If you’re any kind of fimmaker who uses the web as a means to share your work, you have heard of Vimeo. It is one of the most popular video sharing sites on the web with over 2 million users. It has gained a reputation of being the place for filmmakers to post their work and get great feedback and build community. Today we have as a guest the man who heads up that community, Blake Whitman. Blake shares with us his background as a filmmaker and how he got involved with Vimeo. Learn the ins and outs of this terrific resource (including the meaning of the name). But we also go in depth about the Vimeo co-sponsored film contest “Beyond the Still.” This is a contest dreamed up by Vincent Laforet and created by Canon. It’s one of the most unique film contests I’ve seen. Blake tells us how it got started, the benefits for participating, and where it’s going. This episode also starts a series we’ll be doing on the show where we’ll interview the contest winners as they are announced. And hopefully we’ll get some of the amazing judges on here too. Stay tuned each week!

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Blake Whitman on “Crossing the 180″

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A few weeks ago on episode 5 we interviewed international wedding filmmaker Kevin Shahinian of Pacific Pictures. Kevin has become world renown for his amazing wedding concept films. The production values of his last one, “Sno” looked like a Paul Greengrass thriller. At the time of the recording of this first interview with Kevin, he was on the verge of traveling to India to shoot his most ambitious project to date: a scripted concept film shot concurrently with the live events of the Indian wedding. His plan was to weave the concept story into the wedding so that it’s one seamless story. In this follow up interview find out why Kevin called this shoot a “production of daily disasters.” And why when it was all over, he wondered whether or not he even had enough to make the film. Shot with 7 HD DSLRs (five 5D Mark IIs and two pre-production Canon 7Ds) and one EX1, the logistics alone were a nightmare to manage. Find out how they did it all. You do NOT want to miss this episode!

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Kevin Shahinian on “Crossing the 180″

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Check out the preludes to Kevin’s trailer at Cinevate’s site.

Listen to today’s episode to get the 411 on what’s going on. But this is the pen-ultimate new episode of F-Stop Beyond. Help me find who will be the guest on the last new episode of the show, the series finale. Below is a poll of suggested guests who I’ve either thought about or who other people have mentioned. Or, if you have another suggestion, write their name in. In the meantime, give us some love and share with us some of your favorite FSB moments, or any comments about what you’ve loved about the show. Stay tuned to my Twitter feed (twitter.com/rondawson) for future update.

Today marks the start of the annual Thirst Relief auction where some of the world’s top professional photographers auction off valuable one-on-one consultation and advice to raise money for a worthy cause. Almost two years ago I interviewed the founder of ThirstRelief, Jim Davis-Hicks. Listen to that interview again and learn how it all got started.

Also, I’m pleased to announce that I am also throwing my name into the hat. If you need help on branding, sales, marketing, social media, or if you want some help getting into filmmaking with HD DSLRs, you can bid on my services as well. Go to thirstrelief.shootq.com to see all the amazing talent giving to this cause. Special thanks to ShootQ for being a co-sponsor of the auction.

The most important talent a visual artist can develop is his or her creativity. It is arguably the essence of any visual artist. So it is with great pleasure that I have as my guests today wedding and portrait photographers Will Jacks of Cleveland, MI and Chris Williams out of the Superbowl-winning New Orleans, LA. These two have embarked upon a rather unique venture. In an industry inundated with workshops, they have started a new one. But this is not a photography workshop. It’s not a filmmakers workshop. It’s a creativity workshop called REBIRTH. When I heard about it and saw what they were doing, I just knew I had to get them on the show. They first tell us a little bit about their respective histories. Will actually started out in the movie industry but was not too fond of the process. He even taught 7th and 8th grade English. Chris thought he’d be a drummer in a band, but hated that life. He fell in love with photography and grew a prominent wedding photography business.

Will describes the workshop more as a retreat. It’s job is not to teach you anything specifically, but is instead designed to help you enhance the creativity that’s already inside of you. You won’t learn how to use a Pocket Wizard, but instead creative ways on finding light. And although there will be a few classes specifically geared towards photography (including a session shooting with film), the bulk of the sessions will be applicable to any visual artist: filmmaker, photographer, or painter. This is a discussion about creativity and how you can boost it and how you can stay passionate about your art.

The workshop is March 30 to April 2 in Will’s hometown. Learn more at rebirthworkshops.com.

Bumper music for this show is “Close to You” by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated. Also, leave a comment about the show in iTunes.

Will Jacks and Chris Williams on F-Stop Beyond

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Imagine sitting in an office getting ready to sign a contract for a corporate video gig when in casual conversation it comes up that you also happen to shoot weddings. Upon hearing that news, the client says, “Oh.. weddings? Really?” And kindly asks you to leave. Well, that’s pretty much what happened to today’s guest. Ryan Bodie of Studio 26 Productions is a filmmaker who is shooting music videos, feature films, live events, large corporate jobs and he happens to shoot weddings. We’re in a series interviewing filmmakers who have gotten their start in wedding filmmaking or are still in it doing amazing things. Ryan shares with us how he got his start. Getting accepted at NYU but instead taking an opportunity of a life time to work for an Emmy-Award winning producer. Working at ABC and Time Warner as a video journalist and cutting on an Avid. He then started shooting weddings on the side and within two years started making more money there than his gig at Time Warner. As we wedding business blossomed, he branched out into corporate work and live events. Then he got an idea for family film about a wandering hobo named Click-Clack Jack. Ryan tells us about the process  of shooting that film. There is so much to learn from Ryan. Are you ready?

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Ryan Bodie on “Crossing the 180″

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Sports Illustrated photographer and music video director Bill Frakes is a busy, busy man. I had a very slim sliver of a window to grab this interview with him, and I think you’ll be so happy I did. Bill is a photographer’s photographer. He has a deep passion for the art and a profound respect for what it takes to be good. Bill shares with us stories from his early days at the Miami Herald to his current work with Sports Illustrated and his multimedia company Straw Hat Visuals. (I love the story he tells of his very first Hawkeye camera at the age of 7. Are you old enough to remember revolving flashbulb cubes?) He also gives his insight into the world of HD DSLRs (he just finished shooting a music video in Scandinavia using ten of them!) And if you’ve ever wanted to know how to keep your passion alive and creativity fresh, you’ll love his take that topic too. How does one stay inspired doing work they love the most, and make a living at it. Lastly, be sure to check out his multimedia inspirational story about Missy.

