The Paris Chong Show

Mitch Stringer and gallery owner Paris Chong discuss the key to a successful career in photography: having a unique vision and style that makes your work stand out, not just technical skill. Paris shares details about her upcoming "Leica Emerging" show, which will feature eight young artists under 30. The two also exchange stories about Los Angeles, including Mitch's time living near LACMA and Paris's past show "Walking in LA," before sharing Mitch's social media and website information.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Mitch Stringer

https://youtu.be/uAlK3neOJ2k

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#photoadvice #leica #podcast

Paris Chong and Mitch Stringer talk about the 'secret' to good photography, naming master photographers like Greg Gorman and Manfred Bauman who make everyone look their best. Paris opens up about her personal shyness and her unique experience with nude photography by Sylvie Blum. The conversation takes a relatable turn, discussing how endless Zoom calls have made everyone their own worst critic. Finally, they share stories about their tattoos, with Mitch showing off his peacock and dog 'Rookie' tattoos, and Paris planning to get a tribute to her dog, Disco.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Mitch Stringer

https://youtu.be/uAlK3neOJ2k

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#phototips #photographers #podcast

Paris Chong recounts a deeply unnerving experience after receiving a "prettiest invitation" from a crematory and shares a lighter moment of relief thanks to AAA coming to her rescue during a car key incident. The discussion then shifts to Mitch Stringer's new creative venture: gathering images for a captivating new book focused on African wildlife, touching upon his travels and the incredible experience of seeing gorillas in Uganda.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Mitch Stringer

https://youtu.be/uAlK3neOJ2k

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#crematory #photography #podcast

Paris Chong and Mitch Stringer dive into the world of social media, discussing how COVID-19 forced Paris onto Instagram and how Mitch uses the platform as a pure photographic outlet. They explore the challenges of social media algorithms and the potential of new, photography-focused platforms like Iris, created by Alan Shaller.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Mitch Stringer

https://youtu.be/uAlK3neOJ2k

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#instagram #photography #podcast

Paris Chong welcomes photographer and fellow podcaster, Mitch Stringer! The episode kicks off with a fun story about how the two met in New York City at the Leica 100-year anniversary event—a chaotic yet memorable block party where Mitch briefly served as the opening act for a swarming crowd, immediately followed by Jason Momoa. They quickly dive into their shared experience as podcast hosts, discussing the journey of building an audience, with Mitch having reached over 55 episodes and Paris's show now transitioning to a monthly format.

Mitch Stringer, a Leica enthusiast and professional photographer based in Baltimore, details his life behind the lens, highlighting his diverse gear choices: Sony for the fast-paced action of Major League Baseball and his Leicas (Q3, SL3, M11) for his artistic passion projects in portraiture, street, and travel photography. The conversation shifts to the ultimate artistic goal of having a published work. Mitch, who has already published a book on Cuba, shares insights from his experience and talks about his next project: a book dedicated to African wildlife.

The chat expands to cover Mitch’s extensive travel, including an upcoming two-week trip across Morocco focused on capturing the people, history, and architecture—a stark contrast to his wife's preference for less adventurous sightseeing in places like Italy and rural England. They also touch on the lighter side of life with candid talk about Mitch's three children and multiple pets, the addictive nature of Instagram, and humorous, relatable moments of aging, like receiving a startling promotion from a crematory. The episode concludes with a nod to acclaimed photographers like Greg Gorman and Art Wolf, whose work continues to inspire Mitch's photographic vision.

Show Notes:

www.theparischongshow.com/episodes/mitch-stringer-photographer-and-fellow-podcaster-talks-mlb-travel-and-art-books

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:16 Meet Mitch Stringer

01:08 Leica Party Origin Story

02:45 Podcast Guests and Instagram

07:18 Podcast Metrics and Media Roots

12:15 Baseball Photography and Gear

15:42 Travel Tales and Photo Books

23:22 Dogs and Loss

24:30 Cremation Mail Shock

25:59 AAA and Keeping It Together

26:37 Next Book African Wildlife

29:21 Mentors and Great Portraits

32:17 Zoom Face Critique and Tattoos

37:30 Advice for Young Photographers

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

Paris Chong and Ray Barbee bond over the bittersweet reality of post-pandemic travel, despite their busy schedules. Paris shares her upcoming plans to travel to Athens, Greece, and then to Wetzler for an international gallerist meeting, admitting that she actually prefers staying home with her dog and kid. Ray Barbee echoes this sentiment, agreeing that the pandemic "spoiled" them both, making them realize how much they enjoy being home, even while acknowledging the exciting opportunities that travel provides.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Ray Barbee

https://youtu.be/RNds97LPlq8

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#podcast #photography #travel

Legendary skateboarder Ray Barbee describes the two distinct periods of "confusion" in his early career: the "comfortably confused" phase of success, sponsorships, and traveling the world, and the "uncomfortably confused" phase that followed, where the unwanted adoration and celebrity status left him feeling deeply unfulfilled and conflicted. He shares how this emotional struggle, combined with realizing the world's injustices, led him to a personal journey of seeking truth, ultimately finding a spiritual understanding that there is something bigger than himself.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Ray Barbee

https://youtu.be/RNds97LPlq8

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#skateboarding #podcast #raybarbee

Ray Barbee tells the engaging story of how he got his first skateboard, which was a hand-me-down from his friend Danny's dad, who grew up in the 70s park era of skateboarding. He describes the board—a vast improvement over the "banana boards" he'd seen—as the key that unlocked a new culture for him. This new board gave Ray and Danny the confidence to approach the "cool kids," who were skaters and surfers, at school. Accepted into this "brotherhood," Ray's journey as a skater took off, eventually leading to his professional career.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Ray Barbee

https://youtu.be/RNds97LPlq8

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#skateboarding #guitar #podcast

Paris Chong recounts her dramatic personal transformation, revealing how she went from a self-described phase of "fat eating Ho Hos and Dolls in my bedroom watching MTV" one minute, to suddenly "living in London" and feeling "in love, and having fun" the next. She and her guest, Ray Barbee, share a moment of laughter and reflection on the sudden, significant shifts that can happen in life, setting the stage for a broader conversation about music, passion, and personal history.

Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Ray Barbee

https://youtu.be/RNds97LPlq8

https://www.theparischongshow.com

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

#london #mtv #celebrity

Paris Chong sits down with her good friend, the multi-talented Ray Barbee, to discuss his new book, “The Joy is Capturing the Journey.” Ray, renowned for his legendary career as a professional skateboarder and a gifted photographer, explains how the book's title reflects his passion for documenting his blessed life and the sheer fun he finds in the process, from shooting to printing in the darkroom. The conversation also touches on his enduring career in skateboarding, including his long-standing sponsorships with brands like Vans and Crooked Skateboards, and a look back at his most significant skateboarding injury—a broken scaphoid bone that kept his wrist in a cast for nine months.

Ray shares details about his family and musical roots, noting that his two sons are both skateboarders, with Max recently earning a full-ride football scholarship. He recalls growing up with jazz and soul music in the house, thanks to his parents, but notes that MTV introduced him to rock and roll, sparking his desire to play guitar. He shares a charming story of performing an air-broom guitar solo to AC/DC’s "For Those About to Rock" at a fifth-grade talent show. This early passion for music, combined with a fortuitous gift of an old-school skateboard, laid the foundation for his professional life.

The discussion highlights the beautiful connection between Ray's skateboarding and photography styles, describing both as an improvisational act of "documenting moments" and "being surprised by something and hitting it... in the moment." An accomplished musician as well, Ray discusses how technology allows him to be a "one-man band" using a pedal to turn his guitar into a bass. Wrapping up, he mentions his newly released EP, “Little Postcard,” and his upcoming plans to support both the book and the album with a photo exhibition and performance at the Moments Festival in Spain. Ray attributes his famously cheerful demeanor to his faith, quoting the proverb, "A happy heart makes the face cheerful," and expressing deep gratitude for his journey.

Show Notes:

www.theparischongshow.com/episodes/ray-barbee-on-skateboarding-photography-and-a-life-of-gratitude

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:34 Meet Ray Barbie: Skateboarder and Photographer

00:46 Ray Barbie's New Book

02:33 The Joy of Skateboarding

05:16 Family and Parenting

08:08 Growing Up with Music

18:48 Discovering Skateboarding

24:43 From Skateboarding to Street Photography

25:50 The Parallels Between Music and Photography

26:17 Skateboarding and Rhythm

26:59 Desiree and Photography

27:36 Transitioning to Podcasts

30:37 Faith and Spirituality

38:29 Seeking Truth and Finding Peace

48:44 Upcoming Projects and Travels

51:19 Conclusion and Farewell

🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/

📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com