The Nerdy Photographer Podcast

Host Casey Fatchett talks with alternative process photographer Britt Bradley, known professionally as Nitrate Fox, about wet plate collodion photography, the history and politics baked into a 170-year-old medium, and Bradley's self-published photo book Jamnesia , which documents the roller derby community in tintype. In this episode: Why Bradley chose a non-gender-specific artist name — and how it changed their exhibition acceptance rate Collodion's history as "a perpetual representation of the white male gaze," and how seating, standing, and exposure time shaped who was centered in 19th-century photographs How collodion's UV sensitivity affects the rendering of different skin tones Sharing copyright and physical plates with sitters as a way of redistributing power in the photographer/subject relationship The physical demands of wet plate: working within feet of a darkroom, racing the clock before a plate dries, and a 120-degree, quarter-mile sprint story from shooting on Fremont Street in Las Vegas What "truth" in photography really means — from treaty photographs to Dorothea Lange's contact sheets to Pete Souza's approach to documenting the White House Museum and archive access: how members of the public can actually request to view historic photographic collections Studio rules: "no negative self-talk" and "we always ask for consent" — and the story of photographing derby skater Aveda after her double mastectomy Why Bradley shoots roller derby "from the inside out" as a skater themself, rather than as an outside documentarian What three years, six states, 50+ leagues, and 500+ tintypes taught Bradley about derby community, care, and identity Embracing collodion's unpredictable artifacts as part of the story, not a flaw to eliminate Advice for anyone starting out in alternative process photography Episode Promos On1 Photo RAW - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/on1 Nerdy Photographer Contract Templates - https://nerdyphotographer.com/product-category/contracts/ Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Survey Monkey - https://get.surveymonkey.com/nerdy About My Guest Britt Bradley (Nitrate Fox) alternative process photographer and artist. Her work explores identity, empowerment, subculture, and personal narrative through hand-crafted photographic processes that bridge contemporary storytelling with 19th-century techniques. Bradley's work has been exhibited nationally and was recognized as a Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50 photographer and a LensCulture Critics' Choice selection. She is the author of Jamnesia, a monograph documenting the world of roller derby through Wet Plate Collodion. Website: nitratefox.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/Nitrate_Fox TikTok: https://tiktok.com/Nitrate_Fox Book: Jamnesia: The Alternative Art of Athleticism — self-published, limited edition, available now at nitratefox.com Follow the Nerdy Photographer Podcast: Instagram - https://instagram.com/thenerdyphoto Reddit - https://reddit.com/u/thenerdyphoto Threads - https://threads.com/thenerdyphoto Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/thenerdyphoto.bsky.social TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

In this nerdlet, Casey makes the case for deliberately slowing down — and why the unlimited frame rates of modern cameras and phones may be quietly working against better photography. In this episode: Why cheap, abundant frames change the psychology of shooting: when a missed shot costs nothing, the incentive to study each one disappears How high-volume shooting shifts the real creative decision from the moment of capture to the moment of culling Where burst shooting genuinely earns its place (sports, wildlife) versus where it works against you Henri Cartier-Bresson's The Decisive Moment (1952) and what "proactive" attention to a scene actually looks like The cognitive science angle: stimulus-driven (reactive) attention versus goal-directed (deliberate) attention, and why slow photography demands the latter Ansel Adams' concept of pre-visualization — forming the finished image in your mind before you shoot — and Casey's two ways of using it, including prepping mentally the day before a shoot The "film mindset": simulating the constraints of a 24 or 36-exposure roll with a digital camera, including no chimping and no in-field deletions Homework from this episode: Pick a hard limit — 12, 24, or 36 frames — for your next outing. No deleting in the field, no chimping, no exceptions. Before every shot, pause for a few seconds and ask what the photograph is actually about. When you review the results, pay attention not just to which images worked, but to how differently you moved, waited, and looked. Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