Bumper music for this show is “Close to You” by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated. Also, leave a comment about the show in iTunes.

Bill Frakes on F-Stop Beyond

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Today starts a series of episodes where I will highlight filmmakers who just happen to have got their start (or are still in) wedding and event filmmaking. Toss out any preconceived notions you may have about what you think wedding videos may be. Starting with today’s guest, you’ll quickly learn that some of the most talented young filmmakers in the world today just happen to shoot weddings and similar events.

Kevin Shahinian dreamed about making movies. He was a student at USC’s film school and desired to get into their prestigious Production Program (that only accepted 5-10 applicants per semester). When he wasn’t accepted, he resorted to going above and beyond in his production class and created films that were over the top. Little did he know that his professor in that class was on the acceptance committee for the Production Program and Kevin’s tenacity and hard work got him in. After film school he did a couple of short stints at uber-agent house CAA as well as a Jim “King of the World”  Cameron’s Lightstorm. But neither of these jobs fulfilled his passion of actually making films. Eventually he decided to pursue shooting weddings. Having so many friends in “Hollywood,” Kevin was embarrassed at first to even put his name on his website or blog. All that’s changed now. With the name he’s made for himself worldwide based on the Bollywood style concept films, and most recently his “Bourne Identity-looking love story “Sno,” Kevin has proudly gone forth to proclaim both the artistry and the viability of making these kind of films.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the “TRUE ROMANCE” collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Kevin Shahinian on “Crossing the 180″

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Here’s the film “Sno” mentioned in the episode:

Megan + Narbeh’s Sweden Thriller Concept “Snow” from PACIFIC PICTURES on Vimeo.

The trailer for Kevin’s Bollywood concept film “The Heart Knows”

(Teaser) Anuja + Nirav’s Bollywood Concept “Dil Jaanta Hai (The Heart Knows)” from PACIFIC PICTURES on Vimeo.

If you’re familiar with my show, you know that my interest is not just in interviewing the photo celebrities the whole world knows about. Of course I know that probably no one would listen to this show if I didn’t interview those photo superstars. But, every now and then I love to have on the show a person who has the true heart of a photographer and has an intriguing story to tell. Whether it’s breast cancer survivor Deborah D. Lattimore, blind photographer Alex de Jong, or today’s guest

Joe Wigfall was the WNYC Street Shots Challenge winner, a contest where every day people who take photos of people and places in NY were asked to submit their best photos. Joe wasn’t typically interested in contests, but he had grown quite a following on Flickr and his comrades their strongly encouraged him to enter. To his shock, he won! I learned about Joe from one of my Twitter followers who tweeted me to check him out. I’m so glad I did. Joe’s charming personality and outlook on life are so infectious. He talks about how he does his “shoot from the hip” photography, his philosophy on being a photographer and artist, what it was like growing up in Harlem, and he of course tells us about his experience with the WNYC contest. I guarantee that this part-time pastor, full time legal assistant, and all-the-time photographer will inspire you.

Bumper music for this show is “Close to You” by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Here’s the short WNYC video segment about Joe:

Joe Wigfall on F-Stop Beyond

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I am very excited to have today’s episode finally air. It’s an interview with one of the most talented (and giving) young filmmakers I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. Brandon McCormick is the founder and owner of Whitestone Motion Pictures of Lawrenceville, GA (in the Atlanta Metro). He has one of the most amazing stories about how he got into the business, what he’s doing now, and what his dreams are for the future. He and his crew are doing feature film quality work, including shooting with the coveted Sony Cine Alta camera (yeah, that same camera George Lucas used to shoot the Star Wars prequels). Brandon has no formal film school training, but has an eye for story and directing that has made him known nationwide.  His films have production values that will blow your way, including full blown musical scores. You’ll learn how he came very close to heading out to La La land to follow his Hollywood dream, but then was given an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Brandon talks about Whitestone’s production process, how he found his terrific team, his feelings about film contests and his experience with them, the importance of story, and he gives his own take on today’s Christian themed cinema. If you have dreams about becoming a filmmaker, Brandon’s story will inspire and encourage you.

If you like this show, as well as the other shows provided on the F-Stop Beyond experience, please consider giving a donation.

Brandon McCormick on “Crossing the 180″

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Here’s the film “That’s Magic” that was mentioned in the episode.

That’s Magic! from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

Here’s “Awake O’Sleeper”

Awake O’Sleeper from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

Every year online studio management software producer ShootQ offers a $10,000 grant to a wedding photographer who is interested in doing a special photojournalist project. Last year’s winner is today’s guest. Annie O’Neill was a traditional editorial photojournalist for the better part of two decades. As many in that field are now want to do, she made the cross-over to wedding and portrait work. Annie’s story is quite an interesting one. She’s a twin sister, ninth of ten kids, from an Irish Catholic family on Long Island. She shares with us her stories growing up and making the trek into photography. She then shares with us about the subject for which she won the grant: military post traumatic stress syndrome as it specifically relates to sexual abuse.  Annie gives us a no holds barred interview that you won’t want to miss.

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at fstopbeyond.tv and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/fstopbeyond.

Bumper music for this show is “Close to You” by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

Annie O’Neill on F-Stop Beyond.

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Next week we have the WNYC Street Shots winner Joe Wigfall.

If you are a fan of the Star Wars site or are an avid follower of the goings on in the HD DSLR world, then you know our guest well. In fact, when you consider he has nearly 8,000 followers on Twitter, he is easily one of the most social media savvy cinematographers in the world. Internationally renown DP and cameraman Philip Bloom has been on a roll lately. From his guest appearances (twice now) on the Zacuto produced show FilmFellas, to the co-host gig of the other Zacuto show Critics, to his latest piece de resistance, the Skywalker Ranch video. However, months before he was invited to by team Lucas to shoot at Skywalker Ranch, I had the opportunity to meet with and interview Philip at the annual WEVA Expo. Philip has promised to come back shortly to give us an update on his life since Skywalker. But in the meantime, this is a great interview where Philip tellsďż˝ how he got into the biz, the development of his career over the past 20 years, and how and why he uses social media and Twitter in his business. We also talk about HD DSLRs, their impact on the industry, what it takes to make a “film” look, and we discuss the downsides of heavy social media activity, “trolls.” This is a must-listen episode! To learn more about creating the film look, be sure to check out Philip’s website fstopacademy.com.

Please take this Poll

I’m helping Philip come up with a new name for his Canon 5D training video (listen to interview to understand this context). The name I came up with was “Bloom in 5D.” Tell us what you think.

Support Crossing the 180 and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That�s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the �Donate Now� button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

Philip Bloom

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In this episode Mike continues his discussion on some of his favorite pics, how he took them and the stories behind them.

Support FSB and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

Matt is one of those photographers who has seen and photographed just about it all. Celebrities. Big sporting events. Poverty. War. Lavish weddings. From his days working at the college paper (he was an English major that failed Chaucer four times), to his days as a photojournalist at USA Today and United Press International, to his current role as a high society wedding photographer. Matt has over two decades of stories to share. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough time to go over ALL his stories. So in today’s riveting episode, after learning about his history and foray into the industry, he shares with us some of the stories behind a few of his favorite photos. Shooting Nicole Kidman (he had exactly 10 minutes!) Getting his job put into perspective by Chris Rock. Capturing five living US presidents (from both sides of the party line) in one shot. Reflecting on the moment right before Yitzhak Rabin shook the hand of Yasser Arafat with Bill Clinton. And the shot the made Neil Leifer (one of the greatest sports photographers of all time) comment, “That’s a helluva picture kid!” This episode is quite a gem!

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at fstopbeyond.tv and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/fstopbeyond.

Bumper music for this show is “Close to You” by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT FSB AND GET A GREAT  THANK YOU GIFT

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

Matt Mendelsohn.

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Next week we have ShootQ Grant winner Annie O’Neill.

Today’s guest is a testament to hard work and dedication with regards to pursuing a career in filmmaking. From his youth growing up on a farm, to his college years at Emerson where he graduated magnum cum laude, Shane Hurlbut knows what it means to work hard. Perhaps his best known project to date was the big-budget McG directed Terminator: Salvation which came out last summer. But his career has included work with famed photographer/director Herb Ritz (for whom he did lighting on some of Herb’s biggest fashion shoots), as well as being the cinematographer on music videos for Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, and other grunge rock groups. In this episode Shane shares with us how his career has progressed from the early days working on Phantasm, to his latest projects using Canon’s 5D Mark II to shoot a feature film. A very inspirational interview that will get you pumped.

He also give us great insight into using both the 5D and the 7D with motion picture caliber lenses. Good stuff man!

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the “TRUE ROMANCE” collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at Crossingthe180.com and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/crossingthe180. Be sure to tune in next week to hear our interview with international DP and HD DSLR guru Philip Bloom.

Support Crossing the 180 and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

And now, on with the show.

Download MP3 | Subscribe in iTunes | Shane Hurlbut

Today’s guest came highly recommended from past guest Gabrielle Geiselman. Drew Gardner is a world renown photographer out of the United Kingdom who’s been in the business for three decades this year. He is respected by the best in the business and has a great story. He quit high school at 15-1/2 and began working as a pro at 16. He is completely self-taught. In this interview Drew talks about his history, what it was like as a young boy hearing stories about raids on Londoon during WWII from his grand parents, his relationship with his parents and how that has affected his photography, and the relationship with his own daughter. He also talks about what he feels is the future of the industry: the HD DSLR revolution.

You can keep up to date with Drew and his work on is blog:  www.thedarkart.com.

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at fstopbeyond.tv and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/fstopbeyond.

Bumper music for this show is “Close to You” by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, part of the “TRUE ROMANCE” collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT FSB AND GET A GREATďż˝ THANK YOU GIFT

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

And now, on with the show.

Download MP3 | Subscribe in iTunes | Drew Gardner

Next week we have photojournalist turned wedding photographer Matt Mendelsohn.

This is the second of four remaining “forgotten episodes” of our live interview with Mike from Brooks Institute Fall 2008. In this episode Mike starts to talk about his images and the one in particular that helped his career break out. He mentions the importance of capturing images that connect with and relate to your target audience. Mike also gives us insight into shooting and dealing with celebrity weddings.

You can catch this and all other episodes online at fstopbeyond.tv. And be sure to follow us Twitter at twitter.com/fstopbeyond.

Support FSB and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

Today in our inaugural episode we have X-Men producer Ralph Winter. Ralph, who happens to be a fellow Cal alum (go Bears) will share with us the history of his career, whether or not it’s easier or harder to break into Hollywood, his opinion about what’s wrong with contemporary Christian filmmaking, and he gives insight into the recent announcement of Disney’s offer to buy Marvel. We also have an insightful talk about whether one can separate an artist from his art, i.e. is it okay to like Woody Allen movies despite Woody’s questionable life choices. It’s an informative and thought-provoking conversation and a great kick-off for a new show.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the “TRUE ROMANCE” collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at Crossingthe180.com and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/crossingthe180. Be sure to tune in next week to hear our interview with the DP for Terminator: Salvation, Shane Hurlbut.

Support Crossing the 180 and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

And now, on with the show.

Download MP3 | Subscribe in iTunes |

Seems like every industry has those young wunderkinds that accomplish more in just a few years at a young age that many professionals do their entire lives. Today’s guest is Joey Lawrence. No, not the 80s teen heart throb, but the young pro photographer from Canada made famous for his work shooting the “Twilight” movie poster. As of the taping of this interview, the dude had just turned 20 a week earlier. In this engaging interview we get up close and personal with Joey. He shares with us how he got into photography, what he likes to shoot and why, how we got into pro photography, and he shares some stories about his travels to Africa that may make you cringe. (NOTE: due to the graphic nature of one of his stories, parental guidance is suggested). He also chimes in on his feelings about using tools like Photoshop. This interview will either inspire you, or piss you off that he’s done so much at a young age. Hopefully, it’ll be the former.

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at fstopbeyond.tv and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/fstopbeyond.

