PhotoActive - Episodes Tagged with “Rocky Nook”

Episode 180: David Young’s Brief History of Photography

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0800

On this week’s episode we welcome David Young, photographer and author of the new book A Brief History of Photography: From the Very Beginning to the Age of Digital. It may feel like photography is only a little more than a hundred years old, but the principles of the art, from lens design to chemistry, have been around for centuries. We had a great conversation about things that surprised David while researching the book, the long obsession with ultra-wide apertures, and more.

Author photo courtesy of Alex Hurst (Ireland).

Guest:

David Young, Flickr, Book

Hosts:

Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky
Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
A Brief History of Photography, by David Young (RockyNook.com). Use code YOUNG40 at checkout for 40% off!
A Brief History of Photography, by David Young (other resellers)

Snapshots:

Jeff's snapshot: Black Doves
Kirk's snapshot: Bloom: Living World, Brian Eno

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Episode 143: Mike Shaw Wants You to Enjoy the Stars

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

The weather is warming up, the skies are clearing, and we point our eyes and cameras to the sky. But capturing the night sky well requires more than just snapping a photo of the heavens. Mike Shaw, author of the new book The Beginner’s Guide to Astrophotography, joins us to talk about what gear you need—yes, you can do it with a smartphone!—and how to make stunning star photos.

Guest:

Mike Shaw, Instagram

Hosts:

Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
The Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography, by Mike Shaw. Use code SHAW10 when buying from Rocky Nook to get 10% off.
International Dark Sky Association
[The World At Night (TWAN)](twanight.com)
Planit Pro app

Our Snapshots:

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Episode 126: Portfolio Building with William Neill

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 01:00:00 -0700

Putting together a photo portfolio doesn’t need to be a daunting task. William Neill returns to PhotoActive to talk about his new book, The Photographer's Portfolio Development Workshop, and share advice on how to edit, organize, and present your best work.

Guest:

William Neill: Instagram, website

Hosts:

Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
The Photographer's Portfolio Development Workshop, by William Neill. Use code WNEILL40 to get 40% off when ordering from Rocky Nook!
Jeff’s Portfolio section of his website
BetterPhoto.com
Impressions of Light portfolio

Our Snapshots:

Jeff: Hit the Island app

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Episode 109: Joe McNally Is The Real Deal

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0800

Joe McNally, who humbly refers to himself as a “working photographer,” has shot everything from high-concept editorial to the Olympic games, and established a reputation as one of the most generous photographers in the business. We talked with Joe about his dogged start on the streets of 1970s New York City and how he’s built his career, which he chronicles in his new book, The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer.

Guest:

Joe McNally (website, Instagram)

Hosts:

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer, by Joe McNally
Faces of Ground Zero photos
Faces of Ground Zero project, Wikipedia

Our Snapshots:

Jeff: Apple Magic Keyboard
Kirk: Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Episode 103: Posing People with Lindsay Adler

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Does the thought of posing people for portraits make you nervous? Our guest this week is fashion and portrait photographer Lindsay Adler, whose book The Photographer’s Guide to Posing will calm your nerves and give you the tools to make beautiful photos of people. Lindsay talks about how she prepares for a portrait shoot, techniques to encourage great poses, working with everyday people compared to working with models, and much more.

Guest:

Lindsay Adler (website, Instagram)

Hosts:

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
The Photographer’s Guide to Posing, by Lindsay Adler
Photographing Challenging Features class, CreativeLive
Episode 35: Martin Parr Shot My Portrait
Lindsay Adler Photography site

Our Snapshots:

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Episode 80: Street Photography with Valérie Jardin

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 01:15:00 -0800

Street photography looks easy: grab a camera, find some people, make some photos. Doing it well is another thing altogether. Photographer, educator, and author Valérie Jardin joins us to talk about the art of street photography, and how to develop the skills for creating great images with the help of her new book, Street Photography Assignments.

Guest:

[Valérie Jardin](www.valeriejardin.com), Instagram, Twitter
Valérie’s book, Street Photography Assignments — use the code JARDIN35 for a 35% discount at Rocky Nook.
Hit the Streets Podcast

Hosts:

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Joshua Coombes #DoSomethingForNothing project
Vivian Maier
Portfolio: Street Dogs
Portfolio: Readers

Our Snapshots:

Jeff: The Way I See It documentary
Kirk: Des Oiseaux - Pentti Sammallahti

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Episode 50: Creative Black and White Photography with Harold Davis

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Artist, photographer, and writer Harold Davis joins us to discuss his new book Creative Black & White, 2nd Edition, and we talk about the photographer as artist, and how to see the world in monochrome.

Guest:

Harold Davis: Instagram, website
Creative Black & White - save 40% with the code HDAVIS40.