In this episode, Casey Fatchett sits down with award-winning photographer Ari Espay, who splits his time between New York City and Santiago, Chile. Ari discusses his decade producing and teaching at National Geographic's photography workshops alongside legends like David Alan Harvey, Ed Kashi, Bob Sacha, Ira Block, and Maggie Steber; his approach to street photography and portraiture with subjects ranging from presidents to Broadway performers; his long-term humanitarian project documenting the EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa) community; and his nonprofit Statement Arts, which has run photography workshops and donated more than 100 cameras to young and at-risk photographers in Myanmar and Laos, including activists documenting human rights abuses in their own communities. Topics Covered: Lessons from a decade at National Geographic's photography workshops Why "serendipity" changed how Ari approaches every shoot Reading a scene: light, subject, and background as visual problem-solving Building trust with strangers on the street Studio portraiture with presidents and public figures vs. street portraiture Photographing vulnerability: the Faces of EB project Where to draw the line between bearing witness and intruding Statement Arts: teaching photography and donating cameras in Myanmar and Laos Why the people living a crisis should be the ones documenting it The throughline across Ari's career: humanity Episode Promos On1 Photo RAW - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/on1 Nerdy Photographer Contract Templates - https://nerdyphotographer.com/product-category/contracts/ Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Survey Monkey - https://get.surveymonkey.com/nerdy ABOUT MY GUEST Award-winning photographer, Ari Espay, splits his time between New York City and Santiago, Chile. Ari has shot documentary pieces, campaigns and editorial essays for magazines in the US and all over South America including; Architectural Digest, Vogue Latin America, Que Pasa, and ED. He has worked for Maybelline, Gillette, Corpbanca, Ferouch, New Man, Kohana Rum, Amazon/AWS, Australis Cruise to name a few and has shot portraits for Presidents, internationally known actors, Emmy Award winning directors, Broadway performers, politicians and high profile business people. With numerous gallery exhibitions, Ari's recent show, "A Glimpse of Southeast Asia" was featured at the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, a museum in Cento, Italy (2018 – 2019). Other exhibitions include; 2026 "Rostros, El Mar De Cultura" Valencia Photo Festival, Spain. 2025 "FACES / VISAGES" , Art-Icon Collective Exhibition Arles, France. 2024 "Corporeality" Art-Icon Collective Exhibition - Paris, 2024 "Moments in Time" Art on the Avenue - New York City, New York, 2021 Art on the Avenue - New York City, New York "Art on the Avenue" (New York City 2021), "Mingalabar Myanmar"(Rome and Bologna, Italy - 2016) and "The Faces of EB" in New York City (2015). In 2012, he was named as Artistic Director of International Projects for Galeria64, the only gallery in Chile exhibiting photography exclusively. Ari has won Chile's prestigious Fondart Grant, was a 2026 Finalist Lucie Foundation On The Block Street Photography, a 2026 Selected Winner American Photography AI-AP 42, a 2024 Portraiture Bronze Winner Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3, Short Listed "EB" State of the World Project Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3, Street Photography Honorable Mention Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3 and 4 Portraiture Honorable Mention Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3, a 2024, 2022 BIFA Budapest International Foto Award Silver winner in Book / Documentary, 2022 MIFA Moscow International Photo Award Winner for our book, 2020Unmasked, in the Documentary Book category. He was the photo editor for "2020 Unmasked" book which won 2 Honorable Mentions at the IPA/International Photography Awards for Documentary and Self-published book. For 10 years, he taught photography workshops for National Geographic and their legendary photographers including, Joe McNally, Bob Sacha, Ira Block, VII's agency Ed Kashi and Magnum's David Alan Harvey. He has worked and traveled in more than 40 countries. Ari speaks 3 languages and enjoys spending time in the mountains. Find Ari Espay: Website: https://ariespayphotography.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/ari_espay Photography Workshops: https://fancygirlstreetboy.com Nonprofit: https://StatementArts.org Follow the Nerdy Photographer Podcast: Instagram - https://instagram.com/thenerdyphoto Reddit - https://reddit.com/u/thenerdyphoto Threads - https://threads.com/thenerdyphoto Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/thenerdyphoto.bsky.social TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

You finish editing a photo you're proud of. You post it. Then you scroll — and within thirty seconds you feel like giving up. This episode explains exactly why that happens, and what to do about it. What you'll learn: Social comparison isn't a character flaw — it's a documented psychological mechanism first described by Leon Festinger in 1954. Human beings evaluate their own abilities by comparing themselves to others, which was a useful system for most of human history. Social media broke it by replacing your actual peer group with a globally curated highlight reel, filtered and amplified by an algorithm designed to surface the most extraordinary content because extraordinary content keeps you scrolling longer. You are comparing your complete output — including the misfires and the experiments — to someone else's absolute best work. Your brain doesn't naturally correct for that structural unfairness. It just registers the gap and feels bad about it. We cover Ira Glass's concept of the gap — the distance between your taste and your ability that every creative person experiences in the early and middle stages of development. The gap isn't evidence that you lack talent. It's evidence that your taste is working. The only way to close it is through volume of work, not volume of consumption. We also get practical about curated consumption — how to use mute buttons, who to follow and who to stop following, and why replacing algorithm-driven feeds with historical photographers removes the social pressure from the equation entirely. Key takeaways: The algorithm surfaces extremes, not averages — you're not seeing a representative sample of photography The gap between taste and ability is a sign your aesthetic sense is working, not that you lack talent Curated consumption is an active practice, not a passive one — manage your inputs deliberately This week's homework: mute five accounts that consistently leave you feeling discouraged rather than curious. Then spend twenty minutes looking at the work of one historical photographer whose images genuinely move you — without checking follower counts, reading comments, or scrolling past it. Just look. Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

What do you do when you've had two successful careers — and neither of them is the one you actually love? For David Hendley, the answer was waking up at 4:30 in the morning to drive to the California coast before work, camera in hand, teaching himself to shoot seascapes in changing light until photography stopped feeling like a hobby and started feeling like a calling. In this episode, David traces his journey from the NFL to the corporate boardroom to documenting the natural world — and we spend most of our time on the question that sits at the center of his work: what does it mean to have a vision as a photographer, and how do you actually develop one? David is specific, honest, and genuinely useful on all of it. He talks about finding balance, mood, and simplicity as the three pillars of how he sees. About walking past the same lake 40 times before the image finally revealed itself. About deliberately limiting himself to five exposures on an outing to force intentionality. And about why, if you're not emotionally tied to a photograph, other people will feel that too. He also makes a case for failure as the best teaching tool a photographer has — something he learned long before he ever picked up a camera. Episode Promos: StyleCloud — beautifully designed website templates for photographers: https:// nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/stylecloud | Code: nerdyphoto15 (15% off) Luminar Neo — AI-powered photo editing software: https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/luminar | Code: nerdyphoto ($10 off) SiteGround — web hosting with increased storage capacity: https://siteground.com/go/nerdy In this episode: → Growing up on National Geographic and how those images never left him → How athletic discipline translated to learning photography at 5 a.m. → The three things he looks for in every image: balance, mood, and simplicity → Why vision can't be forced — and how to let it develop naturally → The five-exposure challenge and the power of intentional shooting → Failure as a growth mechanism, from the NFL to the field → Staying true to your vision when commercial pressure shows up Find David's work at davidspursuit.com and @davidspursuit on Instagram. 🎙️ Subscribe for new episodes every week 🔔 Hit the bell so you don't miss what's next 📸 Follow the Nerdy Photographer: @thenerdyphoto on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Reddit, and Blue Sky Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 04:19 – Meet David Hendley 06:24 – From the NFL to the boardroom to the wild 09:24 – National Geographic and the images that never left 10:37 – Going all in: 5 a.m. seascapes before work 13:05 – How athletic discipline translates to photography 19:48 – Why nature? The pull of the natural world 22:40 – Vision: balance, mood, and simplicity 24:35 – How his vision developed (it crept up on him) 28:18 – Advice for finding your own vision 31:40 – Staying true to yourself under pressure 35:06 – Why failure is your best teacher 36:44 – The five-exposure challenge 43:58 – Does vision narrow or open things up? 46:17 – Walking past the same lake 40 times 48:07 – Vision vs. commercial pressure 53:13 – Advice for creatives at a crossroads 57:26 – Useless information: the first televised football game 58:27 – Where to find David's work Support The Nerdy Photographer Want to help The Nerdy Photographer Podcast? Here are a few simple (and mostly free) ways you can do that: Subscribe to the podcast! Tell your friends about the podcast Sign up for the newsletter - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@CaseyFatchett Buy a print from the print shop - https://caseyfatchettphotography.pic-time.com/art Follow on Instagram - https://instagram.com/thenerdyphoto Follow on Threads - https://threads.net/@thenerdyphoto Follow on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/thenerdyphoto.bsky.social Follow in Tiktok - https://tiktok.com/@thenerdyphoto Get some Nerdy Photographer merchandise - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/nerdy-photographer If you're feeling extra generous, check out our support page - https://nerdyphotographer.com/support-nerdy-photographer/ About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

Every single hard drive you own will eventually fail. Not might fail — will fail. It is just a matter of time. The photographers who lose irreplaceable work aren't the ones who didn't care. They're the ones who meant to get a better system in place and hadn't gotten around to it yet. This episode makes sure you're not one of them. What you'll learn: The industry standard for data protection is the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one copy stored off-site. Each component protects against a different category of failure, and skipping any one of them leaves a gap that a single event — a flood, a theft, a power surge — can exploit completely. We cover RAID systems and the critical distinction most photographers miss: not all RAID configurations protect your data. RAID 0 actually increases your risk of loss by striping data across two drives, meaning either drive failing takes everything with it. RAID 1, which mirrors data across two drives simultaneously, is what's relevant for redundancy. We also draw a clear line between sync services and backup services — a distinction that matters enormously. Dropbox and Google Drive are not backups. If you delete a file or a virus corrupts your data, they'll faithfully replicate that change to the cloud. True backup services maintain versioned snapshots over time specifically designed for recovery, not just access. Our recommendation for cloud backup is Backblaze - https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal#afc32p Finally, we cover cold storage maintenance — why mechanical drives left idle for extended periods can seize, and why spinning them up once a year is essential — and the habit most photographers never build: actually verifying that their backups work. Key takeaways: The 3-2-1 rule is the baseline — three copies, two media types, one off-site RAID 1 protects against drive failure but not deletion, corruption, or disaster Sync is not backup — you need versioned snapshots, not mirrored folders A backup you've never tested is not a backup you can trust This week's homework — The Audit: locate every drive you own and identify your single points of failure. If any important work exists in only one place, resolve that today. Then set a recurring calendar reminder to verify your backups every few months. Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

