tits as she stood there looking on; wondering. Jeff looked at his Bucksy Becky, but all she did was snicker, commenting to my wife in a half whisper. "He wants to So bad; look how hard his cock is, problem is; the other two. They're acting shy." "Men!" Darlene laughed snickering in agreement. "Hard to get them to do anything their uncomfortable doing; or don't want to do, let alone getting them hard. Well; Pete and David, anyway. Guess that might take a bit more coaxing then," my wife said turning towards her friend, and then kissed her. Full, on the mouth, for one thing, but for another, her hand came up cupping Becky's tit. Even that startled her for a moment, it had been so unexpected, but seconds later realizing the intent behind it more than anything else, she began playing along. Either that, or she was admittedly becoming aroused by it. And again, even Pete s little wife, Susan looked on in amused, though semi-shocked wonder as the two of them stood there kissing and fondling one another's tits. "Fuck you two! I'm doing this!" Jeff exclaimed and began pumping his cock watching the two of them. "Not so fast!" Darlene turned stopping him. "That's a taste; you want to see more pussy? All of us?" She added looking at Pete s little wife, Susan, letting her know in no uncertain terms she'd signed up for this earlier. "Then; it's all of you; or nothing. We can always get dressed again and start playing cards if you'd actually prefer." Jeff looked at Pete and I almost imploringly so. I almost laughed, his look reminding me of those days so long ago now when the three of us actually stood there together, jerking off. In particular that day we decided to spunk up the Playboy centerfold, standing there side by side squirting all over it together. "Not like we haven't done it before," I reminded them both; though it was obviously Pete now that needed convincing. "Shit man," he exclaimed. "We were horny kids then." "So? Now we're horny grown men? What's the difference?" Bucksy Becky took off her shorts, and then her panties, now standing beside my wife, the two of them still toying with one another's tits a little. "Like I said Pete; look at them, tell me you wouldn't mind jerking off to the likes of that as opposed to an old Playboy centerfold. Especially when two of them are standing there touching one another," I challenged him.     "Well?" Darlene asked first looking at Pete, and then at his wife, Susan. Susan sighed, and then to everyone's surprise, began removing the rest of her clothing. "Oh hell, why not? Hell of a lot better than playing cards," she giggled nervously. Finally Pete shook his head and relented. "Can't believe I'm actually doing this," he told everyone. And now we all stood in front of one another. Naked as they day we were born. I'll be the first one to admit, in the beginning it felt a little weird, a little strange. And though we had done it; and often in fact, years ago now, that was then. This was indeed now. And yet, surprisingly, after only a few minutes, and some additional coaxing and prompting, the three of us soon stood there jacking ourselves off in front of the girls. Though again, not without some real additional incentive for us to be doing so. They were too now. Tit for tat so to speak. I for one have always enjoyed seeing my own wife pleasure herself for me, something she has very often done without hesitation like I said in the beginning. And I of course have done the same for her as well, something she early on told me she loved seeing guys do; seeing me do. So I did. The only real difference I guess between that and this; was having a bit more of an audience, it was hard not to look over, see what both Pete and Jeff were doing, and likewise looking at the girls; all three of them. Pete s little wife, Susan was indeed an interesting character. At first shy, overly so; I'd heard through conversations with Pete in the past how she was in fact a real tiger in bed. Once heated, an almost anything goes kind of a woman. She was proving that out now; in spades. Having shucked off whatever final reservations or initial inhibitions she might have had, those had all fallen by the wayside now. Lying on the floor, all three of them side by side, looking up at the three of us as we stood over them jerking off was erotically intense. Perhaps even more so than any of us had realized it would be in the beginning. "Fuck I am already close; too fucking close!" Jeff announced almost dejectedly. "Nobody said you couldn't enjoy seconds; if you can manage it you know," Darlene assured him. "So whenever anyone's ready; just do it, you; or us," she stated the look in her eyes telling me she actually wasn't that far away from climaxing herself. And that of course, sent a tingling thrill down my shaft, jumping my own arousal up a notch. Unable to hold out any more, Jeff just looked down, his voice shaking. "Where? How?" He almost stammered gritting his teeth. "Where ever you want; Darlene said looking up at him, one hand cupping her own tit, the other busily working her clit, strumming it wildly at this point, another hint at her rapidly nearing climax. "Fuck!" Jeff cried out, his head snapping back, knees buckling just a little as he momentarily quit pumping his cock, just holding onto it for a moment more. And then; he unleashed. "Oh yeah! Fuck yeah; would you look at that?" Pete s little wife, Susan exclaimed, wild-eyed and lustier looking than I'd ever seen her before. Pete hadn't been lying when he'd told me about her before. Once his Susan was horny; truly horny, she became almost a completely different person. "Shoot that spunk! Shoot it! Squirt it! All over! All over! All over!" She lay crying out as Big Jeff did his level best to accommodate each one of the girls. Once again jacking his cock, pumping out streamer after streamer of his hot white juice which had begun landing over all three girls like he'd turned the hose on them. And that of course triggered my wife's climax, which I was fairly certain it would do. But it would also be only the first of many for her, as from this point on; she could easily roll from one right into another, almost at will after this. And one thing more that I knew; which the guys soon would of course, was how much Darlene tended to squirt whenever she did. Eyes wide in surprise, both Jeff and Pete stood there watching this tiny little fountainous squirt suddenly erupt from my wife's pussy. A tiny little arch of pussy pleasure shooting up in the air, splashing down again, soaking her, as well as the floor beneath her. Thankfully, we'd moved the sleeping bags out of the way, or we'd have been sleeping wet that evening. Inwardly I was certainly grinning. As much of a surprise as it had been for all of us; girls included, to see my wife lying there with her pussy squirting the way it did, I remembered back at something else. Pete had a surprise of his own too. He had a big cock, that much was evident, at least on the upper size scale of big cocks. Neither Jeff nor I were slouches in that department either, not by a long shot. Jeff might have been short in height, but just like his wife, his hard cock tended to look even bigger than it probably was just because of that. Pete on the other hand, was just fucking big; no, make that huge. And so was his cumshot as I remembered seeing it. Unless things had changed since then of course. But as I recalled, his semen tended to be quite copious in volume, easily duplicating mine and Jeff's put together. Something we had as young men growing up, gotten a weird kick out of when the three of us stood there blanketing that centerfold until it wasn't even recognizable as being one anymore. Half of which; had been Pete's doing. "Fuck, I'm gonna lose it!" Pete soon after announced. I couldn't help but turn and look, I'd been amazed in the past before. And I noticed in doing so; Jeff too had turned to specifically watch. After all; we both had a pretty good idea, as must have his Susan. She was the only one who actually closed her eyes, covering them with her hands, giggling as she did. "Thar she blows!" She said peeking through her fingers just as the first jettison of Pete's spunk exploded from the head of his cock. My Darlene and Buxom Becky had no idea. Had they, they might have been quicker on the hands to the face trick that Pete s little wife, Susan had already prepared herself for. Even for a guy; it was an amazing thing to see, to witness. I for one had never seen anything like it, not before or since. The only other man I'd seen even come close had been the Porn star Peter North. But even he would have been hard pressed to match Pete's delivery, even on a good day. Hard to explain it really, to describe it. It was like throwing cups full of milk. That's about the only way I can even attempt to put into words what it looked like. That first splash, a thick rope, not a slim stringy one, was just that. A rope of cum. Seeing it leap from the head of that fat cock of his was just the beginning of the wild spectacle he created. I saw it land on my wife, next or close to her pussy in fact, and then splash from there as though someone had actually tossed a scarf down onto her body. He hit her left tit from there, up to the side of her neck and into her hair; and then beyond that. Turning, another voluminous milking already on the way, as this one began bathing poor Bucksy Becky, her sudden squeal of delight and shock readily apparent. "Holy fucking shit!" She cried out watching the splash of his cream as it had hit my wife, only then seeing the second skyrocketing explosion leap from his cock, shooting directly at her. She lifted her hands, too late; that second squirt not quite purposely hitting her full on in the face, much of it actually hitting her in the mouth where she swallowed. She actually had no choice, it would have been nearly impossible not to, let alone breathe. And good old Pete, just as Jeff and I remembered, was far from being done. Not wanting to let his own wife feel left out, Pete spun on one heel, still wanking his cock, holding still then a second later as the third massive squirt shot out. Still covering her eyes, though still peeking through her fingers, she laughed as he sure enough; started there. In seconds her hands appeared glued together, a trail of semen working its way down from there between her gorgeous pink nippled tits, down across her belly, and along the side of her upper right thigh. The majority of his first few canon shots might be over, but he continued to pump his cock, which now just oozed like chocolate sauce being poured over ice cream. Only now taking her hands away, Susan opened her mouth as her Pete stood over her, his cream dripping from the head of his cock in what seemed like a never ending drool of cum-sauce which his little wife now tried valiantly to collect. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" My Darlene quipped, now watching this, still trying to collect the liquid sauce running in small little rivers over her own body with her hands as she and Buxom Becky both ly there, eyes still glued to him and his magnificent specimen of a cock. "That's got to be; the most incredible cum shot I've ever seen in my entire life!" I couldn't help but laugh. "See dear? You're not the only one here, full of surprises." Mine wasn't nearly as copious of course as Pete's had been; but as far as cum-shots go, it wasn't half bad. I still managed to add a fair amount almost equally on all three girls. All three girls lying there now covered in joy juice, pretty much from head to toe.       As expected, My Darlene had worked herself through a small series of mini-orgasms, saving the big one for last, which would come later. That's basically how she preferred doing it. Both Buxom Becky and Little Susan had likewise gotten off, and it was again another bit of an unexpected surprise seeing Susan when she did. She tended to thrash wildly, her head rolling back and forth as she cried out, her hand now slapping her pussy, almost fiercely, the other hand, fingers inside working herself that way. That too was an amazing sight to watch. Poor Jeff almost looked disappointed, his cock once again stiff and hard, working himself up to what he obviously hoped would be another nice orgasm of his own. "Time for a break," My Darlene spoke, with both the other girls in agreement. "Fresh drinks, something to snack on; and then; see where things go from there." I was wondering about that myself, just as I knew the other guys were. We'd all been casting looks back and forth between one another, several questions I am sure remaining unasked. As the girls stood inside the small little kitchen area throwing together a few things to snack on, the hushed whispers of their voices alerted us to the fact they were obviously discussing something, occasionally throwing glances our way. "Throw some more wood on the fire, get it nice and warm in here for us," Darlene stated moments later. "We're going outside for a; to pee," she amended. "We'll be back in a few minutes." After fixing up some fresh drinks and snacks, the girls all went outside for a supposed pee-break. When they did, Pete turned to me worriedly asking. "Okay; admittedly, that was sort of fun; well, damn fun actually," he said sheepishly. "But I can't help wondering; I mean, we're not like; ah, you know, thinking about; "Swapping wives?" I said finishing for him. "No Pete, we're not. At least I'm fairly confident that isn't part of what's been going on here; or even will be. Though I'll agree with you on one hand, maybe it's something we should address with the girls once they come back inside again. See where all this is really headed, so that we all know what to expect, or not expect. I don't think any of us want to stumble into doing anything we're not comfortable with." I saw the relief in his eyes, as well as in Big Jeff's, as the three of us stoked up the fire a bit, making it even warmer, especially as we remained ass-naked at the moment. It was amazing to me as we went about doing that, how comfortable we had all seemed to become once again. Seeing one another naked again after all these years. Sure we had all changed and matured a little, during that time, though Pete's schlong continued to swing to and fro as he walked about, causing Jeff and I both to snicker while watching that. Just like old times. "It's taking them a hell of a long time to pee, don't you think?" Jeff asked. "I don't think that's all they're doing," I commented. "Something tells me, they're having a pow-wow out there, which means; I never finished however as the door suddenly opened, all three girls reentering the cabin. "Rules!" My wife said, the moment they came inside. "Rules?" Pete asked. "Yeah; rules. We thought it might be a good idea to go over a few simple rules, so that no one has any misconceptions or expectations regarding the weekend, since it appears we'll be spending much of it naked together." The guys looked at me, and I at them, and then back to the girls again. Obviously they'd been thinking along the same lines as we had. "Just so we're all on the same page here; this isn't about swapping partners. We're just having a bit of naughty fun is all; so beyond some touching perhaps, that's it. Unless we're comfortable doing things with our own partners, in front of anyone, that would be the only exception. Beyond that, it's strictly a touch only. Everyone okay with that?" Obviously the girls had come to a mutual consensus outside, which was fine with the three of us guys, too. Especially as we all readily agreed to that. "By touching; Pete asked a bit nervously, yet excitedly too by the edge we could all hear in his tone of voice. "Does that mean; "That it's okay if I walked up and fondled that sausage of yours?" Jeff s wife, Becky said; walking up in front of Susan s Pete, only inches away, though she didn't actually reach down and do it. "Hopefully; yes, as long as it's ok with you, and your wife," she said looking over towards Susan. Susan then walked over and stood in front of me, grinning. My wife, then standing directly in front of big Jeff, likewise grinning. "If you guys are good with just that; we are," my wife concluded. By the smiles on our faces they could see that we were, and then as though on some prearranged signal perhaps, all three reached down and clasped the three semi-flaccid cocks dangling there in front of them. Even then; I still tentatively reached out cupping Little Susan's firm full tits, taking delight in fondling them a bit, as the rest of the guys now began doing the same to the girls standing in front of them. It didn't take long, and the three of us were once again standing proud and tall. To be continued. Based on a post by Many Feathers, for Literotica.  

Send us a textWelcome to a landmark episode of Passing The Torch, where everything you thought you knew gets turned upside down! For our 101st episode, Jason David takes control, playfully hijacking hosting duties from the original creator, —Martin Foster—and dives deep into the story behind the podcast and the man himself.In this fun, insightful, and often hilarious long-form conversation, you'll hear the PERSONAL side of Martin Foster as he shares the DNA of his family, reflects on his military journey, and opens up about the dreams, setbacks, and triumphs that shaped his life and this show.Why Listen:Whether you're military, veteran, leader, or just a fan of great storytelling, this episode will make you laugh, think, and leave with nuggets of wisdom from two passionate thought leaders and friends.-Quick Episode Summary:Martin Foster shares personal journey, mentorship, transition, and podcasting insights with Jason David.-SEO Description:Martin Foster shares leadership insights, personal stories, and the power of networking for veterans and aspiring leaders.-Chapters:00:00 Intro09:36 Seeking Mentorship and Reflection13:01 Networking Is Your Net Worth16:28 The Power of Networking23:44 Passion Over Profit in Podcasting27:32 Authentic Conversations Beyond Value31:56 Podcast Failure and Success38:50 Extroverted Introvert Praise42:07 Storytime49:09 Growing Through Life's Storms54:06 Dinosaurs and Enlisted RanksConnect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartin More Amazing Stories: Episode 41: Lee Ellis – Freeing You From Bond That Make You Insecure Episode 81: Kurt Warner – Perseverance, Humility, and Lighting the Way Episode 90: Michelle 'MACE' Curran – How to Turn Fear into Fuel

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: LightFair Owners Launch Light + Intelligent Building North America Feit Adds Confusion with Cree Lighting Residential Acquisition DALI Alliance Announce the Opening of the 2026 Lighting Awards

Shiur given by Rabbi Bezalel Rudinsky on Halacha Chanuka. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: IES Announces Results of 2025 Election Electrical Trends: Data Centers Lead the Way 2025 DarkSky Award Winners ANP Lighting Launches New Website

Step into the world of Patrick Harders - a nationally recognized outdoor lighting designer, educator, and co-founder of Sterling Lighting. With over 25 years of experience and more than 10,000 lighting systems designed, Patrick has mastered the balance between art and engineering. In this episode, discover his philosophy of “staying in the dirt,” his passion for innovation, and how his award-winning approach continues to redefine what's possible in outdoor illumination.

Shiur given by Rabbi Bezalel Rudinsky on Halacha Chanuka. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: When Your China Partner Becomes Your Competitor University of Bergen Light Therapy Lecture Hall Combats SAD Countdown to LiGHT 25: One Week to go to Experience the UK's Premier High-End Lighting Exhibition Distributor Territory Manager with Keystone Technologies

How do you produce the largest Gospel presentation in history with less than 10 days?Brad McCraw joins us to discuss how his team produced the Charlie Kirk Memorial Service with no time and the highest of stakes. In this episode:1:00 — Moments When Time Stood Still in American History5:45 — How Brad McCraw Became the Production Lead for Charlie Kirk's Memorial Service11:00 — How Secret Service Affected the Production and AVL Setup12:00 — How Mosaic  Pulled Off the Charlie Kirk Memorial Service in Record Time23:00 — Balancing Production Excellence While Grieving a Loss26:00 — The Technical Workload Behind Producing the Charlie Kirk Memorial on Short Notice27:30 — Behind the Scenes: Production Days Leading Up to the Memorial Service34:45 — What Gear, Lighting, and Audio Equipment Were Used for the Memorial Service38:45 — How Secret Service Protocols effect on the AVL and Broadcast Production46:25 — When the Emotional Weight of the Event Finally Hit1:05:00 — Finding Purpose: How Every Church Tech Role Can Serve the GospelCheckout HouseRight's solutions for your church and open jobs here. Resources for your Church Tech Ministry Sell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here. Connect with us: Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here! Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review!

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: Lighting the Path to Savings, Revisited Call for Presentations Open for IALD Enlighten Conferences 2026 WAC GROUP Webinar Series: The Science Behind Lighting's Impact on Health & Wellness

This week's Buffalo Beer Buzz has several stories we are incredibly excited about, including dates announced for Barrel Jam 2026 at 42 North Brewing and Buffalo On Tap 2026, Hofbrauhaus Winterzwickel barrel tapping, Hamburg Brewing's annual Lighting of the Fireplace, Wayland Brewing bringing a new taproom to Lancaster, New York State Craft Beer 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer and Beer Kind Brewing planning to close for December, as well as several beer sales at the brewery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Husky voice, Friday night whiskey, and a mountain of cheese from the book launch. In this episode I lift the lid on what really happens inside a print judging room. The rotation of five from a pool of seven. Silent scoring so no one nudges anyone else. How a challenge works, what the chair actually does, and why we start with impact, dive through craft, then finish on impact again to see what survives. Layout over composition, light as the whole game, and a final re-rank that flattens time drift so the right image actually wins. If you enjoy a peek behind the curtain, you will like this one. You can grab a signed copy of the new Mastering Portrait Photography at masteringportraitphotography.com and yes, I will scribble in it. If you already have the book, a quick Amazon review helps more than you know. Fancy sharpening your craft in person? Check the workshops page for new dates and come play with light at the studio.  The book: https://masteringportraitphotography.com/resource/signed-copy-mastering-portrait-photography-new-edition/ Workshops: https://masteringportraitphotography.com/workshops-and-mentoring/   Transcript [00:00:00]  Hey, one and all. How are you doing? Now? I'll be honest, I still have the remnants of a cold, and if you can hear that in my voice, I do apologize, I suppose you could call it slightly bluesy, but you can definitely hear that I'm ever so slightly husky. It's Friday night, it's eight 30, and I was, I've been waiting a week to record this podcast, hoping my voice would clear it hasn't, and so I've taken the opportunity having a glass of whiskey and just cracking on. So if you like the sound of a slightly bluesy voice, that's great. If you don't, I'm really sorry, but whichever, which way I'm Paul. And this is the Mastering Portrait Photography podcast. So it's been a busy month or two. You can always tell when it's busy [00:01:00] 'cause the podcasts. Get, don't really get delivered in quite the pace I would like. However, it really has been a busy couple of weeks the past few. Let me, I'm gonna draw your attention to it. The past couple of weeks, we've, there's a ton of stuff going on around us for a moment. I was up in Preston. I've been up in Preston twice over the past couple of weeks. The first one was working as a qualifications judge for the BIPP, the British Institute Professional photographers. Um. Which I love judging. I love judging. It's exhausting, but I love it. And that was qualifications, panels. Then last week was the launch. Of the updated edition of Mastering Portrait Photography, the book, which is where it all started, where Sarah Plata and I published this book that seems to have been incredibly popular. 50,000 copies translated from English into four other languages. Chinese, Korean, German. And Italian, do not ask me, do not ask me the logic on why the book is in those [00:02:00] particular languages. To be fair, we only found out about the Chinese and Korean when we were trying to get some marketing material together to talk about the new book Nobody had told us. I'm not even sure the publisher knew, to be honest. Uh, but we have found copies. We have a Chinese copy here in the studio. I'm still trying to get a Korean version. So if you are listening to this. Podcast in Korea. Please tell me how to get hold of a version in Korean because we'd love to complete the set. There's, in fact, there's two Italian versions. We knew about that. There's a German version we knew about that hardback version. It's great. It's really beautiful. Very I, like I, I don't live in Germany and I don't like to stereotyping entire nation, but the quality of the book is incredible. It's absolutely rock solid, properly engineered. Love it. We have a Chinese version here but the Korean version still alludes us. However, this week the new version, mastering portrait photography is out. And as you know, I, Sarah interviewed me for the podcast last week to talk about it. Well, it's out. We've had our launch party, uh, we invited everybody who [00:03:00] has featured in the book who, everybody, every picture in the book that we asked the person in it to come to the studio for a soiree. And it was brilliant. I've never seen so much cheese in all my life, and by I don't mean my speech, I mean actual cheese. We had a pile of it, still eating it. So it's been a week and I'm still eating the cheese. I dunno quite how, well, quite by how much we vacated, but probably by several kilos. Which I'm enjoying thoroughly. I've put on so much weight this week, it's unreal, but I'm enjoying the cheese. And then on Sunday we had an open day where we had set the studio out with some pictures from the book and some notes of the different people. Who featured and what I might do, actually, I'd, I wonder if I can do a visual podcast. I might do a visual podcast where I talk about those images, at some point on the website, on masteringportraitportraitphotography.com. I will do the story and the BTS and the production of every single image that's in the book, but it's gonna take me some [00:04:00] time. There's nearly 200 images in there. Um, and every one of them, bar one is a new image or is, is. It is, it is a new image in the book, and it has been taken in the 10 years or the decades subsequent to the first book, all bar one. Feel free to email me. Email me the image you think it might be. You'll probably guess it, but it's it's definitely in there. Um, and so it's been really busy. And then at the beginning of this week, I spent two days up in Preston again, judging again, but this time it was for the British Institute of Professional Photographers print Masters competition. Ah, what, what a joy. Six other judges and me, a chair of judges. Print handlers, the organizers. Ah, I mean, I've seen so many incredible images over those 48 hours, and in this podcast I want to talk a bit about how we do it, why we do it, what it feels like to do it, [00:05:00] because I'm not sure everybody understands that it's it, it's not stressful, but we do as judges, feel the pressure. We know that we are representing, on the one hand, the association as the arbiters of the quality of the curators of these competitions, but also we feel the pressure of the authors because we are there too. We also enter competitions and we really, really hope the judges pay attention, really investigate and interrogate the images that we've entered. And when, when you enter competitions, that heightens the pressure to do a good job for the authors who you are judging. So in this podcast, I'm gonna talk through some of the aspects of that. Forgive me if it sounds like I'm answering questions. It's because I wrote myself some questions. I wrote some [00:06:00] questions down to, how I structures the podcast usually, uh, the podcast rambles along, but this one I actually set out with a structure to it, so forgive me if it sounds like I'm answering questions. It's 'cause I'm answering my own questions. What does it feel like? How do you do it? Et cetera, et cetera. Anyway, I hope it's useful. Enjoy. And it gives you an insight into what it's like to be a competition judge. Okay. As you walk into the judging room. For me at least, it's mostly a sense of excitement. There's a degree of apprehension. There's a degree of tension, but mostly there's an adrenaline rush. Knowing that we're about to sit and view, assess, score these incredible images from photographers all over the world, and let's remember that every photographer when they enter a print competition, which is what I'm talking about primarily here. Every photographer [00:07:00] believes that print that category that year, could win. Nobody enters an image thinking that it doesn't stand a chance. Now you might do that modest thing of, I don't know, you know? Oh no, I don't. I I just chance my arm. No one enters a print they don't think has a chance of doing well. That just doesn't happen. It's too expensive. It takes too much time. And as judges. We are acutely aware of that. So when you walk into the room, lots of things are going in your on, in your heads. Primarily, you know, you are there to do a job. You are there to perform a task. You are going to put your analytical head on and assess a few hundred images over the next 48 hours. But as you walk in, there's a whole series of things. You, you are gonna assess the room. You see that your fellow judges, you're gonna see the print handlers. You're going to see the chair, you're gonna see the people [00:08:00] from whichever association it is who are organizing it, who or who have organized it. You'll see stacks of prints ready to be assessed. There's a whole series of things that happen. A lot of hugging. It's really lovely. This year the panel of judges, uh, had some people in it I haven't seen for quite a few years, and it was beyond lovely to see them. So there's all of that, but you, there's this underlying tension you are about to do. One of the things you love doing more than anything else in as part of your job. So there's the excitement of it and the joy of it, but there's always this gentle underlying tone of gravitas of just how serious it is. What we are doing. So there will be plenty of laughter, plenty of joy, but you never really take your eye off the task in hand. And that's how it feels as you go to take your seats on the judging [00:09:00] panel. So the most important thing, I think, anyway, and I was chair of qualifications and awards for the BIPP for a number of years, is that the whole room, everybody there is acting as a team. If you are not gonna pull as a team, it doesn't work. So there has to be safety, there has to be structure. There has to be a process and all of these things come together to provide a framework in which you assess and create the necessary scores and results for the association, for the photographers, for the contestants. So you take your seats, and typically in a room, there are gonna be five judges at any one time assessing an image. It's typically five. I've seen it done other ways, but a panel of judges is typically five. The reason we have five is at no point do all of the judges agree. [00:10:00] We'll go through this later in more detail, but the idea is that you have enough judges that you can have contention, you can have. Disagreements, but as a panel of judges, you'll come up with a score. So you'll have five judges sitting assessing an image at any one time. To the side of the room, there'll be two more judges typically. Usually we have a pool of seven, five judges working, two judges sitting out every 10 prints or 10 minutes or whatever the chair decides. They'll we'll rotate along one, so we'll all move along one seat and one of the spare judges will come in and sit on the end and one of the existing judges will step off. And we do that all day, just rotating along so that everybody judges, broadly speaking, the same number of images. Now, of course there is a degree of specialism in the room. If a panel has been well selected, there'll be specialists in each of the categories, but you can't have, let's say there's 15 categories. You [00:11:00] can't have five specialist judges per category. That's simply impractical. Um, you know, having, what's that, 75 judges in a room, just so that you can get through the 15 categories is. A logistics task, a cost. Even just having a room that big, full of judges doesn't work. So every judge is expected to be reasonably multi-talented, even if you don't shoot, for instance, landscapes. You have to have a working knowledge of what's required of a great landscape. Because our job as a panel isn't that each of us will spot all of the same characteristics in an image, all of the same defects, all of the same qualities. Each judge has been picked to bring their own. Sort of viewpoint, if you like, to the image. Some judges are super technical, some judges, it's all about the atmosphere. Some judges, it's all about the printing and there's every bit of image production is [00:12:00] covered by each of the individual specialisms of the judges. And so while there is a degree of specialism, there will be a landscape. Specialist in the room or someone who works in landscape, there will be plenty of portrait photographers, wedding photographers, commercial photographers. The idea is from those seven, we can cover all of those bases. So we have seven judges all at fellowship level, all highly skilled, all experienced. And then there's the chair. Now the chair's role is not to affect the actual score. The chair's role is to make sure the judges have considered everything that they should be considering. That's the Chair's job, is to make sure the judges stay fresh, keep an eye on the scores, keep an eye on the throughput. Make sure that every image and every author are given a. The time and consideration that they are due. What do I mean by that? Well, I just mean the photographers spent a lot of time and effort and [00:13:00] finance putting this print in front of us, and so it's really important that we as judges give it due consideration. The chair, that's their role is to make sure that's what really happens. So the process is pretty simple, really. We will take our seats as a panel of judges and when we are settled. The chair will ask for the print, one of the print handlers. There's normally a couple of print handlers in the room, one to put the image on, one to take the image off. The print handler will take the first image or the next image off the pile and place it in front of us on the light box. They will then check the print to make sure there's no visible or obvious dust marks, um, or anything, and give with an air blower or with the back of a a handling glove, or very gently take any dust spots away. They will then step back. Now, the way the judges are set, there are five seats in a gentle arc, usually around the light [00:14:00] box. The outer two judges, judges one and five will step into the light box and examine or interrogate the print carefully. They will take as much time as they need to ascertain what they believe the score for that image should be. They will then take their seats. The next two judges in, so let's say Judge two and four, they will step in to interrogate the print and do exactly the same thing. When they're ready, they'll step back and sit down. And then the middle judge, the final judge in seat three, they will step up and interrogate the print. And the reason we do it that way is that everybody gets to see the print thoroughly. Everybody gets to spend enough time. Examining the print. And at that point, when we all sit down, we all enter our scores onto whatever the system is we're using either using iPads or keypads. There's all sorts of ways of doing it, but what's really important is we do all of this in total silence and we don't really do it because we need to be able to [00:15:00] concentrate. Though that has happened, sort of distracting noises can play havoc. Um, we really do it so that we are not influencing any other judge. So there's no, oh, this is rubbish, or, oh, this is amazing. Or any of this stuff, because the idea is that each judge will come to their own independent score. We enter them, and then there's a process as to what happens next. So that's the process. If at some point a single judge when the image appears, says, I can't judge this for whatever reason, usually it's because they've seen the image before. I mean, there's one this week where I hadn't directly influenced the image. But the author had shown me how they'd done it, so they'd stepped me through the Photoshopping, the construction, the shooting, everything about the image. I knew the image really well, and so when the image appeared on the light box, I knew while I could judge it, it wasn't fair to the author or to the other [00:16:00] competitors that I should. So I raised my hand, checked in with the chair, chair, asked me what I wanted. I said, I need to step off this. I'm too familiar with the work for me to give this a cold read, an objective read. So I if, if possible, if there's another judge, could they just step in and score this one image for me? And that means it's fair for all of the contestants. So that's that bit of process when we come to our score. Let's assume the score's fine. Let's assume, I dunno, it gets an 82, which is usually a merit or a bronze, whatever the system is. The chair will log that, she'll say that image scored 82, which is the average of all five of us. She'll then check in with the scores and the panel of judges. He or she rather, uh, they, so they will look at us and go, are you all happy with that result? That's really important. Are you all happy? Would that result? Because that's the opportunity as judges for one of us, if we're not comfortable that the image is scored where we think it probably should. And [00:17:00] remember with five of you, if the score isn't what you think, you could be the one who's not got your eye in or you haven't spotted something, it might well be you, but it's your job as a judge to make sure if there's any doubt in your mind about the scoring of an image that. You ask for it to be assessed again, for there to be discussion for the team to do its job because it might be that the other members of the panel haven't seen something that you have or you haven't seen something that they have, that both of those can be true. So it's really important that you have a process and you have a strict process. And this is how it works. So the chair will say you are happy. One of the judges may say. No, I'm not happy or may say I would like to challenge that or may simply say, I think this warrants a discussion. I'm gonna start it off. And then there's a process for doing that. [00:18:00] So the judge who raises the challenge will start the dialogue and they'll start in whichever direction it is that they think the scoring is not quite right. They will start the dialogue that way. So let's say the score, the judge who's raising a challenge says the score feels a little low. What happens then is raise a challenge and that judge will discuss the image or talk to the image in a way that is positive and trying to raise the score. And they're gonna do that by drawing attention to the qualities that they feel the image has, that maybe they're worried the other judges haven't seen when they're done, the next judge depends, depending on the chair and how you do it. The next judge will take their turn and he goes all the way around with every judge having their say. And then it comes back to the originating judge who has the right of a rebuttal, which simply means to answer back. So depending on how the [00:19:00] dialogue has gone it may be that you say thank you to all of the judges. I'm glad you saw my point. It would be great if we could give this the score that I think this deserves. Similarly, you occasionally, and I did do one of these where I raised a challenge, um, where I felt an image hadn't scored, or the judges hadn't seen something that maybe I had seen in the image, and then very quickly realized that four judges had seen a defect that I hadn't. And so my challenge, it was not, it's never a waste of a challenge. It's never ever a waste because it's really important that every image is given the consideration it deserves. But at the end of the challenge that I raised, the scoring stayed exactly the same. I stayed, I said thank you to all of the judges for showing me some stuff that I hadn't noticed. And then we moved on. More often than not, the scores move as the judges say, oh, do you know what, you're right, there is something in this. Or, no, you're right. We've overinflated this because we saw things, but we missed these technical defects. It's those kinds of conversations. So that's a, a chair, that's a, a judge's [00:20:00] challenge. Yeah, this process also kicks in if there's a very wide score difference between the judge's scores, same process, but this time there's no rebuttal. Every judge simply gives their view starting with the highest judge and then working anywhere on the panel. Um, and then there's a rare one, which does happen which is a chair's challenge, and the chair has the right in, at least in the competitions that I judge, the chair has the right to say to the panel of judges. Could you just give this another consideration? I think there might be things you've missed or that feels like you're getting a little bit steady in your scoring. 'cause they, the chair of course, has got a log of all the scores and can see whether, you know, you're settling into like a 78, 79 or one judge is constantly outta kilter. The chair can see everything and so your job as the chair is to just, okay guys, listen, I think this image that you've just assessed. Possibly there's some things one way or the [00:21:00] other that you might need to take into consideration. It doesn't feel like you have. I'd like you to discuss this image and then just do a rescore. So those are the, those are the mechanisms. So in the room you've got five judges plus two judges who are there ready to step in when required either on the rotation or when someone recuses themself and steps out. Usually two print handlers and then usually there's at least one person or maybe more from the association, just doing things like making sure things are outta their boxes, that the scores are recorded on the back of the prints, they go back into boxes, there's no damage because these prints are worth quite a lot of money. And so, there's usually quite a few people in the room, but it's all done in silence and it's all done to this beautiful process of making sure it's organized, it's clear it's transparent, and we're working as one team to assess each image and give it the score that it deserves. so when the print arrives on the box. It has impact. Now, whether you like it or not, [00:22:00] whether you understand it or not, whether you can define it or not, the print has an impact. You're gonna see it, you're gonna react to it. How do you react to it? Is it visceral? Does your heart rate climb? Do you. Do you explore it? Do you want to explore it? Does it tell a clear story? And now is when you are judging a competition, typically the association or the organization who are running the competition will have a clear set of criteria. I mean, broadly speaking, things like lighting, posing layout or composition storytelling. Graphic design, print quality, if it's a print competition. These are the kinds of things that, um, we look for. And they're listed out in the competition guides that the entrant, the author will have known those when they submitted their print. And the judges know them when we're assessing them, so they're kind of coherent. Whatever it is that the, the entrance were told, that's what we're judging [00:23:00] to the most important. Is the emotional connection or the impact? It's typically called visual impact or just impact. What's really important about that is that it's very obvious, I think, to break images down into these constructed elements like complimentary colors or tonal range or centers of interest, but they don't really do anything except create. Your emotional reaction to the picture. Now, we do use language around these to assess the image, but what we're actually looking for is emotional impact. Pictures tell stories. Stories invoke emotions. It's the emotions we're really looking for. But the trick when you are judging is you start with the initial impact. Then you go in and you in real tiny detail, look at the image. Explore it, interrogate it, [00:24:00] enjoy