Giveaway:

We’re giving away a copy of Harold’s book, Creative Black & White, to two PhotoActive listeners! To be eligible, simply subscribe to our newsletter that we use to announce new episodes: the form is at the bottom of every PhotoActive page. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

Hosts:

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Episode 44: Minimalist Photographer Michael Kenna
Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico by Ansel Adams (Wikipedia)
Ansel Adams on capturing Moonrise over Hernandez, interview that includes the original image.
Silver Efex Pro
Skylum Tonality filters for Luminar
Episode 42: Memory Cards (Kirk's snapshot pick, the Tonality filters)

Our Snapshots:

Jeff: Zeiss 200 Lens Wipes
Kirk: A piece of black cloth

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Episode 48: Adventures with Dan Bailey

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 12:45:00 -0700

Photographer Dan Bailey is our guest this week to talk about his book FUJIFILM X Series Unlimited: Mastering Techniques and Maximizing Creativity with Your FUJIFILM Camera—though we’re not focusing on Fujifilm cameras. We’re more interested in questions such as how many of your camera’s features you should understand, whether technical details really matter, and how Dan became a pro photographer and expert in the first place.

Guest:

Giveaway:

We’re giving away a copy of Dan’s book, FUJIFILM X Series Unlimited: Mastering Techniques and Maximizing Creativity with Your FUJIFILM Camera, to two PhotoActive listeners! To be eligible, simply subscribe to our newsletter that we use to announce new episodes: the form is at the bottom of every PhotoActive page. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

Hosts:

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Glazer’s Camera in Seattle

Far Side: Devil cartoon

Fuji X-Forum
Galen Rowell, Mountain Light Photography
Michael Kenna Rouge gallery
Joseph O. Holmes “Custom Machinery”
Joel Meyerowitz Empire State photos

Our Snapshots:

Jeff: Replacement lens caps: 39mm, 67mm
Kirk: Rouge, by Michael Kenna

Episode 46: Pet Photography with Norah Levine

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0700

When you think of portrait photography, do you envision tails and fur? This week, we talk to Norah Levine about her book Pet Photography: The Secrets to Creating Authentic Pet Portraits, and how to take great photos of four-legged (or winged) family members.

Sponsor

Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography

Guest:

Norah Levine: Instagram, website, Flickr
Pet Photography: The Secrets to Creating Authentic Pet Portraits

Giveaway:

We’re giving away a copy of Norah’s book, Pet Photography: The Secrets to Creating Authentic Pet Portraits, to a PhotoActive listener! To be eligible, simply subscribe to our newsletter that we use to announce new episodes: the form is at the bottom of every PhotoActive page. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

Hosts:

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Our Snapshots:

Jeff: Peak Design Travel Tripod
Kirk: Fujifilm X-T3

Episode 41: Bird Photography with Marie Read

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0700

We’re excited to welcome Marie Read, author of the book Mastering Bird Photography (Rocky Nook), to the podcast. She talks about getting started with bird photography, where to find interesting birds, and, yes, we necessarily talk a bit about gear, since a good telephoto lens is essential for this type of photography.

Sponsor

Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography

Guest:

Marie Read
Mastering Bird Photography, by Marie Read
Marie Read Wildlife Photography on Facebook

Giveaway:

We’re giving away a copy of Marie’s book, Mastering Bird Photography, to a PhotoActive listener! To be eligible, simply subscribe to our newsletter that we use to announce new episodes: the form is at the bottom of every PhotoActive page. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

Hosts:

Episode note: The Skype connection was spotty during recording. Apologies for the occasional audio glitch.

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

Marie’s cameras:

Our Snapshots:

Episode 14: Chris Marquardt Goes Wide-Angle

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Photographer, podcaster, and author Chris Marquardt just published the book Wide-Angle Photography, and he joins us to talk about the time he took only a 24mm lens on a photo tour and fell in love with wide-angle lens photography. We cover composition, thinking in wide-angle terms, and shooting with tilt-shift lenses.

Sponsor

The Photographer’s Ephemeris: It’s all about the light. Plan your outdoor photography in natural light, at any location on the planet. Get 33% off the Photo Planning Tools bundle - three apps - at the App Store. https://www.photoephemeris.com

Guest:

Hosts:

Show Notes:

Wide-Angle Photography, by Chris Marquardt: Order from Rocky Nook, or use a PhotoActive Amazon affiliate link to help support the show.
Patients are desperate to resemble their doctored selfies. Plastic surgeons alarmed by ‘Snapchat dysmorphia.’, Washington Post
24mm Canon Tilt-Shift Lens
24mm Nikon Tilt-Shift Lens
24mm Rokinon Tiilt-Shift Lens for Sony mount
Lensbaby
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be eligible for a random giveaway of Photographer’s Ephemeris apps and all future prize drawings. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.

Our snapshots:

Jeff: RAW Power app
Kirk: The Photo Book