Behind the Shot

I’ve always been fascinated by the use of Remote Cameras, but it’s not something I’ve had the chance to try, unfortunately. The last time I cover it on the show was on the episode Using Remote Cameras with Canon Explorer of Light David Bergman, and then I also had the legendary Peter Read Miller Miller talking about how he used them in Sports Photography. I, however, had never thought about using them for Wedding Photo Photography, that is until I was talking to Canon Explorer of Light Bob Davis at Imaging USA this year. His presentation on the Canon stage was on just that topic, and after watching how he was using remote cameras, in his case for both wedding and wildlife photo, I knew this would be a conversation a lot of people might find fascinating. Bob & Dawn Davis are an international wedding photography and design husband and wife team based in the Chicagoland area. When I first met them back in 2020 for an interview at WPPI, it was immediately clear that this couple was an amazing team. I’ve since seen them both together, or as part of a panel, or individually, on the Canon stage at a conference multiple times, and the passion they bring to what they teach is amazing. What a lot of people don’t know is Bob’s history behind the camera. Bob began his career in the newspaper industry as a photojournalist, and over drinks one day, while we were looking through his old Chicago Bulls photos on his phone, I was blown away how this guy can shoot anything so damn well. The last time he was on the show was for an episode about Bob and Dawn’s wildlife photography: Photograph in the Wild. Bob & Dawn Davis Photography & Design has a client list reads like a “Who’s Who” of entertainment’s elite. They have had the honor of photographing “A” list weddings such as Eva Longoria & Tony Parker’s wedding in Paris, Salma Hayek & François-Henri Pinault’s wedding in Italy, La La Vazquez & Carmelo Anthony’s TV wedding in New York, Tracey Edmonds & Eddie Murphy’s wedding in Bora Bora, ABC’s TV show The Bachelorette Ashley’s wedding to J.P. in California, along with many other fabulous events with Oprah Winfrey. Bob was also commissioned to work on the book America 24/7 that was featured on the Oprah Winfrey show and was a New York Times Best Seller. Their work has been featured in publications such as People, OK, O Magazine, InStyle, Inside Weddings, Town & Country, Munaluchi, Grace Ormonde, Modern Luxury Brides, The Knot, Ritz-Carlton magazine, Professional Photographer, Rangefinder, Popular Photography and more. Bob is in that small and highly elite group of photographers known as Canon Explorers of Light, along with being a member of the Westcott Top Pro Elite, SanDisk Extreme Team, and a ProMedia Gear Influencer. Together Bob and Dawn are the authors of two books, Lights Camera Capture, and We’re Engaged! Earlier I used the word “passion” when talking about their willingness to teach and share their craft, but that word can be used to describe many areas of Bob and Dawn’s world. They are passionate about their faith, their marriage, their family, and making the best of their lives. This a power couple. Bob and Dawn also lead wildlife photo workshops to places around the world, like Africa, or Alaska for their Alaska Brown Bear Adventure Workshop, which at the time of this writing still has 3 spots left for their next trip in Sept of 2025. Join Canon Explorer of Light Bob Davis and me as we do a deep dive into how Bob and Dawn use remote cameras on their wedding shoots, and we’ll touch a little on how they use them for wildlife shoots too, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Bob & Dawn Wedding Website: bobanddawndavis.com Wildlife Website: inthewild.bobanddawndavis.com Blog: bobanddawndavis.info Facebook: @bobanddawndavis Instagram: @bobanddawndavis Instagram: @bobanddawn_inthewild YouTube: @bobanddawndavis Workshops Alaska Brown Bear Adventure: inthewild.bobanddawndavis.com Bob’s Photographer Pick Art Streiber: artstreiber.com | @aspictures Behind the Shot Episode: Complex Photo Shoots with Art Streiber Shots From the Show More of Bob & Dawn’s Work

To say I’m excited for today’s show is a huge understatement. I first met today’s guest 6 years ago, when our mutual friend Adam Elmakias asked us both to help him with his Live Music Photography Workshop. I’m sure you know that feeling of “if this is their friend, then they must be a good human” – that’s what I felt that whole day in San Diego. Looking back, I don’t think I knew at that first meeting just how good this person is at what she does. I’d suggest that she is one of the absolute best photographers working today, both in the live music & touring world, and in the commercial & editorial world. Anna Lee is someone I have wanted to get on the show for a long time. Anna is a Los Angeles-based music and portrait photographer, with a specialty in touring, and she has done a lot of touring! She has been touring since 2013 with artists in the alt, rock, and pop categories – from small clubs to stadiums. As the current tour photographer for Coldplay, I think she has been creating some of the best work out there, and in both her live music and commercial work, like the campaigns she’s shot for Tom Delonge’s