The Photography Pod

Message Nick and Steve here:
What makes a great photograph? Is it composition, technical perfection, or simply being in the right place at the right moment?
This week, Steve and Nick are joined by acclaimed photographer, filmmaker and author Neil Selkirk, whose extraordinary career began in New York in 1968, working alongside legendary photographers including Richard Avedon and Diane Arbus.
Neil shares fascinating stories from the golden age of photography, including his remarkable experience recreating Diane Arbus's darkroom prints, before discussing his new book, Why Photographs? — a book about photography with no photographs!
Along the way, we explore why Neil believes composition is overrated, the importance of spontaneity and authenticity, the changing world of professional photography, and whether AI threatens the very thing that makes photography special.
A fascinating, entertaining and occasionally provocative conversation about why we take photographs — and why the real world will always be worth capturing.
Links:
Neil Selkirk: https://www.neilselkirk.com
Why Photographs? — published by Warbler Press.
Aperture interview with Neil Selkirk on printing Diane Arbus's photographs
MOMA page on Diane Arbus 
Support the show
The Photography Pod is twice monthly photography podcast for both working professionals and enthusiast photographers. The host Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.
Photography Pod Facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/thephotographypod/
Video version of the Podcast including slide shows of images:  https://www.youtube.com/@thephotographypod

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/
Nick Church Creative Academy https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/news/introducing-nick-church-creative-academy

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

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Steve and Nick are joined by Scottish wedding photographers Murray McMillan and Lawrence Scott for a very funny and refreshingly candid conversation about photography, friendship and working together at weddings.
Murray and Lawrence have very different photographic styles, but years of shooting together have turned them into a highly effective team. They talk about the benefits of having two photographers at a wedding, learning to anticipate what the other person is doing and why couples now sometimes specifically ask for both of them.
There’s plenty of gear talk too. Murray explains why his romantic idea of shooting weddings exclusively with Leica Q3s didn't quite survive contact with a real wedding, why he returned to Sony, and what he thinks of the A7 V and tiny RX1R III. Lawrence talks Nikon Z9s, fast lenses, low-light performance and his admiration for Sony autofocus.
The conversation also gets into the less glamorous realities of wedding photography: long days, endless editing, marketing, burnout, balancing photography with another career and wondering how long you want to keep doing it.
Plus: content creators at weddings, supplier meals, Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Lawrence's tendency to shoot rather a lot of photographs… and Steve's possible new career as a wedding toastmaster.
And at the end, Steve and Nick share more details about The Photography Pod London Meetup on 21 November, including plans for coffee, street photography walks, a pub and possibly a curry.
A relaxed, honest and very funny hour with four wedding photographers who probably know each other rather too well.
Murray McMillan Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/murray_mcmillan
Lawrence Scott Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/LSPix
Support the show
The Photography Pod is twice monthly photography podcast for both working professionals and enthusiast photographers. The host Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.
Photography Pod Facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/thephotographypod/
Video version of the Podcast including slide shows of images:  https://www.youtube.com/@thephotographypod

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/
Nick Church Creative Academy https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/news/introducing-nick-church-creative-academy

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

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Message Nick and Steve here:
Steve and Nick revisit the grey import debate after asking photographers where they buy their gear. The savings can be substantial, but what about warranties, VAT and the UK camera shops we value?
Wedding photographer Greg Thurtle joins them to talk about using the Osmo Pocket 4 Pro for hybrid wedding coverage. They discuss where a small camera helps, how the second lens changes the way Greg shoots, and the compromises he has found so far.
Later, Steve shares a simpler approach to his personal photography: shooting for pleasure, editing on an iPad and using ChatGPT to help build Lightroom presets. Nick has an AI story of his own, with a rather less straightforward result.
In this episode:
Grey imports, warranties and supporting local retailers
Greg’s experience with the Pocket 4 Pro at weddings
Keeping personal photography from feeling like more work
Lightroom on an iPad and AI-assisted presets
News of the Photography Pod’s London get-together
Join the conversation in The Photography Pod Facebook group. We’d love to hear where you buy your gear and how you handle the photos you take just for yourself.
Support the show
The Photography Pod is twice monthly photography podcast for both working professionals and enthusiast photographers. The host Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.
Photography Pod Facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/thephotographypod/
Video version of the Podcast including slide shows of images:  https://www.youtube.com/@thephotographypod

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/
Nick Church Creative Academy https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/news/introducing-nick-church-creative-academy

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

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Message Nick and Steve here:
What would you put in your camera bag if you had £10,000 to spend?
In this episode, Steve and Nick take on the £10K camera bag challenge, choosing the bodies, lenses, lighting and video kit they’d want for weddings, commercial work and personal photography.
Along the way they discuss the new Sigma 85mm f/1.2, compact street lenses, fisheyes, Sony A1 and A7R bodies, prime lenses versus zooms, grey imports, DJI Osmo Pocket frustrations and the gear they actually rely on when things get busy.
There’s also plenty of wedding-season chaos, including speeding courses, damaged wheels, editing mistakes, forgotten kit and the dangers of trying to do too much at once.
Plus, details of the new Photography Pod Facebook photo competition and plans for a listener meetup in London.
What would be in your £10K camera bag? Let us know in The Photography Pod Facebook group.
Email the show : thephotographypodstudio@gmail.com
Support the show
The Photography Pod is twice monthly photography podcast for both working professionals and enthusiast photographers. The host Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.
Photography Pod Facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/thephotographypod/
Video version of the Podcast including slide shows of images:  https://www.youtube.com/@thephotographypod

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/
Nick Church Creative Academy https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/news/introducing-nick-church-creative-academy

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

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Message Nick and Steve here:
The Photography Pod is back! After a busy summer break, Steve and Nick catch up on weddings, house moves, broken gear and the challenges of keeping photography fresh after years behind the camera.
They chat about avoiding wedding-photography autopilot, travelling light, Sony and Godox gear frustrations, using the Osmo Pocket for hybrid coverage, mentoring new photographers and stepping outside your comfort zone with different types of photography.
Plus, there’s a look ahead to the new series of The Photography Pod, with more guests, listener involvement, competitions and plenty more photography chat every two weeks.
Happy shooting – see you in two weeks!
Support the show
The Photography Pod is twice monthly photography podcast for both working professionals and enthusiast photographers. The host Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses.
Photography Pod Facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/thephotographypod/
Video version of the Podcast including slide shows of images:  https://www.youtube.com/@thephotographypod

Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/
Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/
Nick Church Creative Academy https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/news/introducing-nick-church-creative-academy

Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/
Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/
Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotography

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