Episode #245: Alison Conklin / Photographer

Photographer, brand ambassador, and mountain athlete Drew Smith joins the podcast to talk about his wild journey of growing up on a ranch in Montana and working jobs that varied from welding, to construction, to commercial fishing, to guiding, to search and rescue, to finally ending up with a camera in his hand and documenting the amazing adventures he was a part of, and slowing but surely developing a portfolio that would land him Clients like Patagonia, Roark, The North Face and so many more.  During our conversation Drew talks about how a 5 month road trip to Baja after dropping out of college would end up changing the course of his life, and how he worked his way through an insane list of jobs in order to fund the pursuit of the next adventure and his insatiable appetite for travel.  We also discuss how he found his niche in the world of outdoor adventure photography, started working with brands like Patagonia and Roark, what the behind the scenes of documenting alpine climbing adventures looks like, finally settling down after years of living in trucks and vans, what he's learned about life from the mountain characters he gets to be surrounded by, and the advice he gives to others hoping to one day have the chance to live out their own creative dreams.   To Learn More About Drew Smith Visit: https://www.drewsmithmedia.com And Follow Him On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/_drew_smith_/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/ And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/  

Architectural and Interior photography and filmmaking team Arturo + Lauren join the podcast to talk about their individual journeys into the space of architectural image and motion capture and how they would end up coming together as creative partners, as well as a couple, to form the brand and portfolio they are known for today, as well as the social network of other architectural and interior photographers they created with The Shifter Community.  During our conversation we talk about what first attracted them to architecture and design, how they go about uniquely marketing and branding themselves, the importance of seo as well as in person events, the differences between real estate photography and architectural work, and the advice they give to others trying to carve out their own spot in an ever growing industry.   To Learn More About Arturo + Lauren Visit: https://arturoandlauren.com And Follow Them On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/arturo.and.lauren/ To Learn More About The Shifter Community Visit: https://www.shiftercom.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/shiftercom/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

Celebrity portrait and commercial photographer and Sony Ambassador Tom Oldham joins the podcast from his London studio to talk about his journey from growing up in the small rural town of Dorset to photographing some of the most recognizable faces in the world, and earning awards like Amateur Photographer Magazine's 2023 "Hero Of Photography" and Sony's "World Open Photographer Of The Year" in 2020.  During our conversation Tom talks about how the burgeoning rave scene of the UK would end up changing the course of his life and put a camera in his hand to begin documenting the culture he loved so much and all the amazing ups and downs his career has brought him since.  He also gives a behind the scenes look at what it's like to photograph subjects like Rick Rubin, Nick Cave, Liam Gallagher, and so many more.  Lastly we talk about longevity in a career as fickle as photography and what he feels has been his secret to not burning out, how he approaches all the personal projects he has become known for over the years, and the advice he gives to other creatives chasing their own dreams.   To Learn More About Tom Oldham Visit: http://www.tomoldham.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/tommyophoto To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/ And YouTube At: www.youtube.com/@visualrevolutionary      

Director/Photographer Sam Jones returns to the podcast to talk about some of the amazing projects he has worked on since his first appearance on the show back in 2019, like his documentary film about Tony Hawk "Until The Wheels Fall Off", his documentary film on singer songwriter Jason Isbell "Running with our Eyes Closed", and his 6 part series showcasing the Smartless Podcast tour, all available to stream on Max.  During our conversation we talk about how being a present conversationalist has helped him to be able to uncover the story inside a story while working on documentary films, how his passion for learning new things in his own life has translated to the characters he wants to showcase, the new film he's been working on over the last 4 years, and what he's learned about a life well live through hundreds of converations with some of the leading creatives, athletes, and innovators in the world.   To Learn More About Sam Jones Visit: https://www.samjonespictures.com And Follow Him On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/samjonespictures/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

Legendary music photographer and Grammy nominated director Danny Clinch joins the podcast to talk about how he went from a kid growing up in a blue collar family in Toms River, NJ to falling in love with photography and music at an early age, to pursuing an education at the New England School of photography, to working with and assisting Annie Leibovitz, Steven Meisel, Mary Ellen Mark, Timothy White, and others, to finding his own voice as an artist and building an incredible career as one of most sought after photographers in the music business.  During our conversation Danny talks about his early days with Spin Magazine, shooting the record cover for Nas's "Illmatic", being on tour with Blind Melon, booking shoots for Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen on the same day, building long lasting relationships and friendships with some of the most well known musicians in the world that has given him a level of access all music fans dream about, and so much more.  It's a beautiful conversation on a life well lived.  So sit back and enjoy.   To Learn More About Danny Clinch Visit: http://www.dannyclinch.com And Follow Him on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/dannybones64/ To Learn More About the Transparent/Clinch Gallery Visit: https://www.instagram.com/transparentclinchgallery/ To Learn More About the Sea/Hear/Now Festival Visit: https://www.seahearnowfestival.com

Renowned mountain bike photographer Sven Martin joins the podcast to talk about the journey from his early days as a pro skateboarder, to racing downhill mountain bikes, to transitioning into a full time photographer and all the adventures in between.  Growing up in South Africa, Sven's father had a camera in his hand at an early age and helped him develop a skillset, along with his mother's keen eye for composition, that would serve him well as he moved through his own passion for surfing, skateboarding, and eventually mountain biking.  During our conversation Sven tells stories of skateboarding with Tony Hawk and Ed Templeton, as well as his early photography work for Thrasher Magazine and how his girlfriend (now wife) Anka would eventually lead him towards the mountain bike world, what his schedule is like covering the world cup race circuit, how things have changed over the years with the advent of new technology and so many more shooters on the scene, how he has managed to stay so stoked on the sport after all these years, and the advice he gives to others rising up through the ranks of actions sports photography.   To Learn More About Sven Martin Visit: https://www.instagram.com/svenmartinphoto/ To Watch the Short Film About Sven Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d0lBJiowAY To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

Filmmaker and artist David Donnelly joins the podcast to talk about his newest documentary film "The Cost of Convenience" that sheds light on the pervasive impact of surveillance capitalism on our privacy, autonomy, and democracy.  David has spent many years creating documentary films in the classical music realm, but when Covid came along and shut down the live performance spaces he was so accustomed to, he found himself exploring the exponential rise in the dependence of social media platforms and other spaces that exploded during the pandemic. When he set out with a goal of documenting our addiction to this technology, he had no idea of the massive story that would begin to unfold of the other nefarious aspects hiding in plane site, and how his film would adapt to try and tell a much broader story over years of work and countless days of travel.  During our conversation we discuss the last analog generation that we both come from, the inability for people to just be bored and how that is affecting creativity, the conversation that needs to be had about the future of social media, and so much more.   To Learn More About David Donnelly Visit: https://theculturemonster.com To Learn More About the Film "The Cost of Convenience" Visit: https://costofconvenience.film To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/ And YouTube At: www.youtube.com/@visualrevolutionary

Photographer and Fujifilm Ambassador Alison Conklin joins the show to tell her inspiring story of perseverance after a doctor gave her the news that she had 6 months to live if she didn't get a new heart, and the transplant surgery that would soon follow and give her a new lease on life and a new appreciation for the selfless kindness of strangers.  During our conversation Alison tells me how the tragic death of her mom at age 14 would end up leading her into a love of photography that she shared with her father, how she built her career as an amazing wedding photographer, how all the challenging events in her life have given her a true appreciation for the present moment, and the advice she gives to others trying to find their own path.  It's a beautiful story that will inspire you to appreciate all the things you already have.   To Learn More About Alison Conklin Visit: https://www.alisonconklin.com And Follow Her On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/alisonconklin/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/  

Photographer, journalist, trauma nurse, wildland firefighter, and all around badass Alex Pottter joins the podcast to talk about her journey from growing up in a small town in the midwest to living and working in Yemen and throughout the middle east as a photojournalist, to working as a trauma nurse on the front lines of the war in Mosul, to her years as a wildland firefighter and all the adventures in between.  During our conversation Alex tells me what it was like traveling through the middle east as a young woman and the purpose she found in the region, the tragic loss of her husband Pete Reed who she met and worked alongside in Mosul, the importance of being present with the ones you love, and the advice she gives to others looking to find their own purpose and adventure.  To Learn More About Alex Potter Visit: https://www.alexkaypotter.com/#1 And Follow Her On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/alexkpotter/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/ And YouTube At: www.youtube.com/@visualrevolutionary    

Photographer/Director Krystle Wright returns to the podcast to talk about the new National Geographic series "Photographer" premiering on March 18th where she is featured alongside an amazing list of other photographers.  We also catch up on what she's been up to since she was last on the show, talk honestly and openly about her financial struggles in the last year and how that had her questioning her future in photography, why she is so drawn to storm chasing, what was behind her award winning photo for the Red Bull Illume contest, her thoughts towards AI and social media, and so much more.   To Learn More About Krystle Wright Visit: https://www.krystlewright.com And Follow Her On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/krystlejwright/ To Watch Her Short Film for Leica Visit: https://vimeo.com/815244399 To Learn More About National Geographic's "Photographer" Visit: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/shows/photographer To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: https://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow On Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/ And YouTube At: www.youtube.com/@visualrevolutionary