To The Stars, I think her eye for composition and angle is second to none. Anna did mention to me a project she is working on for a possible fall date in LA, and while I can’t get into it here yet, trust me, you’ll want to follow her so you’ll hear about it as soon as the details are locked in. Please join me in welcoming tour photographer Anna Lee to the show to break down what she told me is her personal favorite Coldplay image from tour, and as we dive into her style of shooting both live music and commercial images, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Anna Lee Portfolio: annaleemedia.com Instagram: @annaleemedia Anna’s Best of Series Best of 37: annaleemedia.com Anna’s Photographer Pick Skyler Barberio: skylerbarberio.com | @skylerbarberio Anna’s Other Work

For this show, we have a returning guest, night photographer Ken Lee. I’ve known Ken for awhile, and the way he ended up as a guest for the show Capturing the Slowing of Time is one of my fave Behind the Shot stories. Ken Lee, along with being an accomplished photographer, is also a regular watcher, or listener, of Behind the Shot. Years ago, when I was giving away Red River Paper Sample Packs, Ken was one of the winners. He also won the How to Build Real Influence e-course from Trey Ratcliff and Lauren Bath. As I did with every winner, I checked out Ken’s work at that time and made a mental note I wanted to get him on the show, but I got sidetracked. One of the downsides of only doing a show on your own is that potential guests back up quickly. Then, when I was at The NAMM Show in Anaheim CA back in 2020, I met up with another Behind the Shot watcher (or listener – I really need to find an easier way to get through that variable), Mike Martin of Casio. Mike is great guy, and we had fun chatting in-between him actually working. Next thing I knew, Mike tagged me in a tweet to tell me about a friend of his that he thought would be a good guest on the show. This friend had just released a new book, and the cover image was awesome. When I saw the name on the cover I had to do a double take, it was Ken’s book! Well, Ken has another new book out, Abandoned Roadside Attractions: Under a Southwest Moon (Abandoned Union), and once again we need to chat about the cover shot. I introduced Ken above as a “night photographer”, which isn’t a genre you hear often, so let me let him explain: “I drive long hours in a dusty car listening to weird music, stay out all night creating photos, get dirty, hang out with other creative sleep-deprived weirdos, see the stars drift across the sky, and always find the best taco stands.” Let me interrupt Ken for a second. I need to know the names of some those taco stands Ken. You need to write that up somewhere. Sorry for the break… back to Ken… “I have been exploring the Southwestern United States as well as parts of the East Coast for over nine years, brandishing a camera, tripod, and colored flashlight. I especially love creating night photos of abandoned historical places, unique features, and beautiful landscapes. These are experiences that I absolutely cherish.” I mentioned Ken is an accomplished photographer, and I meant it. His images have appeared in outlets like NatGeo.com, National Geographic Books, Omni Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Westways Magazine, and numerous other publications. He’s also won numerous awards. Join Light Painting, Long Exposure, Night Sky, and Abandoned Site photographer and author Ken Lee to discuss the cover image from his new book, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Ken Website: kenleephotography.com BlueSky: @kenleephotography Instagram: @kenleephotography Facebook: @kenleephotography Flickr: @kenleephotography Twitter: @blueberrybuddha Ken’s Books Abandoned Roadside Attractions: Under a Southwest Moon (Abandoned Union): amazon.com Route 66 Abandoned: Under a Western Moon (America Through Time): amazon.com Abandoned Planes, Trains and Automobiles: California Revealed (America Through Time): amazon.com Abandoned Southern California: The Slowing of Time (America Through Time): amazon.com Ken’s Photographer Pick Lance Keimig: Flickr.com Troy Paiva: lostamerica.com | @troypaiva Charles Peterson: charlespeterson.net | @charles.peterson.photographer Herman Leonard: hermanleonard.com | @hermanleonardphotography Sebastiao Salgado: @sebastiaosalgadooficial

NOTE: This is not an official Canon USA show. This is a podcast first and foremost, available in both audio-only or video, and the video is also placed on YouTube. My hope is that by going through all of the AF options one-at-a-time, in extreme detail, you will be able to get more out of the camera system you have. My first show with Rudy Winston, a Technical Marketing Consultant for Canon USA, was back in February of 2022 for “Canon Auto-Focus Explained“, so almost exactly 3 years ago. To date, it’s still one of the favorite shows that I’ve done. I find that as photographers our relationship with auto-focus isn’t always a great one. It’s so easy to say “the camera missed focus”, or “it front or back focused”. The problem is that’s not the case more often than not. Don’t misunderstand me, these issues are real – that’s why micro adjustments exist. Cameras