In this episode, I sit down with portrait photographer Betina LaPlante to explore the philosophy and practice behind her visceral, intimate portraiture. Topics covered: Why Betina puts the camera down before she ever starts shooting — and how building rapport before a session transforms the images she gets The difference between directing a subject and witnessing one — and why she almost always chooses to witness Her work photographing actors like Charles Dance and Christopher Lloyd, and what it means to reveal the person behind the persona How shooting tethered (something she rarely does) became the right call for one particularly camera-shy subject Her 35mm lens, her reliance on natural light, and why she's learning to work with continuous artificial lights Her lifelong love of black and white — from developing film in her bathroom darkroom to converting digital portraits today Why hands are central to her portraits: what they reveal, why they're harder to perform with, and how they carry a life's worth of character The ethics of intimacy in portraiture — and why she has never felt the need to use discomfort as a tool Dream subjects she'd love to photograph: Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Walken, and more Her advice for photographers still finding their voice: shoot what you genuinely love Find Betina LaPlante: Instagram: https://instagram.com/betinatheplante Website: https://betinaplante.com Sponsor links: StyleCloud — beautifully designed website templates for photographers: https:// nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/stylecloud | Code: nerdyphoto15 (15% off) Luminar Neo — AI-powered photo editing software: https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/luminar | Code: nerdyphoto ($10 off) SiteGround — web hosting with increased storage capacity: https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

You can be an exceptional photographer and still be completely invisible to the clients actively searching for someone like you. Not because your work isn't good enough, but because Google doesn't know you exist. Don't worry, though! This episode is going to make that problem go away. SEO for photographers isn't dark magic. For a local photography business, roughly 90% of what moves the needle comes down to three things: your H1 tag, your image alt-text, and your site speed. Your H1 is the main headline on your webpage and one of the strongest signals Google uses to understand what your page is about. "Capturing the Essence of Your Soul" is lovely — but nobody is searching for it. "Wedding Photographer in Austin" is what actually gets you found. Alt-text is the written description attached to every image on your site. Google cannot see your photographs — it reads the label you give them. A file named " _MG_5422.jpg " tells Google nothing. A file named " golden-hour-bride-groom-portrait-austin-texas.jpg " with a matching alt-text description tells Google exactly what it needs to know. Site speed is a documented Google ranking factor, and photographers are almost universally the worst offenders — uploading massive unoptimised files directly from Lightroom. Images destined for the web should be under 500KB. Free tools like Squoosh make this straightforward. I also recommend using a file format such as WebP to bring down file sizes. Finally, we cover Google Business Profile — the free local listing that puts you on the map, literally, when someone searches for a photographer near them. A complete, well-reviewed profile can outperform a first-page organic ranking for local search intent. Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

In this episode, Casey speaks with photographer, filmmaker, and DePaul University professor James Choi, who returned to Seoul after 46 years away and came back with the images that became Seoul Days and Nights , a new photo book from Trope. They dig into what it means to photograph a city holding ancient tradition and radical modernity in the same frame, the slow disappearance of the small family-run food shops that give neighborhoods their character, and how the Korean social concept of nunchi - the unspoken ability to read a room - shapes James's entire approach to working on the street. In This Episode How a six-month sabbatical in Seoul turned into a photo book Photographing the tension between ancient palaces and glass skyscrapers - and why Seoul makes that contrast feel surprisingly at peace The vanishing mom-and-pop food culture, and what gets lost when it goes What nunchi is, why James's mother always said he had it, and how it cuts both ways as a street photographer The ethical lines James draws on the street - when he holds back and why The one image in the book that reminded him of his grandfather What he hopes a first-time Seoul visitor takes from the book vs. what he hopes a local sees Episode Promos Seoul Days and Nights — https://amzn.to/4xSLRZz StyleCloud website templates for photographers — https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/stylecloud | Code: NERDYPHOTO15 for 15% off Luminar Neo photo editing software — https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/luminar | Code: NERDYPHOTO for $10 off SiteGround web hosting — https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About My Guest James Choi grew up a latchkey kid in Chicago. His parents immigrated from Korea when he was five and worked six days a week, so from age six and Seven he was alone taking the bus, walking the city, learning to read people and places and light. He didn't know it then, but he was already doing what he'd spend his life doing: observing. Photography and eventually filmmaking came from that. His work has earned Awards at SXSW, Slamdance and Chicago International Film Festival. As an educator, James is also an assistant Professor at DePaul University where he founded Indie Studio, supporting students making their first independent features. Seoul Days and Nights is in some ways a return to the beginning except this time he was walking a city that looked like him. Seoul Days and Nights is available now - you can get it on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3QTxq6R . James Choi can be found on Instagram at https://instagram.com/JCPOV . About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

You've probably been told you should shoot RAW. And I'm sure you've also thought - WHY? I'm just delivering a JPEG file anyway. What's inside a RAW file that makes it worth the storage space? This episode gets into the numbers, and once you see them, the case for RAW becomes impossible to argue with. Yes, I knew it was your understanding that there would be no math, but, unfortunately, there's actually a lot of math behind what you see in digital photos. Bit depth is exponential, not additive. A standard JPEG is 8-bit, giving you 256 brightness levels per colour channel and roughly 16.7 million possible colours total. A 14-bit RAW file gives you 16,384 levels per channel — over 4 trillion possible colours. That gap is invisible straight out of camera. It becomes very visible the moment you start editing. We cover the staircase effect — what happens to smooth gradients in low bit-depth files when you push exposure or shadows in post. Those gaps between brightness levels stretch apart and become visible as banding: ugly, digital-looking stripes in what should be a smooth sky or a softly lit wall. In a 14-bit file, the steps are fine enough that normal editing simply can't pull them apart. We also break down the difference between lossless and lossy RAW compression. Lossless compression reduces file size without discarding any data — think of it like a ZIP file for your image. Lossy compression makes a permanent, one-time decision to discard some sensor data at capture. For many shots you'll never notice. For scenes with subtle gradients or heavy shadow recovery, you might. Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

Portrait photographer Craig Fleming has spent decades navigating the space between film and digital, celebrity commissions and working-class subjects, polish and truth. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , Craig joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about his process, his philosophy, and two ongoing personal projects — Quiet Men and Circus — that are reshaping how he thinks about legacy and the purpose of his work. We get into what it really means to balance film and digital photography, why Craig thinks returning to medium format gave him integrity back as a photographer — and made him better at digital. We talk about his strong feelings on AI and what it's taking from photographers and creatives. Craig also shares what he believes is the single most important element of a great portrait — and it has nothing to do with your camera. Episode Promos Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Stylecloud Website Templates - https://stylecloud.co/ref/380/ Luminar NEO Photo Editing Software - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/luminar Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About My Guest "Portrait photographer. Stuck in the mid 20th Century." You can find Craig's workshops — in London, Rotterdam, and Venice — at https://craigfleming.net , and follow his ongoing projects on Instagram at https://instagram.com/craigflemingphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

Many photographers learn aperture in two steps: wide for blur, narrow for sharpness. It's a reasonable starting point, but it skips the physics that actually determines how sharp your images are, and it leads to a habit that's quietly costing you image quality. And if you know anything about me at this point, you know I'm down for a physics discussion. We start with diffraction — the optical phenomenon that makes f/22 softer than f/8, even though everything is technically "in focus." When light is forced through a tiny aperture opening, it bends and spreads rather than travelling cleanly to the sensor. The result is a subtle mushiness that no amount of post-processing sharpening can fully recover, because the data simply wasn't captured cleanly in the first place. From there we cover the aperture sweet spot — the range, typically two to three stops from wide open, where most lenses perform at their sharpest from corner to corner. This varies by lens, which is why the episode homework is designed to help you find your specific lens's optimal aperture rather than relying on a general rule. Finally, we tackle one of the most persistent myths in photography: lens compression. Longer focal lengths don't actually compress a scene — distance does. Understanding why changes how you think about lens choice for portraits and environmental shots. Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

Nature photography is often associated with solitude, exploration, and connection to the outdoors. But for many photographers, especially Black women, entering those spaces hasn't always been welcoming - or safe. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , I sit down with wildlife and nature photographer Angela Ledyard to discuss the importance of representation in outdoor photography, building community, and creating spaces where more Black women feel encouraged to explore nature photography. We also talk about Angela's own photographic journey, the evolution of her work, and the long solo trips she takes in pursuit of wildlife and landscape images. Why Representation in Nature Photography Matters For decades, outdoor and wildlife photography spaces have lacked diversity in visibility, leadership, and community support. Angela discusses how that absence affects participation. It affects who feels comfortable entering these spaces and who sees photography as being 'for them. Creating visibility matters because people often need to see themselves reflected somewhere before they feel they belong there. Through her work and community-building efforts, Angela is helping redefine what nature photography spaces can look like. Why Visibility Changes Possibility One of the most meaningful ideas from this episode is simple: visibility expands possibility. When photographers see others who look like them succeeding in a space, it changes what feels achievable. Angela's work not only creates photographs - it creates permission! Permission to explore, travel, take up space, and pursue creative work in environments that may have felt inaccessible. That impact extends far beyond photography itself. Episode Promos Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Stylecloud Website Templates - https://stylecloud.co/ref/380/ On1 Photo Editing Software - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/on1/ Aftershoot AI Culling, Editing, and Retouching - https://aftershoot.com/?ref=nerdyphoto Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About My Guest Angela Ledyard is a nature and wildlife photographer whose work focuses on birds, landscapes, macro subjects, and the quiet details of the natural world. Her photography is shaped by a deep love of travel, exploration, and time spent outdoors, with images inspired by experiences across the United States, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and parts of South america. She is especially drawn to moments that connect beauty, behavior, and place. In addition to creating her own work, Angela has led photography tours on the West Coast and in Alaska, helping others slow down, observe more deeply, and build confidence behind the camera. Through her photography, travel, and storytelling, she aims to inspire curiosity, connection, and appreciation for the natural world. You can view Angela's work on her Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/angelaledyard.photography/ - or connect with her on her Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelaLedyard About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's work at https://caseyfphoto.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