it, maybe don't enjoy it. And you look at it in all of the different categories or different areas, criteria that you are, that the judges that the organization have set out. And then really, although it never gets listed twice, it should do, impact should also be listed as the last thing you look at as well. Because here's the process. You look at the image. There's an impact. You then in detail investigate, interrogate, enjoy the image. And then at the very end you ask yourself, what impact does it still have? And that's really important because the difference between those two gives you an idea of how much or how well the image is scoring in all of the other areas. If an image has massive impact when you, let's put 'em on the light box, and then you explore it and you [00:25:00] enjoy it, and you look at it under the light, and then at the end of it you're still feeling the same thing you did when it came on the light box, that's a pretty good indicator that all the criteria were met. If on the other hand, as you've explored the image, you've realized. There are errors in the production, or you can see Photoshopping problems or blown highlights or blocked blacks, or things are blurred where they should be sharp or you name it. It's these kinds of things. You know, the printing has got banding in the sky, which is a defect. You see dust spots from a camera sensor. These gradually whittle away your impact score because you go back to the end and you ask, what impact does the image now have? And I've heard judges use terms like at the end of the process, I thought that was gonna be amazing when it first arrived on the light box. I just loved the look of it from a distance, but when I stepped in, there were just too many things that [00:26:00] weren't quite right. And at the end of it, I just felt some would, sometimes I've heard the word disappointed you. So that's certainly how I feel. When an image has this beautiful impact and the hair stand up on the back of your neck and you just think, I cannot wait to step in and explore this image in detail. 'cause I tell you one thing, most authors don't own a light box. When you see a print on a beautiful light box, the, there's something about the quality. The way the print ESS is you actually get to see what a print should look like. So when you step in, you are really excited to see it. And if at the end of that process you're slightly disappointed because you found defects in the printing or problems with the focusing or Photoshop or whatever it is. You really are genuinely disappointed. So that's how you approach it. You approach it from this standpoint of a very emotional, a very emotional connection with the image to start with, and then you break [00:27:00] it down into its elements, whatever those elements are for the competition. And then at the end, you ask yourself really, does it still have the impact? I thought it would because if it does, well, in that case, it's done really, really well. one of the things that's really interesting about judging images is we, we draw out, we write out all of these criteria and. Every image has them really. I mean, well, I say that of course every image doesn't have them. If you are, if you're thinking about landscape or a picture of a shampoo bottle, it doesn't have posing, for instance, if that's one of your criteria. But typically there's a standard set of criteria and every image has them layout, color uh, photographic technique, et cetera. So if we look at let's say composition, let's talk about composition. Personally, I like to use the term layout rather than composition because it [00:28:00] feels a little bit more like a verb. You lay the image out, you have all of the bits, you lay them out. I like that because when we are teaching photography when we say to someone, right, what are all of the bits that you have in front of you? How are you gonna lay them out? It feels a lot more, to me, at least more logical than saying, how are you gonna compose the image? Because it allows. I think it allows the photographer to think in terms of each individual component rather than just the whole frame. So we are looking for how the image is constructed. Remember that every photographer really should think about an image. As telling a story, what's the story that you want somebody else? Somebody that you've never met. In this case a judge, but it could be a client or it could just be somebody where your work is being exhibited on a wall. What do you want them to look at? What do you want them to see? Where do you want that eye to go? And there are lots of tricks to [00:29:00] this, and one of them is layout or composition. So we've got through the initial impact, boom. And the excitement. And then you start to think, is the image balanced? I like to think of an image having a center of gravity. Some photographers will use center of interest, which is a slightly different thing, but I think an image has a center of gravity. The component parts of the image create balance. So you can have things right down in the edges of the frame, but you need something to balance it like a seesaw. You can't just. Throw in, throw parts of the puzzle around the frame. So you are looking for where do they land? And of course, as photographers, we talk about thirds, golden ratios, golden spirals, all of these terms. But what we are really looking for is does the image have a natural flow? Does it feel like everything's where it should be? Does your eye go to the bit that the author probably wanted you to look at? Have they been effective in their [00:30:00] storytelling? And by storytelling, I don't necessarily mean storytelling as in photojournalism or narrative rich photography. What I mean is what did they want you to see, and then did you go and see it? Separation? Is the background blurred? And let's say the, the subject is sharp. That's a typical device for making sure you look at the subject. Is the color of the background muted in a way that draws your attention? Again to whatever it is in the foreground. So layouts one of those tools. So we work our way around it and try and figure out does the positioning of all of the elements of the image does their positioning add or distract from the story? We think that author was trying to tell. Let's remember that it's not the judge's job to understand the story. It's the author's job to tell the story in a way that the judges can get it. Too often, you know, when I, when I've judged [00:31:00] a competition, someone will come and find me afterwards and say, did you understand what that was about? I was trying to say this, and it's like, well, I didn't see that, but that's not my fault. You know, it's, it's down to you to lead me pictorially to. Whatever it is you're trying to show. Same with all judges, all viewers, clients. It doesn't really matter. It's the author's job, not the judges. So at the end of that, you then move on to whatever's the next criteria. So you know, you assess these things bit by bit, and by the way, every judge will do it in a slightly different order. There'll be written down in an order. But each judge would approach it in a different manner. For me, typically it's about emotional connection more than anything else, it's about the emotion. I love that genuine, authentic connection of a person in the image. To me, the viewer. I will always go there if, if it's a portrait or a wedding or fashion image, if there's a person in it or a dog, I suppose, [00:32:00] then I will look for that authenticity, that, that visceral, it feels like they're looking at me or I'm having a dialogue with them. That's my particular hot button, but every judge has their room and that's how you approach it. So when it comes to a photograph in the end, you don't really have anything other than light when you think about it, right? That's, you pick up a camera, it's got a sensor, it's got film, it's got a lens on the front, and a shutter stopping light coming, or it goes through the lens, but the, the shutter stops it hitting a sensor. And at some point you commit light to be recorded. And it's the light that describes the image. There's nothing else. It's not something you can touch or hear, it's just light. And of course light is everything. I think, I think the term pho photography or photograph is a mix of a couple of words, and it's a relatively recent idea. I think [00:33:00] it was Victorian and it's, isn't it light and art photographic or photograph, um. So that's what it is. It's capturing light and creating a reaction from it. So the quality of light is possibly the most important thing. There is too much of it, and you're gonna have blown highlights, nasty white patches on your prints, too little of it. You're gonna have no detail in the shadows and a lot of noise or grain, whether it's film or whether it's off your sensor. And then there's the shape of the light. The color of the light, and it doesn't really matter whether it's portrait, wedding, landscape, product, avant garde, it's light that defines things. It's light that can break an image. So with portraiture, for instance, we tend to talk about. Sculpting or dimensionality of light. We tend to talk about the shape of the subject. We talk about flattering light. We talk about hard and soft light, and all of these things [00:34:00] mean something. This isn't the podcast to talk about those in detail, but that's what we're looking for. We are looking for has the light created a sense of shape, a sense of wonder, a sense of narrative. Does the lighting draw your eye towards the subject? And when you get to the subject, is it clear that the lighting is effective and by effective, usually as a portrait photographer anyway. I mean flattering. But you might be doing something with light that's counterintuitive, that's making the subject not flattered. That's maybe it's for a thriller style thing, or maybe it's dark and moody. Harsh, as long as in tune with the story as we are seeing it, then the lighting is assessed in that vein. So we've seen some incredible beauty shots over the past couple of days where the lighting sculpted the face. It had damaged ality, but it was soft. There were no hard shadows, there were no [00:35:00] blown highlights. The skin, it was clear that the texture of the skin, the light, it caught the texture. So we knew exactly what that would be. It had. Captured the shape. So the way the gens or shadows ripple around a body or a face tell you its shape. They haven't destroyed the shape. It's it's catch shape, but it hasn't unnecessarily sculpted scars or birthmarks or spots, you know? And that's how lighting works. So you look for this quality, you look for control, you look for the author, knowing what they're doing. With landscapes, typically it's, it is very rare, in my opinion, for a landscape. To get a good score if it isn't shot at one end of the day or the other. Why? Well, typically, at those points of the day, the light from the sun is almost horizontal. It rakes across the frame, and you get a certain quality to the way the shadows are thrown. The way the [00:36:00] light, sculpts hills, buildings, clouds, leaves, trees, the way it skips off water, whether it's at the beginning of the day or the end of the day. It's quite unusual though we do see them for an amazing photograph of escape to be taken at midday. But you can see how it could be if you have the sun directly overhead, because that has a quality all of its own. And you know, if when an author has gone to the effort of being in the right place to shoot vertical shadows with a direct overhead son, well maybe that's so deliberate that the, the judges will completely appreciate that and understand the story. So it's looking for these things and working out. Has the lighting been effective in telling the story? We think the author was trying to tell? Lighting is at the heart of it. So when we've been through every criteria, whatever they are, lighting, composition, color, narrative, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, [00:37:00] we've assessed every image, hundreds of them. We've had challenges, we've had conversations. We have a big pile of prints that have made it over the line. To whatever is your particular association scoring, whether it's merit or bronze or whatever. The puzzle isn't quite complete at that stage because there is of course, a slight problem and that problem is time. So if you imagine judging a section of images might take a couple of hours to do 70 prints, 60, 70 prints might take longer than that. In fact, it might take the best part of an afternoon. During that time. There's every chance the scores will wander. And the most obvious time is if a category spans something like a lunch break. We try to make sure categories don't do that. We try to complete categories before going for a break. We always try to be continuous, but [00:38:00] you've still got fatigue. You've got the judges rotating. So all of these things are going on. It sometimes it depends what images come up in what order could conceivably affect the scoring. For instance there's an image that came up this year where I think probably I was the judge that felt the strongest about it. There was something about this particular image that needed talking about, and so when it came up and it was scores that I raised a challenge and my heart rate, the minute the print hit the stand, my heart rate climbed through the roof. It was. Something about it that just connected with me. And then when I explored the image on the lights, on the light box, to me, there was very little that was technically holding it back. There were a couple of bits, but nothing that I felt warranted a lower score. And so I raised a [00:39:00] challenge. I said my point, I went through it in detail. I asked the other judges to consider it. From my viewpoint, they gave their views as to why they hadn't. But each of them understood where I was coming from and unlike the challenge I talked about earlier where no one changed their mind on this one, they did on this one. They also saw things that I saw when we went through it. But at the end of the process, the image was got a higher score, which is great, but. I didn't feel that I could judge the next image fairly because whatever came in, my heart rate was still battering along after seeing this one particular image. And that happens sometimes. It's not common, but I felt I needed to step off the panel before the next image came up. Which I did in work, working with the chair and the team. I stepped off for a couple of prints before stepping back on [00:40:00] just to let my eye settle and let myself get back into the right zone. But during the day, the zone changes. The way you change your perception of the images, as the images come through is so imperceptible, imperceivable, imperceptible. One of those two words is so tiny that you don't notice if there's a slight drift. And so there's every opportunity for an image to score a couple of points lower or a couple of points higher than it possibly could have done. If it had been seen at another point in the day. Maybe it had been, maybe if the image was seen after a series of not so strong images, maybe it would get a higher score. Or of course, the other way round. Maybe after seeing a series of really, really powerful, impactful images that came up, maybe it scored be slightly diminished. Both of those can be true. And so it's really important that we redress that any possible imbalance and every competition I've ever done has a final round. And the [00:41:00] way this is done is that we take the highest scoring images, top five, top 10, depending on the competition, and we line them up. And all of the judges now, not just the judges who are the five on the panel, all seven judges. Get an opportunity to bring each image back onto a light box if they wish, if they haven't seen them already. Because remember, some of those images may not have been assessed by the, well. It cannot have been assessed by all seven of the judges, so there's always gonna be at least two judges who haven't seen that image or seeing it for the first time as a judge. So we bring them back, we look at them, and then we rank them using one of numerous voting mechanisms where we all vote on what we think are the best images and gradually whittle it down until we're left with a ranked order for that category. We have a winner, a second, a third, a fourth, sometimes all the way down to 10 in order, depending on the competition. And that's the fairest way of doing it, because it means, okay, during the judging, [00:42:00] that image got, I dunno, 87. But when we now baseline it against a couple of images that got 90 something, when we now look at it, we realize that that image probably should have got a 90 as well. We're not gonna rescore it, the score stands, but what we are gonna do is put it up into there and vote on it as to whether it actually, even though it got slightly lower, score, is the winning image for the category. And every competition does something similar just to redress any fluctuations to, to flatten out time. It takes time outta the equation because now for that category, all seven judges are judging the winner at the same time, and that's really important. We do that for all the categories, and then at the end of that process, we bring back all of the category winners and we vote on which one of those. Wins the competition. Now, not every competition has an overall winner, but for the one we've just done for the print masters, for the BIPP print masters, there is an overall winner. And so we set them all out [00:43:00] and we vote collectively as a winner on the winner. And then, oh, we rank them 1, 2, 3, 4, or whatever. Um, really we're only picking a winner, but we also have to have some safety nets because what happens if for instance. Somebody unearths a problem with an image. And this has happened, sadly, this has happened a couple of times in my career where a photographer has entered an image that's not compliant with the rules but hasn't declared it. And it's always heartbreaking when it does happen, but we have to have a backup. So we always rank one, two, and three. So that's some backups, and that's the process. That's how we finish everything off. We have finished, we've got all the categories judged, the category winners judged, and then the overall one, two, and three sorted as well. at the end of the process? I can't speak for every judge. I can speak for me, I feel, I think three things. Exhaustion. It's really hard to spend 48 hours or longer [00:44:00] assessing images one by one, by one by one, and making sure that you are present and paying attention to every detail of every image. And you're not doing an author or an image a disservice. You pay each image or you give each image, you pay each image the due attention it deserves. I feel exhilaration. There's something energizing about assessing images like this. I know it's hard to explain, but there's something in the process of being alongside some of the best photographers that you've ever met, some photographers that you admire more than any others, not just as photographers, but as human beings. The nicest people, the smartest people, the most experienced people, the most eloquent people. There's something in that. So there's this [00:45:00] exhilaration. You are exhausted, but there's an exhilaration to it. And then finally, and I don't know if every photographer feels this or every judge feels this, I do. Which is massively insecure, I think. Can't think of the right words for it. There must be one. But I come away, much like when you've been out on the beers and you worry about all the things you've said, it's the same process. There was that image I didn't give enough credit for. There was this image I was too generous on. There were the things I said in a challenge when it gets a little bit argumentative or challenging. 'cause the clues in the title, you know, maybe I pushed too hard, maybe I didn't push hard enough. There are images you've seen that you wished you'd taken and you feel like. I'm not good enough. There's an insecurity to it too, and those are the three things I think as you leave the room, it's truly [00:46:00] energizing. Paradoxically, it's truly exhausting, but it's also a little bit of a head mush in that you do tend to come, or I do tend to come away a little bit insecure about. All the things that have gone on over the two days prior, and I've done this a long time. I've been judging for, I dunno, 15, 16, 17 years. And I've got used to those feelings. I've got used to coming away worrying. I'm used to the sense of being an underachiever, I suppose, and it's a wonderful , set of emotions that I bring home. And every time I judge. I feel better for it. I feel more creative. I feel more driven. I feel more determined. I feel like my eyes have been opened to genres [00:47:00] of photography, for types of imagery, for styles of posing or studio work that I've never necessarily considered, and I absolutely adore it every single second. So at the end of that, I really hope I've described or created a picture of what it's like to be a judge for this one. I haven't tried to explain the things we saw that as photographers as authors, you should think about when you are entering. I'm gonna do that in a separate podcast. I've done so many of those, but this one was specifically like, what does it feel like to be a judge? Why do we do it? I mean, we do it for a million reasons. Mostly we do it because people helped us and it's our turn to help them. But every photographer has a different reason for doing it. It's the most joyful process. It's the most inspiring process and I hope you've got a little bit of that from the podcast. So [00:48:00] on that happy note, I'm gonna wrap up and I'm gonna go and finish my glass of whiskey which I'm quite excited about if I'm honest. 'cause I did, it's been sitting here beside me for an hour and I haven't drunk any of it. I do hope you're all doing well. I know winter is sort of clattering towards us and the evenings are getting darker, at least for my listeners in the north and the hemisphere. Don't forget. If you want more information on portrait photography or our workshops we've announced all of the upcoming dates or the next set of upcoming dates. Please head across to mastering portrait photography.com and go to the workshop section. I love our workshops and we've met so many. Just lovely people who've come to our studio. And we've loved being alongside them, talking with them, hopefully giving a bit of inspiration, certainly taking a little bit of inspiration, if I'm honest, because everyone turns up with ideas and conversations. Uh, we would love to see you there. The workshops are all are all there on the website and the workshop section. You can also, if you wish, buy a signed copy of the book from mastering portrait photography.com. Again, just go to the [00:49:00] shop and you'll see it there on the top. Amazon has them for sale too. It is great. Amazon typically sells them for less than we do, but we have a fixed price. We have to buy them from the wholesaler at a particular price, whereas Amazon can buy many, many more than we can, so they get a better deal if I'm honest. However, if you want my paw print in there, then you can order it from us and it's supports a photographer and it's really lovely to hear from you. When you do, uh, one thing, I'd love to ask anyone who has bought the updated edition of the book, if you are an Amazon customer. Please could you go on to amazon.com and leave us a review? It's really powerful when you do that, as long as it's a good review. If it's a rubbish review, just email me and tell me what I could have done differently, and I'll email you back and tell you, tell you why I didn't. But if it's a half decent review, a nice review. Please head over to Amazon. Look for mastering portrait photography, the new version of the book, and leave us a review. It's really important particularly in the first couple of [00:50:00] weeks that it's been on sale. Uh, it would be really, really helpful if you did that. And on that happy note, I wish you all well. I've grabbed my glass of whiskey and I'm gonna wrap up and whatever else you do. Until next time, be kind to yourself. Take care.   

Last week we had upsets at home of SMU over Miami (FL) and NC State over Georgia Tech…what's on tap this week? If you want your house to be the ‘beacon of your neighborhood,' contact HaloCustomLighting.com today or Neemann & Sons    Show Sponsored by NEBCOOur Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

How dark should the night sky be in Deschutes County? In this episode, we talk with Tanya Saltzman from the Community Development Department about new lighting standards that take effect Dec. 23. Then, Chris Hill and Bill Kowalik from Dark Sky Oregon join the conversation to share why protecting our night skies matters for wildlife, human health, and our view of the stars.

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: Rexel Q3 2025 Results Show Strong North America Growth Under One Sky 2025 Casting Nebraskan Art in a Different Light Lighting Controls Podcast: Umesh Baheti on Lighting Controls and Smart Building Integration

And now, it's time for something different....The Bar Business Podcast has joined with industry experts to bring you a new panel podcast every month, Party of Six: The Pulse of Bars and Restaurants. I am joined by some amazing folks for a casual yet insightful conversation, sharing stories and discussing what works and what doesn't in the hospitality industry. Check it out every month as we dive deep into the topics that matter to Bar and Restaurant owners. Dive into the world of bar ambiance with industry experts as they unravel the secrets to creating unforgettable guest experiences.Discover how lighting, bar height, and music can transform a bar's atmosphere, making it a favorite spot for patrons.Learn from the pros about maintaining a cohesive brand identity while adapting to customer preferences to keep them coming back.Tune in to gain insights and practical tips on enhancing your bar's ambiance and building a loyal customer base.Panelists this Month: Dave Nitzel - Co-Owner Dave and Dave Consulting, Best-Selling AuthorAoife Halliday - COO of RuckusMinakshi Singh - Co-Founder of Sidecar and the India Bar ShowCliff Crider - Founding Partner of Stinger Compliance and Truck and TapChris Schneider - Host of the Bar Business Podcast Key Takeaways- Ambiance is crucial in creating a memorable bar experience.- Lighting should be adjustable to match the time of day and mood.- Bar height and seating comfort significantly impact guest satisfaction.- Consistency in brand identity helps build a loyal customer base.- Understanding the target audience is key to successful bar management.- Adapting to customer preferences can enhance the bar's appeal.- Attention to detail in ambiance elements is essential.- Music selection should align with the bar's atmosphere.- A cohesive brand identity prevents confusion among guests.- Flexibility in programming can attract a diverse clientele.

In this heartfelt episode of Lighting The Candle: A World That Works, hosts Bill Correll and Jan Jeremias welcome returning guest Austin Jacob for a profound conversation on change, surrender, and grace. Together, they explore how life's transitions—both chosen and unexpected—teach us to let go of control, embrace what is, and find strength in allowing. Through personal stories and thoughtful insights, the discussion reveals how acceptance opens the door to peace, compassion, and deeper connection with ourselves and others. Whether you're navigating a major life shift or simply reflecting on how to move with greater purpose, this episode offers wisdom for every stage of growth.Listen now at exvadio.com or on your favorite podcast app, and discover how to live and lead with grace in a world that works for everyone.

Send us a textWelcome to a truly special 100th episode of Passing the Torch! Hosts Martin Foster and his wife Lora sit down for a heartfelt conversation about leadership, resilience, character development—and what it means to navigate life's biggest transitions together. After 23 years of military service and countless moves, Martin Foster is stepping into retirement, and together, he and Lora reflect on the journey: the challenges of starting over in new communities, the lessons learned from adversity, and the strength found in family and partnership. From parenting in unpredictable times to the importance of finding your people wherever you go, this episode dives deep into authentic insights, shared laughter, and real advice on leading not just in the workplace, but at home and in everyday moments. Whether you're a longtime listener or just joining us, settle in for an inspiring celebration of growth, gratitude, and the torch-passing moments that shape who we become.-Quick Episode Summary:Celebrating milestones, resilience, and family leadership through life's transitions.-SEO Description:Passing the Torch celebrates 100 episodes with special guestLora Foster, reflecting on leadership, resilience, marriage, and navigating military life's biggest transitions.-Chapters:00:00 Intro03:49 Model the Rise Concept06:33 Finding Community in New Places10:00 Retirement Reflection and Shoutouts13:47 Unseen Motivation and Support17:40 Listening Matters Most22:38 Life Abroad in Military Service23:49 Hawaii Memories and Milestones27:33 Family's Pro Wrestling Obsession32:14 Supportive Friends Make Life Better35:26 Comparison: Thief of Joy39:41 Celebrating 100 EpisodesConnect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartin More Amazing Stories: Episode 41: Lee Ellis – Freeing You From Bond That Make You Insecure Episode 81: Kurt Warner – Perseverance, Humility, and Lighting the Way Episode 90: Michelle 'MACE' Curran – How to Turn Fear into Fuel

Does Lighting Help?

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: formalighting Earns EcoVadis Platinum Medal with a 95/100 Sustainability Score Getting Connected: The DALI Alliance and IALD Collaborate Zhaga Expands Smart Lighting Standard with New Edition of Book 18 Finalists for the Light Middle East Awards 2026

This episode dives into the top trends in stage and event lighting driven by rental powerhouse RZI. Chris and Lacy explore the newest products and tech, sharing real-world examples and interesting anecdotes from across the industry.

We cover the new Emissive Maps in Studio Beta, which ensure consistent glow and material effects across all quality settings, plus the SLIM (Scalable, Lightweight, Interactive Models) system for auto-optimizing large worlds. On the platform side, we examine the new Safety Analytics dashboard for tracking player reports and the ongoing Testing Age Estimation feature requiring new users to submit verification. Finally, we look ahead to the community event EuroJam 2025.Chapters:(00:00) Intro(01:08) Emissive Maps - Studio Beta(07:43) SLIM - Studio Beta(13:48) Roblox Trivia(16:31) Events - EuroJam 2025(20:22) Developer Dashboard - Safety Analytics(25:11) Safety & Civility - Age Estimation Checks(33:23) OutroSeason 3 Episode 6Sources:- Emissive Maps Studio Beta— https://devforum.roblox.com/t/studio-beta-emissives/4034414- SLIM Studio Beta— https://devforum.roblox.com/t/studio-beta-introducing-scalable-lightweight-interactive-models-slim/4034709— https://x.com/MaximumADHD/status/1983794597118521748- EuroJam 2025— https://devforum.roblox.com/t/introducing-eurojam-2025/4029615— Roblox Creators Discord: https://discord.com/invite/nMNX5yHqFK- Safety Analytics Dashboard— https://devforum.roblox.com/t/gain-insight-into-toxicity-in-your-experience-with-safety-analytics/4028415- Age Estimation Testing— https://devforum.roblox.com/t/test-encouraging-users-to-complete-an-age-check-to-chat/4035155Hosts:- Fedor (LoadingL0n3ly): https://x.com/LoadingL0n3ly- Anthony (sublivion): https://www.roblox.com/users/44028290/profile----------------------------Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.Visit https://lastlevel.co.uk/podcast for more.Join the Discord: https://discord.lastlevel.co.ukBeyond The Blox is produced by Seb Jensen for Last Level Studios.

Welcome back to Black Hoodie Alchemy! For this episode, I'm sharing a recent guest-spot I did on Joe Rupe's Lighting the Void⁠ for his week-long Halloween themed broadcasts.Joe hit me up just a couple hours before his show and asked me if I wanted to jump on to talk about serial killers and abnormal psychology (a topic I analyzed in part with my book HUNT MANUAL), so without much preparation I pulled up some notes and found myself in the zone for the full chat! Listeners had really great feedback to share, and I personally felt like this had been the best conversational presentation I've ever done of this complex material, so here it is for Black Hoodie Alchemy!Usually, if anyone brings up the topic of "serial killers and possession" with any sort of seriousness, they are likely religious zealots that haven't based their thinking on empirical data. But what if one were to analyze this topic with a skeptical, empirical, and open mind? What would they find? You may or may not be surprised to find that throughout this conversation, even with the most skeptical mindset we find some unexplainable head-scratchers. Does that mean that serial killers are literally possessed by classical demons? No. But that doesn't mean there isn't more to the discussion than meets the eye...RELATED CONTENT:Serial Killers & Jungian Thought 1Serial Killers &Jungian Thought 2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DIVE MANUAL AUDIOBOOK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (narrated by Joe Rupe)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HUNT MANUAL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BHA LINKTREE w books, shorts, and much more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Rupe's Lighting the Void⁠⁠Fringe FMThis week's featured music showcases brand new releases from the homies Grim Pesci and NEGATIVE BLAST! Don't sleep on that black hoodie rap, that titanic punk rock frenzy, or any of your favorite underground artists!I Won't - Grim Pesci x Johnny SlashOut the Box - Grim Pesci x Johnny SlashFireplay - NEGATIVE BLASTStand There and Bleed - Grim Pesci x Johnny SlashMac Dawg - NEGATIVE BLAST

