Photography Mentors & Lifelong Learning, with Reid Callanan and Craig Stevens
Release Date: 10/31/2024
Finding Faces in the Rocks, with John Paul Caponigro and Joel Simpson
B&H Photography Podcast
“If you look very intensely and slowly things will happen that you never dreamed of before.” This Aaron Siskind quote neatly sums up the deeply contemplative discussion we had with landscape photographers John Paul Caponigro and Joel Simpson in this week’s podcast. Siskind’s name is mentioned several times in our chat—as are many other 20th century photography legends—making this show both an exploration of photo history and an exercise in a holistic way to envision and record the world around us. Our focus on landscape quickly diverges from realistic depictions in favor of terrain...
info_outline
Shuang Hu Tells All: Starting Out, Collaborations & Viral Growth Hacks
B&H Photography Podcast
We’re kicking off the B&H Creators Green Room with the very talented Shuang Hu. Shuang is a renowned actress, writer, director, producer, and viral content creator with over 12 million followers. Tune in to learn about her creative journey, inspiration, and what it takes to grow as a modern creator. Guest Bio: Shuang Hu is a talented Chinese-Australian actress, writer, director, producer, and content creator who has gained over 12 million followers since starting her online content in March 2020. Her YouTube channel, THEONESHU, was listed as one of the top 50 most viewed US...
info_outline
Next Frame: From Boxing Rings to Media Stages with Josh Nass
B&H Photography Podcast
The photo world is filled with remarkable young and up-and-coming talents. They often don’t get the visibility they deserve, so we created Next Frame—a new monthly series aiming to shine a light their way. These bite-sized episodes are equally inspired by the guests we speak with and the invaluable contributions of local creative arts programs that have played a key role in their development. We’re launching this series with photographer, filmmaker, and boxing & music aficionado Josh Nass, an alumnus of Baltimore’s Wide Angle Youth Media programs. From nailing his Photoshop skills...
info_outline
BILD 2025 Recap, with CJ Wolfe, Maria Clinton & Benjamin Von Wong
B&H Photography Podcast
Above Photograph © Matt Emond Summertime is the season for travel. With that theme in mind, in today’s show, we’re taking you on a short trip around the block to revisit a few of our favorite encounters from B&H’s 2025 Bild Expo. During two days in June, we engaged with the many thousands of Expo attendees who converged at New York’s Jacob Javits Center for the show. From our sleek podcast console/recording station adjacent to the Bild stages, we shared our favorite listens and offered advice to the many inquisitive creatives wanting to start up a podcast of their own. Amid all...
info_outline
Path of Liberty: That Which Unites US, with Daniella Vale & Scott Beardslee
B&H Photography Podcast
“That which unites us is far greater than what divides us.” The first four words of this sentence are subtitle, and subtext, for “Path of Liberty,” an immersive outdoor photo and media experience on view through fall 2025 at Freedom Plaza on Manhattan’s east side. The creative groundwork for this project was a mammoth effort involving an extensive crew both on the road and behind the scenes. In today’s podcast, we catch up with two principals of this project’s creative team—creative director Daniella Vale and director of photography, Scott Beardslee—to learn more about their...
info_outline
The Art of the SNL Portrait, with Mary Ellen Matthews
B&H Photography Podcast
“Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night!” That single sentence has become a catchphrase for devotees of comedy and popular culture over the past 50 years—generations of fans who willingly turn their attentions from the height of weekend revelry to the televised antics of Saturday Night Live. Week in, week out for more than two decades, a single photographer has conjured visual magic behind the scenes, creating inventive and irreverent portraits that air for three seconds each as so-called “bumpers” that transition to and from the show’s commercial breaks. In this week’s...
info_outline
The Great Acceleration: Human-Altered Industrial Landscapes, with Edward Burtynsky
B&H Photography Podcast
Industrial expansion has left an indelible mark on our natural world, fundamentally altering landscapes and ecosystems for the sake of material progress and modern convenience. This transformation has created an environmental challenge of unprecedented scale. In today’s show, we’ll connect the dots between the raw materials that make up our planet and the industrial forces visually altering our contemporary landscape in a chat with a photographer who’s documented these profound global changes firsthand for the past 50 years. Applying visual principals rooted in abstract expressionist...
info_outline
A Master Class in Photo Book Publishing, with Mary Virginia Swanson & Rick Smolan
B&H Photography Podcast
Every photographer dreams of publishing a book of their photographs. But what exactly does that entail? In today’s show, we’re going to peek behind the scenes of this complex and daunting process in a chat with two complementary figures who’ve spent their respective careers helping to redefine what a photo book can be. Starting with three basic questions—Why a book? Why now? And what is the role of a book in your career at this time?—our discussion expands to cover a broad range of concerns. From distinguishing between the many different publishing models available today, to insights...
info_outline
The Beauty & Impact of Polar Photography, with Acacia Johnson & Jonas Paurell
B&H Photography Podcast
In a world of perpetual motion, there exists a realm of profound stillness—where light doesn’t simply illuminate, it transforms. Far from home amid Earth’s frozen tundras, time itself seems suspended in crystalline air. In today’s podcast, we’ll visit these places where time hangs in the balance, and we’ll explore the intrepid mix of endurance, patience, and vision it takes to make pictures there. Joining us for this conversation are polar photography specialists Acacia Johnson and Jonas Paurell. From making distinctions between Arctic and Antarctic regions, to learning about the...
info_outline
The Alchemy of Urban Street Portraits, with Jamel Shabazz
B&H Photography Podcast
When it comes to his iconic street portraits, Jamel Shabazz is all about building relationships and spreading joy. Yet, beyond the rich tapestry created with both the neighbors and strangers, friends and rivals he’s encountered across New York’s five boroughs, Jamel’s most meaningful role might be that of a street teacher, touching the lives of the people in front of his lens and inviting them to mark their place in history. In today’s podcast, we learn from the master while tracing his career path, from early observational learning at the side of his father—a professional...
info_outlineToday we chat with Reid Callanan, founder and director of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and renowned photo educator Craig Stevens, formerly of Maine Media Workshops and Savannah College of Art & Design, about photography mentors, lifelong learning, and the role photo workshops play in cultivating community.
Craig and Reid share plenty of insight, not just on the requisite trust that’s required in a successful mentor and student relationship, but other topics such as what it means to be truly passionate about photography, collaboration, as well as how to critique the work of others without being “critical.” Whether you’re just getting started as a photographer or you’re a seasoned vet, you’re sure to walk away from today’s podcast with a nugget or two of wisdom.
Photo caption: Double portrait of Reid Callanan and Craig Stevens
Photo credit: Above Image © Joyce Tenneson
Episode Timeline:
4:44: Reid Callanan on first recognizing Craig Stevens as his mentor.
12:20: Craig’s early impressions of Reid.
16:25: How the concept of mentorship has changed over time and across generations.
19:56: Craig on the “workshop method” and past history as it applies to photography.
26:23: Online workshops versus intensive in-person learning opportunities.
31:38: Differences between an international photo workshop and a destination photo tour, and questions prospective students should ask.
36:38: Discussing the Santa Fe Photographic Workshop’s online mentorship program.
39:20: Making distinctions between mentorship and coaching relationships.
43:03: Episode Break
44:12: On the concept of lifelong learning.
50:52: Discussing the challenges in trying to learn photography as a vocation today.
55:38: The art of critique, what makes a photograph “good,” and dealing with personal tastes and biases when discussing photographs.
1:07:38: How motivation and inspiration factor into working with students.
1:11:01: Questions of cropping, aspect ratios, and Craig’s panoramic landscape photographs.
1:16:36: Photographic style and the idea of helping a student to differentiate themselves.
1:22:42: The evolution from traditional photographic printmaking to digital inkjet prints.
Guests: Reid Callanan & Craig Stevens
Guest Bios:
Reid Callanan is the founder and director of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. In addition to all the responsibilities involved in leading the workshops for the past 32 years, Reid is also an accomplished photographer in his own right who jumps on the opportunity to teach workshops whenever he can.
Reid’s journey in photography started in 1974 during a semester abroad at Richmond College in London. He’s been making images ever since using a variety of photographic processes. After spending 14 years at the Maine Photographic Workshops, Reid headed west in 1990, where he founded the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and the non-profit Santa Fe Center for Photography, now known as CENTER.
In addition to serving as CENTER’s Vice-President of the Board of Directors, he serves on the President’s Council of the Texas Photographic Society; he’s a Board member for the American Society of Media Photographers Foundation; and The National Center for The Photograph.
Craig Stevens is a photographer, printmaker and photographic educator.
He has taught, written about, and lectured extensively on art and education since 1975 when he received his MFA from Ohio University.
For 12 years he was associate director of the Maine Photographic Workshops, where he was also involved in the creation and development of the Workshops’ Resident Program. In 1994, he was workshops director for the 25th anniversary of Les Rencontres Internationale de la Photographie in Arles, France.
Additionally, Craig has served on the faculties of the Santa Fe Workshops, the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, and Les Ateliers de l’Image in France. In 2013, he was the first recipient of the Susan Carr Educator Prize awarded by the American Society of Media Photographers.
After 34 years at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he held the rank of Professor Emeritus, Craig left full time teaching in 2023.
Stay Connected:
Reid Callanan Website: https://www.reidcallanan.com/
Reid Callanan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reidcallanan/
Reid Callanan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reid.callanan
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops Website: https://santafeworkshops.com/
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SantaFeWorkshops
Center Website: https://centersantafe.org/
Center Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centersantafe/
Center Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CENTERsantafe
Craig Stevens Website: https://www.craigstevens.me/
Craig Stevens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigstevensstudio/
Maine Media Workshops Website: https://www.mainemedia.edu/
SCAD Website: https://www.scad.edu/
End Credits:
Host: Allan Weitz
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens