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The Photography and Video Show is the UK's largest imaging exhibition and show. In this, the first of several episodes of The Photography Pod as part of the build up to the show, Steve and Nick's guests are Ruth Folkard, Event Director and Hazel Soper, Group Marketing Manager, of Future, the company behind the Photography and Video Show. 

Ruth and Hazel discuss with Nick and Steve:

• Why this year's show has moved to London ExCel
• The process for selecting the talks and speakers for the event
• The resurgence of analogue photography and showcasing film at the event
• What goes into planning and marketing such a major event
• The importance of community in the photography world

Nick announces his new photography training venture The Nick Church Academy, whilst Steve ventures north of the border for some photography and the occasional beer. 

Nick has two talks at this year's show; 

What matters to our clients? Spoiler, its not what you think! Monday March 10th 3pm

Photography business myth busters! Tuesday March 11th 11am. 

The Photography and Video Show (TPS) 2025 https://www.photographyshow.com/

Steve and Nick also review the entrants for this month's photo challenge, "Winter"

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

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In this episode of the Photography Pod, hosts Nick Church and Steve Vaughan chat with garden photographer Jason Ingram about his journey into photography, the challenges of capturing gardens, and the importance of light and weather in his work. Jason shares insights into the business side of garden photography, including working with garden designers and the role of stock photography. He also discusses his upcoming book, 'How to Photograph Gardens', and offers advice for aspiring photographers looking to enter this niche.

Key Takeaways:

• Weather plays a significant role in garden photography, often dictating when and how shoots can occur.
• The golden hour is crucial for capturing the best images of gardens.
• Most of Jason's work is commissioned by magazines and book publishers.
• He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with garden designers.
• Jason's photography often connects the garden to the food industry, showcasing the journey from garden to plate.
• He advises aspiring photographers to be prepared for early mornings and the challenges of the profession.
• Jason's book, 'How to Photograph Gardens', will be released on March 13th.

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

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For the first show of 2025, Steve and Nick are back with another guest from the world of food photography. 
 Kris Kirkham is a London based food photographer, who has worked with many of the leading brands including Sainsbury, Waitrose, M&S, Subway and Nandos. Having trained and worked as a chef for over 15 years, Kris then combined his love of photography with his passion for food, and developed a distinctive style of food and drink photography that is colourful, beautifully lit and contrasty. With over 10 years of experience and an extensive portfolio, his work is ubiquitous and you probably have seen it in magazines, advertisements and brochures.  Kris tells Steve and Nick:

• How his training as a chef helps him understand the best way to photography food
• His approach to an shoot, using medium format cameras in his home studio
• His recommendations for aspiring food photographers
• His most unusual photography project

Also in the show; Nick is having a clear out of his studio (anyone want an 80's era Instamatic?), whilst Steve is having fun on the streets of London. The guys also discuss why a leading professional album manufacturer is now selling pro level albums direct to the public. Nick also demystifies the complex topic of using music on a video production 

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

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Steve and Nick get in the Christmas spirit for this last show of 2024. 
Steve gets his own back on Nick for the teasing on the last show with a surprise Christmas quiz. Nick has been photographing property in Anglesey again, whilst Steve gets a telling off whilst doing street photography in London. The boys describe their dream photography Christmas present, and their resolutions for 2025.

The book for the week is Wales - A Photographer's Journey by David Wilson. 

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

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In this episode of the Photography Pod, Nick (on his own this week)  speaks with renowned food photographer Cristian Barnett.
They discuss Cristian's journey into photography, his techniques and equipment, the importance of creative collaboration with clients, and the role of personal projects in maintaining creativity. Cristian also shares insights into his work with high-end restaurants and notable clients such as Tom Kerridge, emphasizing the need for passion and collaboration in the art of food photography.
 Cristian and Nick also the impact of AI on the industry, and  Cristian also described his personal projects that document the experiences of displaced individuals. He emphasizes the importance of flexibility in client relationships and the emotional weight of storytelling through photography.
Cristian also reflects on the evolution of food photography and the need for photographers to adapt to changing technologies and market demands.

Cristian uses the Fujifilm GFX medium format system.

Cristian Barnett :
Website https://cristianbarnett.com/
Instgram https://www.instagram.com/crisbarnett/

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

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Steve and Nick's guest for this episode is Roo Stain, a multi-award winning photographer based in the West Midlands of the UK. Although Roo studied film-making at University, he initial worked as a wedding photographer, before transitioning into full time videography. He tells Steve and Nick about:

• How his photography experience helped define his approach to videography
• The gear and lenses he uses and why he prefers a minimalistic approach
• How he approaches audio capture
• His editing style and in camera settings
• Why he doesn't routinely shoot hybrid photo/video
• His views on content creators at weddings 

The 10 minute techy talk is about focusing and hyperfocal distance. The book of the week is Every Week We Follow, a BTS fans perspective of Aston Villa's 2023/24 season.

Roo Stain Website https://www.roostain.com/
Gamut.io Video LUT's https://gamut.io/
Every Week We Follow by Pete Hithchman https://lowerblock.com/articles/aston-villa-every-week-we-follow/

Music by Artlist.io 

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

Send us a text

Steve and Nick delve into the world of camera gear in this episode, and discuss the pros and cons of the main camera systems available in 2024. Which system would they choose if they were starting from scratch? And why? Why Apple computer users will soon have more non Apple monitors to choose from if they want the full 5K "Retina" experience. Steve has finally got to the see the movie Lee, about the war photographer Lee Miller. Why photographers are leaving X (Twitter) and is Bluesky the answer if you want to avoid all the hate? The book focus this week is Magnum America: The United States. 

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

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Nick and Steve's guests for this episode are Neil Redfern and Helen Williams, successful wedding photographers, photography educators, and the driving force behind Flash Masters, a community of photographers who love to shoot great images using off camera flash.  Neil and Helen tell Nick and Steve:

• Why they decided to become photography educators, and why other photographers can follow their example
• Why they set up Flash Masters
• How Flash Masters as a community can be a learning resource for any photographer looking to improve their off camera flash skills, regardless of their current skill levels
• How they use flash on a wedding day, and not just on the dance floor!

Other topics of discussion include the pros and cons of continuous LED light versus flash, the imminent launch of the new Sony A1 Mk2 and 28-70mm F2 lens, and using a Sony A9Mk3 for wedding photography.

Neil's website : https://www.neilredfern.com/
Helen's website : https://helenwilliamsphotography.co.uk/

Neil's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NeilRedfern
Flash Masters: https://flashmasters.co/

Music from https://artlist.io/

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

Send us a text

Steve and Nick's guest for this episode is the Peak District based wildlife and landscape photographer Tesni Ward. An OM System ambassador, she describes how redundancy from a role in medical sales drove her to become a full time photographer, and how she makes a living from her passion.  She delves in to the (many) pros for her in using an OM-1 micro 4/3rds camera and lens system, and the (very) few downsides, as she see it. She also describes how she approaches photographing wildlife in a natural environment is such a captivating way. 

Steve is juggles the whirlwind of wedding photography deadlines while preparing to appear in a musical theatre show, "Kings and Queens,"  while Nick shares tales from his recent Sicilian adventure. Between snorkeling near Mount Etna and a jellyfish encounter that left him with some unexpected souvenirs, Nick reflects on the social dynamics of travel and weddings. This episode uncovers the balance between professional and personal pursuits, blending humor and insight into the challenges of maintaining multiple passions.

The industry news section is on the demise and apparent rebirth of Rotorlight, the UK based LED photo/video lighting company, and the rumours of a new Sony camera being launched in November. Nick reflects on why camera brands are so fixated at the vlogging/content creator market for new products. Steve discusses the pros and cons of using flash modifiers at weddings. 

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

Send us a text

in this episode Steve and Nick chat to Geraint Roberts, a South Wales based wedding photographer who loves to shoot film at weddings. Geraint discusses his journey in Photography, starting our with a photography based degree at Falmouth University. He also explains why he loves to shoot film at weddings, how he uses this to differentiate himself, and the processes and labs he uses to develop his film stock. For the techy spot, Steve and Nick discuss the pros and cons of always shooting wide aperture lens wide open, and the various raw compression formats now available.

Geraint Roberts : https://www.geraint-roberts.co.uk/
Music by Artlist.io
Mentioned in this episode:
Exposure Film Lab Hereford https://www.exposurefilmlab.com/
Imagex Bicester https://www.imagex.co.uk/

Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

Any technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording