ToP #0138: Personal Passion Projects

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! As winter approaches it's important to be safe outside and it's helpful to know a few tips ahead of time.  On this episode I talk with Alex Soh, travel and landscape photographer from Singapore, about details we should be aware of and look for while shooting outside in the winter.  Just because it's cold out doesn't mean you shouldn't be out there shooting! Share YOUR thoughts on photography in our Facebook group here.  Join me on Instagram @brianmcguckin Keep up with Alex on Instagram @alexsohphotography

What happens when a conservationist who loves frogs has a camera? He goes to Haiti to create change.  In this episode I talk with Robin Moore - photographer, conservationist, author, lover of frogs, and cofounder of Frame of Mind - an initiative empowering youth to connect with their natural and cultural world through photography and visual storytelling. You can see his work at www.robindmoore.com and check out his book Frame of Mind Haiti here. Join me on Instagram and share YOUR thoughts on photography in our Facebook group.  

I just got back from a workshop with ImprovePhotography.com shooting in the BEAUTIFUL area in Utah and Arizona around the Grand Canyon!  What I love about workshops is that there are so many people there to learn from and be inspired by.  Check out this episode on learning through workshops with nature photographer Majeed Badizadegan.   Be sure to join us on Facebook and share YOUR thoughts on photography.  Join me on Instagram! Keep up to date on many FREE workshops offered through ImprovePhotography.com.

We all have different learning styles.  Many of us learn best by struggling through things and trying to figure it out on our own; others can read or see something once and get it.  In this episode I talk with Jim Harmer, founder of ImprovePhotography.com, about the benefits of learning photography online. Be sure to join us on Facebook in the Thoughts On Photography Podcast group to share YOUR thoughts on photography.

With thousands and thousands of photographers out there, how do you get your name known?  What do you do to market your photography business?  In this episode I am joined again by Sarah Petty from The Joy of Marketing to talk about what we should do to market our photography businesses.   Check out more about how to best market your business and all the great resources the Joy of Marketing offers at http://www.joyofmarkeing.com Join us on Facebook to share YOUR thoughts on photography!

How is does YOUR BRAND reflect YOUR BUSINESS?  Not sure what it means to "brand your business?"  In this episode, I talk with Sarah Petty - photographer, marketing guru, and New York Times best selling author.  This interview is just a peek into what it means to have a brand for your photography business.  To find out more, go to http://www.joyofmarketing.com and be sure to check out her FREE resource for our listeners at http://www.joyofmarketing.com/click You can also check out her best selling book Worth Every Penny: Small Business Marketing Help here.    

How do you learn photography?  Do you learn best when someone is there to walk you through and explain everything?  Or do you learn best experimenting and working through struggles on your own?  Or maybe you spend your time learning online through courses such as ImprovePhotography.com and Photography Start. In this episode Dan Helrigel (Photography Chair at Indianapolis Art Center) and I explore learning photography and the different possibilities.  This episode birthed the idea of staring a series on "Learning Photography" and the different options we have as learners.  Enjoy this show and stay tuned for more on this topic! 

Are you ready for some football?!?!  It's (American) football season here in the United States and if you're a photographer and you like football, this episode is for you!  In this episode, I talk with Jeff Lewis NFL photographer based out of California.  Jeff and I both love football and photography, so we get a little carried away at times.  You'll definitely learn some great tips and learn what it's like on the sidelines of a NFL game.

Many of us dream about having our photography on display in a gallery somewhere.  Anyone who has work displayed had to start somewhere.  In this episode I speak with Kara Lane, author of "From Photographer to Gallery Artist."  Kara gives us a peek into her book sharing tips, recommendations, and resources for how photographers can make this dream a reality.    

Clearly photography is a passion of yours, but what is it that you REALLY love to shoot?  Are you working on a project?  Maybe it's something private that you want to keep to yourself because you're capturing personal hardships that you're working through.  Maybe it's something that you are SOOO excited about that you find yourself posting about it on every piece of social media out there that exists.  Whatever it may be, there are many benefits to having some type of personal project.  In this episode I talk with Jose Rosado about these benefits and his article, "Why You Should Always Make Time for Personal Projects."