We Talk Photo

Jack and John welcome Brenda Tharp to the program.  Brenda is a veteran of the photo industry and has a wealth of knowledge and experience around leading a creative life and following her passion.  Brenda is currently drawn to the Intimate Landscapes, that space between Grand landscapes and Macros and her love of this really shows in her incredible work. Listen in to this wonderful conversation with Brenda as they talk about how she goes about creating her images as well as how she and her partner live and travel in a van which affords her the timing and flexibility to become intimately familiar with locations as well as waiting for ideal conditions. Brendas Website: https://www.brendatharp.com/ Brendas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenda_tharp_photo/ The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography. Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, both long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about being creative, learning to “see”, getting to know industry leaders, trends and perhaps some gear talk.  

We are overjoyed to welcome Guy Tal and Michael Gordon to the show at the same time.  They are both longtime friends of us and of the show, but to have them together on the same episode is epic!  Listen in as we discuss different topics related to creativity and the creative life, inspiration and happiness in photography.  Because of the length of our discussion, we have created two episodes, each roughly 25 minutes long.  Listen in and take to heart some of the wisdom that these two fantastic creatives discuss this craft of photography. Link to Michaels Blog Post HERE Guy mentions a book titled Flow.  HERE is the link to this book. Guy Tal I am a professional writer and photographic artist living in Utah. I am the author of several books, a blogger, and an educator. In my photographs, I aim to express emotions and moods rather than to document or commemorate the appearances of places or events. Michael Gordon Michael E. Gordon is an award-winning fine art landscape photographer best known for his black and white impressions of California’s deserts which, said Broughton Quarterly, portrays “stunning ethereal beauty from terrain where others see only a bleak landscape.” A lifelong student of nature and wilderness, Michael’s intimate relationship with the natural world yields quiet images of depth and discovery.   The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

We are overjoyed to welcome Guy Tal and Michael Gordon to the show at the same time.  They are both longtime friends of us and of the show, but to have them together on the same episode is epic!  Listen in as we discuss different topics related to creativity and the creative life, inspiration and happiness in photography.  Because of the length of our discussion, we have created two episodes, each roughly 25 minutes long.  Listen in and take to heart some of the wisdom that these two fantastic creatives discuss this craft of photography. Link to Michaels Blog Post HERE Guy mentions a book titled Flow.  HERE is the link to this book. Guy Tal I am a professional writer and photographic artist living in Utah. I am the author of several books, a blogger, and an educator. In my photographs, I aim to express emotions and moods rather than to document or commemorate the appearances of places or events. Michael Gordon Michael E. Gordon is an award-winning fine art landscape photographer best known for his black and white impressions of California’s deserts which, said Broughton Quarterly, portrays “stunning ethereal beauty from terrain where others see only a bleak landscape.” A lifelong student of nature and wilderness, Michael’s intimate relationship with the natural world yields quiet images of depth and discovery.   The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

In this episode of We Talk Photo, Jack and John talk about their most recent workshop in Katmai National Park photographing the grizzly bears amidst the Fall colors.  This was their 7th workshop in this beautiful area and once again provided an amazing experience for all of the folks who came along.  This is a bucket-list type of workshop as this experience is unlike any other and is magnificent!  Imagine standing in a river with 3-8 grizzly bears all around you!    We saw over 100 bears a day as we rafted the small rivers between wilderness lakes, photographing along the way as bears appeared. Here is a link to the battery charger Jack talked about.  This is for Fujifilm batteries but you can navigate and find a model to fit your specific batteries.    Llano Battery Charger Link The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.  

Jack and John welcome Tiffany Reed Briley to the podcast!  It’s a long time overdue having Tiffany on the program, so the conversation is lively and diverse.  Take a step in to Tiffanys world as she travels for her numerous workshops and runs her successful businesses, bringing inspiration, education and creativity to her clients.  Uplifting and informational, the conversation is relaxed and entertaining. Tiffany Reed Briley is a professional, nature photographer, who turned her passion into three thriving and very successful businesses. She is the owner of Charleston Photography Tours, The Photography Workshop Company and Sharpen Your Shutter.  Twice she has been named Diamond Photographer Of The Year through the Professional Photographers Association. She is a sought after mentor and in-demand instructor who guides photographers towards identifying and establishing their styles as well as consulting on marketing, sales and profit centers for their work.       Tiffanys Website: https://www.tiffanybriley.com/ Tiffanys Workshops: https://www.photographyworkshopcompany.com/workshops The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.  

Join Jack and John as they talk with their longtime friend Bill Fortney.  Bill is an institution in the photographic community and has enjoyed a career spanning over 55 years.  He is one of the pioneers of the photo workshop concepts and has met and befriended all of the luminaries of this profession.  Listen in as they discuss Bills earlier career and what got him started down the photographic path

Jack and John welcome the immensely talented Bruce Percy to the show.  If you don’t know Bruces work, please visit his website (link below) and immerse yourself in his beautiful work before listening to this two-part interview.  Bruce joins Jack and John from Scotland where he is home for a brief time between his workshop travels. Listen in as they discuss Bruces methodology, the concepts of creativity and how to grow as an artist by gaining confidence in yourself and trusting your instincts.  It is a riveting interview and one that went so long we divided it in to two episodes! Bruces’ Website:  https://www.brucepercy.co.uk Excerpts from Bruces Bio I’ve always been drawn to the arts: drawing and painting as a kid, music composition as a teenager and photography as an adult. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that I’m much more attracted to the wilderness and the people that live on the edges of it. Photography is a great way of getting closer to the land and the cultures that inhabit it. I use Hasselblad V series film cameras and Fuji Velvia 50 and Kidak E100 film. I’ve been shooting film since the late 80’s. I guess you could say I’m old-school. I just like the process and it’s become part of me, so I don’t see the need to change. I also believe that I make pictures for myself. It’s all too easy in this day and age to feel a pressure or need to find approval. Best advice I can give you is to do what you like, and that way you will be true to yourself. If you do that, you can’t go wrong. The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Part 2 of our interview with Bruce Percy!  Jack and John welcome the immensely talented Bruce Percy to the show.  If you don’t know Bruces work, please visit his website (link below) and immerse yourself in his beautiful work before listening to this two-part interview.  Bruce joins Jack and John from Scotland where he is home for a brief time between his workshop travels. Listen in as they discuss Bruces methodology, the concepts of creativity and how to grow as an artist by gaining confidence in yourself and trusting your instincts.  It is a riveting interview and one that went so long we divided it in to two episodes! Bruces’ Website:  https://www.brucepercy.co.uk Excerpts from Bruces Bio I’ve always been drawn to the arts: drawing and painting as a kid, music composition as a teenager and photography as an adult. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that I’m much more attracted to the wilderness and the people that live on the edges of it. Photography is a great way of getting closer to the land and the cultures that inhabit it. I use Hasselblad V series film cameras and Fuji Velvia 50 and Kidak E100 film. I’ve been shooting film since the late 80’s. I guess you could say I’m old-school. I just like the process and it’s become part of me, so I don’t see the need to change. I also believe that I make pictures for myself. It’s all too easy in this day and age to feel a pressure or need to find approval. Best advice I can give you is to do what you like, and that way you will be true to yourself. If you do that, you can’t go wrong. The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Happy New Year!  Jack and John kick off 2025 with a discussion about what to do during the “off season” of winter, such as setting goals, finding inspiration for the new year and growing your knowledge, skills and abilities.  It’s a great reminder that even though you may not be out on location during this season, it’s a wonderful time to reflect and set some direction for your artistry.  Everyone at We Talk Photo wishes you a happy and prosperous New Year!   The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Join the guys for one last podcast for 2024!   It’s been a great year and Jack and John want to express their gratitude to you, the listeners, for making this a fantastic year.  Although this is not a gear centric podcast, in this episode Jack and John share some of the fun gadgets they’ve collected throughout the year to make photography more efficient, productive or just plain fun. Gadget Links SmallRig Camera Clamp Smallrig Folding Tool Set SmallRig Film RIOT 10-in-1 Folding Tool Streamlight Flashlight Nitecore BB Nano Blower Nitecore BB2 Electronic Blower Wera Toolset Uncle Bills Tweezers Maven Magnetic Filters Magnetic Picture Hangers Anker Prime Power Bank Baseus 6-in-1 Charging Station   The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Join Jack and John as they catch up with one of the friends of the program, David Cobb.  David has been on the program before, however in this episode, they discuss Davids recent trip to South Korea with Sean Bagshaw.  