and lenses are not perfect, and the software that runs anything today can have issues, but focus issues often relate to the end user not having the AF system configured correctly, or not understanding how the system really works. That’s how the first show with Rudy came to be, and to say that was popular is an understatement: To date it’s had roughly: 453,000 views on YouTube, in addition to all the views in the video and audio-only podcast feeds. But when we recorded that show the R3 was brand new, and it wasn’t widely available. So I used my R5 for the menu examples in that show, and while we did talk about the AF settings unique to the newer R3, I almost immediately had people asking for an updated video. Since then, we’ve seen the R6 Mark 2 and the R5 Mark 2 come out, and again, lots of people have requested an update to cover all of the newer Auto Focus features. My thing is, it doesn’t make sense to do a video specific to each camera model, there’s too much overlap, so I wanted to wait until the R1 had actually been released – and it was in November of last year, it started hitting stores in Nov of 2024. So today, we are going to do basically the same thing that we did 3 years ago, we’re going to go through all of the AF menus, and describe every single command and option for you in detail. For this show I am going to use the new Canon R1 for the menu examples, which needs a little explanation. When I used the R5 last time I had some people complain that I was using a body out of their price range, while others complained I wasn’t using the R3. So, let me try to explain my decision making process… The higher end bodies have features the lower end bodies don’t – but they also have most, if not all, of the features on the lower end bodies – so to cover as many settings as possible, spanning bodies in all price ranges, the best choice is the higher end body, which today is the R1. Unfortunately, I don’t own an R1… so a HUGE thank you to Canon USA for getting me one to use for this show. Now, if you’re not a Canon shooter.. DON’T RUN AWAY! While we are using the Canon EOS R1 for the examples today, whatever brand you use: Nikon Sony Panasonic Etc Most of today’s cameras will have some equivalent to the settings we talk about… AF option names will change between brands, and even between models in the same brand, some may be more or less granular, or in different places in the menus EVEN for the same brands, but understanding these AF concepts will still help you get the most out of your camera, regardless of the brand. One last disclaimer: I also had some people comment on the last video that they wished I had inserted some B-Roll showing the features in action through the viewfinder, so you could see the AF moving and changing for something like a person running, or a bird in flight etc. Thank you to everyone that made suggestions, but again, with this video, I have made an intentional choice to not do that. There’s a few production reasons for that choice, but the biggest thing for me is that I want this video to be as generic as possible. In a perfect world this could be a replacement for the manual, and I’m hoping that you might have your camera in hand as we go through these options and settings, and then, once you better understand them, that you’ll take your camera out and test them yourself to find what works best for your genre and style of shooting. Join Rudy Winston, Technical Marketing Consultant for Canon USA, and me as we take a deep dive into the amazing auto-focus systems available in the current line of Canon cameras, using the Canon EOS R1 as the example, on this Behind the Shot. Chapter Timestamps 00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:54 – Disclaimers & Expectations 00:06:57 – Introducing Canon Technical Marketing Consultant Rudy Winston 00:08:01 – Canon R1 AF Menu Tab – Page 1: AF Operations / Area 00:08:30 – AF Operation 00:12:27 – AF Area 00:38:04 – Whole Area Tracking Servo AF 00:41:26 – Canon R1 AF Menu Tab – Page 2: Subject Detection 00:41:37 – Subject to Detect 00:52:57 – Eye Detection 00:55:19 – Register People Priority 01:04:07 – Action Priority 01:10:01 – Canon R1 AF Menu Tab – Page 3: Servo AF Character 01:10:38 – Case: Auto 01:15:24 – Case: Manual 01:15:60 – Tracking Sensitivity 01:17:35 – Accel / Decel Tracking 01:19:51 – Canon R1 AF Menu Tab – Page 4: Customize AF Operation 01:21:53 – Servo 1st Image Priority 01:23:38 – One-Shot AF Release Prior 01:24:55 – Preview AF 01:27:55 – Len Drive When AF Impossible 01:30:03 – AF-Assist Beam Firing 01:34:33 – Canon R1 AF Menu Tab – Page 5: Customized Controls 01:34:47 – Limit AF Areas 01:36:22 – Orientation Linked AF Point 01:40:20 – Limit Subject to Detect 01:41:51 – L / R Eye Detection 01:42:25 – Canon R1 AF Menu Tab – Page 6: MF Related 01:42:38 – MF Peaking Settings 01:47:33 – Focus Guide 01:49:55 – Lens Electronic MF 01:59:44 – Canon R1 AF Menu Tab – Page 7: Various Settings 02:00:10 – Register / Recall AF-Related Settings 02:08:15 – AF Setting Guide URL 02:10:39 – Canon R1 Control Customization Menu Tab – Page 3: Customized Controls When Shooting 02:10:59 – AF Area Selection Control 02:13:37 – Sensitivity – AF Pt Select 02:14:56 – Focus Ring Rotation 02:16:32 – RF Lens MF Focus Ring Sensitivity 02:19:09 – Canon R1 Control Customization Menu Tab – Page 5: Customized Controls – Eye Control 02:39:22 – Listener / Viewer Questions 02:59:06 – My Dual-Back-Button AF Setup 03:06:54 – Outro Canon USA Website: usa.canon.com Ask David Bergman Episode on Dual Back-Button AF Canon R5/R6 Fast Eye Autofocus Switching: youtube.com

