The Nimble Photographer Podcast

Robert Brunner founded Ammunition in 2007 to communicate ideas through products, brands, and their surrounding experiences. His work as an industrial designer has spawned numerous brand- defining designs over the past three decades, including his efforts while the Director of Industrial Design for Apple. Named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business,” Robert’s work is included in permanent design collections at MoMA in both New York and San Francisco. He is the co-author of the book “Do You Matter? How Great Design Will Make People Love Your Company.” I managed to catch up with Robert at his San Francisco studio. I hope you’ll find his insights about the intersection of business and art as fascinating as I did.

LA native Monique DeBose is an award-winning playwright and Jazz-R&B-pop singer/songwriter, who has toured and entertained audiences throughout Europe, India, and Asia. Her third album–The Sovereign One - debuted at #2 on the iTunes Jazz Charts.

Inspired by her experience of of what it means to be half African American, half Irish American, she wrote the funny, heartwarming and disruptive one-woman show Mulatto Math: Summing Up The Race Equation in America to initiate conversation and heal race relations in America.

I managed to catch up with Monique in between shows to talk The Sovereign One and her arch as a musician. I hope you find her as engaging and entertaining as I did.

Rolling Stones guitarist, Keith Richards, once commented about their longtime keyboard player, Chuck Leavell: “Without the continuity that Chuck brings to us, the Stones would not be the Stones.” Leavell describes his role with the band as a “sort of musical navigator” who keeps track of arrangements and keeps things balanced in addition to spicing up the music with his keyboards.

And as you would imagine, there’s more to Chuck’s artistry than his work with the Rolling Stones, who by the way, are in the middle of their No Filter tour right now.

I managed to catch up with Chuck Leavell in between gigs to talk about the Stones, Eric Clapton’s unplugged album, his work as a writer, and his definition of success as an artist.

The thrill and personality of motor sports attracted Shelby Knick’s creative vision. As a young woman, she found herself photographing the sport from outside the fence. But her perseverance and talent paid off, propelling her into the top tier of the profession she loves.

Her journey began at a Northern CA Junior College, then led her to London’s fashion industry, then back across the pond to Los Angeles where she got her first big break as a photographer. Her story is both inspiring and informative, and best told in her own words. Here’s my conversation with Shelby Knick

As a young man, George Shaw flew from city to city for two years, cassette recorder in hand, with a question he posed to each music professional he interviewed: “How can music, and in particular improvisation, best be taught?” After studying their answers and writing a dissertation on this subject, Dr. Shaw applied what he learned to teaching music and improvisation at the college level.

But that’s only part of the story and a fraction of what George has learned along the way. We delve deeper into his experience on today’s Nimble Photographer podcast. Thanks for joining us.

A major influence in Tom’s artistic career appeared when he was just 14 years old when he earned an apprenticeship at a stained glass studio near his home. Over the next few decades his path wove through illustration projects, Designer and Production Manager for George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch Studio, a conceptual art show at Candlestick park, and ultimately a winemaker in Northern California.

His journey as an artist from a Portuguese fruit farming family in Los Gatos CA to the Mendocino wine country where he resides today is the topic for today’s Nimble Photographer podcast. Thanks for joining us.

An interview with Alan Howarth, a talented musician who found his way to Hollywood. His first break was when he met the sound effects team for “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, and was taken on as a sound designer for the following six Star Trek films.

During this time he met and began collaborating with John Carpenter on films including: Escape from New York, Halloween II, Halloween III, Christine, and They Live.

His journey from Cleveland to Hollywood was fueled by a combination of talent, business savvy, and street smarts. And he shares some of the philosophy behind his decisions on today’s podcast.

Ben Long authored the wildly popular tech book, Complete Digital Photography, which is now in its 9th edition. When I first met Ben years ago, he was making an excellent living as a writer, that is, until the crash of 2008 when he suddenly found himself without any new prospects. What followed was a period of reinvention that led him to where he stands today.

Trey Ratcliff is best known for his vibrant landscapes. But he’s also a student of human nature. His photography business is fueled by combining compelling landscapes, with daring post production, and adding a dash of insightful marketing.

On today’s show, Trey shares some of thinking behind this approach. The lessons that he’s learned may help your photography as well.

Welcome to the Nimble Photographer podcast, hosted by me, Derrick Story. My quest is to find artists who have created their own definition of success. Yes, finances play a role in all of our lives, but are they the only measure? And how can you put a price on the experiences along the way?

Today, we travel to New Zealand to learn from Trey Ratcliff. Thanks for coming along.