David and Sean spent close to a month traveling around the country photographing everything from high mountain peaks to sea stacks along the coast along with lush bamboo forests and numerous temples around the country.  It is a fascinating conversation understanding Davids motivation for traveling to a country not widely known for its photographic potential and what it took to prepare for such a trip. From Davids bio… As a long-distance hiker, I have sharpened my photographic perspective over the years on the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide, the Canadian Divide and most recently walking across Iceland. After years of capturing images along the trail and becoming more and more passionate about the art of photography, I took the leap and “quit my day job” to devote myself full time to my photographic work. Now as I photograph throughout the US and around the world, I am continually awed by the broad spectrum of nature’s offerings—from a delicate heliconia flower on the exotic island of Rarotonga to the sweeping Patagonian landscape. My particular fondness for the Pacific Northwest is reflected in my local outdoor shots. My goal is to capture the wonders I see in nature for the enjoyment of all those with an eye for the extraordinary. Davids Website: https://dmcobbphoto.com/ Davids Books: https://dmcobbphoto.com/product-category/books/ The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Join Jack and John as they delve in to a couple of relevant topics for the Fall and Winter season.  Photographing in bad weather often times presents very good opportunities for great photos.  Dramatic skies, saturated colors, stormy feelings…all is possible when you are out with your camera in inclement weather.  Even in winter, when snow is on the ground, there are a TON of photographic opportunities around.  They talk about what it’s like being out in this weather, plus, encourage you to get out there and shoot.  Plus, John has been focused on the subject of contrasts, either creating photos using contrasting elements, or adding contrast in post-processing.   Listen in as they discuss this topic and why it’s important both creatively and in the digital darkroom. If you want to watch Johns video on adding Midtone contrast, click HERE     The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Jack and John just returned from leading a Fall color photo workshop in the Eastern Sierras of California.  They drove down from Portland Oregon and scouted the area for several days before the group arrived, then led the group to the best locations in the area.  Here how the workshop went and what they saw and taught the clients.  Plus, for those who watch on YouTube, you can see some sample images they captured during the workshop. https://www.youtube.com/@wetalkphoto The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Jack and John welcome back to the program one of our dear friends, Sean Bagshaw.  In this episode we catch up with Sean and learn about what he’s up to and then dive in to his philosophy around processing images, which applications he prefers to use along with a nice overview of the Tony Kuyper TK9 plug-ins that Sean has helped develop over the years. Seans Website: https://www.outdoorexposurephoto.com/ TK9 PS Plug-In: https://www.outdoorexposurephoto.com/video-tutorials/video-tutorials/ The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Jack and John are happy to welcome back to the program the wonderful Michael Gordon to talk about his new book Denizens as well as a host of other topics.  Michael is the preeminent desert photographer and Denizens encapsulates over 20 years of his work in the deserts.   Please join them for a wonderful discussion about the creative arts and Michaels journey along the way! Michael E. Gordon is an award-winning fine art landscape photographer best known for his black and white impressions of California’s deserts which, said Broughton Quarterly, portrays “stunning ethereal beauty from terrain where others see only a bleak landscape.” A lifelong student of nature and wilderness, Michael’s intimate relationship with the natural world yields quiet images of depth and discovery.  Michaels Website: https://www.michael-gordon.com  Denizens Book: https://www.michael-gordon.com/product/book-denizens/ The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Jack and John are honored to have two of our dear friends on the program; Guy Tal and Colleen Miniuk. Both of these amazing people have new books, either out or coming soon, focused on self-discovery, philosophy along with some amazing photography.  We are pleased to welcome them both on the program to discuss their books and how their creative lives have been impacted and grown as a result of their self-discovery work.  Listen in to this amazing episode with two of the BEST people! Colleen Miniuk, So Said The River For 40 years, Colleen Miniuk relentlessly pursued perfection, achievement, and success without finding happiness. Then she found herself unexpectedly facing the end of her marriage. To cope with the devastating loss, she and her mother, Jacque, attempted to paddle across Lake Powell, a reservoir along the Colorado River on the Utah-Arizona border. Like life, the trip did not go as planned. How do you find fulfillment, especially while navigating life’s hardships? How do you become a free-flowing river when you’ve run into a dam and life tries to turn you into a reservoir? During her raw adventures on the Colorado from Moab to Lake Mead, Colleen challenges beliefs, confronts fears, and finds the courage to live deliberately and authentically. Out of the storms and rapids, she discovers that “happily ever after” sometimes looks different than what we have been told. So Said the River shares one woman’s riveting journey of self-discovery. It encourages readers to create their own definition of success and inspires confidence in those who have chosen, or may choose, non-traditional ways to live one’s life.   So Said The River Book: https://www.sosaidtheriver.com Colleens Website: https://www.colleenminiuk.com   Guy Tal, Be Extraordinary An inspiring, educational, and practical book about philosophy and art, and finding a personally meaningful life. Teacher, philosopher, and author Guy Tal has written several best-selling books on photography, creativity, and expression. While it would be understandable to label Guy a “photographer,” it is more accurate to call him a philosopher and artist who has forged a creative life on his own terms: a life shaped by his love of nature, his interest in science and philosophy, his individualistic temperament, and his desire to create art that is expressive and significant in the ways most meaningful to him. In Be Extraordinary: Philosophical Advice for Photographic and Other Artists, Guy shares his knowledge of philosophy and art, then offers advice on how to implement it into your own work. In the first part, “Foundations,” Guy lays out a conceptual framework for the book with short essays about philosophy and art. In the second part, “Practical Advice,” he offers a series of brief essays aiming to enable and empower you to apply the foundational philosophies to your own life and work. Together, the two parts demonstrate how Guy has carefully fashioned his own perspective on philosophy, art, and life, and offer you a set of tools for finding your own path.   Be Extraordinary: https://guytal.com/books/be-extraordinary Guys Website: https://guytal.com   The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Jack and John welcome Alister Benn back to the program to discuss his recent move to an island in Scotland and how location can be instrumental in both the creative aspects of photography as well as the restorative benefits that a location can provide. A bit about Alister and Expressive Photography Expressive Photography Ltd was founded by Scottish landscape photographer me, Alister Benn and my wife, Norwegian artist Ann Kristin Lindaas. Our idea is to strip photography education back down to the absolute basics; the landscape, our engagement, passion and expression. Yes, there are all sorts of techniques, styles and locations, but we often forget why we picked up a camera in the first place, we love being in nature. Website: https://expressive.photography YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Alister_Benn  The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Join Jack and John for a discussion about what’s been going on with them lately as they are in the “busy season” with photo workshops and other projects.  Hear about some recent news and Johns story about “shooting the light” in the Palouse on his most recent photo workshop.  If you want to view this episode on YouTube, you can click HERE and subscribe to our channel.   The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Freshly back from Alaska, Rick Sammon joins Jack and John on this episode. Listen as they talk about Ricks latest projects, his trip to Alaska, AI and his foray in to iPhone photography. It’s a lively and engaging discussion spanning many different topics, including a path down the musical street, but also how it can relate to photography and creativity. Ricks Website: https://ricksammon.com/ iPhone Photography Website: https://sammoniphonephotos.com/   The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.

Image courtesy of Dennis Yarbro Fresh off of photographing the eclipse, we bring together Jack, Doug Haines and Dennis Yarbro to talk about this amazing life experience. In this episode we discuss a bit of the preparation and practice required to execute shoot as well as the amazing experience they had during totality.  Many of the lessons we talk about are equally applicable to everyday photography; preparation, know your equipment, know your shots and enjoy the experience.  It’s all the same, no matter what you are photographing. Dougs Website: https://doughaines.smugmug.com/ The We Talk Photo podcast is dedicated to being an entertaining, informative and lighthearted discussion about a wide range of photographic topics centered around landscape and nature photography.  Hosted by Jack Graham and John Pedersen, long time industry professionals, they will bring you in to their conversations about gear, recent trends, insightful interviews with industry leaders as well as entertaining stories from their collective experience in the photography business.