ASMP Experts & Masters

This is part 2 of Tom’s interview with  J. Sybylla Smith, an educator, curator, and incredible photography consultant, providing collaborations on editing, sequencing, marketing, and writing artistic statements so artists can apply for grants or exhibition proposals. She also consults with educational institutions in order to develop programming and more dynamic partnerships. Sybylla writes and lectures on visual culture, gender equity and photography, and the creative practice, with a focus on equality. With such a diverse background, there’s plenty to hear in this one! In this episode, Tom Kennedy, ASMP’s Executive Director, and Photography Consultant J. Sybylla Smith talk about…Enabling photographers to be creative in new ways while living in the current situationBeing able to power past the limitations that fear might imposeWe can only go one day at a time!How the present moment will affect the institutions and where the artist fits inIt’s always collaborative, there is no individual successAmplifying the reality that there are no borders separating us right nowStart talking outside to other professions to collaborateHere’s how to reach Sybylla and work with her right nowLinks to resources:Billy CollinsHail The Dark LionessCheck out Sybylla’s work on Instagram or on her website: https://www.jsybyllasmith.com/Send us your comments and suggestions: communications@ASMP.orgTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

Today, Tom has the pleasure of interviewing J. Sybylla Smith, an educator, curator, and incredible photography consultant, providing collaborations on editing, sequencing, marketing, and writing artistic statements so artists can apply for grants or exhibition proposals. She also consults with educational institutions in order to develop programming and more dynamic partnerships. Sybylla writes and lectures on visual culture, gender equity and photography, and the creative practice, with a focus on equality. With such a diverse background, there’s plenty to hear in this one! In this episode, Tom Kennedy, ASMP’s Executive Director, and Photography Consultant J. Sybylla Smith talk about…What propelled Sybylla to use photography as an outlet of expressionHow Sybylla’s creativity in her social work career led her to photographyIdentifying the things that are of value that Sybylla wants to work onSmartphones and technology have made photography more accessibleCross over between personal history and world history as a curatorMultimedia trends reverberate into academics and visual arts over timeThe real key to making impactful work and how to see the possibilitiesSybylla’s techniques to holding up a mirror to photographersThe biggest barriers to self-awareness in the world right nowOpportunities that are coming forth in these unprecedented timesIn our current situation, we need the reality and the hopeLinks to resources:New York TimesDigital Silver ImagingCheck out Sybylla’s work at her website: https://www.jsybyllasmith.com/Send us your comments and suggestions: communications@ASMP.orgTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

Tom’s guest today, Erika Larsen, is a photographer known for extended essays that document various cultures from a variety of perspectives. Erika is well-known around the world for her work with National Geographic, Time Magazine, and other globally-recognized companies. She has specialized in immersive photography in order to tap into the world’s oldest profession, storytelling. Erika believes that good photographers have the ability to freeze time, and she has let that fuel her throughout her long and impressive career. In this episode, Tom Kennedy, ASMP National Board Member, and photographer rep Erika Larsen talk about…How Erika got started in the field of photographyCutting out a lot of the noise that comes with having a plethora of toolsStorytelling is the oldest profession that the world knowsDeveloping a relationship with the earth and what it means to be humanStaying present and focused while photographing when the world is so loudErika has spent a lifetime finetuning her photography skills through experienceOvercoming the initial challenge of gaining acceptance into different culturesEveryone in this world holds a certain knowledge that is unique to themGetting people to open up and convey the essence of their own storyKeeping track of where you are in the evolution of each storyWhat catches Erika’s attention when she is in the moment of taking a photographAchieving a stillness and what that does for different peopleHaving a great support system when life takes you all over the worldMaking an impact on the world and how to do itWhat the person next to you says can or can’t happen doesn’t existLinks to resources:National GeographicTime MagazineSend us your comments and suggestions: communications@ASMP.orgTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

Today’s special guest is Heather Elder, a photography rep that has worked with some of the most well-known photographers in recent memory. Heather has spent years sharing thoughts and secrets of the photography industry through her blog, Notes From a Rep’s Journal, and her podcast, Dear Art Producer. After 25 years, she still figures out ways to innovate and adapt to the industry as it changes with the times. Heather brings years of wisdom and experience to the table, so pay attention!In this episode, Gabriella Marks, ASMP National Board Member, and photography rep Heather Elder talk about…What doesn’t an artist representative do?Creating a sense of community in an industry that lacks oneThe importance of clear communication throughout the entire processWalking the line between following up and not being a stalkerStart with the creative call and work from thereAdvice for beginners on how to approach creative treatmentBreaking down estimates and approaching the jobWhat can be said about you that cannot be said about anyone else?How photographers are integrating motion into what they doUsing ASMP’s heritage to look forward into the futurePersistence is key if you want to work with HeatherLinks to resources:Keep up with Heather’s work on her website: https://www.heatherelder.com/Send us your comments and suggestions: communications@ASMP.orgTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

Eric Meola is an incredibly talented commercial photographer out of New York City. He has spent his career attempting to make his work distinctive, photographing things like the incredible weather of The Great Plains and Bruce Springsteen on the rise. Eric began his commercial photography career after he graduated from Syracuse University, going from his first job as a photography assistant to Time Magazine. Throughout his career, Eric has been able to balance doing commercial work, which brings in money, and his personal work, which is much more important in the long run. In this episode, Tom Kennedy, ASMP’s Executive Director, and photographer Eric Meola talk about…How Eric began his commercial career from Syracuse UniversityKeeping a balance between commercial and editorialForces that drive photographers to make their work distinctiveThings learned from outside assignments and making mistakesDifferent sources of inspiration that have helped open Eric’s eyesApproaching the challenge of filming the weather of The Great PlainsAchieving clarity and precision in the moment during all the chaos of the stormsPreparation for chasing storms across such a massive land areaPhysical and mental challenges when chasing storms for long periods of timeStaying careful and aware of the environment when photographing a stormHow the process of editing and publishing changes between booksImportance of being on press during the publishing process for the photographerThe positives and negatives that can be taken from The Great PlainsMaking a statement about yourself with your portfolioWays that the photography market has changed since Eric started his careerGetting outside of your comfort zone to realize what you might be good atLinks to resources:Eric Meola’s Website:  http://www.ericmeola.photography/Books by Eric Meola:Fierce BeautyThe Last Place on Earth: IndiaStreets of Fire: Bruce Springsteen in Photographs and Lyrics 1977-1979Born to Run The Unseen PhotosLast Places on EarthSend us your comments and suggestions: communications@ASMP.orgTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

Robert Seale is a commercial photographer and long-time ASMP member based out of Houston. Throughout his career, he has been able to stay versatile and prolific, while providing his services to advertising agencies, corporate reports, and a host of editorial publications. Robert has made a name for himself with his exceptional technical ability, graphic eye, lighting skills, and his execution speed as a visual problem solver. From his start as a college newspaper photographer, Robert has spent years establishing himself as one of the premier names in the commercial photography industry.In this episode, Tom Kennedy, ASMP’s Executive Director, and Robert Seale talk about…Getting into photography and influences that Robert hadTransitioning from newspaper to sports magazinesPreparation for photographing an athlete without the athleteDeciding to go out on his own as a commercial photographerLooking into the creative process that goes into getting a great shotEducating clients about the photography that they are looking forHow Robert finds people that he really likes to work withAdvising young photographers on which skills to hone in onThe evolution from film to digital and how it has changed photographyImportance of Instagram for displaying your portfolio to the new worldChanges going on now that are creating more avenues for photography servicesThe two factors that go into charging appropriatelyThings to know if entering the photography industry right nowStaying critical and re-evaluating your process as time goes onLinks to resources:Robert Seale's website: https://www.robertseale.com/Robert Seale's Instagram: @robertsealephotoSend us your comments and suggestions: communications@ASMP.orgTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

Tom’s guest today, Lou Jones, is a long-time Boston freelance photographer. Lou received his degree in physics and you could say he was well on his way to becoming a rocket scientist, until he found his way to the art of photography. Since then, he has spent his career blending the commercial and editorial sectors. Through personal and long-term projects, Lou is working to effect change in how the world views different social issues.In this episode, Tom and Lou talk about…Considering photography as a career choice from a start in physicsStarting to build his own sense and skills as a photographerPerseverance through racism and other early obstaclesBlending the commercial and editorial sectorsLearning to navigate cold calls to make your way into the roomReaching a broader audience through the use of social mediaUsing personal projects as a means to attract clientsHow social components of photography have changed over timeWorking to effect thinking about the realities of AfricaBiggest challenges facing the team with the effort to cover all of AfricaWhat brings Lou joy being a photographerSustaining creativity after amassing such a large amount of experienceEngaging the public in the value of work that photographers doSerious advice for anyone looking to become a great professional photographerLinks to resources:Lou Jones’ website: https://www.fotojones.com/Lou Jones’ Pan Africa Project:  https://panafricaproject.org/about-the-panafricaproject/Lou Jones’ Instagram: @loujonesstudioTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

ASMP member photographer, and past Chief White House photographer to President Barack Obama, Pete Souza, speaks with ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy.   Pete went to K-State where he started his photography journey with the school’s newspaper. After quite a journey, he found himself as the White House photographer for both President Ronald Reagan and President Barack Obama. In this episode, Tom and Pete talk about Pete’s time at the school paper, to teaching, to the Sun Times, to National Geographic, the Oval Office and everything that came in between.  In this episode, we talk about…Pete’s inspirations that set him on his photography journeyTransitioning from the Chanute Tribune to the Chicago Sun-TimesFinding his way to Washington to work for Ronald ReaganLooking for those moments that really showed what the president was likePutting pictures into the media ecosystem in different erasTraveling around the world with Reagan vs. ObamaLearning experiences that came from working at National GeographicBeing on the ground in Afghanistan before the troops arrivedBuilding a rapport with Barack Obama in D.C.Maintaining professional emotions during very significant historical momentsUnderstanding the importance of having visual documentation of the presidencyJuggling the responsibilities of running the office and being the president’s photographerAddressing the challenge of painting the proper picture of Obama’s 8-year presidencyWorking on the Shade Project and how people are responding to itAdvice for new photographers from Pete’s years of experienceLinks to resources:National GeographicKeep up with Pete’s work on Instagram and check out his book, Shade: A Tale of Two PresidentsTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

This is a very busy and exciting time in Washington for the ASMP. Here to tell us all about what’s going on is Gabriela Marks, ASMP National Board member. Today’s episode is a short update on the latest news from Capitol Hill. A vote was passed recently in the House to strengthen the copyright system, now onto the Senate. Stay tuned to hear just what that means for the ASMP.In this episode, we talk about…Having the same impact in the Senate as in the HouseModifications to the Case Act that opposition has proposedWhere the Case Act was bornOpponents of strengthening the copyright systemCommon distortions of the results of the Case ActFears of corporate infringement that the Case Act could alleviateWhy we need to update the copyright system as it isWhat people can do right now to bring attention to this issueLinks to resources:To donate to the ASMP archives go to https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/Support the show

The calling cards of any archive are preservation and access. Tom’s guest today is Grayson Dantzic. Grayson is an ASMP Board Member in the New York chapter, a photographer, and an archivist. As an archivist, he has been working with Tom to organize and assess the value of ASMP’s archives as a representation of the history of photography over the past 75 years. Grayson’s goal is to raise awareness about the roots of photography and the ASMP in order to shed light on the rich stories behind the people that have shared history through photography.In this episode, we talk about…Grayson’s journey to photography and photo archivingRaising awareness about the roots of photographyHow passionate the early founders were for what they were trying to doComparing the media saturation of today to the founding timesPutting together a rich tapestry of the history of ASMPSurprising takeaways from looking at the archivesConnecting resources between different archivesCompensating for the loss of the human connective piece in photographyBuilding the archives from the ground upOpportunities that are waiting in the archivesEstablishing connections with different research and preservation institutionsEnvisioning the desired digital archive presence and pool for resourcesLinks to resources:Life MagazineTo donate to the ASMP archives go to:  https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation/To learn more about archivist and photographer Grayson Dantzic go to his website:  https://www.graysondantzic.com/To read about the Smithsonian traveling exhibition of Jerry Dantzic photographs of Billie Holiday that Grayson curated go to: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/new-smithsonian-traveling-exhibition-shows-rarely-seen-photos-billie-holidaysSupport the show

In this episode Tom Kennedy, ASMP's Executive Director, speaks candidly with Cynthia Carris Alonso — a former Newsweek photo editor and photographer who has worked extensively in Cuba for more than two decades. Cynthia Carris Alonso has been a Photographer, Photo Editor and Researcher for internationally renowned magazines, books and web sites such as Time.com, ABCnews.com, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, The New York Times, Rhythm Music Magazine, People en Español, Vanity Fair, and Scholastic, as well as a photographer for several music-recording companies. Cynthia Carris Alonso’s latest book, A Taste of Cuba, published by Apollo Publishers, celebrates the wonderful taste of Cuban cuisine, as well as the sites, colors, and energy of the Cuban culture. Support the show

Luke Copping, former ASMP National Board of Directors Chair, chats with athlete and trainer Jordan Marwin about physical wellness, strength, and mobility for photographers.  You can learn more about Jordan here.Support the show

In this episode ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy speaks with Tim Rasmussen — The former director of photography for ESPN. Tim recently left the position for a new role with Connecticut Public Broadcasting as Chief Content Officer.  This interview was recorded prior to that role change.  He joined ESPN in 2015 after nearly 10 years as Assistant Managing Editor for Photography at The Denver Post, where the paper became known for its exceptional photography and awarded three Pulitzer Prizes.  He established video journalism at the Post.  You can learn more about Tim here.Support the show

In this episode ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy speaks with Santiago Lyon - The Director of Editorial Content for Adobe as well as the former Director of Photography for the Associated Press. They touch on topics ranging from Lyon's current work leading a newsroom worth stock department within adobe to his work overseeing years of Pulitzer Prize winning work at AP.Lyon began his career with AP as a photographer, moved to picture editing and served as Director of Photography for the last 12 years. During his time as director, AP won three Pulitzer Prizes for photography. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Eddie Adams Workshops.As a photographer for AP, Lyon worked in Central America, Egypt and Spain.  You can learn more about Santiago / follow him on Twitter here.Support the show

ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy speaks with photographer, filmmaker, educator, and former ASMP President Richard Kelly.   You can learn more about Richard here.Support the show

Tom's guest in this episode is Sherif Hanna — Senior Director for platform integration at Truepic, a California startup company that is now grappling with one of the more vexing problems of our time - namely how to authenticate digital imagery so that viewers of the image know that it has been seen and rendered as the photographer intended and that it accurately reflects what the photographer saw at the moment of image capture.  You can learn more about Truepic here.Support the show

ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy speaks with Maggie Steber, a well-known documentary photographer, Leica Ambassador and photo educator.   Maggie has worked in 64 countries focusing on humanitarian, cultural, and social stories. Her honors include the Leica Medal of Excellence, World Press Photo Foundation, the Overseas Press Club, Pictures of the Year, the Medal of Honor for Distinguished Service to Journalism from the University of Missouri, the Alicia Patterson and Ernst Haas Grants, and a Knight Foundation grant for the New American Newspaper project. For over three decades, Steber has worked in Haiti. Aperture published her monograph, DANCING ON FIRE. In 2013 Steber was named as one of eleven Women of Vision by National Geographic Magazine, publishing a book and touring an exhibition in five American cities. Steber has served as a Newsweek Magazine contract photographer and as the Asst. Managing Editor of Photography and Features at The Miami Herald, overseeing staff projects that won the paper a Pulitzer and two finalist recognition. Her work is included in the Library of Congress, The Richter Library and in private collections. She has exhibited internationally. Clients include National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, AARP, The Guardian, and Geo Magazine among others. Steber teaches workshops internationally including at the World Press Joop Swart Master Classes, the International Center for Photography, Foundry Workshops and and the Obscura Photo Festival. You learn more about Maggie here.Support the show

In this episode of ASMP Experts and Masters ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy speaks with Evan Nisselson — a venture capitalist based in New York City who provides early stage funding to individuals seeking to grow all types of imaging technology companies as well as acting as host of an annual conference that brings together photographers, technologists, academics, media company execs. and more. Due to recording issues you may notice some background noise and the occasional interference — however we feel that the content presented in this episode is extremely valuable, and while the recording may be less than 100% quality we still feel it is of a reasonable quality for casual listening. Support the show

In this episode ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy chats with Scott Burkholder of SGB Talent Agency in Baltimore. Scott is a socially minded artist agent who focus is on giving artists support and guidance in their business affairs. You can learn more about the American Society of Media Photographers by visiting www.asmp.org.Support the show

ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy talks with picture editor Karen Mullarkey. Karen has an extensive career at magazines like Rolling Stone, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated. You can learn more about the American Society of Media Photographers by visiting ASMP.orgSupport the show