Social media today can be so draining, but almost daily I am reminded of the wonderful connections I’ve made there, and today’s guest is a perfect example. Jenn Devereaux is a New Orleans area concert and event photographer, and while we’ve never met, we have kind of known each other, or at least of each other, for years. I think I first discovered Jenn when Todd Owyoung mentioned her, or tagged her in a post, and I have been a fan ever since. Jenn is probably mostly known in the music photography community as a festival photography team member for some of the biggest festivals, like the iHeart Radio Fest in Vegas. Her work from those festivals, some examples of which are in the last gallery below, is just plain fantastic. That, in combination with her work at venues in the New Orleans area, sets her well above a lot of the talent out there. For today though, we aren’t going to focus on her live music work. Jenn was one of the photographers at this year’s When We Were Young Fest, and when I saw her post some of her backstage artist portraits the idea for today’s show jumped into mind. Working as a festival team member is very different than shooting a show as media, and the pressure of shooting band portraits in a cluttered backstage area, often with very little time and less control of the environment, isn’t for people without confidence. I think a lot of people are confused about how to pull off that kind of run & gun shoot. They worry about lighting, location choices, working with rock stars, and just getting the shot. So, I invited Jenn to stop by and share her experiences with us. Hopefully, after this show you will have more confidence to just go out and try a shoot like this. Jenn is such an accomplished photographer, with clients like Uber, Live Nation, Showtime and iHeartRadio, and her work has been seen in publications such as Rolling Stone, Rock Sound, People Forbes, Billboard, and Entertainment Tonight. Join Music and Event photographer Jenn Devereaux and me as we dive into how she handles the job of getting backstage portraits of bands, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Jenn Devereaux Websites: jenndphotography.com Instagram: @jenndphotography Facebook: @JennDPhotography X / Twitter: @jenndphotograph Todd Owyoung’s Post Mentioned in the Show Women In Music Photography You Should Know: ishootshows.com Gear Mentioned in the Show Angler Fastbox 24” – compatible with Godox V1: anglerlights.com Godox AD100Pro: godox.com Godox X3: godox.com Jenn’s Photographer Pick Skyler Barberio: skylerbarberio.com | @skylerbarberio Backstage Portraits Shown In The Show Jenn’s Other Work

I have always been fascinated with the education side of photography. I don’t have a formal photography education myself, and I am very aware of what skill sets I wish I had been exposed to earlier in my photo journey. I have been around a lot of the continuing education side of photography, like KelbyOne, or various workshops that a lot of the top photographers do, and in fact teach workshops myself, but I do appreciate what many of the more traditional photography programs provide for the next generation of photographers. A few years ago I even teamed up with Red River Paper to spotlight some students from the schools they supported with the EDU programs. All of this is to say, I think some of the absolute best creatives shooting today are a great representation of where this craft I love is headed. A case in point is Cal Baptist University, in my hometown of Riverside, CA. The photography program there is run by Christopher Kern, and he has put together such an amazing program. I have been there a few times, usually to see my buddy, and past guest, Ian Spanier do his guest workshop, but also to visit with Christopher and see what they are doing at CBU. This program has even helped another past guest, Art Streamer, with interns for some of his shoots. A few weeks ago I saw an Instagram post from CBU, and had me thinking…. what are some of the current students in this wonderful program shooting these days? I asked Christopher for a recommendation of a student he thought might make a good guest on the show, and he suggested Josiah Grant. Josiah is the perfect example of what I was talking about up above. An amazing photographer that just sees things differently than most anyone I know. Looking through his portfolio you are struck by his use of depth, and I don’t only mean only depth-of-field. Josiah uses light and shadow, softness and sharpness, foreground and background, subtle or bold, to define what he wants you to see. His understanding of directing the viewers eye seems to be much more experienced than his still being in college would imply. I am so excited to learn from the student today, and the image we will be discussing has won a few awards! From over 7,000 entries, a Jury selected just 317 images, including Josiah’s, to appear in the “2024 American Photography 40”, a book representing the best pictures from 2023. It also won an Award of Excellence in the one of the most prestigious competitions for creativity in photography, the “2024 Communication Arts Photography Annual 65”. Join photographer Josiah Grant and me as we dive into how he creates such amazing and creative portraits, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Josiah Websites: josiahvisuals.com Instagram: @josiahvisuals YouTube: YouTube.com Josiah’s Photographer Picks Miguel Esparza: miguelesparzaphoto.com | @miguelesparzaphoto Nico Carrillo: nicocarrillo.com | @nicocarrillophoto Austin Elliott: austinelliottphoto.com | @austinelliottphoto