Most photographers have thousands, or even tens of thousands, of forgotten images sitting on hard drives. But what if some of your best work is already there, waiting to be rediscovered? In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , I sit down with photographer Ian Plant to discuss the process of revisiting a massive photographic archive and selecting images to convert into black and white. What begins as a conversation about monochrome photography quickly becomes something deeper: a discussion about how changing the way you see an image can completely transform the way you evaluate your work. Why Revisit Your Photography Archive? Most photographers move forward constantly - new shoots, new gear, new edits, new projects. Rarely do we stop and revisit older work with fresh eyes. Ian discusses the surprising experience of combing through tens of thousands of images and realizing that photographs overlooked years ago suddenly carried new emotional or artistic weight when viewed differently. Distance matters. As photographers grow creatively, their ability to recognize strong composition, light, texture, mood, and storytelling evolves too. Images that once seemed ordinary may reveal entirely new potential years later. Key Takeaways from the Episode Your archive may contain some of your strongest unseen work Time and distance can completely change how you evaluate images Black and white photography emphasizes composition, light, and emotion Revisiting older work helps refine your creative voice Not every image needs color to be powerful Episode Promos Learn photography at your own pace - https://nerdyphotographer.com/learn StyleCloud Photography Website Templates - https://stylecloud.co/ref/380/ Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Luminar NEO Photo Editing Software - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/luminar Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About My Guest Whether hanging over the rim of an active volcano or braving the elements to photograph critically endangered species, Ian Plant has spent the past two decades traveling the globe in his never-ending quest to capture the beauty of our world with his camera. Ian has reached hundreds of thousands of people in his mission to inspire and educate others in the art of photography. Ian is the author of dozens of books and instructional videos, an instructor for KelbyOne and other photography education outlets, and founder of Photo Masters, a site dedicated to photography education and inspiration. You can view Ian's work on his website Ianplant.com - learn from Ian at photomasters.com - or find him on Instagram @ianplantphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

Some stories in the art world land with a quiet thud and then just keep reverberating louder and louder. The decision by Danziger Gallery to display, and sell, an AI-colorized version of Ansel Adams' Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico at this year's AIPAD Photography Show in New York is one of those stories. It touches something raw about authorship, consent, the art market's relationship with living artists, and the particular discomfort of watching a technology reshape the legacy of someone who can no longer speak for themselves. I sat down with Helen Stoilas — former Contributing Editor at The Art Newspaper and current freelance art journalist, who has reported on political and social issues affecting artists and institutions since 2003 — to work through what actually happened and what it means. Helen brings her long experience covering the art market and artist rights to all of this — including where this fits in the broader pattern of AI entering spaces built by and for human artists, and what the art world's institutions are and aren't equipped to do about it. You can check out more of Helen's work at https://helenstoilas.com or listen to her podcast at https://yourenofun.com/ Support The Nerdy Photographer Sign Up for The Power Up - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Get some artwork from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Buy some Nerdy Photographer Merch - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com Use our link to buy new gear from Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama Use our link to buy used gear from KEH - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/keh Follow along with us on social media @thenerdyphoto About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

In a time when photography is more accessible, and more polished, than ever, something unexpected is happening: imperfection is making a comeback. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , I sit down with wedding photographer Inbal Sivan to talk about the growing appeal of the imperfect aesthetic, and why what feels like a "trend" is actually a return to something much deeper and more human. But this conversation goes far beyond style. It's about voice, influence, and how photographers can create meaningful work in a world flooded with images. Is Imperfection Really a Trend? From film grain overlays to motion blur, unconventional composition, and raw, unpolished moments, the "imperfect" look is everywhere right now. But as Inbal points out, this isn't new. Photography has always had space for imperfection—whether in documentary work, early film limitations, or expressive portraiture. What we're seeing now is less of a trend and more of a reaction: a pushback against overly curated, hyper-polished imagery dominating social media. The real question isn't why imperfection is popular - it's why perfection became the default in the first place. Episode Promos This episode includes promos for the following: Let's Be Real Unposed Photography Prompts Stylecloud Website Templates Nerdy Photographer Contract Templates Aftershoot AI Culling, Editing, and Retouching Support the Podcast There are many ways you can support The Nerdy Photographer Podcast: Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform ! Sign up for our newsletter Use our affiliate link to buy from Amazon – if you are going to be there anyway, help us out Shop our store for photography resources – from contracts to prompts and more! Buy Nerdy Photographer merchandise – this stuff makes you look both cool and nerdy! Make a Donation – just because you want to show us how much you care About My Guest Inbal Has Been A Full-Time Wedding Photographer Since 2008, Following Graduating With A Degree In Photography From The School Of Visual Arts In New York And Several Years Of Teaching Photography At The College Level. Inbal's Fine Art Work Has Been Exhibited Nationally And Published Internationally. A Lighting Specialist, She Has Been Invited To Speak At Conferences About Her Lighting Techniques, Most Recently At Wedding MBA In Las Vegas. Inbal Has Won Dozens Of Awards For Her Wedding Photography, Notably From Fearless Photographers And WPJA As Well As Others. You can view Inbal's work at www.inbalsivan.com or on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inbalsivanphoto/ About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

What does it take to completely reinvent yourself as a photographer? In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , I sit down with photographer Steve Vaccariello to explore a career path that's anything but conventional. Steve's journey spans from the highly technical world of medical photography and the storytelling demands of photojournalism in Ohio to the fast-paced, creative landscape of portrait, fashion, beauty, and dance photography in New York City. This conversation dives into what it really means to be self-taught; and how curiosity, persistence, and adaptability can shape a long-term creative career. Episode Promos This episode includes promos for the following: Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Nerdy Photographer Contract Templates - https://nerdyphotographer.com/product-tag/contracts/ Aftershoot AI Culling, Editing, and Retouching - https://aftershoot.com/?ref=nerdyphoto The Power Up - a newsletter for photographers looking to level up their photography game! - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter About My Guest "Steve Vaccariello is not just a photographer; he embodies the art of photography itself. "Photography isn't what I do; it's what I am," he asserts with conviction. For Vaccariello, the essence of his craft lies in the image, transcending mere technique or fleeting trends. He invites viewers to discover the beauty in simplicity, capturing the often-overlooked moments that reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. His vivid and sensual imagery is characterized by suggestive lighting, evocative shadow play, and innovative printing methods. Vaccariello's work delves into the realms of ethereal beauty and physical expression, artfully exploring the nuances of form and the spectrum of emotional depth. "I'm a purist at heart," he explains, emphasizing his commitment to the foundational elements of photography—camera, light, and composition—striving for a unique yet timeless aesthetic. Vaccariello's artistry has garnered significant recognition, including a feature in the highly esteemed relaunch issue of Nikon World, which showcased him as a leading figure in contemporary photography. His work has also graced the pages of prominent publications such as Digital Pro Photo, American Photographer, PDN, and Nikon World. An award-winning photographer, his images have been included in several influential books, including the best-selling "The Male Nude" (Taschen, 1998), "A Thousand Hounds" (Taschen, 2000), and "Graphis Nudes III" (Graphis, 2000). His striking prints are coveted by notable collectors, including Bruce Weber, Mark Balet, and Kevin Aucoin, as well as the esteemed contemporary art collection of Progressive Insurance. Vaccariello's work is also part of the permanent archives at the Leslie Lohman Gay Art Foundation. Born in Cleveland in 1965, Vaccariello now calls New York home, where he continues to create and travel extensively for assignments around the globe. Through his lens, he invites us to see the world anew, celebrating the delicate interplay of light and form that defines our shared human experience." You can view Steve's work on his website - www.stevevacc.com - or on Instagram - https://instagram.com/steve_vacc and https://instagram.com/steve.vacc About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

Social media has completely reshaped what it means to be a visual storyteller. Images travel faster, reach wider audiences, and generate instant feedback, but at a cost many photographers are only beginning to understand. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , we unpack the complex relationship photographers have with social media today. From chasing algorithms to questioning the value of our work through likes and shares, this conversation examines how storytelling has changed, and how social media addiction quietly creeps into the creative process. Being a visual storyteller today means navigating more than light, composition, and subject matter. It means managing attention, mental health, and identity in a system designed to keep you scrolling. This episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is an honest conversation about the emotional and creative realities photographers face, and a reminder that meaning doesn't come from algorithms. Episode Promos On1 Photo Raw - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/on1/ Aftershoot AI Culling, Editing, and Retouching - https://aftershoot.com/?ref=nerdyphoto StyleCloud WP Website Themes - https://stylecloud.co/ref/380/ Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Support The Nerdy Photographer Want to help The Nerdy Photographer Podcast? Here are a few simple (and mostly free) ways you can do that: Subscribe to the podcast and tell your friends to listen Sign up for the newsletter - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Buy a print from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Follow on Instagram - https://instagram.com/thenerdyphoto Follow on Threads - https://threads.net/@thenerdyphoto Follow on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/thenerdyphoto.bsky.social Follow in Tiktok - https://tiktok.com/@thenerdyphoto Get some Nerdy Photographer merchandise - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/nerdy-photographer If you're feeling extra generous, check out our support page - https://nerdyphotographer.com/support-nerdy-photographer/ About My Guest "I'm a London-based photographer, videographer, and visual storyteller with a love for street, travel, and urban photography. I'm drawn to everyday moments, movement, and atmosphere, and I try to capture photos in a way that feels cinematic, honest, and human." You can view Anthony's work on his website - https://anthonyrosner.com - or on Instagram @antronoid . You can also view his gaming documentary on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrKjNwejhfg About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's work at https://caseyfphoto.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

In an industry often driven by trends, shot lists, and repeatable formulas, wedding photographer John Dolan has built a career by doing the opposite: showing up with an open mind, a few film cameras, and a deep respect for what actually unfolds on a wedding day. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , John and I dig into what it really means to be "true" to a couple's experience. Rather than manufacturing moments or chasing perfection, John approaches weddings as a blank slate, allowing the day to reveal itself organically. That philosophy carries through every aspect of his work, from how he interacts with couples to his continued commitment to shooting film in an overwhelmingly digital world. If you're a wedding photographer feeling burned out by formulas, overwhelmed by the pressure to perform for social media, or simply curious about a more honest, grounded approach to storytelling, this episode offers a refreshing reminder: you don't need to invent meaning - sometimes your job is just to notice it. Episode Promos This episode includes promos for the following: Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go.nerdy Stylecloud Website Templates - https://stylecloud.co/ref/380/ Luminar NEO Image Editing Software - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/luminar Aftershoot AI Culling, Editing, and Retouching - https://aftershoot.com/?ref=nerdyphoto Support The Nerdy Photographer Want to help The Nerdy Photographer Podcast? Here are a few simple (and mostly free) ways you can do that: Subscribe to the podcast and tell your friends (and enemies!) Sign up for the newsletter - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Buy a print from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Follow on Instagram - https://instagram.com/thenerdyphoto Follow on Threads - https://threads.net/@thenerdyphoto Follow on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/thenerdyphoto.bsky.social Follow in Tiktok - https://tiktok.com/@thenerdyphoto Get some Nerdy Photographer merchandise - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/nerdy-photographer If you're feeling extra generous, check out our support page - https://nerdyphotographer.com/support-nerdy-photographer/ About My Guest John Dolan is a long time photographer. You can learn more about his book, The Perfect Imperfect on his website - https://www.johndolan.com/book-shop/p/the-perfect-imperfect-book-2nd-edition About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact

The photography industry isn't "dying." But it is changing, and it is doing so QUICKLY. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast , we talk with industry icon, Joe McNally, and take an honest look at the seismic shifts happening in photography right now: technology, AI, oversaturation, social media economics, shifting client expectations, and what it actually takes to get started today. The industry isn't collapsing. It's restructuring. Episode Promos Adorama - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/adorama/ Stylecloud Website Templates - https://stylecloud.co/ref/380/ On1 Photo Editing Software - https://nerdyphotographer.com/recommends/on1/ Siteground Web Hosting - https://siteground.com/go/nerdy Support The Nerdy Photographer Want to help The Nerdy Photographer Podcast? Here are a few simple (and mostly free) ways you can do that: Subscribe to the podcast! Tell your friends about the podcast Sign up for the newsletter - https://nerdyphotographer.com/newsletter Subscribe to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@CaseyFatchett Buy a print from the print shop - https://art.caseyfphoto.com Follow on Instagram - https://instagram.com/thenerdyphoto Follow on Threads - https://threads.net/@thenerdyphoto Follow on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/thenerdyphoto.bsky.social Follow in Tiktok - https://tiktok.com/@thenerdyphoto Get some Nerdy Photographer merchandise - https://nerdyphoto.dashery.com If you're feeling extra generous, check out our support page - https://nerdyphotographer.com/support-nerdy-photographer/ About My Guest Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning photographer whose prolific career includes assignments in nearly 70 countries. McNally is often described as: Authentic, articulate, an exceptional technical photographer whose varied skill set means he is called upon often for the "unusual" or "challenging" job. But no job is too big or too small for McNally because he loves photographing anything or anyone interesting in front of his lens. Joe McNally is also known world-wide for his unmatched visual creativeness and extraordinary imagination. He is calm under pressure and excels in the field whether it is a portrait of a celebrity or corporate CEO to an unwieldy fashion shoot with a crew of 60. Joe McNally's credit list includes FIVE covers of the National Geographic , (amongst an overall 15 coverages for the magazine), SEVEN Covers of Life Magazine and FOUR successful Olympic coverages. McNally has also climbed the Empire State Building 4x and the Burj Khalifa tower 2x. A proud Nikon Ambassador, he is the rare photographer to make the bridge between photojournalism and commercial photography and has the distinct ability to come away with a photograph no matter the twist or turns he might encounter on assignment. You can find Joe on Instagram @joemcnallyphoto or check out his new community for photographers https://betterpictureswithjoe.com (use promo code 26POD to save!) About The Podcast The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 20 years of experience. He just wants to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's wedding work at https://fatchett.com or his non-wedding work at https://caseyfatchettphotography.com If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact