The Sam and Steve Podcast

For this Easter episode, Sam and Steve's interview guest is Steven Hanna.  Steven is a wedding and fine art landscape photographer based in Northern Ireland, with a fast growing YouTube channel.   In the interview, Steven tells us:

• How he got started and his approach to wedding photography
• Why he has a separate brand and website for his fine art landscape photography
• Why planning is so important for successful landscape photography
• Why he uses a Fujifilm GFX for his landscape work and why he is switching back to Fujifilm X series (from Sony) for his wedding work
• His approach to editing
• Why he started a YouTube channel and avoids "feeding the beast"
• His favourite locations for landscape photography

Sam and Steve talk about their hopes for easing of lockdown in England from April 12th, and if they will still be able to have a short vacation in Wales at the end of the month. Steve gives a review of the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN lens he is trialling for the Sony A7R4 camera.  And as usual, Sam gives an allotment gardening update!

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steven Hanna Wedding Photography http://www.stevenhanna.co.uk/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stevenhannaweddings/
Steven Hanna Fine Art Landscape Website https://nebofineart.co.uk/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nebofineart/
Steven Hanna YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/StevenHannaPhotography
Steve Vaughan personal photography and walking https://www.stevevaughan.net/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography/

Music for the show from artlist.io and Epidemic Sound 

In this episode, Steve interviews Jonathan Bickle.  Originally from the North East of England, Jonathan is, like us, now based in Bicester.  He is a wedding and family photographer, using Sony Cameras. He tells Steve :

• How he has built his business from a career in retail
• His approach and style of photography
• How he has worked with his couples to reschedule their weddings during the pandemic
• His plans to move into "Day in the Life" style family photography

Sam and Steve talk about the upcoming, and previously postponed Guides for Brides customer service awards, which this year will take place virtually. Sam and Steve are the current Guides for Brides award winners, and have been shortlisted again this time.  They also discuss future plans for their business,  to include other types of photography as well as weddings. As usual, we get a gardening update from Sam!

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Jonathan Bickle Photography https://jonathanbicklephotography.co.uk/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jonathanbicklephotography/

Guides for Brides Awards https://www.guidesforbrides.co.uk/wedding-ideas/customer-service-awards-2019-winners/

Music from artlist.io and Epidemic Sound

This week's guest interview feature Sam Meggs, who is an Ontario based candid style wedding and event photographer. Although originally born in the UK, Sam lives and works between Toronto, and Ottawa, Canada.  Sam tells Steve:

• His style and approach to shooting weddings
• How the pandemic has impacted wedding photography in Ontario, with more elopement shoots
• Why he believes working with another photographer/videographer who is also female will differentiate his business moving forward
• About his hobby of being a goal tender in ice hockey!

Sam gives an update on the after effects of her vaccine last week, whilst Steve had a new toy for the study. Plus, of course, an allotment update....

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Samuel Meggs Photography https://www.samuelmeggs.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samuelmeggsphoto/

Music by Artlist.io and Epidemic Sound

In this latest episode, Steve interviews Jay Farrell. Jay is a Nashville based photographer and author who specialises in discovering and photographing abandoned building across the USA.

Jay was one of our first guests on the podcast back on Episode 3. Since then he has gone on to have 12 books published of his trips,  and  his photographs of derelict houses, factories, shops and gas stations, amongst other types of buildings.  He tells Steve how he has had to adapt how he explores due to the pandemic, why the Fujifilm X100V is his favourite camera, and his advice for anyone looking to become a published other.

Sam had her first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine just before recording this episode, and is on good form, teasing Steve as usual. Steve in turn wants to know why there are over 200 packets of seeds in the house.....another allotment update coming!

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Jay Farrell Author https://www.jayfarrellauthor.com/
Farrell Gallery https://www.facebook.com/FarrellGallery/

Music by Artlist.io and Epidemic Sound

In this episode, Steve interviews Adam Lowndes. 

Adam is a Stoke on Trent based wedding photographer who describes himself as a "Personality - Full Staffordshire Wedding Photographer".   As well as talking about his wedding photography approach, Adam also tells Steve how he has worked on his approach using Instagram; so much so that the majority of his enquiries now come through his page. He now coaches and mentors other photographers on their Instagram approach, and he tells Steve about his workshop and critique sessions with The Guild of Photographers.

Sam and Steve also discuss the recently announced road map out of Lockdown, and the four stage approach, with regards to weddings.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Adam Lowndes https://www.adamlowndes.co.uk/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/adamlowndesphotography/

Music for the show from artlist.io

In this episode, Sam and Steve interview Ami Robertson.

Ami is a London based brand photographer who helps small business owners (especially women) raise their visibility through photography.  Ami is also passionate about lifting other women up especially into leadership roles and raising awareness around abuse.

Ami was an ambassador for The Photography Show’s "Women Who Photo & Film"  campaign in 2020 and has also mentored and coached over 70 other photographers.
In summer 2020, she walked 630miles in 36 days  raising £5500 for Woman’s Trust.

Ami speaks openly and passionately in this interview, discussing challenges in her own life, including suffering a breakdown in 2019, on the back of an abusive relationship.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Ami Robertson https://www.thewomanandthewolf.com/
Ami's instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woman_and_the_wolf/

Music on the show from Artlist.io and Epidemicsound.com 

In this weeks episode, Steve interviews Greg Thurtle.  Greg is an experienced wedding photographer and videographer, with over 15 years of shooting weddings.  Greg tells Steve :

• About his style and approach to photographing weddings
• How he has combined videography into his wedding work
• Why he likes to regularly 2nd shoot with other photographers
• Why he switched to using Sony cameras back in the days of the first A7 series of mirrorless cameras

Sam and Steve also chat about photographing birds, and another week in the UK lockdown.  Sam mentions her allotment, but only once.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Greg Thurtle  http://thurtlepower.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tpphotography/

Music by Artlist.io and Epidemic Sound. 

In this episode, Sam and Steve discuss the 6 main reasons why they decided to move to Sony cameras, after 5 years of shooting with Fujifilm X- Series.

Sam discussed her preferred option, one camera with a choice of zoom lens, whereas Steve still prefers two cameras with two fixed lenses.

Sam and Steve also announce the music chosen by our listeners to be our new intro/outro music.

Sam and Steve Photography https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/

Music by Artlist and Epidemic sound 

In this episode, Steve interviews Karen Thomas from Cakes by Kit.  Karen was our first guest on the show back in November 2019.  She tells Steve:

• How she got through 2020, despite going from over 80 wedding cake booking to just 6 in the year
• Changes she has made to her business and cake collections as a result of Covid-19
• How she has worked proactively to help and support her clients who needed to reschedule their wedding and their cake requirements
• Her hopes and plans for the future,  post pandemic

Sam and Steve also announce a competition! We want YOU our listeners to choose our new intro/outro music.  We play 8 short pieces of music, and we would love you to tell us your favourite.  We will add up the votes and play the new theme song next week, as well as picking a name to read out on the show from one of the winning votes.

They also talk about new website plans, new hosting here on Buzzsprout, and Sam doesn't mention gardening.  At all.  For once.

Sam and Steve Photography www.samandstevephotography.com
Cakes by Kit http://cakesbykit.com/

Music and Sound effects for the show :
Artist https://artlist.io/
Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/

In this, their first episode of 2021, Sam and Steve reflect on the current lockdown in the UK, and the likely impact on weddings in 2021.  

This leads them on to discussing live streaming of weddings over Zoom or social media, something that would have been hardly heard of only a year ago.  Having now streamed 12 "micro weddings" in the 2nd half of 2020, Sam and Steve have developed several solutions to live broadcasting weddings. 

Sam asks Steve:

• Why would a couple want their wedding to be broadcasted live over Zoom, Facebook Live, or YouTube
• The Pro's and Con's of the various hosting platforms
• Internet requirements and solutions
• One way and two way streams - do the couple want to be able to talk to their guests on Zoom at the end of the ceremony?
• Single and multicamera stream options
• The importance of audio for inclusive live broadcasts

Steve also discusses his new project for 2021,  walking 1000 miles in the year, and his new podcasts about walking Steve's Walks and Talks.  Sam gets to talk about her gardening allotment. Again. 

Sam and Steve Photography www.samandstevephotography.com

Steve's Walking Blog https://www.stevevaughan.net/1000miles

Steve's Walking podcast https://anchor.fm/stevevaughan