I will never forget growing up hearing my dad talk about his days flying P-51 and P-40 planes. His walls were covered in model planes of classic war birds, as though he was trying to relive his youth. When he passed away, I inherited a bunch of model planes he’d never gotten around to building. He was in the Air Force his entire life, retiring as a Lt. Colonel, and talking with today’s guest has brought back so many memories. Brett Schauf, the owner of T&J Studios, in Wichita, Kansas, is a commercial, portrait and fine art photographer, but in addition to his commercial and portrait work Brett has been able to produce a collection of fine art prints featuring Landscape, Travel, and Aviation photography. Since 2015 Brett has been the lead photographer for the B-29 Doc, a restored World War II B-29 bomber, and man…. it’s a beautiful plane. This gig has given Brett the opportunity to travel as a crew member, documenting the plane, crew, visitors and the many veterans who visit Doc on tour. So, while I started by introducing Brett as a commercial, portrait and fine art photographer, today’s focus will be the Aviation photography. From aviation manufacturers and publications, to industry leaders, businesses and entertainers, Brett’s commercial client list keeps him pretty busy, so I am so grateful he was able to set aside some time to talk to us about how he captures these rare classic warbirds. And a quick thank you to Dr. T from Platypod for introducing us. Join commercial, portrait. fine art, and arial photographer Brett Schauf and me as we talk about how he captures his stunning images of classic warbirds, like the B-29 Doc. Brett shares his passion for capturing dynamic lighting and vibrant colors, whether in landscapes or mid-air. He also provides insights into the technical aspects and creative process behind his aerial shots. Join us for a conversation that offers valuable tips and inspiration for photographers at all levels, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Brett Websites: brett.photo | tjstudios.com Instagram: @brettphoto Facebook: @bschauf X / Twitter: @brettphoto Brett’s Photographer Picks Travis Heying: travisheying.com | @theying Seth Miranda: lastxwitness.com | @lastxwitness Joel Grimes: joelgrimes.com | @joelgrimesworkshops

The photographers I am exposed to by doing this show never cease to amaze me. Recently, my buddy Ian Spanier told a friend of his that he should be on the show, and gave him my contact info. At that point, Jason Gardner reached out to me, and when Ian, who has been on the show a few times himself, suggests someone I need to pay attention. Jason is an interesting photographer. He has galleries on his site for Editorial, Events, Personalities, and Lifestyle, and the work is fantastic. Honestly, there were a few of his lifestyle images I really wanted to cover on the show, and hopefully we get to revisit that subject one day. For this show though we look at a project Jason has been working on for years, a lot of years. For over 15 years, throughout 15 countries, Jason has documented the ritual and festival of Carnival, focusing on traditional, folkloric, and community celebrations. The resulting images, which are the subject of his second book, We the Spirits, and a window into how humanity, worldwide, celebrate life, tradition, and folklore. Photographs from We the Spirits were displayed in the exhibition Costume and Masquerade: at the Stadhaus in Ulm, Germany, and the project was selected to be exhibited at the Mois de la Photo OFF Photography festival in Paris, and that’s just two of the many exhibitions that Jason’s work has been displayed at, and in fact the images from We the Spirits will be on display again for an exhibition at Ted and Nune Studio, Street Hastings-on-Hudson, NY from April 6 – May 19. With a client list that includes Con Edison, HBO, TED Talks, Dassault Systèmes, Electrolux, Grand Central Station, Samsung Corporation, N-Y Historical Society, Freshworks, Ogilvy & Mather, Direct TV, Pfizer, Big Brothers Big Sisters NY, and Human Rights Watch, it’s no wonder Jason has seen the success he has. Seriously, go check out his Lifestyle / Editorial work, or his Personalities gallery. So good. Getting back to that term “Visual Anthropology”, Jason describes it this way: “In my practice, I document visually various aspects of a culture, and how it is celebrated, both venerating traditions and looking forward. I am interested in what constitutes cultures and most especially how they are celebrated, from honoring traditions