Street Shots Photography Podcast

On this episode, Antonio speaks with Minnesota-based photographer and podcaster, Dave Szweduik. He’s been a friend of the show for a while now and this chat has been a long time in coming. Lately, Dave’s been putting pen to screen, as it were, writing some incredibly thoughtful (and perhaps a little provocative) blog posts on his photography website. Three recent posts delve into what it means to be a successful photographer, how social media plays a role in that, and the idea that the pressure of creating art may be killing our passion. Dave and Antonio talk about these posts in particular and also about the tasks of maintaining a blog as a photographer. For Dave, writing about his thoughts and feelings about the photographic journey is almost as important as taking the photos themselves. Show Links: Dave's website "Is the pressure of creating art killing our passion?" "Photography Success, Chasing The Wrong Dream?" "The Photographic Long Game : A classic approach to photography" Digital Soup Podcast  

In this 70th episode, Antonio ponders the "why" in photography. Why do we care about taking pictures? Why do we want to share our photos in social media? Why do we care? Why, why, why? We all would like to know the "why" when we take pictures and why we want to show them and why we keep them. and why we photograph what we photograph. This is more a stream of consciousness than any really defined subject of photography.  Join Antonio on this wondering journey, as he begins this discussion which is sure to continue well past the end of this show.    Show Links: Why do we take pictures? – Sushicam Overexposed? Camera Phones Could Be Washing Out Our Memories : NPR “Mirrors With Memories”: Why Did Victorians Take Pictures of Dead People? | Mental Floss   This Photographer Deleted His Social Media with 1.5 Million Followers

Well, the time has come to say adios to Tom as a regular host on Street Shots. In this episode, Antonio and Tom talk about what it's been like to have created such a fun team with Switch to Manual and this podcast. Not a whole lot of practical photography tips spoken about but more about what it's been like for the two of them to have worked together to create STM and what the future will be like with just Antonio hosting the podcast. So grab your favorite beverage and chill with the STM guys on this bittersweet episode. Oh, and it's not all bad news. :)  

This week, Antonio scours the photography news site called PetaPixel and adds his two cents about some the recent stories published there.    Show Links: 500px gets acquired Odd pricing at 500px Lensbaby Burnside Lens New Fuji X-H1 Canon’s AI Flash Lightroom Update Stupid Photography Terms The B-Word Peter Lik “Faked” Moon Image NYC Street Coincidences

In this episode, Antonio is joined by his friend and co-worker Reed Means to discuss the technical and emotional impact of adjusting colors in both film/video and still photography. Tapping into Reed’s extensive experience as a film/video colorist, they talk about how color editing (also called color “grading”) affects our feelings about a visual scene and the information conveyed to a viewer. Color editing in film and still photography share a lot of similar ideas and Antonio and Reed discuss those commonalities and how they can be used to help an artist express themself.   Show Links:   Palm Tree Shoe Productions Reed’s color grading sample video Color Grading Central Alexis Van Hurkman Film LUTs Color Harmony DaVinci Resolve Software Behind the scenes of the Hobbit The Psychology of Color

In this episode, Antonio ponders other podcasts (and shoutouts), new lenses, and image processing. Also, he starts to pave the way for a future episode where he'll discuss the films and TV shows that shape his visual DNA. All this from a late night recording from the STM studios.    Links: ShutterTime with Sid and Mac Let's Talk Photography  

In this episode, Antonio follows up on his newest birthday toy, the Polaroid OneStep2. A recent trip with the instant camera changed the way to have fun with a camera, or maybe he rediscovered how to have fun. Also, he discusses a new and perhaps disturbing trend in automated photo editing and processing: machines that learn what a "good" photograph is and tell you how to fix your flawed images. Something to fear or embrace? Antonio is sure to share his opinion about that. The machinations of the algorithm. Show Links: Petapixel: Google’s New AI Can Score Photos on Technical and Aesthetic Quality Google Nima: Neural Image Assessment PhotoLemur  

In this episode, Antonio shares his latest experience with printing and hanging a show of his street photography at a Brooklyn brewery/gallery. Some tips and lessons learned. Also, after receiving a Polaroid OneStep camera for his birthday, Antonio chats about his new, or we should say renewed, foray into the world of instant photography.    Show Links:   Island to Island Brewery Digital Soup Podcast ShutterTime with Sid & Mac Polaroid Originals  

It's October and that means Antonio is walking the floor of the PDN Photoplus Expo again. On this episode, Antonio chats with a few of the vendors at the show and a photographer who shares his opinion about cameras as status symbols. Tune in and take a virtual tour of the Expo with one of the STM guys.   Show Links: Ken Shung Photographer Polaroid Pop Polaroid Originals Lomography & Lomo'Instant Square Macphun/Skylum Software My Case Builder

In this episode, Antonio is joined by longtime STM friend, Mac Sokulski of the Shuttertime with Sid and Mac podcast. First we get an update about Mac's foray into shooting film for an entire year. Also, Mac and Antonio discuss several Kickstarter projects featuring unique takes on digital cameras. Finally, they chat about whether or not picture taking can be considered a form of therapy. Can you tame some of your inner struggles by just going on a photo walk or testing a new camera? Hear how Antonio and Mac find some inner peace when taking out their gear and taking some pictures.   Show Links: MiKSMedia Photography Shuttertime with Sid and Mac Let's Talk Photography Podcast The Lomo'Instant Square Camera Jollylook - The First Cardboard Vintage Instant Camera! I'm Back - Digital back attachment for analog cameras Yashica digiFilm Camera Miroslav Tichý           

Episode 61 and Antonio is on his own again. This show he speaks about Pete Turner, a commercial and fine art photographer who recenty passed away and had a big influence on Antonio's color work. Also, Antonio talks a bit about his street photography class and asks the Street Shots audience for some help. Finally, next week is the Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk and Antonio talks about leading a walk in Green-Wood Cemetery.   Links: Pete Turner Worldwide Photo Walk

The Switch to Manual guys celebrate their 60th episode; their "Diamond Episode." Antonio and Tom chat about all sorts of stuff: how Switch to Manual started, how the podcast began, what it really means to shoot in manual, some awesome photo book Tom found, and previews of what's to come on the podcast. So grab your favorite beverage and join the STM guys for a great chat between good friends.

Not a real episode, per se; just a filler until Antonio & Tom record their 60th episode in the next week. Until then, Antonio wanted to close out the summer with a short update show talking about an interesting photographic expericence he had this past weekend: getting his and his wife's portrait made in an old fashioned method called a "tintype." 

We’re sure you’ve heard this before: which is better, an iPhone camera or a DSLR? There are endless debates about this question. Pixel peeping, increasing megapixels, accessibility, portability, the list goes on.  The STM guys don’t plan to rehash this ongoing discussion. In this episode, Antonio and Tom try to tackle this question from a slightly different perspective; what is it like to actively choose to take photographs using your phone instead of a traditional camera and why would you choose to do so? Because we’re so quick these days to take photos with our phone and not think twice about it, are we handing off our real world experiences to our digital devices? By choosing to photograph the world using a device which you keep with you constantly are you forgetting what you capture and relegating your visual memories to a digital shoebox?    Links for the show: World Wide Photo Walk Photovoice Shuttertime with Sid and Mac The Candid Frame Podcast  

In this episode, Antonio talks about two great art exhibits he went to this past weekend: photographer Irving Penn at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and painter Georgia O'Keeffe at the Brooklyn Museum. Then, in the meaty part of the show, Antonio speaks about what he's really trying to depict when he photographs: reality or feelings? Showing a friend how he processed his photos made him wonder whether he was revealing too much about how he interprets what he sees and photographs. If he's not showing reality then maybe he's showing how he felt.

Antonio is joined by long time STM friend, photographer Jean Miele. In this episode, Jean and Antonio discuss the current landscape of digital photography education. Lately, there's been a shift away from people devoting themselves to learning photography applications like Photoshop and Lightroom. More and more, emerging photographers and veterans alike are seeking out how to use these tools and their equipment to create the images that have the most meaning to them by relying more on intuition and inspiration rather than technique. Listen to Antonio and Jean as they try to hash out what this means for photography education in general and their own photographs in specific.    Show Links:  Jean Miele Anderson Ranch Art Center - From "Almost" to "WOW" Lightroom & Photoshop Workshop North Country Studio Workshops - Visual Alchemy Workshop Jean Miele Private Lessons Jean Miele Photographer, Facebook

The lens you use says a lot about what how you express yourself in your photographs. Each lens has its own vocabulary, its own “language,” as it were. In this episode, Antonio is joined by the fabulous Mac Sokulski from the Shuttertime with Sid and Mac podcast. Antonio and Mac talk about how they use lenses to say something about the pictures they take. Wide angles, telephotos, portrait lenses; each adds its own words to the language of photography.

In this special 55th episode, Antonio interviews Virginia-based photographer Jeffrey Stone, a fellow street shooter who he recently followed on Instagram. Inspired by such great photographers as Ernst Haas and Saul Leiter, Jeff has only recently started seriously pursuing his love of street shooting. Posting daily on Instagram under his “Lonely.Streets” name, Jeffrey’s graphic and thought provoking black and white images stand out among the flood of urban imagery uploaded to the social media site. Antonio was able to convince Jeff to put his camera down for a moment and join him in a pleasant conversation about what it’s truly like to shoot on the lonely streets.   Links from show: Jeffrey Stone Jeff’s Instagram page Andy Goldsworthy Saul Leiter Ernst Haas - color correction book Ernst Haas Color Correction Michael Kenna

In this episode, Antonio and Tom discuss those images which have had some profound affect on their both of their lives. Both Switch to Manual guys grew up in an era where certain images had longevity and prominence. But in this day of image over-saturation, what are the pictures that stand out, that have meaning? Which are the ones we cut out of magazines and hang on our wall to look at every day? What are the images we contemplate and sometimes send our lives on a new path? Tom and Antonio discuss a few of the photos, both personal and other, which have had a special affect on them.

What are picture profiles, also known as "film simulations" on some cameras, "presets" and "filters" in image processing software? What’s the point of applying picture profiles to the photos you take? Is it only to simulate film looks from the past or are there other purposes to altering the look and color of your digital pictures? In this special episode, Antonio is joined by friend and long time Podcaster, Bart Busschots from the Let's Talk Photography podcast. Listen to Bart and Antonio as they discuss whether or not these color settings are just marketing gimmicks by camera manufacturers and app makers or have some definite place in your creative toolbox.