Bumper music for this show is “Close to You” by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, part of the “TRUE ROMANCE” collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

SUPPORT FSB AND GET A GREAT  THANK YOU GIFT

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

And now, on with the show.

Download MP3 | Subscribe in iTunes |

Support FSB and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

The newest creation from FSB host/creator Ron Dawson, this is to filmmakers what F-Stop Beyond is to photographers. Since Ron is a filmmaker himself, he could no longer fight the urge to have the same kind of in-depth, poignant and personal conversations with professionals in his industry. And like FSB, guests run the gamut from the obvious to the obscure. Established professionals in Hollywood like X-Men producer Ralph Winter, or Terminator: Salvation DP Shane Hurlbut; to social media juggernauts like international cinematographer and HD DSLR guru Philip Bloom; to amazing short film filmmakers like fellow Atlanta local Brandon McCormick of Whitestone Motion Pictures; and even wedding and event filmmakers like wunderkind and USC film grad Kevin Shahinian. Many more are already in the can and/or in the works.

In the future we hope to bring you more exciting, informative, and insightful programming. If you have suggestions for guests on any of the shows, feel free to email ron@crossingthe180.com and tell us who, what show, and why. Be sure to include links to any websites that will help us learn more about the person.

Tune in every other Friday, starting this Friday, Jan 1, 2010. Along with the new FSB website. Don’t miss it!

I’m still getting a few e-mails here and there about the FREE 2010 WPPI registration for people who posted any of the Longest Day videos earlier this year to their blogs. There is no automatic registration. You must contact WPPI with the same email you used to fill out the form. Tell them you filled out the form then they can check your email against the record of forms submitted. For good measure, include in your email the link to the blog post with the Longest Day video.

Sorry for any inconvenience. This may seem like a little extra work, but well worth saving a few hundred bucks.

What would you do as a visual artist if you lost the ability to see? How would that affect your life? There often comes a time in a person’s life when he or she is faced with a decision that can have a profound impact on the rest of their life. When life, in all of its ebbs and flows, throws a curve ball you didn’t see coming. Today’s guest had TWO such curve balls. First, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Then, as a result of that tumor, he lost his eye sight. Alex de Jong is a symbol of how far the human spirit can go when given the right perspective. Alex will share with us how he got into photography, and how he copes with his physical condition. I hope you will be inspired by his tenacity and outlook on life. To find more inspiring photographers who are blind, visit blindphotographers.org.

Next week we’ll be on Christmas break and will most likely run a previous show. Then, on January 1, we kick off the year big. It’ll be our 100th episode and the launch of a brand new website (hopefully it’ll be completed by then). And our guest will be none other than that Canon rapping, “Twilight” taking, wunderkind photographer Joey Lawrence (aka Joey L).

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We’re in the process of making changes to the show to make it more reliable and stable. So, I want to get an idea how most of  you are listening to the show. Please take 2 seconds to answer this poll for me. We’re really excited about what’s coming down the pike!

WARNING: Listening to this episode of the show could cause you to pee in your pants from sheer laughter. Besides being extremely talented photojournalistic wedding photographers, today’s guests, Pepper Nix and Mitch Burt, are a riot. They really could take their act on the road. Except, it’s not an act. They are genuinely easy going and very, very funny. They are great examples of how not to take life too seriously.  Today they each talk about how they got into professional photography. Mitch by way of USCs film school then a switch to a neurobiology graduate course. Pepper is a proud art school college drop out. (Her photography professors told her she didn’t have what it took to make it as a professional photographer. Now she’s internationally renown, award-winning wedding photographer who’s shot celebrity weddings.)

They also share with us how they got hitched and what it’s like being in business together, then becoming “friendly” competitors. This is an interview that will greatly entertain and inspire you. You’ll also learn tips on how to keep your 2-year-old from getting pink-eye.

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Next week I speak with Alex de Jong from the Netherlands. You may not have heard of him, but after this interview, I guarantee you’ll be inspired by him. The story of a terminally ill and blind photographer and how he hasn’t let his blindness prevent him from creating his art.

Earlier this year we had an amazing interview with Nashville, TN commercial photographer Jeremy Cowart. Today I asked Jeremy back on the show to tell us about a terrific worldwide movement he’s started called Help-Portrait. Help-Portrait is a project where on December 12 of this year, photographers all over the world will find people in need, take their picture, and give those people the print. It is an opportunity for you to use your craft to love on somebody. To make them feel beautiful. To give them a sense of dignity. Jeremy shares with us how and why he came up with the idea, and he also talks about the controversy that surrounded the project when it first started. We hear some inspiring stories about the project, some behind the scenes info about the promo video (see below), and Jeremy tells us how you can get involved in your local community.

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Here is the current Help-Portrait promo.

Next week we have an hilarious interview with wedding photojournalists husband and wife team (and friendly competitors) Pepper Nix and Mitch Burt. Don’t miss it.

A few months ago I get this email from a photographer saying how much she loves the show and that she thinks she’d have a lot of cool things to contribute. I frequently get guest suggestions, but honestly, I don’t tend to give that much weight to people who suggest themselves. But, I took a look at her website and saw her clientele. Rob Zombie. Marilyn Manson. Alice Cooper. Marshall Amplifiers. And other major rock bands. My first thought was “Wow, I’m honored someone who’s been involved with such major bands is that interested in my little show.” But, to be honest, my NEXT thought was, “Do I really want the photographer for Marilyn Manson on my show?” Anyone who knows me well knows I’m more of a David Crowder, Mercy Me, and Fee Band kind of guy. But then I had a third thought, “F-Stop Beyond is about interviewing ALL kinds of photographers, from all walks of life. Let’s do it.” So I wrote her back, invited her to be on the show, and she gladly accepted. I’m so glad I did.

Today’s guest is a real “rock star” photographer. Not only because of her clientele, but because her work does indeed “rock”. Gabrielle Geiselman started her career at the tender age of 12 when she would sneak into L.A. rock clubs and take photos of bands during the early 80s. Yes, I said age 12 (as she puts it, she didn’t, ahem, look 12). Music has always been an important part of her life, so it’s only natural she’d gravitate to taking photos of rock bands. Gabrielle shares all kinds of terrific insights like: how to get good exposures in a dark rock club (answer: become good friends with the lighting designer); why you should shoot with a 50mm 1.4 for a year; what it’s like traveling on the road on a bus with a band when you’re the only girl; surviving and thriving in two male-dominated industries (photography and music) withOUT sleeping to the top; whether or not the personas portrayed by her clients are just for show, or if they are like that in real life; and so much more.

This is another one of those great conversations that I didn’t want to end. I have to admit that I had judged what I thought Gabrielle would be like based on her clientele. Thank you Gabrielle for reminding me that you never know what you’ll find inside an individual until you have the courage to look inside. That’s what this show is all about. It was such a pleasure having you on.

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Tune in next week for another brand new episode.

Every now and then I get a show where the conversation flows so naturally and is so engrossing, I lose track of time and don’t want to stop. Today’s interview with Anna Kuperberg was such an interview (thus the hour+ long episode). But, don’t let the length scare you. I have no doubt you’ll savor every second of this wonderful interview, in fact, you’ll probably be wanting more.

Anna covers the whole gamut. Born to Polish parents (it was her first language) who emigrated to Houston, TX, then moved to Auburn, AL when she was very young. Eventually moving to the St. Louis, MO area where she attended college. Anna was voted this year by American Photo as one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world, and is by far one of the most successful photographers in the San Francisca Bay Area. Anna talks about what it was like getting a degree in photography but not learning the business side. (That was something she had to learn on her own, which she’s glad she did). We have a wonderful discussion about improvisational jazz as an analogy for photography, which leads to a fun tangent about my stint as a swing dancer (don’t worry, I tie it back into the interview quite nicely). We talk about living in the south, why immigrants make terrific photographers, how she improves her craft, using social media effectively, how the switch to digital has affected her work and business, and her take on the use of Photoshop and other such tools. (You may be surprised at the information she shares). From the funny anecdotes to the insightful advice, this is an interview that will inspire you.

Next week we have a Thanksgiving Day special. Another thoroughly engrossing conversation with a real “rock star” photographer, Gabrielle Geiselman, photographer for such groups as Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, and Marilyn Manson. You definitely do not want to miss what Gabrielle has to say.

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We’re back from our month-long hiatus. And I’m really excited about the lineup we have over the next few weeks. Today’s guest got a D- in his high school photography class because he didn’t take the kind of pictures he was supposed. He took the pictures he wanted to take. Ever since then, L.A. fashion and commercial photographer Jason Christopher has been a rebel. After working as a stand-in in Hollywood and being amazed with the lighting set up, he decided to quite to pursue photography. It was very hard at first. He even went through a time where his utilities were turned off. But he didn’t want to ask his parents, so he hit the streets, going to modeling agencies, doing head shots, etc. He then got the opportunity to work under celebrity photographer Jerry Avenaim and things took off. In this episode, Jason talks about the importance of knowing business, the difference between the industry now and how it was back in the film days and now, the importance of knowing the greats, and the value of sharing.

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Next week we have celebrated San Francisco wedding photographer Anna Kuperberg. Don’t miss this one folks!

Continuing with the Breast Cancer Awareness Month theme, how could I not re-run my interview from earlier this year with Flickr sensation and double mastectomy survivor, Deborah D. Lattimore. Deborah has built up quite a following on Flickr and has used this community and her photography to cope with her cancer and inspire others.

In case you’re wondering, new episodes of FSB will start up again in November. We’ve got some great interviews in “the can,” including one with L.A. fashion photog Jason Christopher and SF Bay Area wedding pro Anna Kuperberg.

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A year and a half ago I had the honor to interview Emilie Sommer, photojournalist turned wedding photographer. As someone who has had loved ones touched by breast cancer, Emilie feels very passionate about the topic. So, since this is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought it would be great to pull this interview out of the archives. Recorded live at WPPI 2008, this was one of those gems of an interview that’ll make you laugh and cry. From her experiences on the road with US presidents, to her unhappy encounter with Oprah, you’ll be amazed at the experiences this young lady has had: all before the age of thirty (at the time). Enjoy!

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A quick note about the interruptions. Since we were at WPPI, we were frequently interrupted by passersby. A kept a few of the interruptions in the interview for comic relief.

Sorry this week’s show is late. Last Thursday and Friday I attended a terrific leadership conference called Catalyst. One of the causes supported by the organizers of the conference is the plight of orphaned children throughout the world. Some of the stories I saw moved me.  So, I’m inspired to re-run an interview I did with Orange County photographer Annette Biggers of Triple Cord Photography. In this interview from June of 2008, Annette shares how she got into photography, why she gives away 90% of her income from photography, and the story behind her family’s adoption of two at-risk youth. Be inspired.

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Be sure to visit Annette’s personal cause, Heart 4 Africa, dedicated to helping orphaned children in Africa.

A growing trend I’m seeing in the world of professional photography are photographers branching out their businesses to offer products and/or services to fellow photogs. Everything from camera bags and CF card holders to social media network sites have been started by pro photogs. Well. there’s a new player in the game who has a product she hopes will take the photo world “by storm.” Candice Cunningham is a successful wedding and portrait photographer who was literally tired of lugging around her cameras on two separate autonomous straps. So, with necessity being the mother of invention, she created the Camera Slinger. A single, dual-strapped device that allows the photographer to easily carry two bodies, with the weight being evenly distributed across the back. Simple and ingenious. Today we get to learn how Candice started this later endeavor.

But not before we learn about her personal and professional journey. From the challenges or starting her business, to her personal triumph over obesity and dealing with self-esteem issues. Candice shares with us how important it is for you to find what it is holding you back in life, and change it. Own up to that part you play, then change.

We top it off with how in the world she came up with perhaps her craziest idea to date. To photograph a bride and groom…in front of a live tornado, then film a reality TV show about the process. It’s called, “Romancing the Storm“. With celebrity wedding photographer Robert Evans as her partner, they went on a wild and wacky adventure. Today we get to hear about how it almost didn’t happen.

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Next week we have L.A. based fashion and commercial photographer Jason Christopher.