to envisaging the future. By focusing on cultural manifestations such as music, dance, festival, and spectacle, as well as symbols, street art, glyphs, costumes, or shrines in a closet, I capture the intangible, visually translating the symbolic connections of what might not be visible at first glance. Placing my photographic practice within the framework of Visual Anthropology, I hope to tell stories by focusing on cultures, traditions and practices which often happen behind the public’s view. I capture things that build up to define the cultural milieu and community’s regional identities. I look for that ineffable moment of transformation in a ceremony, the traditional song or costume epitomizing regional pride and identity, a symbol representing a culture, these all combine to reflect the culture. I wish to reveal some of the diversity of the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional landscape of a community. Making the connections among the various manifestations, to show their relationship with each other, and how they interlock, helps to form my view of the culture I am documenting. These displays of culture are significant, to me, in that they represent one of the more profound ways that humans can express themselves.” And I think all of that comes through in his work. Join documentary photographer Jason Gardner and me as we talk about his “Visual Anthropology”, and as we dissect one of the images from his travels documenting the ritual and festival of Carnival throughout 15 countries, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Jason Website: jasongardner.net Instagram: @visualanthropology1 Facebook: @jasongardnerphoto X / Twitter: @JGardnerPhoto LinkedIN: @ jasongardner Jason’s Book We the Spirits: jasongardner.net Jason’s We the Spirits Exhibition – April 6 – May 19 Ted and Nune Studio, Street Hastings-on-Hudson, NY: tedandnune.com Jason’s Photographer Pick Roberto de la Torre: roberdelatorre.com | @rober.delatorre

One of my favorite parts of doing this podcast is that I get to discover and meet some amazing photographers, and L.A. based Nikon Ambassador Joey Terrill is a perfect example. We’ve all joked about a photographer we know being able to “shoot anything”, but in reality very few people can truly shoot any subject matter. There are a few out there though, Joe McNally comes to mind, that just get it. Their photography seems to breath it’s own air, and be alive. Joey is one of those talents. His career has included a range of specialties including architecture and interior design, advertising and corporate photography, golf course landscapes, and editorial portraiture, and his macro photography is fascinating. Joey’s website has three galleries, Portraits, Scenes, and Macro, and if you spend a little time there you’ll get some insight into how Joey sees the world. Perhaps this quote from his website sums it up best: “My camera is the window through which I experience life” From extreme close-up or a vast valley, to a portrait of a corporate CEO made to look like a star, Mr. Terrill just seems to understand what we are doing when we take a photo. He understands how to make a viewer feel something, as though they’ve been invited into the scene. That, my friend, is a skill I wish I had. Joey has worked with clients like American Express, Coca-Cola, Disney, Golf Digest, Major League Baseball, Nikon, Red Bull and Sports Illustrated. As an educator he teaches workshops and speaks at seminars including PhotoPlus Expo, WPPI, CES, Imaging USA, and of course Nikon School. Join photographer and Nikon Ambassador Joey Terrill and me as we dive into the artistic world of his macro photography, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Joey Website: joeyterrill.com Instagram: @joeyterrill Glass: @joeyterrill Facebook: @joeyterrill X / Twitter: @joeyterrill Joey’s Photographer Pick George Hurrell: georgehurrell.com | @hurrellphotos

One look at the client list at the bottom of Paul Mobley’s About page and it’s quickly apparent that he’s one of the best commercial, advertising, and editorial portrait photographers working today. It’s a list of A level celebrities & musicians, and Fortune 500 companies, that speaks volumes about the type of work Paul creates. Whether it’s a celebrity promoting his or her latest project or a 100-year- old farmer celebrating his family’s legacy, Paul has that rare ability to direct as well as photograph his subjects, to create some connection with them that puts them at ease in front of the camera. They seem to trust him at an almost uncanny level. The result? He creates portraits that are authentic, and timeless. In addition to his corporate, advertising, and editorial work, Paul is an accomplished author, having published four books of his photography with Welcome Books: American Farmer (2008), Everyday Heroes (2012), If I Live to Be 100 (2016), and American Firefighter (2018). For all four books, Mobley traveled around the country to meet the subjects in their hometowns and photograph these ordinary citizens leading their extraordinary lives. Mobley has also put together a traveling exhibition of his American Farmer photographs that will tour museums and colleges around the United States until 2025. You’ll find links to his books and exhibition below. Join commercial, advertising, and editorial portrait photographer Paul Mobley and me as we talk about his portrait work, compositing portraits, and as we dissect his multi-shot image of comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Paul Website: paulmobleystudio.com Instagram: @paulmobleystudio Facebook: @PaulMobleyStudio X / Twitter: @PaulShoots LinkedIN: @paulmobleystudio Traveling Exhibition Website: eusa.org/exhibition/american-farmer/ Paul’s Books Amazon: amazon.com Paul’s Photographer Pick Ruvén Afanador: ruvenafanador.com | @ruvenafanador

Back in June I did a review of the StellaPro Reflex line of lights titled “Is This My New Favorite Light?“. Well, today I’ve got an update. StellaPro has upgraded the hardware. The StellaPro Reflex lights are “Continuous Strobe Hybrid” LED lights. They allow you to do constant light, as you might do for video, or using digital burst mode you can use the lights like you would a flash. Technically, these are not flashes, they are LED lights, but they allow you to over-charge the LED and release all of that charge as a burst of light, a burst that can be up to 1 stop brighter than the constant light. And that constant light isn’t just some weak modeling light, like you might have in a standard studio monolight. These are bright, very bright. After doing that deep dive review I was impressed. I mean, no product is everything we want, and there’s definitely a wishlist I have in my head for these lights, but for me the pros outweighed the cons. And now StellaPro has made some interesting changes… First, they consolidated the Reflex line into one model, eliminating the standard Reflex (no S), and leaving only the Reflex S. There is a Reflex Studio too, but the light head in that model is the Reflex S. Secondly, they’ve increased both the continuous and burst power 50%, doubled the runtime, and made the light 50% faster – now delivering 30 fps of full power bursts without missing a burst. How much more do these upgraded lights cost you ask? Well, it’s not more expensive. It’s not even the same price. The upgraded lights are almost $250 cheaper! It actually feels weird writing that. An already good product is made better and they charge less? What the hell is the world coming to. The StellaPro Reflex S lights are now $849, and with the added power they’re a pretty damn good deal – that is if they live up to the claims. Today we are going to test this new upgraded hardware, which comes in the form of a larger battery handle, and a firmware update to the light head. The Reflex Lights I will be using in this show were sent to me by Stella Pro Lights for the purpose of that original review show back in June, and the upgraded battery handles were sent to me for the review of the upgrade. Let me be clear though, they have not paid me further and this is not a sponsored review. I am free to have and state any opinions that I have, and StellaPro doesn’t get to see this show before it goes live. This is just my honest opinion based on what I might look for in a portable light. As always, If you want a crazy technical review – that’s not me, but there are a lot of those out there. Here are the various sections in the show, so feel free to jump around to the areas that interest you. 00:00 – Intro 01:21 – Disclaimers 03:11 – What is the StellaPro Reflex S? 04:09 – What Changed? 04:38 – The Upgrade 06:35 – Old vs New Battery 09:11 – Updated Specs 10:58 – Testing Intro 15:16 – Black Background Tests 19:45 – Block Wall Test 20:56 – Portrait Tests Intro 21:43 – Portrait Tests 24:30 – Light Falloff Test Intro 25:21 – The Falloff Setup 25:53 – Light Falloff Tests 27:01 – Wishlist 30:57 – Final Thoughts 32:33 – Outro Join me as I take a look at the recent update to the StellaPro Lights Reflex S. We’ll take a look at the upgraded hardware, and check out the claim of 50% more power. Original StellaPro Reflex Review Mentioned in the Show (June 2023) Is This My New Favorite Light? A Review of the Stella Pro Reflex:YouTube.com Inverse Square Law Video Mentioned in the Show Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 59: Inverse Square Law:: Adorama Photography TV on YouTube Connect with StellaPro Lights Website: stellaprolights.com Facebook: @stellaprolights Instagram: @stellaprolights YouTube: @stellaprolights Connect with Steve Portfolio: stevebrazill.com Facebook: @SteveBrazillPhotography Instagram: @stevebrazill Twitter: @stevebrazill Mastodon: @stevebrazill StellaPro Reflex – Black Background – 3 Feet – Old Battery StellaPro Reflex – Black Background – 3 Feet – New Battery StellaPro Reflex Outdoor Portraits of Steve StellaPro Reflex Light Falloff Tests – Old Battery StellaPro Reflex Light Falloff Tests – New Battery StellaPro Reflex with Steve – Pool Side at Dusk

Regular watchers / listeners of the show will know Dave Williams. He’s a great friend, and amazing photographer, and he has a skill I value… an eye for great guests. In fact, he has connected me to more potential guests than I think anyone else. Because of that, when Dave sends me someone, I pay attention. Today is the result of that process. Dave described Paul Kober’s work to me, and I was immediately struck by how unique the concept was. Paul is what most would call a wildlife and nature photographer, but I have never seen his subjects photographed in quite the same way before, or since for that matter. All of Paul’s photos are taken in his backyard, and he places various string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments hanging from the trees or sitting on the ground. Next, he smears jelly, peanut butter, or birdseed in strategic places on the instruments to attract wild animals. Then, he waits…. and waits, sometimes for many hours. When the squirrels, birds, deer, or other wildlife come into the scene he has created, he grabs the shot. Catching the wildlife in artistically pleasing positions is the key, and somehow he does exactly that. It’s also important to note that no animals are photoshopped into position, it’s all about the patience he has to wait for just that right moment. His interest in photography only started about twelve years ago, and over the years he has experimented with doing portraits, landscapes, and architecture images, before finding his niche. Paul is very passionate about music, and in fact made a living as a professional jazz saxophonist for a number of years. He’s also passionate about animals – he and his wife currently have five shelter cats. In this relatively short period of time, Paul’s photography has garnered him a great deal of recognition. He has been showcased in Photoshop Magazine, and AirSpeed Magazine. He won the prestigious international GURU award, and nine awards in the London Photography Awards. One of his pictures was even used as the cover for a flute composition. Join photographer Paul Kober and me as we explore his musical wildlife photography project, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Paul Website: paulkoberphoto.com Instagram: @paulkoberphoto Facebook: @paul.kober.52 Dave William’s Post About Paul on DIY Photography This Photographer Shoots Cute Animals Playing Musical Instruments: diyphotography.net Paul’s Photographer Pick Kaylee Greer: dogbreathphoto.com | @dogbreathphotography Chapters 00:00 – Intro 00:38 – Intro to Paul Kober 14:12 – Photo Discussion 42:52 – Speed Round Q & A 47:44 – Paul’s Photographer Pick – Kaylee Greer 51:19 – Outro 51:41 – Remembering Terrell Woods

10 Questions with… Don Komarechka I have had a lot of guests on this show, but few I know as well as Don Komarechka. Don is a great friend, which seems odd considering we have never met in person. We did our critique shows together for about two years, in honestly, chatting with him is always a blast. for that reason, I figured he was a perfect guest for my new “10 Questions” series. Don has been on the regular show too, a few times. The first was way back in February of 2018, for “The Art of Snowflakes”, next was July of that year for “Improve Your Macro Photography”, and the last time was for “Water Droplet Refractions” in 2019. I need to get him back for a regular show soon. I’d had the “10 Questions” idea for awhile, and while recording a show with Toy Photographer, and Platypod Pro, Jesse Feyereisen. I decided to give it a shot. I asked him last minute if he wanted to try it, and lucky for me, he said yes! Now, Don has agreed to to doing the show again, and this isn’t a “normal” show at all. It’s a rapid fire 10 questions ranging from photography to any other subject, and some are just off the wall. From auroras to pollen, insects to infrared, much of Don’s photographic adventures help us to see how the universe works. Exploring a world we cannot see with our own eyes is a common thread in Don’s career as a professional photographer. Always science-minded but never formally trained, Don uses photography as a way to explore and understand the world around him. Photographing something unusual or unknown is the perfect excuse to learn something new. Don’s work often pushes up against the technical limitations of modern camera equipment and the physical limitations of light itself. It’s in that space between photography and geek that Don seems to be most at home. He even hosts a podcast called Photo Geek Weekly, which I have had the honor of being a guest on a number of times (and it is honestly one of my favorite things to do). When you browse through Don Komarechka’s work you may have the feeling you are not doing enough with your photography. I know I do. His work is something unique and special. Part photography, part science experiment. One of the things I truly love about Don is his total openness to the process. He will share anything to help people understand his craft. He shows behind the scenes shots often, and on the macro episode we did he even shared his raw files to convince someone that the bee was alive and real. Don is honestly one of the coolest photographers I know, and I hope you enjoy today’s special show with him. Join Macro Photographer, and Platypod Pro, Don Komarechka and me as we dive into 10 random questions – some photography related, and some are far from it. Connect with Don Full Portfolio: donkom.ca Snowflake Portfolio: skycrystals.ca Photo Geek Weekly Podcast: photogeekweekly.com Workshops: donkom.ca/workshops Facebook: @donkomphoto Instagram: @donkomphoto Twitter: @donkom Flickr: @donkom 500px: @donkom