Shutter Nonsense: A Nature Photography Podcast

In Episode 25 of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey are joined by Cole Thompson and John Barclay to talk about color versus monochrome photography, and how to know when each one makes sense. The conversation goes way beyond editing choices and gets into vision, intention, creativity, and why black and white can be either a distraction-free tool or a deeply personal way of seeing.

Along the way, they talk about learning to see in black and white, how personal vision shapes the work we make, the difference between photographing for likes versus photographing for meaning, and why this choice often goes much deeper than simple aesthetics. There’s plenty of humor in this one too, which is probably exactly what you’d expect when these four get together.

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:

Cole explains why black and white is not a style choice for him, but simply how he sees the world

John talks about using both color and monochrome, and how he decides which serves the image best

Michael and Jeffrey reflect on using black and white as a beginner “save” versus making a deliberate creative choice

The group discusses whether color or black and white is actually harder to do well

A conversation on vision, imitation, and finding your own voice as a photographer

Why color can sometimes overpower a photograph instead of helping it

The role age, experience, and older darkroom exposure may play in how photographers connect with black and white

A bigger conversation about social media, likes, and making work that feels personal and meaningful

Related Links:

John Barclay: https://johnbarclayphotography.com/

Cole Thompson: https://colethompsonphotography.com/

The Cole & John Photography Show: https://www.youtube.com/@thecoleandjohnshow7236

Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717356/the-creative-act-by-rick-rubin/

Sarah Marino: https://www.smallscenes.com/

Matt Payne: https://www.mattpaynephotography.com/

Murray Livingston: https://www.murraylivingston.com/

Jack Curran: https://jackcurranphotography.store/

Joshua Cripps: https://www.joshuacripps.com/

Mitch Dobrowner: http://mitchdobrowner.com/

Chuck Kimmerle: https://www.chuckkimmerle.com/

Michael Kenna: https://www.michaelkenna.com/

Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.com
Learn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey talk about nature photography hit rate, keeper rate, and whether taking fewer photos actually means you are becoming a better landscape photographer.

They dig into the difference between intentional landscape photography and the old spray and pray approach, how culling photos after a trip can shape your view of success, and why a low hit rate is not always a bad thing. If you have ever wondered how many photos you should come home with, how many should be keepers, or whether your process in the field is actually helping you grow, this one is for you.

This episode also gets into creative experimentation, slowing down in the field, using your phone to test compositions, revisiting old files, and why comparing your photography process to someone else usually is not very helpful.

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

What photography hit rate really means

Whether a higher keeper rate actually matters

The difference between intentional shooting and spray and pray

Why experimentation can lower your hit rate for good reasons

How Michael and Jeffrey think about culling after a trip

Why revisiting old images can change what counts as a keeper

Why your photography process has to work for you

Related Links:

Michael’s Lightroom Classic Start-to-Finish Walkthrough: https://www.patreon.com/posts/145865590

Linda Nickell’s Happiness Hour: https://www.youtube.com/@LindaNickellHappinessHour

Gavin Hardcastle (Fototripper): https://www.youtube.com/fototripper

Lost Dutchman State Park: https://azstateparks.com/lost-dutchman

Michael’s Lightroom Compare Photos Demo: https://www.patreon.com/posts/125609814

Landscape Photographers Worldwide: https://discord.gg/GxE7HWc9

PhotoPack Pro: https://www.photopackpro.com 

Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.com
Learn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, we dig into minimalism vs maximalism in landscape photography and talk through what those ideas actually mean in practice.

We start by catching up on the usual behind-the-scenes chaos: preparing for the long drive from Ohio to Death Valley for an upcoming workshop, building landing pages for holiday promotions, launching a new iPhone photo app, and squeezing in a last-minute presentation for Angel McNeese’s 2025 landscape photography summit.

From there, we get into the main topic and explore the difference between minimalist and maximalist photography, why “small scenes” are not automatically minimalist, and how the places you shoot can heavily influence the way you see and compose images. We also talk about reducing visual confusion, managing visual weight, why minimalist images are often harder to pull off than they look, and how editing can either strengthen or completely undo a simple composition.

We also get into the role social media plays in what photographers choose to share, and how that can shape perceptions of style more than we might realize.

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 Include:

Defining minimalist vs maximalist landscape photography

Why small scenes are not automatically minimalist

How your environment can influence your natural shooting style

The challenge of simplifying chaotic scenes into stronger compositions

Using visual weight to create balance and clarity in an image

Why minimalist photography is often harder than it first appears

The difference between an image feeling empty versus intentionally minimal

How editing and processing can strengthen or weaken minimalist photographs

Social Media Influence

Related Links:

PhotoPack Pro App

John Barclay and Cole Thompson YouTube Channel

Jennifer Renwick

Sarah Marino

Anna Morgan

Eric Bennett

Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.com

Learn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

In Episode 22 of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey dig into one of the least glamorous but most important parts of landscape photography: planning and scouting. From pre-trip research to in-field decision-making, this episode is all about finding the balance between being prepared and staying creatively flexible.

The conversation pulls from real experiences photographing in Utah, Colorado, and the Great Smoky Mountains, and explores how planning changes depending on whether you are visiting a new location or returning to a familiar one. Along the way, they talk about using weather as a creative tool, managing expectations, avoiding preconceived shots, and why scouting does not stop once you arrive.

If you have ever overplanned a trip, underplanned a trip, or shown up with great intentions only to be humbled by conditions, this one is for you.

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

Why planning matters, but rigid plans can hold your photography back

How pre-trip research differs for new locations versus familiar places

Using weather, seasons, and conditions to guide creative decisions

Managing expectations and setting realistic goals for a trip

The role of scouting before and during a photography outing

Avoiding preconceived images and staying open to what the landscape gives you

Balancing preparation with spontaneity to stay creatively engaged

Related Links:

Michael’s Amazon guidebook list: https://www.amazon.com/shop/michaelrungphotography/list/2EDPL69ILQ1K7?ref_=aipsflist

Cole Thompson's article on photo celibacy: https://colethompsonphotography.com/2018/03/22/photographic-celibacy-thoughts-ten-years-later/ 

 

Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.com
Learn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com

In this most recent episode of Shutter Nonsense, hosts Michael and Jeffrey sit down with special guest, landscape photographer Ben Horne, for a thoughtful conversation about how the way we see our own photographs changes over time. What starts as excitement or disappointment in the moment often shifts months or years later, sometimes in ways we never expect.

Ben shares stories from a recent trip to Zion, walks through his film and large-format workflow, and reflects on what it’s like to revisit older work with fresh eyes. Together, they talk openly about creative doubt, the tension between technical perfection and emotional impact, and why some images only reveal their value long after they were made. This episode is an honest discussion about growth, patience, and learning to trust the photographic process.

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 photographers’ perceptions of their own work evolve over time

Revisiting older images and seeing them differently years later

Creative doubt and its role in long-term growth

Balancing technical perfection with emotional impact

Film photography, large format workflow, and slowing down

Why some images take time to reveal their value

Related Links

Ben Horne’s Website:  https://www.benhorne.com/

Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.com

Learn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com