If you’ve been in the wedding and portrait business for any amount of time, you know that Australia seems to have an abundance of the world’s greatest wedding photogs. Every year at WPPI the Aussies seem to steal the show. Today we have one of the brightest stars from down under, the one…the only…Jerry Ghionis. After months of trying to hook up with Jerry to get him on the show, we finally were able to meet up at this past Skip’s Summer School.

In today’s show we learn how Jerry got into the biz. How he worked for another photographer, without pay, when he started. He realized that the value of the education was worth it. Believe or not, this multi award-winning, internationally renown photographer started his career…carrying bags. He then shares with us about his philosophy on finding the best light over finding the best location; how and why he gets his brides to pose during the wedding day in order to accentuate their beauty; the reason for the opulence of his style and studio; he tells us where he gets his inspiration; and he even gives us insight as to why Aussies seem to win so many awards. We learn why Jerry not only is such a phenomenal photographer, but why he’s also such a giving human being.

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Next week, “Romancing the Storm” photographer Candice Cunningham tells us why she was crazy enough to shoot an engagement session on the heels of a real tornado.

What do you get when you cross a brainiac, with a cheerleader and a photographer. You get the one and only Jen Basford of 3 Girls Photography. Don’t let her barefoot, bouncy, and bubbly personality fool you. This MBA was once ranked #5 in her state in math and worked as a technical consultant at Accenture before starting her portrait photography studio. The meteoric success of her 3-4 year old studio is a clear testament to her marketing smarts and business acumen. In this episode, Jen shares with us her take on what makes a photographer a professional? Which she believes is more important, the photography or the business side? What it was like growing up as an only child and how that influences her as a mom of, you guessed it, three girls. She also shares why she absolutely will not do weddings. Jen has a vibrant outlook on life and an infectious spirit that will keep you smiling throughout the entire interview.

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Our next episode guest will be the internationally celebrated and muli award-winning, self-professed metro-sexual wedding photog superstar himself, Jerry Ghionis.

You may notice that the last name of today’s guest matches my own. I admit it. Today’s episode is nepotism at it’s best. But, there’s a very legitimate and exciting reason I wanted to have my beloved wife on the show today. Her story and journey is one I am confident many of you will find inspiring: from being a single mom for seven years, to writing her first novel, publishing her first book, working for Apple Computer, becoming the creative director for my company, and ultimately, forming her latest career endeavor, Teen Identity Portraits. But, most recently she’s initiated a movement that in just the past two days has really caught fire. Bolstered by the encouragement and sage advice of veteran photographer Scott Bourne, Tasra has initiated the tasra365.com challenge. There are many year-long or “365″ challenges out there related to photography. This one is sort of special, and the huge surge in the people joining is proof positive it’s struck a chord. Learn about how it all came about, then head on over to tasra365.com, click the “Join me” button, and tag along for the ride.

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Next week we’ll bring you the bouncy, bubbly, and incredibly brainy Jen Basford of 3 Girls Photography.

Here’s part 2 of the interview with did with Jesh de Rox that originally aired almost two years ago. It still remains one of my favorites. As I continue my conversation with Jesh, he shares with us his thoughts on whether it’s possible to teach a person to have the sense of child-like freedom that allows them to the see the world in a different light. I particularly like his insight on a person’s individualism. That the people who make the most impact on the world, people like Einstein or Picasso, are those people who are most true to themselves. We’ve become a world so into routine, we don’t stop to say why are we doing this. Do you find your photography is like that? I guarantee you’ll walk away from this episode with a whole new outlook on life.

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Today’s re-run is part 1 of an interview I did with “Young Gun” Jesh de Rox. Jesh is one of the most amazing talents in the wedding photography biz, as was noted by his sweep of awards at the 2007 WPPI awards night. Since then he’s grown to international acclaim. I particularly chose his interview as a re-run because I love his approach to creativity, and in this episode Jesh talks about his inspiration, the freedom of childhood, and our need to re-embrace that freedom. It coincides perfectly with the “Comparison Kills Creativity” Campaign update I posted on my regular blog (read about it here). Next week we’ll have part 2. Then in September we’ll have an all-new episode.

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I don’t know what it is about Nashville, but it seems like they have a knack of churning out amazing pro photographers in a short period of time. A few weeks ago we had celebrity portrait photographer Jeremy Cowart who started out as a graphic designer, then switched to commercial photography, and now after only about 4 short years, he’s photographed the likes of Sting, a bunch of other celebrities, and was the official photographer of Britney Spears’ Circus tour. Today, we have a good friend of Jeremy and a wildly successful photographer in his own right. David Bean is also in Nashville, started out as a graphic designer, switched to photography, and now only about five years into this business is a sought-after celebrity portrait and commercial photographer. My wife discovered his website and brought it to my attention when she read a blog post of his where he decided to take a sabbatical from self promotion. After reading that, I knew I had to have him on the show.

David story is such an inspiring one. He talks about how he got his start, how his faith and morals play into his business (in one year he turned down $90,000 from two jobs), how sharing and building relationships have helped him, and ironically how a month after his sabbatical from self-promotion, he made more money in one month than he’s ever made in his life. I think you’ll find both David’s passion, experience, and advice very enlightening. (Oh, and you’re going to love the story he tells near the end of the interview about the “grumpy” old-school guy who sent David a seething email after David invited him to a workshop.) Enjoy.

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Due to some travel and work, the next two weeks we’re going to have re-runs. Then in September we’re back with all new episodes, starting off with the bright and energetic portrait photographer Jen Basford of 3 Girls Photography.

In late June of this year I wrote a post on my regular blog about the future of portrait photography. It painted the picture of a “Debbie Digital” type photographer succeeding amazingly due to technological achievements and a savvy marketing sense. It stirred quite a response on my blog and on some photography forums. One of the most “vocal” repliers to the post was today’s guest, fine art and wedding photographer David Wittig. David is a seasoned pro whose images have almost an otherworldly feel to them. (I love his use of tilt shift lenses in some of his wedding work). He’s respected in the industry and is a frequent and value contributor to a number of pro photography forums. I was very intrigued with the passion in his posts as he challenged some of my writings. I invited him on the show so that we could discuss this engrossing topic mano-a-mano. We talk about the different types of photographers in the world: from photo snobs who believe you must have a formal education to be considered a real photographer; to doe-eyed newbies with a passion for the craft but just don’t have the knowledge of the history. We delve into what really makes a “photographer.” I think you will find this a very engaging and interview. The result is a wonderful interview that gets into the past, present, and future of the industry.

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Next week we have advertising and lifestyle photographer David Bean

Last year, Marketing Essentials International president Skip Cohen, and San Diego based wedding and portrait photographer Carey Schumacher had a BBQ Smackdown contest a la “Iron Chef” to raise money for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. In this re-run of episode 51, Carey and Skip talk about the contest as well as the importance of cause marketing.

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Next week we have a brand new episode as I have a profound and engaging discussion with fine art and wedding photographer David Wittig about the future of photography. Don’t miss it!

This week we continue our re-run of the “Photog Entrpreneur” series from last year about this time with Scott Bourne. Scott is a nationally recognized leader in the field of photography and technology. His 30 year experience as a pro photographer has covered the entire gamut: fashion; sports; commercial; and yes, even weddings. In the 90s he made it big with the IPO of NetRadio.com (the first online radio network) and then retired. He was co-founder of the popular podcast This Week in Photography, and he is currently the producer and host for the photography podcast Photo Focus. To give you an idea of how big Scott’s following is, when Photo Focus launched a couple of months ago, it immediately rose to the #1 technology podcast on the iTunes store.

Scott has written numerous books and is an avid teacher. He has recently been added to the speaking docket for the highly anticipated Skip’s Summer School occurring this August 16-19 in Las Vegas.

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Last year I did a series of interviews with entrepreneurial photographers who have created businesses above and beyond their photography. One of my favorite episodes from that series was with Orange County wedding photographer Jim Kennedy. Jim has an amazing, true to life “rags to riches” story. Early in his career he was penniless, barely making ends meet. His first marriage suffered under the strain leaving him a single dad to boot. Now he is happily remarried to a wonderful woman and business partner. And his business Jim Kennedy Photographers is probably the most successful wedding studio you may never have heard of. I say that only because Jim is a low key, under the radar kind of photographer, not seeking fame and prominence. His friends and colleagues, other Orange County, CA photogs like Becker, Dane Sanders, Jasmine Star, and his mentor Joe Photo, are in many ways household names in the world of wedding photography. Yet, none has an “empire” quite like Jim’s. From living paycheck to paycheck, to running a million dollar plus studio that does well over 300 weddings a year, to now co-owning and running Stephanie James Couture, a retro chic wedding clothing store with his wife Stephane, Jim is living the American dream. Bust out the pen and paper. You’re going to want to take notes on this one.

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Today’s guests are two giants in the world of social media and technology. Zoomr founder and Flickr sensation Thomas Hawk, and technology writer extraordinaire Robert “Scobleizer” Scoble. Both also happen to be terrific photographers (although I’m sure Robert would down play his talent). In this information packed episode, we learn about how each got started in photography, how they met and became friends, their take on the changing technological landscape and how it affects photography, and they chime in on the provocative “terms of service” issue. Should you as an artist really be concerned with Facebook’s, Flickr’s, or any other site’s TOS as it relates to the photos and/or video you post there? Speaking of large social media sites, they also give poignant commentary on some sites’ censorship practices and the ramifications of such practices not only for your photography, but society in general. Lastly we find out why they’re such big fans of Friend Feed. I’m sure this is an episode you’ll listen to over again.

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Today is our last first-run episode for a few weeks. I’ll post some of my favorite re-runs from the past two years to keep your FSB fix alive.

As we enter this 4th of July weekend, it seems only natural that we have guests this week from…Canada? Few people have made such a wave in the world of visual arts as it pertains to the wedding industry as our guests today, Patrick and Amina Moreau of StillMotion in Toronto, Canada. As the name suggests, their studio offers both wedding photography and cinematography and they (along with their fellow artists Michael Y. Wong and Konrad Czystowski) have literally become international superstars, giving workshops around the world on how they do what they do. Patrick is one of my fellow EventDV Top 25 video producers and what’s amazing is that he only first picked up a camera about five years ago while in college (er, I mean “university”). What you may find even more interesting is that they both were psychology majors.

In this interview we find out how they each got into their respective arts, how they eventually fell in love (or as Amina puts it, “infected each other”), their philosophy on the importance of “telling stories,” and we get to hear their take on a subject that is particularly related to them: inspiration vs. imitation. Because StillMotion’s work is so incredible, there are many other studios who attempt to emulate their style. Some have even had the audacity to actually download StillMotion videos and re-edit the credits to pass it off as their own. We’ll hear what they think about all that. And they weigh in on the topic of mixed media and “fusion.” Whether you’re a photographer or a filmmaker, this is an interview you won’t want to miss.

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Next week we have an amazing treat. We get to hear from two giants in the world of technology and social media, who also happen to be terrific photographers: Robert Scoble and Flickr superstar Thomas Hawk. You absolutely WON’T want to miss it!

Ira Lippke is a documentary photographer with a passion for capturing truth and reality. He has undergone one of the most unique documentary projects I’ve seen. He’s re-created his childhood in a “documentary” series of photos called “Lore”–a collection of photographs depicting what it was like for him and his brother living in the woods with this “hippie” parents (at one point they did upgrade to a school bus.)  As Ira puts it, he wants this series to be “true” rather than exact.  He’s hired actors to star as his mother, himself as a kid, and his brother as a kid, and his real brother stars as their dad. This idea of uncovering these memories and revealing what is true is part of what we’ll discuss in today’s insightful interview.

Ira’s a man whose work takes him to vastly divergent parts of the world. Ira also comments on what it’s like to be documenting poverty and despair in 3rd world country one day, then literally shooting a swank Beverly Hills wedding the next.He also straddles two coasts with a studio in Manhatten and in southern California. This is an interview that I think will open your eyes to the possibilities of stretching your eyes and your heart with respect to your art.

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Next week we chat with the husband and wife photo and cinema team Patrick and Amina Moreau of StillMotion in Toronto, Canada.

