Shutter Nonsense: A Nature Photography Podcast

How do you keep growing as a photographer when the tools, trends, and places around you keep changing? We talk with Gary Randall about nearly a quarter century of photography and the choices that have helped him keep going.
Gary shares why some early equipment advances mattered to him, why he doesn't feel compelled to replace the camera he uses now, and how experience has made his fieldwork more deliberate. We also talk about the point where a recognizable style can become a comfortable groove, revising things you once taught, and setting boundaries around processing and care for locations.
The conversation reaches beyond technique into what photography has meant in Gary's life, the people his work has touched, and his encouragement to keep a printed portfolio for yourself.
Come share with us what has changed in your photography and what you’ve held onto in our free Patreon community! 
👉   https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Focused Fan members and above get new episodes before the public release and without the public-release ads. Free followers can still join the conversation and upgrade any time if they want early, ad-free access.
Highlights
How nearly 25 years of photography have shaped Gary Randall’s approach.
What shooting film can teach us about photographing with intention.
Finding comfort and direction through photography during difficult times.
Protecting fragile locations and putting nature before the photograph.
Staying true to your style without chasing social media trends.
Setting personal editing boundaries and being honest about your work.
How workshops help connect technical knowledge with experience in the field.
Building confidence, staying curious, and creating a legacy through printed photographs.
Related Links
Gary Randall: https://www.gary-randall.com/
Gary's Mount Hood History Site: https://mounthoodhistory.com/
Gary's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GaryRandallPhotography
Mount Hood Cultural Center and Museum: https://mthoodmuseum.org/
Sandy, Oregon Historical Society: https://www.sandyhistory.com/
Nature First: https://naturefirst.org/en/principles/
Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.comLearn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

What would make your photography feel successful if nobody could see the like count?
We welcome Australian photographer Grant Swinbourne, host of Landscape Photography World, to look at what four years of interviewing photographers have taught him about creative growth. The answers reach beyond making better-looking pictures: they touch on why we photograph, how we learn, and what we want the work to mean.
We talk about the value of those first familiar photographs, the move toward personal expression, and the mindset that helps you find another subject when the planned view isn't working. Grant shares how listening to other photographers has changed his own thinking, while we compare notes on learning to see and recognizing progress that isn't measured by an audience.
The conversation also considers the realities behind a photography income and why honesty about how you create your work matters.
Come tell us what success looks like for you in our free Patreon community! 
👉   https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Focused Fan members and above get new episodes before the public release and without the public-release ads. Free followers can still join the conversation and upgrade any time if they want early, ad-free access.
Highlights
How photography and time outdoors can help quiet the mind and support mental well-being.
Defining success for yourself—and why social media engagement doesn’t tell the whole story.
Why making a familiar photograph can still be an important achievement.
How imitation can lead to independent creative choices.
What to do when the planned landscape isn't working.
Learning through conversations, mentorship, workshops, and self-directed study.
The realities of earning an income and being honest about how images are made.
Balancing the pull of photography trends with making work that satisfies you creatively.
Related Links
Grant Swinbourne: https://www.grantswinbournephotography.com/
Landscape Photography World on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/@grantswinbournephotography
Landscape Photographers Worldwide Discord: https://discord.gg/2M3VYqDnm
Gary Graham motorsports photography: https://www.instagram.com/gsg_images/
Gary's podcast episode with Grant: https://landscapephotographyworld.podbean.com/e/landscape-photography-world-podcast-gary-graham/
Steve Balasco offshore photography: https://www.stevebelasco.net/
Circle of Light: https://www.circleoflightphoto.com/
Circle of Light podcast episode with Grant: https://landscapephotographyworld.podbean.com/e/the-circle-of-light-women-elevating-nature-photography/
Frank Hurley, A Pioneer of Photography: https://shackleton.com/en-us/blogs/articles/frank-hurley
Arthur Conan Doyle and the fairies hoax: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-55187973

This is a special excerpt from the bonus episode we released on Patreon. We share some exciting updates about our 2027 workshops and we didn't want to keep them from you!

How much can you change a nature photograph before it becomes something other than a photograph of the moment you experienced? There is no clean line, and that is what makes the question useful.
In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, we dig into the spectrum between documentary and interpretive nature photography. We talk about why even a highly representational photograph still involves choices, how RAW processing and composition already shape a scene, and where our own comfort levels change when editing moves from emphasizing what was there to creating what was not.
We also get into the ethics side - audience expectations, sky replacements, composites, generative AI, digital art, disclosure, and why authenticity matters more to us than trying to force every photographer into the same rules. Michael explains how his own editing became more restrained as his field craft improved, while Jeffrey makes the case for experimenting with techniques before deciding they do or do not belong in your work.
The conversation is not an argument that representational nature photography is morally superior. It is a framework for thinking about your intent, your audience, your creative process, and the promises your finished images make to the people viewing them.
 
Join the free Shutter Nonsense community on Patreon and tell us where your line is. Are sky replacements fair game? Do abstracts change your rules? Is disclosure enough, or do you think nature photography should stay closer to the scene?
👉   https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Focused Fan members and above get new episodes before the public release and without the public-release ads. Free followers can still join the conversation and upgrade any time if they want early, ad-free access.
Highlights
Why pure documentary photography is difficult, even before post-processing enters the picture
How composition, focal length, timing, JPEG profiles, RAW processing, and film choice all interpret a scene
The difference between enhancing light that was present and creating conditions that were not
Why stronger field craft can reduce the need to rescue photographs in editing
Why Michael and Jeffrey give themselves more freedom with abstracts and black-and-white work
What non-photographers may assume when they see a nature photograph
Composites, AI, digital art, and the role of honest disclosure
Why business, workshops, print sales, and competitions can raise the stakes around representation
How a personal ethics statement can help you define your own working rules
Why experimentation is still one of the best ways to find your photographic voice
Related Links
Episode 10 - Evolving Editing Styles with Murray Livingston: https://www.shutternonsense.com/post/episode-10-evolving-editing-styles-with-murray-livingston
Episode 08 - Matt Payne and a Deep-Dive into Photo Competitions: https://www.shutternonsense.com/post/episode-008-matt-payne-and-a-deep-dive-into-photo-competitions
Continue with the educational guide for a practical framework you can use to define your own line between representation and interpretation, decide what deserves disclosure, and write a simple personal ethics statement for your photography:
https://www.shutternonsense.com/post/documentary-vs-interpretive-nature-photography
 
Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.comLearn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

Can a landscape photograph do more than show people a beautiful place? And if you care deeply about wilderness, how do you move beyond saying it matters and actually become useful to the work of protecting it?
In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, we sat down with nature photographer, author, and conservationist Eric Bennett to talk about the relationship between photography and conservation. Eric shares how years of exploring Utah changed both the way he photographs and the way he thinks about wilderness, why he believes affection and reverence matter alongside legal protection, and how photographers can help people care without pretending a photograph can solve every environmental problem.
We also get into the harder parts of advocacy: misinformation, audience fatigue, choosing issues you actually understand, and resisting the pressure to weigh in on everything. Eric explains why he focuses close to home, how writing and self-initiated projects led to relationships with conservation organizations, and why sending one email can sometimes be more useful than waiting around for an invitation.
A major part of the conversation centers on something that is easy to leave outside the frame entirely - natural silence. Eric talks about the ideas behind Space, Stillness, Silence, his work with Quiet Parks International, and why protecting a place should include more than preserving what it looks like.
Join the free Shutter Nonsense community on Patreon and tell us about the place you feel most protective of. What changed your relationship with it, and have you found a way to contribute beyond making photographs there?
👉  https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Focused Fan members and above get each new episode before the public release and without the public-release ads. Free followers can upgrade whenever they want early, ad-free access while still joining the same community discussion.
Highlights
How Eric moved from destination-driven photography toward a more responsive 'conversation with nature'
Why familiarity with one place can make conservation work more credible and useful
How photographs can build emotional connection without replacing policy, science, or stewardship
Why exaggeration and misinformation can undermine a conservation message
Why Eric doesn't wait for organizations to invite him before starting a project
Natural sound, solitude, and silence as conservation resources
How photographers can contribute through writing, field knowledge, fundraising, documentation, and outreach
Why one small, informed action can be a better starting point than trying to solve everything at once
Related Links
Eric Bennett: https://www.bennettfilm.com/
Conservation is Not Enough: https://www.bennettfilm.com/ConservationIsNotEnough
Factory Butte Article: https://www.bennettfilm.com/ProtectingBeautyAndSolace
Silence: The World's Scarcest Resoource: https://www.bennettfilm.com/SilenceProject
Escalante Photo Essay: https://medium.com/@wilderness/photo-essay-touring-the-areas-to-lose-protections-at-utahs-grand-staircase-escalante-eb04b5140b65
Escalante Boundary Reductions: https://www.bennettfilm.com/TheTragicUndoingofEscalante
Wilderness Society: https://www.wilderness.org/
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: https://suwa.org/
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners: https://gsenm.org/
Quiet Parks International: https://www.quietparks.org/
Eric's Book Recommendations
We may earn a small commission from purchases made through the provided links.
"One Square Inch of Silence" by Gordon Hempton: https://amzn.to/3UpZh02
"Desert Solitaire" by Edward Abbey: https://amzn.to/3V34U4k
"The Voice of the Desert" by Joseph Wood Krutch: https://amzn.to/4x0Gk1E
"Downriver" by Heather Hansman: https://amzn.to/4xoY9IB
"The Solace of Open Spaces" by Gretel Ehrlich: https://amzn.to/3T0EXlu
"The Quiet Crisis" by Steward L Udall: https://amzn.to/4gtqQ0Y
"The Desert" by John C Van Dyke: https://amzn.to/4qGGiu0
Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.comLearn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com
Learn With Shutter NonsenseDon’t forget to visit the revamped Shutter Nonsense website with our enhanced educational guides related to this week’s podcast episode!👉  https://www.shutternonsense.com/learn

Does landscape photography need a dramatic sky to be worth the trip? And what happens when chasing rare light becomes the only reason you pick up the camera?
In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, we take a deliberately balanced look at epic landscape photography - why dramatic conditions are so appealing, the real skills the chase can build, and the creative tradeoffs that can appear when great weather or rare light becomes a requirement.
We talk about weather forecasting, scouting, route planning, remote locations, social media expectations, and the value of simply getting more repetitions with the camera. Michael looks back at the year he stopped chasing sunrise and sunset and how that helped lead him into woodland photography. Jeffrey explains what repeated failed sunsets at Lindy Point have taught him about patience, adaptability, and finding photographs when the sky refuses to cooperate.
Highlights:
What we mean when we talk about an "epic" landscape or epic conditions
Why rarity, dramatic weather, and the chase itself can be so rewarding
How forecasting, planning, scouting, maps, and location research become part of the skill set
Why photographing only rare conditions can reduce practice and raise expectations
When specialization strengthens your work and when it may start feeling repetitive
How failed sunsets and fogged-in overlooks can train adaptability and observation
 Why a temporary creative constraint can expose subjects you never knew you liked
How we think about social-media response, personal fulfillment, and joy as measures of growth
Join the free Shutter Nonsense community on Patreon and tell us your thoughts. Do you love the planning and adrenaline of the epic chase, or has your photography become more reactive over time?
👉  https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Related Links:
Photography Workshop Selection Checklist - https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/finding-the-right-nature-photography-workshop-checklist
Planning and Scouting for Photography Trips - https://www.shutternonsense.com/post/episode-22-planning-and-scouting-for-photography-trips
Does Hit Rate Matter in Nature Photography? - https://www.shutternonsense.com/post/episode-24-does-hit-rate-matter-in-nature-photography
Continue with the educational guide, where we turn the conversation into a practical framework for balancing epic conditions with regular practice, adaptability, creative experiments, and a definition of growth that still leaves room for joy.
👉  https://www.shutternonsense.com/learn
Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.comLearn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

What happens when a place becomes more than a backdrop for your photography?
In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, we sat down with nature photographer Andrew Baruffi to discuss his relationship with Zion National Park and the role the park, photography, and writing have played throughout his struggles with mental health.
Andrew shares how repeated visits to Zion gave him a place to redirect his attention, why small scenes offered a manageable sense of focus, and how adding context to his photographs eventually led to his book, Heal. 
We also talk about returning to familiar routes, seeing beyond Zion's grand landscapes, the importance of creative community, and why the process of photography can matter as much as the finished image.
Join the free Shutter Nonsense community on Patreon and tell us about a place that has become meaningful to you, whether or not it is famous or far from home.
👉  https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
 
Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of depression and experiences with mental health, including a brief reference to suicidal thoughts. If you are struggling, consider reaching out to a qualified mental health professional. If you are in crisis or concerned that you may harm yourself, call or text 988 in the United States. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Highlights:
How Zion became deeply connected to Andrew's life and creative identity
Why repeated visits and familiar routes can change the way a photographer sees a place
How small-scene photography gave Andrew a contained creative focus
Why he often photographs details, ice, reflected light, wildlife, and the ground beneath his feet
How simple contextual writing became part of every image he shared
The story behind Heal. and its combination of photographs and personal writing
Why the process of photographing can matter beyond the final file
How photography can create community and make adult friendships easier to begin
Why nature and creative practice can support well-being without replacing professional care
Related Links & Resources
Andrew Baruffi Photography
https://www.andrewbaruffiphoto.com/
About Andrew Baruffi - https://www.andrewbaruffiphoto.com/about
Heal. - https://www.andrewbaruffiphoto.com/10947229-heal
Andrew Baruffi on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andrewbaruffi/
Andrew Baruffi on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@andrewbaruffi
Morten Hilmer https://mortenhilmer.com/
Thomas Heaton https://thomasheaton.co.uk/
Ben Horne https://www.benhorne.com/
Mountain Trail Press http://www.mountaintrailpress.com/
Zion Forever Project https://www.zionpark.org/
Joe Allam https://www.youtube.com/c/joeallam
Courtney Victoria https://www.youtube.com/@CourtneyVictoria
Grainydays (Jason Kummerfeldt) https://www.youtube.com/@grainydaysss
Camera Conspiracies https://www.youtube.com/@cameraconspiracies
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - https://988lifeline.org/
NIMH: Help for Mental Illnesses - https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help
Continue with the educational guide, where we explain how to build a gentle relationship with a familiar place through repetition, attention, creative practice, community, and clear boundaries around when more support is needed:
👉 https://www.shutternonsense.com/learn

Wildlife photography can create a deeper connection with nature, but what happens when that connection begins before bad habits have a chance to take hold? In this episode, Shutter Nonsense hosts, Michael and Jeffrey, are joined by Utah wildlife photographer and conservation advocate Shauna Hart to discuss her work helping young photographers learn photography, understand wildlife, and develop ethical habits in the field.
Shauna shares how a personal experience with a moose changed the direction of her photography and eventually led to her involvement with the Utah Wildlife Federation. The conversation explores her Lessons Through the Lens: Kids for Conservation program, why understanding the “why” behind wildlife guidelines matters, how to recognize signs of stress in animals, and how photographers can use their work to support conservation. They also discuss equipment barriers, wildlife crossings, local advocacy, and the small steps each of us can take to make a difference where we live.
Join the Shutter Nonsense Patreon community to participate in post-episode conversations and share your own photography experiences! Available to free and paid members.
👉  www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Highlights:
How Shauna found her way from landscape photography to wildlife photography
The encounter with a familiar moose that changed the direction of her work
The growing problem of unethical wildlife viewing and photography
Creating Lessons Through the Lens: Kids for Conservation
Why teaching young photographers may create lasting change
Recognizing when an animal is stressed or changing its behavior
Making photography accessible regardless of someone’s equipment or budget
Wildlife crossings, vehicle collisions, and the importance of slowing down
Building relationships and taking action at the local level
Shauna’s goal of expanding the youth program beyond Utah
Related Links:
Shauna’s website: https://www.shaunalhart.com/ 
Utah Wildlife Federation:
https://www.utahwildlifefederation.org/
Jason Loftus: www.untamedimagesbyjl.com 
Beyond the Wild podcast: https://www.beyondthewildpodcast.com/
Youth Photography Camp: https://www.utahwildlifefederation.org/post/youth-conservation-photography-camp-offers-rare-opportunity-to-learn-from-top-utah-wildlife-photogra
Local article on the camp: https://www.ksl.com/article/51336771/photographer-launches-ethical-photography-program-to-help-utah-wildlife-thrive
Fossim Rim Wildlife Center: https://fossilrim.org/
Save People Save Wildlife: https://www.savepeoplesavewildlife.org/
Shauna’s recognition for wildlife crossing advocacy: https://www.savepeoplesavewildlife.org/post/local-photographer-shauna-hart-earns-national-recognition-and-highlights-the-need-for-wildlife-cross
Crossings by Ben Goldfarb: https://www.bengoldfarb.com/crossings
 Lydia Ripplinger: https://www.instagram.com/lydebug/?hl=en 
National Wildlife Federation: https://www.nwf.org/
Bertie Gregory Nat Geo profile: https://explorers.nationalgeographic.org/directory/bertie-o-gregory
Utah’s new rules for accessing wildlife refuges: https://www.ksl.com/article/51492990/utah-plans-to-adjust-wildlife-management-area-access-heres-what-is-changing
Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.comLearn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

What happens to the photographs that do not make your first edit? In Episode 32 of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey take on the archive dilemma. Defining what a photo archive actually is, deciding what is worth keeping, and explaining why older files are often more valuable than they first appear.
They talk through the practical and creative sides of holding on to your work. That includes revisiting older images with a more experienced eye, using newer editing tools to rescue files that once felt unusable, and accepting that a technically imperfect image can still be a successful photograph. They also compare their very different approaches to Lightroom ratings, folders, collections, storage, and backups.
Have a different archive workflow? Join the conversation with us over on Patreon. Free members can participate in the post-episode discussion, while paid supporters help keep Shutter Nonsense going and get early access, bonus episodes, and more.
👉 https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Highlights
What separates a true archive from photos that are still waiting to be edited
Why photographers should not automatically treat older work as junk
How a fresh perspective, changing style, and better software can reveal overlooked images
When it makes sense to delete a photo and when it is better to keep it
Michael and Jeffrey’s very different systems for star ratings, labels, filters, and culling
Why an image does not have to be technically perfect to be worth sharing or printing
The argument for keeping RAW files, even after an edit is complete
Folder structures, Lightroom collections, and backup strategies for a growing archive
Related Links
PhotoPack Pro FAQ: https://www.photopackpro.com/faq
Landscape Photographers Worldwide: https://discord.gg/xnJs9vXjJ
Murray Livingston: https://www.murraylivingston.com/
Michael’s free ebooks: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/free-ebooks
Michael’s Hidden Gold blog post: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/post/finding-gold
Michael’s Lightroom organization guide: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/post/pro-tips-for-using-ratings-color-labels
Michael’s Survey View tutorial: https://youtu.be/VUJOCmXdwZc
“Into the Shadow Realm”: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/product-page/into-the-shadow-realm
Suzanne Mathia’s Lightroom organization: https://suzannemathiablog.com/exploring-efficient-folder-organization-in-lightroom-classic/
Chrissy Donadi’s Lightroom organization course: https://chrissydonadi.com/lets-get-organized-course
Michael’s article on backup solutions: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/post/photography-backup-workflow 
Backblaze backup service: https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal
Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.comLearn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

Carbon transfer printing is one of those processes that somehow feels more complicated the longer you talk about it, and that is exactly why we wanted to have Michael Strickland on the show.
Michael is a photographer and printmaker based in Kansas who specializes in carbon transfer printing, platinum-palladium printing, and drum scanning. He joins Michael and Jeffrey to break down what carbon printing actually is, how pigment, gelatin, UV light, and multiple transfers come together, and why the finished prints have a depth that is difficult to describe until you see one in person.
But this is not just a technical conversation. Michael also talks about the challenge of building a business around a demanding handmade process, balancing the studio with family life, stepping back from his own landscape photography for a while, and finding creative satisfaction in helping other artists bring their work to life.
From printing with soil collected from meaningful places to experimenting with gold leaf, glow-in-the-dark pigments, glass, and dimensional textures, this one goes well beyond what most of us think of when we hear the word “print.”
Join the conversation over on Patreon. Free members and paid supporters can jump into the post-episode discussion, and we’d love to hear your thoughts on culling, editing, critique, printing, creative growth, or anything else this episode brings up.
👉 https://www.patreon.com/ShutterNonsense
Highlights:
Michael Strickland shares his path from music and engineering into film photography, drum scanning, and alternative-process printing.
A plain-English explanation of carbon transfer printing and why it is a pigment-based transfer process.
How color carbon prints are built through multiple layers, careful color separation, and extremely precise registration.
Why one print can take days to prepare and complete, even before accounting for the trial and error involved.
The role that materials, humidity, temperature, and consistency play in a successful print.
Michael talks about taking a step back from personal landscape work and giving himself room to reconnect creatively.
Why digital files, film originals, water, rich tones, and physical depth can all work beautifully in carbon.
The wild creative possibilities of the process, including earth pigments, soil, gold leaf, glow-in-the-dark layers, glass, and custom materials.
Related Links:
Michael Strickland’s website: https://www.michaelstricklandimages.com/
Michael’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mstricklandimages/?hl=en
Overview of Carbon Transfer Printing: https://www.michaelstricklandimages.com/the-carbon-transfer-service
Ansel Adams book “The Print”: https://amzn.to/4weyEso (affiliate link)
Edward Weston: https://www.westongallery.com/original-works-by/edward-weston 
Edward Burtynksy: https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/ 
Cody Cobb: https://www.codycobb.com/ 
Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.comLearn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com