Next Frame: Juggling Time, Space, and Resources in Building a Photo Career with Patience Ojionuka
Release Date: 09/25/2025
Next Frame: Trailblazing a Philadelphia Photo Community, with CJ Wolfe
B&H Photography Podcast
Picking up a camera is often the start of a life-changing journey. And when it’s combined with a focus on community building, the determination to lead by example, and shrewd entrepreneurial skills—this basic action can have a ripple effect with the potential to change countless lives. In today’s show, we speak with creative community trailblazer CJ Wolfe, who has built a passion for pictures and infectious team spirit into a multifaceted brand that encompasses rental studios, a creative agency, and a non-profit organization with a mission to educate and inspire disenfranchised...
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Crafting Masterful Portraits with Paul Mobley & Ian Spanier
B&H Photography Podcast
Paul Mobley and Ian Spanier have much in common: from starting their respective careers in New York City before relocating to the West Coast, to their knack for forging a human bond with portrait subjects, to an unrelenting drive to generate ambitious commercial assignments while being equally dedicated to complex personal projects. In today’s podcast, Paul and Ian compare notes on their photographic journeys from coast to coast, while discussing their shared inspiration for 20th century portrait masters such as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and in Ian’s case, Harry Benson. A few of...
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2025 Photo Gear of the Year, with Kevin Rickert
B&H Photography Podcast
In case you didn’t already know, 2025 marks 10 years since we started the B&H Photography Podcast, making today’s show our tenth annual Photo Gear of the Year episode! A lot of cameras have come down the pike since that first recap, along with a veritable roller coaster of marketing strategies and photographic trends. To follow up on a trend discussed last year, we start out with a nod to point-and-shoots, a craze that, according to Kevin, has “become fever pitch.” To expand on this theme, we look back in time to when digital point-and-shoots were losing ground to the ubiquitous...
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Next Frame: Get Undeniably Qualified for a Photo Career, with Chelsea Mayer
B&H Photography Podcast
“Wow, this is your job? I didn't know that was a job! That's amazing. Can I have this job?” That offhand epiphany neatly sums up the enviable career path of wildlife, adventure, and travel photographer Chelsea Mayer. From an early start with her mom’s camera to her selection for an Ambassador mentorship, before becoming a partner photographer, with Girls Who Click, all the way through to her certifications as a 100-ton boat captain and professional divemaster, the course Chelsea plotted has made her undeniably qualified for a thriving career. In today’s show, we do a deep dive...
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Mylene Mae on Trends, Staying Curious, and Creating for Fun
B&H Photography Podcast
Join Deanna as she welcomes professional side-quester, storyteller, and video editor, Mylene Mae (@mylenesmind). Mylene shares her personal journey, including how she pivoted from working in STEM and got started in video, as well as her learning process and the struggles of digesting long-form content. They discuss the importance betting on yourself, staying curious, and forgetting the metrics and finding the fun in content creation. Credits: Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Testa Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein...
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Discovering Forgotten Visual Histories, with Alan Govenar & Adam Forgash
B&H Photography Podcast
Photographs preserve what daily life cannot—moments that would otherwise fade into obscurity. In today’s show, we explore this topic through a nexus of American culture, popular folklore, and photographic archives in a chat with Alan Govenar and Adam Forgash, two photographers and visual historians who are passionate about unearthing and preserving forgotten stories. Coming from different backgrounds, Alan’s formal training and experience with the non-profit Documentary Arts complements Adam’s hands-on skills hunting for treasures and selling vintage photographica at New York’s...
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Tolú Ekundare on Landing Netflix, Podcasting, and Building Your Own Voice
B&H Photography Podcast
In Episode 7, host Deanna Testa sits down with the vibrant and hilarious, Tolú Ekundare (@tolukundare) to spill the tea on what it takes to grow as a modern creator. Tolú shares how she landed two big Netflix shows, the challenges of getting started in the podcasting space, and how she continues to build her own brand while staying her most authentic self. Credits: Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Testa Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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Next Frame: Reporting the News & Finding Your Visual Voice, with Keren Carrión
B&H Photography Podcast
News reporting has got to be one of the toughest markets for a visual journalist to crack. But the whirlwind of 24/7 news cycles and the pressures of telling human stories in rural news deserts have not deterred today’s guest, Keren Carrión, a photojournalist and short form video producer currently working on the NPR visuals team. Follow along as we chart Keren’s evolution from stills to documentary video stories to vertical social media clips that can be absorbed in two minutes or less. We also learn about the many opportunities for feedback and career advancement she’s explored, and...