Last year we produced an online series for WPPI called “Diary of a Washed Up Rock Star Wedding Photographer” starring celebrity lifestyle and wedding photographer Joe Photo. It told the story of how Joe was living a washed up life in a photo processing story after his fall from Grace. The series was a sequel to a comedy video we produced the year before at WPPI depicting a desperate Joe Photo trying to get his WPPI Awards show hosting gig back.

We’ve dug up from our old archives some of the outtakes from that series. These were previously password protected videos. Now they’re open to the world. These outtakes star Joe and Fast Track Photographer author Dane Sanders. I guarantee you’ll bust up. Enjoy! (Click image to play).

There’s something special about the mother-daughter relationship. Especially when the mother and daughter look alike and work together in the same studio. Today’s guests are the mother-daughter portrait photography team of Kia Bondurant and Sana Antisdel of Antisdels Photography (Sana is the mom). Sana was raised on a dairy farm, then subsequently raised her kids on a farm too. In addition to the standard farm fare like chickens, cows, pigs, etc, they also raised Arabian horses (go figure). Sana, who was trained as a water color artist, took her artistic talent and interest to start the photography business in 1994. Now, just 15 years later, they have one of the most successful family and teen portrait studios in the country, despite the fact they live and work in a littlemid-west town. Both were self-taught. And in the early days Sana had a unique way of teaching Kia a lesson whenever Kia would ruin a roll of film by over or under-exposing it: she’d tie a light meter around her neck and make her wear it all week. Kind of like tying a dead chicken around a dog’s neck to keep it from killing more chickens. If you’re wondering what the heck I’m talking about, just listen.

In addition to sharing with us their unique family experiences, they also pass along some wise insight about the current and future state of the industry, how their studio has grown, advice on breaking into the senior market, and they tell us about SPA (Senior Portrait Artists), the organization they started to help educate senior portrait photographers. This is one of those interviews that is equally fun, educational, and inspirational.

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Next week we’ll have bi-coastal editorial and wedding photographer Ira Lippke.

SPECIAL BONUS

Here’s the trailer for the SPA Event DVD mentioned in the interview. Enjoy!

Sometime the stars all align for a guy and an innate talent can quickly lead to super stardom. Jeremy Cowart is such an individual. He started his full time commercial and music editorial photography business in April 2005. In December of that year he was photographing music legend Sting (yeah, as in the ex-lead singer of “The Police”. When he was first discovered by his agent, he didn’t even know what an agent was). It’s been all up hill from there. His client list reads like a who’s who of entertainment: Sting, Carrie Underwood, Miley Cirus, Denise Richards, Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian, ABC, E!, Fox, FX, Capitol Records, Island Records, and on and on and on. Last year he was the official photographer for the Christian concert tour Passion (comprised of four of the top bands in the Christian music scene), and he was the official photographer for Britney Spears’ Circus tour (talk about diametrically opposed. Oh, and did I mention he has NO formal photography education? Crazy man!

In this insightful interview, Jeremy tells us the story of his path to success, what life on the road for months at a time is like (hard when you have a wife and two kids waiting at home for you), where he gets his inspiration, and how his faith plays into his work. He also talks about his first foray into video production shooting his first music video for the group Abandon (using a 5D Mark II of course). He mentions on the blog post for that video how he just jumped into it without knowing anything about video (kind of like how he started in photography). I’m confident you’ll find this another inspiring interview.

Next week we have mother/daughter portrait photog sensations Sana Antisdel and Kia Bondurant of Antisdels Photography. Another example of an uber-successful studio in a small town.

My favorite blogging program is WordPress (the blog you’re reading is a WordPress blog). So, I was excited and surprised to learn that today’s guest, Christine Tremoulet (weddidng and boudoir photographer, and a self-admitted geek) is the person who came up with the name WordPress. Christine is a good friend of Matt Mullinweg (the lead developer of the platform) and at the time he was developing it, she suggested the name (she’s even mentioned in Wikipedia under her maiden name Selleck). At the time she had owned her own blog hosting company and was active in the whole internet developer scene. But ever since high school she was in love with taking pictures. She just never thought she could make money at it. So, after selling her blog hosting company, she determined that was the best time to pursue her passion.

Today’s show is a fun and enlightening look at Christine’s life and the world of Web 2.0. As someone with almost 3,900 Twitter followers, she has a thing or two to say about the topic. She talks about the importance of blogging, Twitter, Facebook, and how they all give her clients a sense of comfort and who she is. She even gives us her take on how the proliferation of digital photos on Facebook is affecting the photography world. If you’re wondering if all this talk about blogs and Twitter are worth it in your photography business, this interview will put you at ease. But perhaps the most amazing thing we learn in this interview is that despite being a geek, until only a few years Christine did not know that Luke and Leia were twins. (Scary!) You’ll have a lot of fun (and learn a bunch too) with this one.

Next week we have celebrity music and commercial photographer Jeremy Cowart. Just nine months after starting his commercial photography business, he got to interview Sting. ‘Nuff said. Don’t miss it

“At some point you have to ask yourself, ‘why am I doing this?’…If you’re not familiar with your own subconscious, when it does arrive, it will scare the s#*! out of you.” ~ Gray Scott

I first “discovered” Gray Scott at liveBooks Photographers in Focus video series. His work has a brooding, almost eerie sensibility about it. After watching the short video, I knew that he’d be a terrific guest for the show. His sense as an artist, his talent, and his passion for his work are right up our alley. What’s even more amazing is that he’s gained a great deal of success in the commercial and fashion world after only picking up a camera five years ago. His artistic career started with oil painting as a kid. But somewhere down the line he got into make-up of all things. But, whether it was a desire to be the guy “in charge” (as opposed to just the support staff), or his need to “say something” with his work, he dove into professional photography full time (he was shooting his first editorial only after 3 months).  In this very inspiring and vulnerable interview, Gray shares with us about his career growth, his view as an artist, the pain in his past that has such a profound influence on his work, and how his work has evolved over the years. You get a sense that he’s a man on a quest. For those of you who are passionate artists, Gray’s words will be like honey to your ears. This is quintessential F-Stop Beyond. Enjoy.

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Next week we return to the world of social media with the woman who actually came up with the name “WordPress.” Wedding and boudoir photographer and social media maven Christine “Big Pink Cookie” Tremoulet.