Today in Lighting is sponsored by Lightovation, 1 million square feet of lighting solutions at Dallas Market Center. Learn more. Highlights include: Available Now: Designing Lighting Global VOL III Issue III Opdo and Luximprint Forge AI-to-Fabrication Path for Custom Optics DLC SSL V6.0 and LUNA V2.0 Updates Lodes Gives the Gift of Luminous Living This Holiday Season

On today's Geezers of Gear, we're joined by Allen Branton, Emmy-winning lighting designer with a 50-year career spanning tours, TV, and live events. From MTV Unplugged and the Super Bowl Halftime Show to tours with U2, Diana Ross, and The Rolling Stones, Allen has lit some of the most iconic stages in entertainment history.Allen's work has earned multiple Primetime Emmy Awards and nominations, and he is co-author of Lighting Design Beyond Theatre: A Process for the Evolving Entertainment Industry. From tours to television specials and global events, Allen has shaped the visual language of modern live entertainment across every continent except Antarctica.This Epiosde is brought to you by ACME Lighting and Delicate Productions

On today's Geezers of Gear, we're joined by Allen Branton, Emmy-winning lighting designer with a 50-year career spanning tours, TV, and live events. From MTV Unplugged and the Super Bowl Halftime Show to tours with U2, Diana Ross, and The Rolling Stones, Allen has lit some of the most iconic stages in entertainment history.Allen's work has earned multiple Primetime Emmy Awards and nominations, and he is co-author of Lighting Design Beyond Theatre: A Process for the Evolving Entertainment Industry. From tours to television specials and global events, Allen has shaped the visual language of modern live entertainment across every continent except Antarctica.In this episode, lighting designer Alan Branton shares insights from his 50-year career in the entertainment industry, discussing his transition from touring to television lighting, the evolution of technology in lighting design, and the importance of layering light for televised performances. He reflects on the industry's changes, the need for collaboration, and his philosophy of authenticity in music performances. Branton's experiences with iconic artists and his thoughts on the future of live performances provide a comprehensive look at the art and science of lighting design. In this conversation, Allen Branton discusses the evolution of lighting design, particularly in live events and television. He reflects on his experiences with MTV Unplugged, the impact of technology on the industry, and the importance of audience engagement. Branton shares insights on mentorship, the future of live entertainment, and the significance of preparation in achieving successful lighting design. He emphasizes the need for more skilled professionals in the field and the value of passing knowledge to the next generation.This Episode is brought to you by ACME Lighting and Delicate Productions

I had the opportunity to sit with down with Nick McWhirter or SHM Architects to explore the nuances of transitional design, the delicate dance between modern and traditional elements, and the intentionality behind every architectural choice. From furniture-driven layouts to aspirational lighting strategies, Nick shares the thought process, research, and we discuss philosophy that transform houses into harmonious, living machines. Listeners will gain insight into how design, balance, and playfulness converge to create both beauty and functionality in contemporary residential architecture. Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. Design Hardware - A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home! TimberTech - Real wood beauty without the upkeep LOME-AI.com, simple, inexpensive, text to video harnessing the power of AI to grow your firm, beautifully. What makes a home truly exceptional isn't just the materials or the finishes—it's the careful orchestration of space, light, and style. In this episode, Nick breaks down his approach to transitional design, revealing how subtle choices like shutter placement, dormer adjustments, or color balance can shift a home's aesthetic from modern to traditional. The conversation spans everything from lighting plans and hidden technology to furniture-first design principles and the philosophy behind architecture as a living, breathing machine.  Of course, that idea comes from Le Corbusier and his thoughts on this very subject.  We also discuss the role of photography, the tension between realism and aspirational imagery, and the evolving vernacular of form and function in modern homes. This episode is a masterclass in thoughtful, intentional, and style-agnostic design. Topics and Ideas Introduction & Context Welcome and setup: Exploring transitional design Nick's philosophy: Style agnostic but deeply researched Transitional Design: Modern vs. Traditional Subtle moves: Shutters, dormers, cut stone, and symmetry Playfulness in design: How small details create balance Color palette: Black-and-white schemes as intentional high-contrast statements Design Process & Interior Layouts Inside-out approach: Furniture-driven architecture Achieving balanced asymmetry Experimentation and editing: Knowing when less is more Lighting as a Core Component Invisible vs. visible fixtures: Philosophy of recessed lighting Lighting as both function and art Integration with technology: Wi-Fi, AV, and smart home systems Photography, Aspirational Design & Reality Balancing reality and idealized imagery in marketing Photoshop as a tool to highlight design intent How photography conveys quality of light, space, and atmosphere Form Follows Function & Architectural Philosophy Homes as “machines for living” The role of beauty and human experience in architecture Historical perspective: Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and modern vernacular Outdoor Spaces & Technology Integration Creative solutions: Two TVs on a patio LED walls and emerging tech as part of design storytelling Closing Thoughts & Personal Insights The freedom in design: Few right or wrong answers Nick's passion for music, smoked meats, and lifestyle influence Preview of future conversations and projects Thank you, Nick for the time and conversation. Thank you for listening. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend or colleague who loves design and architecture like you do, subscribe to Convo By Design wherever you get your podcasts. And continue the conversation on Instagram @convo x design with an “x”. Keep those emails coming with guest suggestions, show ideas and locations where you'd like to see the show. Convo by design at outlook.com.

My goal with this podcast is to challenge industry myths, question the so-called ‘rules,' and talk about what really works when it comes to building a photography business- based on my almost 30 years of experience.And today's unpopular opinion is this: natural light isn't always better. Grab my equipment list and get 10% off on you Westcott Lighting GearGet 50% Lighting on Location: Off Camera Flash for In-Home Photographers

Every once in a while leaders need to remember the joy of leadership.  And leaders who are following in the footsteps of Christ have a special obligation to witness to the joy that comes from their service because we do what we do in service to the King of Kings.  While challenging sometimes staying joyful is also a secret of the saints.  Not only are leaders keeper of visions and motivators in hard times but we also have the privilege of inspiring those who follow us.

Last week we saw Minnesota fans storm the field after beating Nebraska…who could be the FSP this weekend? If you want your house to be the ‘beacon of your neighborhood,' contact HaloCustomLighting.com today or Neemann & Sons Show Sponsored by NEBCOOur Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/EARLYBREAKAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

SVP and Stanford Steve are back with a LIVE recap of the CFB Week 9 slate. Starting with Texas A&M's DOMINANT win over LSU in Baton Rouge… exactly how good are the Aggies? And what to make of LSU's disappointing season. The second most impressive win of the day came in Norman as Ole Miss took down Oklahoma, changing the narrative around the Rebels' program. Texas survived Starkville, but SVP can't get over how unconvincing the Horns continue to look. And what a brutal, brutal stretch for Miss State. Changing gears to the Big Ten, Indiana continues to roll, Michigan continues to trend up and, hey, rank Washington. The Big 12 is wide open but the guys have a team they're keeping a close eye on. And then in the ACC, who knows. The guys break down all that and more, with a special debut for Scott: Manager of Lighting & Pet Supplies. | SVPod Approximate Timecodes: (0:00) Intro (5:40) Texas A&M-LSU recap (15:01) Vandy-Mizzou recap & Nashville experience (23:28) Indiana keeps dominating (26:52) Hypothetical IU-Ohio State line (28:39) Oregon eases past Wisconsin (30:17) Ole Miss changed the narrative with win over OU (39:13) BYU passes test in Ames - and it was wild (47:55) Cincinnati is playing at a HIGH level (49:21) Alabama survives the Cockpit (57:15) Texas pulls off comeback at Mississippi State (1:00:00) More brutal run for Texas or MSU? (1:08:15) Great win for Wake and Jake Dickert (1:09:01) How did Auburn beat Arkansas?!? (1:10:50) Lots of questions in the ACC (1:16:23) Great move to go for 2 by Belichick (1:17:50) Memphis upsets USF, new G5 CFP favorite (1:20:24) Rank Washington (1:21:16) Kansas State keeps dominating the Sunflower Showdown (1:23:32) UT-Vandy could be for a CFP spot (1:25:45) Is Texas good? (1:29:40) Michigan stock up, OU stock down (1:32:17) Pribula's injury is brutal… (1:32:55) Redd infiltrates the show (1:33:09) NFL Week 8 storylines – Lamar? (1:36:07) SVP the handyman (1:38:01) Hot seat for BK? (1:40:30) Thanks for watching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Week 8 Cash/GPP picks on today's Fantasy Footballers DFS & Betting podcast! Week 8 DFS is here! Borg & Betz break down the DFS main slate, give their cash and GPP Picks, stacking options, and prop it like its hot. Welcome to “DFS and Sports Betting For The Rest of Us.” Take your DFS and Betting Fantasy Football game to the next level on PrizePicks, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog Fantasy. -- Fantasy Football Podcast for Oct 24th, 2025.DFS content in the 2025 DFS Pass at MyDFSPass.comConnect with The Fantasy Footballers:Visit us on the WebSupport the ShowFollow on XFollow on InstagramJoin our DiscordLove the show? Leave us a review wherever you listen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.