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Visual Revolutionary

A show featuring in-depth conversations with some of the world's leading photographers, filmmakers, and other visual artists, where we talk about the journey that shaped them into the person they are today, how they established their career, and the advice they give to others chasing their own creative goals.
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Now displaying: February, 2019
Feb 23, 2019

Renowned fashion and celebrity photographer and Nikon ambassador Matthew Jordan Smith joins the show from his home in Tokyo to talk about how he went from the son of a preacher in a small town in the south to a very successful career in photography and the set of America's Next Top Model to work with his friend and frequent collaborator Tyra Banks.  Although Matthew was born in Brooklyn, he moved to the south at the age of 7 when his anesthesiologist father decided he wanted to pursue his passion of preaching and find his flock in a new location.  Feeling like an outsider in a new town he found photography at an early age and it gave him a voice and a way in to the world around him.  He instantly became fascinated with it and decided to go on to study photography.  When he left college early on to move to New York instead however, that's when his real photography education began.  He worked his way up in the world of assisting, and fell in love with fashion photography.  Before long, an agent stepped in and said he would be shooting for him now and the rest is history.  He's gone on to have an amazing career, shooting everyone from the world's most sought after super models to A-list celebrities, yet always kept a humble attitude and a beginners mind approach that would propel him further and further in the industry.  With multiple books to his name, a podcast of his own, and speaking gigs all over the world he has also given back to the world that gave so much to him.  During our conversation Matthew talks about the importance of always working on personal projects, the false narrative that success will bring you happiness that so many get trapped by, how he handles the stress of shooting celebrity work, and the advice he gives to others coming up in the world of photography.  

To Learn More About Matthew Jordan Smith Visit:

https://www.matthewjordansmith.com

And Follow Him on Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/matthewjordansmith/

To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit:

http://www.visualrevolutionary.com

And Follow On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

 

Feb 15, 2019

Director, artist, writer, and exhibition curator Aaron Rose joins the show to talk about how he found himself in the midst of an amazing group of artists in the early 90s in New York and formed what would become the famed Alleged Gallery in the lower east side, how he set about capturing that era in the documentary film "Beautiful Losers", and the evolution of a long career as a creative working with some of the biggest companies in the world as well as continuing to make films, personal artwork, and gallery shows along the way.  Growing up in southern California, Aaron became attracted to the skateboard and punk scene of the early 80s and the artwork and since of belonging that came with it.  At the age of 19 he moved to New York City and began trying to scrape by, working at a thrift store and slowly meeting like minded people.  When an opportunity arose to move into a store front space, he jumped at the chance.  Before long he began forming a community around parties with artwork hanging on the walls, skateboarding in the streets, 40s in the fridge, and a general sense of chaos in the air.  It wouldn't be long before a lot of other artists wanted to show work there and the word would spread that there was a gallery showing work from the skate and street worlds that were not represented in the New York art scene.  That would become the Alleged Gallery and the rest is part of an amazing story of the rise of some very big names in the art world today.  You can see this story in the film "Beautiful Losers" that Aaron and others spent 5 years putting together and released in 2008.  During our conversation I ask about his work and art leading up to the gallery, the career opportunities that arose after the last days of Alleged and his debut documentary film, how he stays productive and organized working in so many creative outlets, and the advice he gives to others struggling to make it as artists.  

To Learn More About Aaron Rose Visit:

https://www.aaronrose.co

And Follow Him On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/aaronroseofficial/

To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit:

http://www.visualrevolutionary.com

And Follow Him On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

 

 

Feb 8, 2019

On this episode of the podcast I catch up with celebrity & advertising photographer and Leica Ambassador Mark Mann in the midst of an insane travel schedule of shooting. We talk about how a chance encounter with a beautiful girl on a train when he was a teenager would make him decide to study photography, what it's like to sit face to face with the President of the United States, and how he formed a relationship with Leica.  Growing up in Glasgow, Mark was always a creative kid, but it wouldn't be until his college years at Manchester Polytechnic that he would focus his attention on learning photography and begin trying to find his voice as an artist.  After moving to New York in the mid 90s, Mark began assisting other well known photographers around the city, but it would be an opportunity to work with The Source magazine and the introduction to hip hop culture that would help to launch his career and develop a book full of celebrity figures.  Since then, Mark has gone on to photograph some of the biggest named celebrities, politicians, and influencers in the world, as well as shoot and direct commercial projects for well known corporate clients.  During our conversation we talk about balancing the passion projects with the ones that pay the bills, not ignoring your immediate surroundings as an artist, what he learned from his recent project of shooting men from age 1 to 80, and the advice he gives to others who dream of one day becoming a photographer.  

To Learn More About Mark Mann Visit:

https://www.markmannphoto.com

And Follow Him On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/markmannphoto/

To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit:

http://www.visualrevolutionary.com

And Follow Him On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

 

Feb 1, 2019

Fine art and experimental portrait photographer Justin Rosenberg joins the podcast to trace how his journey went from chasing a masters degree in evolutionary psychology, to living in a rehab center in LA, to falling in love with photography and using it to reconnect with his new sober self.  Although Justin was born in New York, he spent most of his life in Florida and we talk about what it was like growing up there and his early love for music, the counter culture scene, and eventually drugs. There were several factors that would contribute to the path Justin took in life, but one that would continue to sometimes push him into a darker place was his battle with Crohn's Disease and the complications that would often arise because of it.  In spite of those circumstances, Justin excelled in his undergraduate psychology studies and pursed what appeared would be an inevitable career in the world of evolutionary psychology.  When financial strain over all the medical expenses that were adding up caused him to have to quit his masters pursuit, he found himself working a job he never imagined and sinking further and further into the world of drug abuse.  In 2011 two things would change the course of his life forever.  He had to have his large intestine removed, and he checked himself into a rehab in Los Angeles where his sister lived.  It would be in that rehab center that he would be given an opportunity to work with an "in house" ad agency and began to reconnect with photography that he had once had a passion for in his younger years.  During our conversation we talk about the evolution from shooting commercial projects to the subject matter and aesthetic he is known for today, how he manages to convince models to get nude in the snow, how he found out so much about himself through the photos he shoots, and the advice he gives to others that might be dealing with addiction or just trying to carve out their own place in the world of photography.  

To Learn More About Justin Rosenberg Visit:

https://www.jsrphotos.com

And Follow Him on Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/jsrphotos/

To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit:

http://www.visualrevolutionary.com

And Follow on Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

 

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