Interviews Episodes

Episode 83: Today I sit down with award-winning fine art photographer, Charles Needle, to chat about: How photography helped him recover from a debilitating illness The benefits of having a mindful approach to photography Photographers who mentored him early in his photography journey and helped him to find his vision and encouraged him to teach photography Photography as a subtractive art How to let the subject speak to you Why you should consider using a smartphone over a DSLR or mirrorless ca...

Episode 81: Today I sit down with six of seven members of the esteemed Photo Cascadia team, to chat about: How the collective got started and what keeps them going strong The inspiration behind their newest book, Washington Evergreen: Land of Nature Wonders The diverse photographic opportunities found in the seven regions of Washington Preparation tips for exploring remote wilderness areas Some funny stories from the trail Reflections on our relationship with nature and our positive and negative...

Episode 79: Today I sit down with landscape photographer, Kristen Ryan , to chat about: How taking photographs of her young children transitioned into her passion for landscape photography Her deep-rooted connection to the Teton Mountains Being responsive to the landscape rather than approaching it with a rigid structure or expectations How having a restrictive schedule of being a mom of four has made her be open to photographic opportunities as they come How her music background as a freelance ...

Episode 77: Today I sit down with nature photographer and writer, Anna Morgan, from British Columbia to chat about: Using photography as a tool to ask deeper questions How photography helps her to understand herself better The importance of observation in her approach to nature photography The concepts of finite and infinite play and how it applies to photography and life How her intentional approach to photography helps her to pay attention and be more mindful Her approach to creating photograp...

Episode 75: Today I sit down with Alberta, Canada-based wildlife photographer, Colleen Gara , to chat about: How her lifelong passion for the outdoors led to her path to becoming a wildlife photographer How having created portraits of people has helped inform how to create portraits of animals How to connect with and capture the personality of wildlife while respecting their space and normal activities Tips on how to minimize disturbing an animal while observing and photographing it Wildlife saf...

Episode 73: Today I sit down with professional landscape photographer, Benjamin Williamson , to chat about: How he transitioned from being a musician and bartender to being a professional photographer The two-way street of curiosity when it comes to creativity What he learned during his time as a photo editor and staff photographer at Down East Magazine Balancing photography with a family of three kids under the age of four Feeling deeply connected with natural and man-made environments and the ...

Episode 71: Today I sit down with Tennessee-based landscape photographer and educator, David Johnston , to chat about: How he got interested in photography and how and why he decided to become a professional photographer How his current podcast, the Landscape Photography Show, differs from the first podcast he started What he’s learned from his conversations on the podcast about connecting with your emotions through your photography The idea of “creative flow induction” The benefits of starting ...

Episode 69: Today I sit down with professional photographer and artist, Viktoria Haack , from British Columbia to chat about: Her winding journey into photography How photography has served as an open-ended creative outlet for her The creative benefits of being a generalist photographer How nature serves as the basis of all of her photography regardless of genre How doing different genres of photography cross-pollinates her approach to composition Balancing the expectations of clients and social...

Episode 67: Today I sit down with landscape photographer, David Thompson , to chat about: A story about the photograph that sparked his early interest in photography His relationship with creativity How being naturally curious has shaped his approach to photography The importance of accepting failure as part of the learning process How composing small scenes has changed how he composes grand landscapes How to achieve visual flow with your subject, structures, and other compositional elements How...

Episode 65: Today I sit down with professional photographer, writer, editor, and expedition leader and instructor, Justin Black, to chat about: What it was like working with Galen Rowell at Mountain Light Photography and some of the lessons he learned from Galen His vision behind creating Visionary Wild and the various workshop and expedition types they offer The role visual perception plays in how we interpret compositions and how we can use it to creatively and effectively compose our images W...

Episode 63: Today I sit down with professional nature photographer, Alyce Bender , to chat about: Early childhood experiences that led to her passion for photography as a kid How certain skills she learned in the military have helped her with leading photography tours and how photography served as a creative outlet from the rigors of duty Why she continues to visit Japan for photography after having lived there for two years How living a nomadic, RV-based life for about a year helped launch her ...

Episode 61: Today I sit down with Oregon-based landscape photographer and educator, Sean Bagshaw , to chat about: How he transitioned from teaching middle school science to being a full-time landscape photographer and photography educator How he analyzed his own photographs and how that helped to improve his photography early on The importance of connecting with other photographers as part of his growth as a self-taught photographer How to translate what you connect with in the landscape into a ...

Episode 59: Today I sit down with Maine-based landscape and nature photographer, John Putnam , to chat about: How his background in filmmaking led to how he approaches still photography today Documenting nature in an artistic way His decisions around opening a gallery on Mount Desert Island and the pros and cons of having a gallery How he balances his creative work with family life, running the gallery, and leading workshops and photo tours Connecting deeply with an iconic location and finding o...

Episode 57: Today I sit down with California-based professional landscape photographer and educator, Michael Frye , to chat about: His early days working at the Ansel Adams Gallery and who were some of his sources of inspiration What the art and craft of landscape photography means How both light on the landscape and the light from within can evoke emotions and moods in landscape photography The difference between developing your vision as a photographer versus a personal style Creating personal...

Episode 55: Today I sit down with award-winning landscape photographer, Cheyne Walls , to chat about: How his formal training as a photographer learning both film and digital photography shaped his approach to landscape photography Why he uses an ALPA 12 TC camera with a Phase One digital back How to use stitched images to create unique perspectives as well as large printable files Why he uses a light meter to help him with composition What filters he uses to get the exposure he wants in-camera ...

Episode 53: Today I sit down with Iowa-based photographer and educator, Justin Tedford, to chat about: Photography as a side hustle and balancing it with a full-time job and family Using intentional camera movement (ICM) as a creative exercise Structuring and pursuing passion photography projects Using photography to tell stories How to connect with and gain trust with your subjects Using natural light or external light sources to create environmental portraits His ongoing passion projects, incl...

Episode 51: Today I sit down with full-time nature photographer and educator, David Kingham , to chat about: The pros and cons of living as a nomadic nature photographer Returning to in-person workshops post-Covid The benefits of getting outside of your comfort zone How to deal with creative burnout Finding inspiration through doing the work What he connects with in the landscape How to manage a business as an introvert His decision to buy and manage Nature Photographer’s Network Using post-proc...

Episode 49: Today I sit down with California landscape photographer and climber, Claude Fiddler , to chat about: How an early experience on the John Muir Trail laid the foundation for his passion for the mountains and mountaineering How to think about risk assessment and learning how to safely dig deep mentally and physically The photographers and writers who influenced how he approaches photography What makes a photograph a picture rather than just a photo The key element that makes a compositi...

Episode 47: Today I sit down with Arctic specialist and photographer, Talor Stone , and award-winning filmmaker, Ashlei Payne , to chat about: Their individual paths, experiences, and stories that have led them to collaborate on an impactful conservation project in Greenland How to develop a film and photography project from initial inspiration and story idea into reality How science and art can come together to create stories with global impact The details of their forthcoming documentary proje...

Episode 45: Today I sit down with John Barclay, to chat about: His unexpected journey into photography The lasting impact of his mentors, Nancy Rotenberg, Freeman Patterson, and others How to overcome negative self-talk or beliefs about not being creative How his photography workshops and contemplative photography retreats differ and the value of each approach How to create personally expressive images What is meant by contemplative photography The nuanced difference between “taking” images vers...

Episode 43: Today I sit down with photographic artist, educator, author, speaker, and Canon Explorer of Light, Erin Babnik , to chat about: How traveling independently as a small child helped her learn to travel with ease as an adult How she navigated the tumultuous time of losing her new home and all her belongings in a deadly wildfire Her core values that keep her focused, happy, and productive The one thing that inspires her to do landscape photography The photographer’s role in influencing c...

Episode 41: Today I sit down with wildlife and landscape photographer,Juan Pons, to chat about: How the right teacher at the right time inspired his journey into photography How his curiosity and interest in studying wildlife led to becoming a wildlife photographer His approach to teaching and leading photography workshops and why many of his workshops are all-inclusive Why winter is a great season for photographing wildlife The key skills, techniques, and knowledge for making meaningful wildlif...

Episode 39: Welcome to another special episode! This week, I’m thrilled to share with you a guest episode from the So You Want to Be a Photographer Podcast with Gina Milicia , where she interviewed me about my journey from molecular biology to nature photography, ethical landscape photography, whether HDR is overrated, the importance of learning how to read natural light, what portrait photographers can learn from landscape photographers, gear, settings, and more! LINKS MENTIONED: Website: http...

Episode 35: Today I sit down with Pennsylvania-based landscape, nature, and travel photographer and educator, Chrissy Donadi , to chat about: Her unexpected path into photography Balancing the technical and creative aspects of photography Some tips on how to keep Lightroom running efficiently and keeping your catalog organized The challenges and joys of hiking with dogs and children How motherhood has changed the way she sees and connects with the landscape The importance of tinkering when it co...