Outerfocus

Welcome back to the Outerfocus podcast!

I did say that you could expect a new one early March but I thought it fitting to get this one out today. Especially as Iain has a book signing at the Photographers Gallery this Thursday, 27th, 6pm - 8pm.

Welcome back!

I trust  that you have all eaten your weight in cheese, drank copious amounts of alcohol and have had a bit of a rest. I have, but without the rest part. Anyway, I hope that you are all busy again and working hard to become a better photographer, and a better human being. 

As I mention at the beginning of the podcast, it’s been a while since the last episode. My apologies, but it’s all about time and I don’t seem to have much of it these days. As a temporary solution, I’m aiming to post a new episode every month and we’ll see how it goes. 

This is a special episode, recorded live at the Wanstead Tap in London on 17th December 2019. A bit of a Christmas party. We had just enough people to create a great atmosphere and had a wonderful guest in, Stephen Leslie, who entertained us with stories from his book, Sparks - Adventures in Street Photography. We had people travel from London, Germany and even Montreal to be there, which is pretty amazing, and we drank beer and wine - and whisky shots - and ate pizza. 

An all round success I think, and hopefully we can do more in the future. Thanks to Stephen, everyone that came on the night, all who helped out, and all that continue to support the podcast. It is very much appreciated.

* Recoding quality warning! Although the recording on the night was great we did have a questions section and you can’t really hear the question, but I’ve left them in because you can probably figure it out from the answers given. 

Stephen mentions the below, Louis Faurer, photograph.

© Louis Faurer

Below are the images from Stephen’s book - in order -  that support the readings he gave during the recording.

Full show notes photographs at - https://www.outerfocuspodcast.com/podcast/2020/1/14/outerfocus-52-of-live-with-stephen-leslie

Before we get started, I have an announcement! 

Outerfocus Live!

On 17th December 2019 we will be hosting an Outerfocus meet-up at the The Wanstead Tap east London.

Print Swap!
You bring a print, you take a print.
The details of how we manage this are TBC. We might lay them out, it might be a lucky dip. Or unlucky dip depending on what you get!

Live Podcast Recording
We will be recording a live episode of OF with special guest, Stephen Leslie, and will be taking questions and topics from the audience. 

Party!
After the recording you will be invited to stay for drinks and dancing.

Info. & tickets HERE!

On With The Show!

© Melissa O'Shaughnessy

This week we welcome Melissa O'Shaughnessy to the podcast. 

Melissa is a New York based photographer who came to photography relatively late in life.  After quitting work - president of a small investment firm - to spend more time with her children, she learned the craft of darkroom-based black and white photography.

Full show notes and links - outerfocuspodcast.com

We made it to 50! Which is not really any more important than 49, or 51, but here we are. 

It’s been a blast and we’ve been incredibly lucky with the quality of guests over the past year and a half who have had many different stories to tell. All genres and all different routes into photography. Some of who set out to be a photographer, or artist, and others who just seem to have happed up on it. Photography finds them. No matter the route, or start point, it’s a reminder that photography is a multi faceted and far reaching medium. 

There are no definitive answers, no clear paths to success and no short cuts. It promises everything and in most cases delivers nothing other than the satisfaction of making a nice picture. But it can also change lives, perspectives, even laws, and can show us worlds that we could never dream of. It can connects us to each other and instil empathy. It can be the best therapy and the greatest frustration. No matter what, it’s here, ever changing and it’s not going away. Photography can’t be everything to everyone, but it can be whatever we want it to be, as long as we are only ever ourselves. 

Look at me getting all contemplative, it’s like I care about the milestone of 50 episodes………..

© Nordica Photography

So. Welcome to episode with all round good egg, Cole Roberts.......

Full show notes - www.outerfocuspodcast.com

We’re back! 

It has been a busy few weeks over here and the podcast, unfortunately, has taken a bit of a back seat. I’m on it, though, and normal service is resumed. If not a little rusty!

So welcome, to Outerfocus 49 with Ashly Stohl.

Ashly is a photographer from LA and co-founder or Peanut Press, (along with previous guest, David Carol).

She was a finalist in the 11th Julia Margaret Cameron awards, has work held in collections at the International Centre of Photography and..........

Full show notes at - www.outerfocuspodcast.com 

Mahesh Shantaram is also not a wedding photographer. And I like that. 

© Mahesh Shantaram - from Matrimania

Well, I liked it after I got over the fact that my own book, about weddings, wasn’t the first published by the actual hired wedding photographer. I write the rest of this with a slightly grump demeanour.

Martin Parr sent me a link to Mahesh’s work with the subject as - Some competition? I was a little curious to say the least. After seeing some of his work, and liking it very much, I emailed to see if he’d like to have a conversation for the podcast. In the ensuing emails and conversations I discovered that Mahesh was going through some issues with a project he’s working on, among other things, and that it was all part of a wider issue which deals with the vilification of artist, and the society imposed boundaries that they are expected work within, as to not offend anyone. 

We really only scratch the surface of a couple of topics in this conversation and we probably could have gone on for hours. Maybe there will be a part 2 one day. 

Until then, I very much hope that you enjoy this conversation.

Full show notes at - www.outerfocuspodcast.com

So, in between all of my fancy pants exhibition and talk and book signing and tequila drinking shenanigans I managed to get a conversation recorded with, Zalmy Berkowitz. 

I asked about interesting wedding photographers in our facebook group - outerfocus chit chat - and Zalmy’s name came up a couple of times. I had a look at his work and was pleasantly surprised. His work is actually interesting. A lot of wedding photography that I see may be good, technically, but there’s not much behind that. With Zalmy’s photographs you are transported to a time, a place, and get a peak into a different world.

They are very real, and full of personality.

Full show notes at - outerfocuspodcast.com

The photography industry is more than just the genre that we work in. It’s a multifaceted thing that reaches into all aspects of society, wether we notice it or not, and it’s more than just photographers. In some cases it’s the photographer and client, or the photographer and their art, but in others it’s layers of agents, ad agencies, art directors, corporate clients and contracts. 

One of the most seen, yet unnoticed, genres of photography is promotional photography. More specifically TV promotional photography. When we look at  iPlayer or Netflix or Amazon Prime for something to watch we are presented with a sea of images, all vying  for our attention.  

The Reith Lectures - Richard Ansett, BBC.

We all might know someone who shoots this kind of thing - well, I have and you know me. so…. - but who commissions the work? Who decides what right for the show?  And what kind of person does that job? 

Jason Baron, that’s who. Jason is Creative Director of Photography at the BBC. Heading the very much in demand team at BBC Creative they source photographers and fulfil the ever changing needs of the BBC’s online presence and promotional requirements. 

I hope that you enjoy our conversation and that it gives you a little insight into the world of promotional photography.

Full show notes at - outerfocuspodcast.com 

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/outerfocuspodcast)

Martin Parr presents this very special episode of Outerfocus. Yes, you read that right. 

© Ian Weldon

With my exhibition, I Am Not A Wedding Photographer, opening today - 26th June 2019 - we thought it fitting I be interviewed for an episode of Outerfocus. And, as The Martin Parr Foundation are hosting the exhibition and have co-published my book with RRB Photobooks we thought it fitting Martin be the host.

Full Show notes at - www.outerfocuspodcast.com

I’m trying to move away from long drawn out show notes that explain everything we cover in these conversations. The whole point of the podcast is to listen and make up your own mind.  The fun, for me, was always in the discovery of the work, the photographer, and coming to my own understanding of who they were/are.  Have a dig around and you’ll find a lot of information on Chris Suspect. You’ll also find a whole load of great photographs, stories and interviews. (Exploring FAITH)

A bass player formerly of, The Suspects, Chris tells us how he came to photography through looking at images he could use for band posters. He specialises in capturing absurd and profound moments in the quotidian and his street photography work has been recognised internationally and has been exhibited in Miami, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Romania, Georgia and the United Kingdom.

It was great to talk with Chris and we could have gone on for another hour and a half, easily. I very much hope that you enjoy this conversation.

Chris also mentions a secret (or at lest unassociated) instagram account he has, and if you find it he’ll give you a print from that account. 

Game on!

From as little as the cost of a beer or two per month you can support the podcast and our ideas for the future, which include short documentaries on photographers, and funding and grants to support documentary photography and art projects. 

Our plan is to grow Outerfocus into a force within the photography industry that stands for honesty, integrity and the promotion of the highest quality photography being made today. From established masters, to the relatively unheard of.

Full Show notes -