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Brandon Woelfel on Growing as a Photographer and Creator
B&H Photography Podcast
In this episode, we sit down with New York-based photographer and content creator Brandon Woelfel (@brandonwoelfel) to discuss his personal journey as well as the growing pains of being modern creator and photographer. Brandon shares how fine art led him to taking photos, adapting to the ever-changing social media landscape, gaining confidence in one’s own work, educating in the space, and even leveraging AI. Whether you’re a photographer, filmmaker, TikTok star, podcaster, or just starting your creative journey, this conversation is full of insight, motivation, and practical advice you...
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Mixing Music with Pictures, with Bootsy Holler & Chris Ortiz
B&H Photography Podcast
Although they cater to different senses, photography and music share much in common. In both these arts, timing, rhythm, and mood are key. It’s been a while since we’ve mixed photography and music on the show, so we’re particularly excited about today’s chat with two photographers who share a passion for documenting musicians and their fans—in particular, devotes of punk and indie rock. From early memories of being truly moved by music to practical tips about photo access, image rights and restrictions, plus the complexities of organizing your work for a book, the conversation...
info_outlineAbove Photograph © Patience Ojionuka
How do you transition from being simply “a friend with a camera” to landing paid gigs with top fashion brands? All while juggling a budding photo career and the rigors of post graduate study, along with sharing insider tips to inspire your community on the side.
We answer these questions and more in this, our second episode of Next Frame, a monthly podcast series shining a light on rising creative talents.
Today's guest is Patience Ojionuka, a trendsetting creative known for multitasking between enviable photo assignments and working towards a PhD in psychology. We get the low down on her experiences in the power of pitching and the magic of sharing on social media.
“There's always projects happening, and I think that is the biggest thing I learned,” she explains. “There's nothing more powerful than sharing your work.”
Patience also admits, “I was waiting for the perfect time to start, which reminder to anybody listening, the perfect time to start is right now. I just posted it, and it got a reaction that I just wasn't expecting. And that could happen to you. That could happen to anyone.”
Guest: Patience Ojionuka
Episode Timeline:
2:07: Patience Ojionuka’s start in photography as an undergraduate doing senior portraits and school events.
4:09: Figuring out how to make photography fit into her life, plus getting past the stigma that part time artists don’t have a stake in the industry.
6:20: Connecting with ASMP’s Bridge Mentorship Program, how this changed her life, plus finding time, space, and resources to create at Shotti’s LR2 Studio.
13:32: A love for lighting and the viral lighting tutorials Patience posts on TikTok.
17:19: How Patience has evolved as a photographer both technically and as a tastemaker.
19:56: A memorable assignment and the value of being kind and personable in a tough industry.
22:53: Learning the power of pitching and sharing your work on social media.
26:13: Patience’s current social media strategy, plus the Instagram reel that changed her life.
29:16: Drawing inspiration from outside the photography world and merging the different parts of her brain.
32:58: The most important thing that Patience has learned from mentoring and aims to impart to others.
35:21: Where Patience aspires to be as a photographer five years from now, plus news about a recent project for Teen Vogue.
Guest Bio:
Patience Ojionuka is a queer, Houston-raised, NYC-based photographer and psychology PhD student. Specializing in fashion and portraiture, Patience has worked on and assisted in projects for Teen Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Self Magazine, Who What Wear, Allure, and has had clients such as Tinder, Lex App, and National University. Outside the studio, you can find her singing a cappella, editing videos, or probably inappropriately doing doctoral homework at a party.
Stay Connected:
Patience Ojionuka Website: https://patienceojionuka.com
Patience Ojionuka Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patienceojionuka/
Patience Ojionuka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patience-o-051531212
Patience Ojionuka YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@patienceojionuka/
Patience Ojionuka TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patienceojionuka
LR2 Studio: https://www.lr2.studio/about
ASMP’s Bridge Mentorship Program: https://www.asmp.org/newyork/the-bridge-program/
Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens