Summary: This is a mashup episode of the Improve Photography Podcast, the Digital Photo Experience, and The Digital Story Podcasts. In this episode, the joint group talk about some of the most common questions photographers ask and give answers for these questions. If you are reading this post via email or RSS, be sure to click the blue title of this post so that you can come to the website where the free audio download of this show is available. If you're new to the podcast, you can see all the previous episodes of the Improve Photography Podcast here. How to Subscribe to the Podcast on Your Phone or MP3 Player (free!) For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners - Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search "Improve Photography Podcast." This will help you to download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I produce a new episode, you'll get it downloaded right on your iDevice. For Android listeners - Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for "Improve Photography Podcast." Or, if you have already downloaded a podcasting client, follow the directions in the next sentence. For podcast enthusiasts - If you already listen to podcasts and have a podcatcher that you prefer, the feed you'll need to add is http://improvephotography.com/feed/podcast For those who don't have a mobile device - You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this episode. Guide to Episode 23 [2:24] What gets you inspired to go out and shoot? Jim Harmer: When I have a specific vision of a photo I want to take, this is what inspires me. What helps me to become passionate about photography again is to look at photos for hours until I see one that I like and want to do my way, in my place. It really takes a vision of a photo in my head before I can get the creative juices flowing again. Dustin Olsen: Sometimes I struggle with always being in the same place. I like to challenge myself. I'll go back to a place I've shot a hundred times and try to get something new based on inspiration I've found online. Derrick Story: The kind of photography you create is connected to your personality. The sooner you make that connection, the better your photography will be. Just get out there. Go somewhere - anywhere - and just start. You will begin to see shots (not right away). Get out of "work mode" and leave the world behind so you can be in "photography mode". I have a saying: "Fatigue is the enemy of creativity." Juan Pons: I do a lot of research ahead of time and create a "shot list" - things I want to create while I'm out taking photos. Then I'll go out and see what I can create. I also like to look at the work of the photography masters to try and rekindle my passion. [13:13] Who inspires your photography? Jim Harmer: James Neeley (a photographer in Eastern Idaho). Dustin Olsen: Dave Black - his black and white and that he can take his photos in one shot. Derrick Story: Galen Rowell - amazing creativity, and freely giving of his time to other photographers. Juan Pons: Eliot Porter - one of the first wildlife/nature photographers. He is one of the masters of color in nature photography. [20:30] Gear vs. Craft Jim Harmer: Sometimes an extra piece of gear can help you make really important progress (in the case of a flash and learning how to use light). But a lot of the time, a new piece of gear isn't going to help you if you don't understand the basics of what you're doing. Dustin Olsen: You don't always need the latest gear. It's time to upgrade your gear when you have mastered your current equipment and it's now holding you back. Derrick Story: If a new lens or a new reflector or something like that inspires you to go out and get more creative or to go out and do a shoot, there's a great benefit to buying it for that purpose. Juan Pons: While new gear can be fun and give you a reason to go out and shoot,
