B&H Photography Podcast

B&H Photo & Video
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B&H Photography Podcast Podcast

Join us each week for a conversation with insightful and entertaining guests. From gear and technique to history, science and art, we discuss the topics most important to the contemporary photographer.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Picturing World Cultures: Naina Helén Jåma – Norwegian Sami

    In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Norwegian photographer Naina Helén Jåma about her documentation of indigenous South Sami culture in Norway and her career as a press photographer in Scandinavia. Jåma details her childhood growing up in the small rural village of Snasa, where, at the age of 15, she began her career while working as a cultural interpreter and archivist at the Saemien Sijte Museum.  From there, Naina takes us on a journey through her fascinating career as a photographer, from her training at the Nordic School of Photography to her work for world-renowned publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Guardian Alongside her journalistic work, Naina maintains a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually. Above photograph © Naina Helén Jåma If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:  www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts Guest: Naina Helén Jåma Episode Timeline: 2:23: Naina’s early childhood and growing up in Snåsa, a small village in Norway with approximately 2,000 inhabitants. 6:14: Naina’s first job and the start of her career, working as a cultural archivist at the Saemien Sijite Museum. 10:44: How photographing handcrafted Sami items became Naina’s thesis while enrolled at the Nordic School of Photography 14:45: Discussing different aspects and signifiers of traditional Sami clothing. 19:40: The eight different seasons of Sami culture. 22:06: Discussing the role and influence of animism and other traditional Sami belief systems. 28:18: Episode Break 29:40: Naina’s go-to kit for cameras and lenses 33:10: Tips for shooting in cold climates and extreme conditions 35:14: Structuring documentation when working as a photojournalist  39:49: Naina’s diverse reportage, from documenting the NATO summit to Sami youth protests due to windmill farms violating traditional reindeer hunting lands. 46:30: What Naina learned from her time working on the other side of the lens as a Director of Photography 49:26: “Man Borrows the Land from Future Generations” 53:06: Naina Helén Jåma answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Naina Helén Jåma is a South Sami photographer and storyteller from Snaasa in Norway, currently based in Oslo. After starting her career at the Saemien Sijte Museum at age 15, where she worked to interpret and preserve South Sami culture. Naina has maintained a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually. Trained at the Nordic School of Photography in Sweden, Naina has worked as both a photojournalist and a photo editor for various Scandinavian newspapers and agencies, as well as major international publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg and The Guardian. Naina is a member of the Sami Artists Association, and in 2020 she received a working grant from the Sami Council. Most recently, she was selected by the Norwegian Journal of Photography as one of nine photographers to work on a two-year heritage project, where she will be photographing and doing in-depth interviews to investigate the evolving legacy of Sami culture. Stay Connected: Naina Helén Jåma Website: https://www.nainahelen.com/ Naina Helén Jåma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nainahelen/  Naina Helén Jåma on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nainahelen.photography/ Naina Helén Jåma on Twitter: https://x.com/nainahelenwj/ Naina Helén Jåma in the Norwegian Journal of Photography: https://njp.no/2024/naina-helen-jama/ Naina Helén Jåma on Blink: https://blink.la/u/nai

    59 min

  2. AUG 29

    Say Less, with Dr. Greg Gulbransen

    In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Long Island-based pediatrician and self-taught photographer Dr. Greg Gulbransen, whose newly released book Say Less documents the three years Gulbransen spent embedded with Malik, the paralyzed leader of a Crips’ set in the Bronx. Gulbransen details his journey from wildlife and fashion photography to documenting the lives of at-risk members of the Bikes Up Guns Down club to his most recent (and most daunting) project: photographing members of a violent street gang. Gulbransen also touches on his years-long campaign to require auto makers to install rear-view cameras in all American-made cars, a personal crusade born of the tragic car accident involving his infant son. Guest: Dr. Greg Gulbransen Top shot © Dr. Greg Gulbransen Episode Timeline: 3:45: Dr. Greg’s early medical training in the Bronx, and his experiences photographing at-risk kids from the Bikes Up Guns Down bike club.  13:26: The start of Dr. Greg’s 3-year project photographing Malik, a gunshot victim and paralyzed leader of a Bronx Crips’ set. 14:55: The complex relationship between Dr. Greg, Malik and his mother, which allowed him to operate in such a potentially dangerous environment.   19:23: Christmas with Malik and his family. 30:57: Dr. Greg talks best practices for administering Narcan, using informants to keep himself safe, and helping Malik stay out of prison. 44:48: Episode Break 45:46: Working with former LIFE magazine editor in chief Bill Shapiro to edit and plan his photo book. 49:22: Obtaining two sets of releases from Malik and other set members for all photos and text to appear in the book. 51:40: Dr. Greg discusses his copious notes while embedded, and details about capturing candid photos of set members and other neighborhood subjects. 54:50: Dr. Greg’s traumatic yet successful campaign requiring the auto industry to install of rear-view cameras in all American cars. Guest Bio: Dr. Greg Gulbransen is a Long Island-based pediatric doctor, who has been making photographs since 2014. Following a tragic car accident involving his son in 2002, Gulbransen successfully campaigned to get the auto industry to install rear-view cameras in American cars. As a result, all new cars in the US must have rear-view cameras, leading to an immeasurable impact on the lives of Americans.  After starting out with wildlife pictures and editorial fashion work, Gulbransen transitioned to documenting the lives of unique individuals with interesting stories in an aim to preserve their legacies through photography. This work is often informed by a drive to highlight issues impacting American society, with a focus on young people.  Over the course of three years, Gulbransen photographed Malik, a set leader of the violent street gang, the Crips. In 2018, Malik was shot and paralyzed by a bullet from a rival gang. As a result, his world now centers around the small Bronx apartment where he’s cared for by family and fellow gang members. This project was recently released by Gost Books as the monograph Say Less, Gulbransen’s first book.  Stay Connected: Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s Website: https://www.gulbransenphoto.com/ Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greggulbransenpeds Word on the Street YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@superwariobro Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s book Say Less: https://gostbooks.com/en-us/products/say-less

    1h 4m
  3. Picturing World Cultures: Tailyr Irvine - Native America

    AUG 8

    Picturing World Cultures: Tailyr Irvine - Native America

    How would you feel if all the coverage you saw about your culture was a superficial view from the outside, rather than a narrative steeped in details of lived experience? Above photograph © Tailyr Irvine This is the motivating force that led today’s guest to pick up a camera, enter the newsroom, and cultivate an insider’s perspective on contemporary Native American life, to expand the scope and enhance the accuracy of stories being told. From exploring quiet moments at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests to a revealing photo project on Blood Quantum, you’ll gain fresh insight into the traumatic history and complex issues affecting Native American people today. Make sure and stay to the end for details about valuable resources like the Indigenous Photograph database and Illuminative’s Guide to Native Representation, as well as to learn about Tailyr’s ongoing work with businesses and organizations, to foster native representation in their projects.  All told, you’ll walk away with a new appreciation for the idea that “Learning your culture is a privilege, and it's not a privilege that everyone gets.” For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, click here.  If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Episode Timeline: 2:04: Tailyr’s early documentation at Standing Rock, and the value of her insider perspective as a Native journalist. 8:19: Distinctions between stereotypical views and a more authentic and diverse representation of Native culture.  12:42: Tailyr’s Reservation Mathematics project and the controversial issue of blood quantum.  21:05: The role of reservations as a center for Native culture and history, and the recent push to revitalize Native traditions. 24:11: The dark history of Native boarding schools and Tailyr’s work in telling stories about past abuses. 29:25: The public response to Tailyr’s Reservation Mathematics story and the challenges to changing this system. 32:30: Episode Break 34:25: Tailyr Irvine’s go-to gear and photojournalistic techniques. 38:21: Documenting tribal powwows to feature individual style rather than reinforce Native stereotypes. 42:56: Rules of etiquette at a powwow, the importance of consent, and questions of picture use.  47:17: Tailyr’s first assignment on the Blackfeet Boxing Club and an ESPN editor’s help to overcome economic barriers to entry.  54:28: Tailyr’s consulting work and building partnerships with businesses and organizations to foster native representation in projects. 1:04:06: Tailyr Irvine answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Tailyr Irvine is a Salish and Kootenai photographer and journalist born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. Her work focuses on providing in-depth representations of the lives and complex issues within the diverse communities that make up Native America. Tailyr is also a co-founder of Indigenous Photograph, a global database dedicated to support the media industry in hiring more Indigenous photographers to tell the stories of their communities and to reflect on how we tell these stories. She is a National Geographic Explorer and frequently contributes to the New York Times and other national outlets.  Stay Connected: Tailyr Irvine Website: https://www.tailyrirvine.com/ Tailyr Irvine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TailyrIrvine/ Tailyr Irvine Twitter: https://x.com/tailyrirvine Tailyr Irvine Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TailyrIrvine/ Tailyr Irvine on National Geographic: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/storytelling-through-photography-tailyr-irvine/ Tailyr Irvine’s Blackfeet Boxing Story: https://indigenousfutures.illuminatives.org/ending-violence/tailyr-irvine Illuminative’s Guide to Native Representation for Entertainment Industry Professionals: http

    1h 9m
  4. Photography in the Age of Synthetic Imaging, with Fred Ritchin

    AUG 1

    Photography in the Age of Synthetic Imaging, with Fred Ritchin

    Where does the medium of photography stand in an era where the latest mantra encourages people to “Skip the Photo Shoot?” How can a viewer continue to trust photographs as evidence in a marketplace where AI is touted as a “revolution,” and “the new digital camera” that we need to embrace? And what methods can a photographer use today to be considered a credible witness with a transparent code of ethics? These are just a few of the points raised in our discussion with renowned writer, photo editor, and educator Fred Ritchin. For more than forty years, Ritchin has kept tabs on the progressive shift from using a camera to record the visible as truth to getting the world to look the way we want it to look. Join us, as we wade through the swampy terrain separating photographic fact from synthetic creation, as part of a wider series tracing the effects of AI on today’s creative community. Bonus invite: In preparation for an upcoming discussion between visual artists and AI instigators Boris Eldagsen and Miles Astray, we’re soliciting listener questions. To get your chance for an on-air shout out, please post a question for our guests to the comments section below or email it to: podcast@bhphoto.com. Guest: Fred Ritchin Top shot: Synthetic image, not a photograph, generated by the artificial intelligence system DALL-E, in response to the text prompt by Fred Ritchin, “An iconic photograph from the year 1945,” 2023. For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photography-in-the-age-of-synthetic-imaging-with-fred-ritchin Stay Connected: Fred Ritchin Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Ritchin Fred Ritchin bio from ICP: https://www.icp.org/users/fredritchin Four Corners Project: https://fourcornersproject.org/ The Fifth Corner https://thefifthcorner.org/ Writing with Light Campaign: https://wwlight.org/ The Synthetic Eye book: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780500297391

    1h 23m

  5. JUL 18

    Sports Action & Image Workflow for the Paris Games, with Maddie Meyer & James Chance

    Sports enthusiasts from around the world will soon be glued to their nearest viewing screen, watching the action unfold during the international Summer Games in Paris.   But how much do you know about the finer points of photographing elite level competition, or about the lightning-fast, high-tech journey these images make from inside a camera to a remote editing workflow, and then onward to be enjoyed by you, the viewer?   In today’s podcast we’ve got the inside track on how these visual delicacies are brought to life and served up to global audiences. Our guests are Getty Images Chief Photographer Maddie Meyer and Managing Editor James Chance, who runs Getty Images’ editing operations in Europe.   We start with Maddie, who details the advance preparations and complex logistics required to ensure the success of 60 Getty Images photographers on the ground in Paris, alongside a sizable amount of remote and robotic gear. In the show’s second half, James describes the impressive synergy between the photographers on site and the massive team of photo editors he’s assembled to work remotely from London and in other locations around the world—a complex infrastructure that’s a first for the agency.   Immerse yourself in the passion for sports and learn what it takes to capture images that set you apart from the pack.   As Maddie Meyer sums up, “That's where the real challenge comes in. And that's where I would say it's really difficult. But that's where knowing the athletes comes in, knowing the way they move, knowing their rituals before they get in the pool, knowing some of the dynamics between the athletes, where you can really kind of pick up on the minutia to try and make something special.” Guests: Maddie Meyer & James Chance Episode Timeline: 3:37: Maddie’s college internship at Getty Images, and her experiences as a woman shooting sports. 8:30: Plans for covering the Paris Games, and details about the Getty Images team. 11:56: Maddie’s aquatics specialty and details about photographer assignments. 16:23: A question of shooting strategy: going for maximum volume vs anticipating more and shooting less. 22:37: Dedicated cameras vs remotes and robotic equipment, plus Maddie’s go-to gear: A Canon R3 mirrorless and 28-70 mm f/2 lens. 28:23: Episode Break  29:35: The synergy and trust between photography and photo editing teams. 33:28: Logistics of staff photographers, remotes, and robotic cameras on the ground to capture the Paris Games  38:28: Details about Getty Images remote photo editing staff in the UK during the Paris games, and their three-stage editing process. 43:33: The technical tools—hardware and software—powering the Getty Images workflow and file management process. 1:00:58: The most important qualities in a Getty Images photo editor. Guest Bios: Maddie Meyer is a chief photographer for Getty Images based in—but not geographically limited to—Boston, Massachusetts. She joined the Getty Images team in January 2015, after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in photojournalism from Ohio University. Maddie’s assignments range from covering New England’s professional sports teams to international travel covering events such as the Men’s and Women’s World Cup, the FINA World Swimming championships and the Olympic Games in Rio and Pyeongchang. Her pictures are continually published in major metropolitan newspapers, magazines, and websites worldwide, including ESPN, the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, among many other media outlets. Equally skilled as a photographer, James Chance began his editing career as a freelancer in London. He currently serves as the managing editor for Getty Images Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He works to train and schedule the editing team, as well as plan editing for major events such as the Women's World Cup in Australia, and the Paris Olympic Games. James helped to create the vision

    1h 9m

  6. JUL 4

    Picturing World Cultures: Pablo Bartholomew—India

    A photographer’s success hinges on access. This is an underlying thread in the tapestry woven in this week’s show. Our discussion covers multiple facets and cultural attributes of Indian society, as seen through the eyes of a photographer with a knack for being in the right place at the right time. In this month’s episode of the series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Indian photographer Pablo Bartholomew about his long career as a documentarian and photojournalist. From his early intimate views of 60s-era hippies launching a counterculture invasion from the West to his photojournalistic coverage of historic events, Bartholomew shares insights about dynamics at work behind the scenes. We also discuss changes to the marketplace for pictures over time, and whether an iconic picture is still able to affect a change in the world. As an antidote to a life chasing the news, Bartholomew embarked on a ten-year documentation of India’s remote Naga tribes. In the show’s second half, he walks us through his background research and the permissions process involved in photographing tribespeople and their customs with professional lighting gear.  There’s also a personal motivation behind Bartholomew’s Naga Project. As a child, he had heard many stories about goodwill the Naga showed his father’s family during their flight from Burma to India during World War II.  “Principally, what I couldn't wrap my head around was that headhunters, they're supposed to be these ferocious people. Why would they let fair game pass through their backyard, to the degree where they would provide food and shelter?” he says. “So, there was in this savage something very kind. And I wanted to find out what the contradiction was.” Tune in today for more on the Naga tribes and other stories from India! If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.    Guest: Pablo Bartholomew Episode Timeline: 2:16: Pablo describes how the caste system functions as a defining aspect of Indian culture. 7:18: The influx of the Western hippy counterculture in India as recorded in Pablo’s earliest pictures. 12:27: Capturing life on the streets of Delhi, Bombay, and Calcutta, a photo essay on Calcutta’s Chinatown, and Pablo’s work with the renowned Indian film director Satyajit Ray. 17:05: The rise of Pablo’s photojournalism career, the dynamics of a photographer’s access, and his iconic images of the tragic gas leak at Bhopal. 29:09: Pablo discusses how the work of a photojournalist has changed in the past 40 years. 32:53: Go-to camera gear, the various cameras Pablo’s used over the years, and his transition from analog to digital. 36:37: Tips for mitigating the heat and humidity of India, plus equipment for image storage and film scanning. 40:10: Episode Break 41:23: Pablo’s long-term project documenting the Naga tribes in Northeast India, his preliminary ethnographic research on the tribes, and gaining permission to photograph with full lighting gear.  51:43: Animist practices within the Naga tribes, and distinctions between tribes within the Naga identity. 1:00:05: Naga rituals it may be too late to photograph, and a memorable festival held by the Konyak tribe. 1:04:09: Pablo’s cross-cultural project documenting economic emigres from India who have resettled in the US, France, England, Madagascar, and Portugal. 1:14:38: Pablo Bartholomew answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire.   Guest Bio: Pablo Bartholomew, a self-taught photographer born in New Delhi in 1955. His father Richard was a noted art critic as well as a photographer, allowing Pablo to learn photography at home at a very young age. In his subsequent career of nearly fifty years, Pablo has documented societies in conflict and transition, while also recording intimate details of his own generation maturing amid a changing India. From 1983 to 2004, his photojournalistic

    1h 22m
  7. Pictures from the Inside: Seeing Fascination Everywhere, with Chantal Zakari & Nigel Poor

    JUN 20

    Pictures from the Inside: Seeing Fascination Everywhere, with Chantal Zakari & Nigel Poor

    Most people’s perception of prison life revolves around sensationalized news stories and Hollywood movies depicting drab, inhospitable environments far outside our reach. In today’s show, we’re challenging that view in a chat with two educators who use photography as a framework for teaching visual literacy and the art of storytelling to incarcerated men. Cameras, computers, and sometimes even books, are prohibited from classrooms inside lock up, which forced our guests to come up with creative workarounds, using the generosity of the photographic medium as a path to engage in dialog with their students. As one of our guests, Nigel Poor, puts it: “With a little bit of ingenuity, there's always a work around to come out with something really beautiful and emotional. And that's one of the pleasures of working in a prison, is that you've got to really rely on your imagination and your ability to hit a road bump and find a way around it.” Don’t miss this inspiring discussion with two artists and educators who successfully adapted their teaching to the prison workaround, then connected with students on a human level, ultimately triggering their capability to “see fascination everywhere.”  Guests: Chantal Zakari & Nigel Poor For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/pictures-from-the-inside-seeing-fascination-everywhere-with-chantal-zakari Top shot courtesy of Nigel Poor and the San Quentin State Prison Museum, with thanks to former Warden Ron Davis and retired Lieutenant Sam Robinson Stay Connected: Chantal Zakari Website: https://www.thecorner.net/chantal-zakari Chantal Zakari Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/show.n.tll/ Chantal Zakari’s Pictures from the Outside book: https://www.thecorner.net/picturesfromtheoutside Tufts University Prison Initiative (TUPIT): https://sites.tufts.edu/tupit/overview/   Nigel Poor Website: https://nigelpoor.com/ Nigel Poor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nigelpoor/ Nigel Poor’s San Quentin Prison Project: https://nigelpoor.com/project/san-quentin/ Nigel Poor’s San Quentin Prison Project book: https://aperture.org/books/the-san-quentin-project/ Ear Hustle Podcast website: https://www.earhustlesq.com/ This is Ear Hustle book: https://sites.prh.com/thisisearhustle Mount Tamalpais College: https://www.mttamcollege.edu/

    1h 24m
  8. Picturing World Cultures: Juan Brenner - Guatemala

    JUN 6

    Picturing World Cultures: Juan Brenner - Guatemala

    Documenting a culture can be a daunting process, especially when it involves a history of conquest and colonialism. Synthesizing such a complex and traumatic past in a contemporary narrative is a formidable task, requiring extensive researchh and dedicated planning. This is the back story to today’s podcast. Above photograph © Juan Brenner For the seventh chapter in our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Guatemalan photographer Juan Brenner about his recent projects in the country’s Western Highlands. Our chat begins with Brenner’s introduction to photography as a youth, and the protective bubble surrounding him during the country’s brutal civil war. He left Guatemala at age 20 to forge a career as a fashion photographer in New York, which filters into our discussions about portraiture and photo gear. But our primary focus is on Brenner’s recent personal projects, created after his return to Guatemala, and an epiphany he had about the idea of “Indigenous Power.” Listen in as he describes how this concept was subsequently called into question. You’ll gain insight into the unequal power quotient that comes with being a “Mickey Mouse” photographer and discover how critical aspects of communication extend well beyond the basic structure of language. As Brenner notes during our chat, “You have to be really careful just being a photographer. It's so colonialist, you know, having a camera. You have this big robot that you stick in people's faces. You have this advantage. And, for me, it's really important to think about that a lot.” If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Juan Brenner For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-juan-brenner-guatemala Stay Connected: Juan Brenner Website: https://www.juanbrenner.com Juan Brenner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juan_brenner Juan Brenner Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JuanBrenner5/ Artist talk with Juan Brenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPiwQXWUMJ8&t=40s Juan Brenner’s book Tonatiuh: https://editorialrm.com/en/producto/tonatiuh/

    1h 13m
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About

Join us each week for a conversation with insightful and entertaining guests. From gear and technique to history, science and art, we discuss the topics most important to the contemporary photographer.

Information

  • Creator
    B&H Photo & Video
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2024
  • Episodes
    403
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © B&H Photo & Video
  • Show Website
    B&H Photography Podcast

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