F-Stop Collaborate and Listen - A Photography Podcast

Infrared is gaining in popularity among landscape and nature photographers, but can feel overwhelming and daunting if you're not sure where to start. I've been wanting to dabble in it myself, but haven't really figured out where I need to look to start my journey.  One particular photographer has garnered my attention as being an expert in infrared nature photography. On episode 356 of F-Stop Coll...

In episode 355 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen, host Matt Payne interviews Kamal X , the first street and documentary photographer to be featured on the podcast. Kamal shares his journey as a photographer and discusses the importance of capturing compelling street photographs that evoke emotion and tell powerful stories. They also delve into Kamal's latest book, " Black Astronaut ," which documen...

Welcome to episode 354 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen! One of my favorite things about hosting a podcast is that I get to dig a little bit deeper into what motivates some of my favorite photographers. I'm so lucky to be able to sit down with these excellent photographers and discuss their origins, their processes for making images, the numerous challenges they face as creatives, and the inner wo...

In episode 353, Matt Payne interviews Steve Gettle , a nature photographer, about his photography journey and the challenges of monetizing photography. They discuss the process of finding a unique photographic voice and the balance between emulation and inspiration. They also explore the impact of social media on the photography industry and the changing landscape of making a living as a nature ph...

In episode 352, I sit down for a conversation with Tania Malkin , a photographer and artist. Tania discusses her journey in photography and the influence of other artistic mediums on her work. She shares the story behind one of her most impactful images and explains her approach to capturing photographs, particularly in aerial photography.  Tania also discusses the importance of pre-visualization...

In episode 351 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen, host Matt Payne is joined by photographer Wayne Suggs to discuss the value and benefits of photography workshops. Drawing from their own experiences as both instructors and attendees, they share valuable insights and tips on how to make the most out of photography workshop experiences. If you're interested in photography workshops or want to learn h...

Episode 350. Refining our voice and vision as nature photographers is an ongoing process of discovery, experimentation, failure, and struggle. Fortunately, those who stick to what excites them about photography can tap into some really exciting photography that differentiates them as artists. One such artist that I have come to appreciate is this week’s F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast:  Ian...

Finding ways to do more with our photography is something many photographers struggle with. While there's certainly nothing wrong with creating beautiful images to showcase beauty, there are other ways to make an impact. Episode 349 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen features conservation photographer and author Amy Gulick . Amy has been on a mission for over a decade to tell the story of Salmon in...

We live in a gear-obsessed world as photographers, with new lenses and cameras being touted as the magic solutions to improve our photography. While gear does play a role in helping us get the photographs we envision, there's so much more that goes into making quality, personally-meaningful photographs that are uniquely ours. On episode 348 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen, we host David duChemin...

As photographers, we often seek validation for our work, which can come from various sources. For some, this helps to propel us forward to create more interesting photographs, helping us to push the envelope. While external validation isn't something everyone seeks, it certainly can be a powerful motivator. Episode 347 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen features Jassen Todorov , an award-winning aer...

Photography can be one of the most powerful story-telling mediums that exists. Empowering at-risk or under-served youth to utilize this tool to tell their stories can result in uplifting and life-changing results. On episode 346 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast, we host Kirsten Elstner, the founder and director of National Geographic Photo Camp , whose mission is to work with youth fro...

As photographers we are often trying to figure out what we should do with our photographs. Of late, it has become more popular to produce a coffee table style book to showcase our work; however, not all photography books of this style are created equal. On episode 345 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast, we host Alex Nail , one of my absolute favorite landscape photographers. He authored...

I recently embarked on a 35-day journey to hike the entire Colorado Trail, starting in Denver and ending in my home town of Durango. I embarked on this journey as a full-time professional landscape photographer with the hopes of capturing some incredible images and to have a transformative experience. Since returning, I've been bombarded with amazing questions about my experience and I figured why...

For many photographers, planning our photography trips can be a chore or can feel like a waste of time. That resonates with me and I rarely spend a lot of time planning my adventures because I personally have not found it to be very helpful in my success as a photographer; however, I see great value in the process and appreciate those who dedicate themselves to doing it well. Today's guest on epis...

Most photographers, including myself, only think to print on photographic paper or other traditional mediums; however, countless other mediums and formats for printing can ultimately elevate the presentation of your work. This is known as alternative printmaking and is one way in which photographers can embrace and leverage the physical attributes that prints can possess to stand out or just have...

Our lives can change in the blink of an eye. One moment, we are sitting on top of the world - the best in our industry; the next - we are facing some of the most challenging times of our lives. Such is the case of this week's guest on the podcast. Today's guest on episode 341 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast features Anders Spetz , who found himself the victim of an excruciating car ac...

A lot can be gleaned by studying the photographs of the masters who came before us. After all, we are all standing on the shoulders of giants and so paying homage to those giants and recognizing their impact on our work is an important step to becoming a better photographer. As such, getting this week's guest on the podcast was an absolute honor. Today's guest on episode 340 of the F-Stop Collabor...

One of the great mysteries for artists is monetization. Two paths of monetization often overlooked include print on demand services and art licensing. Each can represent a large amount of income if leveraged well, yet so many of us have not cracked the code to be able to do so. Today's guest on episode 339 of the  F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast is Cat Coquillette , who has mastered the art...

Cape Cod isn't exactly known as a landscape photography destination, at least not in the circles I run in; however, I do think that it has incredible photographic potential. This potential is best tapped into by a local expert; someone with extensive knowledge of place with a real connection to the area. Today's guest on episode 338 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast, Betty Wiley , is pe...

The importance of developing a cohesive portfolio cannot be understated for landscape photography. It is quite possible one of the most challenging things we face in order to showcase our work and to develop as artists. It can lead to better presentation of our work and a more well-rounded collection of images. Additionally, it is the corner-stone for the development of any print or book project....

Telling important stories about the struggles that occur through the coexistence of wildlife and humanity is no easy task, yet it is of tremendous importance, especially today. Telling the stories can bridge the gaps between groups that disagree on handling these delicate situations while shedding light on potential solutions that may meet the values that coexist in both groups of people. Today's...

For some photographers, the goal of photography transcends capturing pretty moments of pretty things. While there's nothing wrong with this approach, it can begin to feel repetitive and lacking purpose for some. As such, finding ways to have our photography be about more, have more impact, and ultimately make the world a better place is the next step in the journey. Today's guest on episode 335 of...

There are many parallels between the photographic journey and psychology. In college, one of my favorite books was " Man's Search for Meaning ," by Viktor Frankl. In this book, Frankl outlines the horrors of living in a Nazi concentration camp, but most notably he showcases how he was able to find meaning even through that existence. Today's guest on episode 334 of the F-Stop Collaborate and Liste...

Great photographs are hiding in plain sight everywhere. Often, we limit ourselves to only making photographs of the literal or obvious; however, there are techniques that exist such as Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) that can help us uncover more while invigorating our photographic journey. Today's guest on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast,  Kaisa Siren , is a photojournalist by day and...

As photographers, we learn a lot from graphic designers and those trained formally in the visual arts. Today's guest on the F-Stop Collaborate and Listen Podcast, Hans Gunnar Aslaksen , has such training and uses it to create incredibly interesting and visually pleasing photographs of nature and the landscape. On episode 332, we discuss: How Hans got into photography. How Hans leverages his backgr...