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An exploration of visual storytelling
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
The Marlboro Man campaign, conceived by Leo Burnett and photographed by Norm Clasen, is arguably the most iconic ad campaign every photographed.
Norm's stunning iconic photography was some of my first impressions of the American West when I was young, as it was seen in just about every magazine published in the 1980’s and billboards across the US.
His incredible sense of story, combined with his acute eye for finding great light even in the harshest of conditions, is truly inspiring.
Norm was kind enough to sit down with me to share his stories and techniques. I hope you enjoy this episode!
Norm Clasen (b.1939) was born and raised in Southern California. An avid outdoorsman from an early age, Clasen's passion for photography grew from his love of the natural world. After attending the University of Colorado, Norm moved to Aspen in 1962, where he founded and ran an independent advertising agency.
In 1978, a series of coincidences led to Clasen being invited to shoot for Marlboro. The campaign was a natural fit, drawing on his intrinsic understanding of horses and the cowboy way of life. Clasen would go on to spend the next thirteen years of his life as a principal photographer for the campaign.
Clasen’s authentic point of view helped guide the campaign to its zenith, with his work appearing in newspapers, magazines, and billboards across the world; helping shape a visual lexicon integral to the iconography of the American West.
Norm Clasen lives and works in Carbondale, Colorado.
Find Norm's work at his website: https://normclasen.com/
And his Instagram @normclasenarchive
Find me on Instagram @toddritondaro
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Sunday Nov 12, 2023
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
Frame & Sequence Ep. 25 - Dewey Nicks
Dewey Nicks is one of the great fashion photographers from the glory days of legacy publishing and the height of the super model age. He has photographed some of the biggest names in fashion and in Hollywood. He is also an accomplished commercial and film director.
In this episode we talk about his education and early influences in photography. His career in fashion and editorial photography. And he shares some great stories about working with some of the top models in the 1990’s as well as some of the incredible art directors and stylists. We also talk a bit about his personal style and aesthetics and much more. Enjoy!
Find Dewey on Instagram @deweynicks
And his book, Polaroids of Women on Amazon
Dewey Nicks was born in St. Louis, the gateway to the West, as the son of an advertising man. During family vacations to Hollywood as a child, he became intoxicated with its glamour and eccentricity. His love of fine arts finally drew him to California to study photography at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
Since 1986, he has been working as a professional fashion and commercial photographer. His talent, combined with a deep well of enthusiasm, has landed his work in magazines such as Vogue, W, and GQ among many others. He has also created classic advertising images for clients including Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, and Polo.
In 1995, Nicks added Commercial Direction to his resume. An Ameritrade spot in 1999 garnered him the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival Award for “The World’s Funniest Commercial.” That same year he became a Director’s Guild nominee for outstanding directorial achievement in television commercials.
His reputation as a top fashion photographer and skilled commercial director have made him uniquely qualified to shoot both print and television spots for clients such as Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Quiksilver, and Unionbay.
In 2000 Greybull Press published Kustom, Nicks’ first book of photographs inspired by the very ideals and unique expression that originally attracted him to California.
Constantly looking to broaden his horizons, Nicks moved into filmmaking. His documentary short Hell House premiered at Slamdance and had its New York debut at the Museum of Modern Art. In 2002 he directed his first feature film, Slackers starring Jason Schwartzman, James King, Devon Sawa, and Laura Prepon.
Versatile and talented, Dewey Nicks will be shaping popular culture for years to come. Grounded by his mid-western roots, Nicks’ body of work combines an authentic visual sense with a great knowledge of the arts to convey his pragmatic understanding of the zeitgeist of contemporary America.
Find me on Instagram @toddritondaro
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Monday May 09, 2022
Monday May 09, 2022
Hello and welcome to Frame and Sequence episode 24 with Jamie Beck!
Last October I had the opportunity to spend a glorious fall day in Provence with Jamie and she was kind enough to share with me a glimpse of the romantic life she has created there.
I’ve admired Jamie’s photography for a very long time and have always been inspired by her creativity and approach to life. Not to mention her prolific output of work.
After a beautiful lunch outside at Bastide de Marie, with her husband Kevin and daughter Eloise, she invited me back to her studio where we opened some champagne and talked all things photography.
In this episode we talk about her early start in photography, her early days in NYC as a fashion photographer and running her own photo studio, her move to Provence, her approach to her personal work and creative life, life in Provence, and much, much more.
This conversation really inspired me to dig deeper into my own work and I hope you enjoy!!
And for some additional questions with Jamie, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to my Substack newsletter.
A bit about Jamie:
Jamie Beck took her first photograph at the age of thirteen and soon after began earning her living as a professional photographer.
By twenty-eight, she opened her own commercial photographic studio in lower Manhattan. Jamie has shot campaigns and editorials for some of the world’s most famous brands, including Chanel, Donna Karan, Nike, Oscar de la Renta, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft. Her work has appeared under the mastheads of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, on Netflix, and in digital ad displays for Disney. She has been commissioned by luxury brands such as Chopard, Cartier, and Volvo and has twice been named by Adweek magazine as one of the industry’s top 100 creatives, with numerous features written about her body of work in Communication Arts, WWD, and Time.
With her camera never leaving her side, Jamie has spent almost twenty-five years traveling the world, one photographic frame at a time. In 2016, she took what was to be a one-year sabbatical to create a personal body of work in the South of France, which changed the entire course of her life, one that blossomed into a career as an art photographer and delivered her a French-born baby girl named Eloise. Jamie lives in Provence with her husband and daughter. Follow her on Instagram @JamieBeck.co and her prints and other works can be found here jamiebeck.co
And her upcoming book An American in Provence: Art, Life, and Photography is available for pre-order.
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Robert LeBlanc is a New Orleans based hotelier, restaurateur, and storyteller.
I’ve always been fascinated with storytelling through food and hospitality experiences and Robert is one of the people who does it best. His restaurants in New Orleans are some of my favorite culinary experiences in the world. And his newly opened hotel, The Chloe, a renovated mansion on St. Charles Ave.in New Orleans, is truly a one of a kind place.
In this episode we talk about the important influences his family had on him growing up. His early entrepreneurial adventures in the music industry and how music influences him creatively. We talk about how and why he decided to make the leap to opening restaurants and eventually a hotel. And how he approaches spaces and projects creatively, the importance of a good play list, and much, much, more.
It was a real treat to spend some time talking with Robert on a rainy afternoon in New Orleans and I hope you enjoy this episode!
Find Robert on Instagram @robertleblanc
and
The Chloe Nola - @thechloenola
Barrel Proof - @barrelproofnola
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Originally from London, Tom Richards is the Assistant Director of The Florence Academy of Fine Art and Principle Advanced Painting Instructor.
In recent years Tom has exhibited his work in London and undertaken numerous commissions in Europe and beyond.
This episode was recorded exactly a year ago in January of 2020 when I had the pleasure of visiting with Tom in his painting studio in Florence Italy.
In this episode we talk about what drew him to painting and fine art. We talk about The Florence Academy’s approach to teaching drawing and painting, the importance of keeping a sketchbook, and the painters that inspire him. We also talk about the parallels of painting and photography and how to hone one’s approach to seeing and much more.
I’ve admired Tom’s work for a long time and his paintings truly are masterful and must really be seen in person to be fully appreciated. It was a real treat to spend some time with him in Florence surrounded by his beautiful paintings and I hope you enjoy this episode!
Find Tom on Instagram @tominflorence
and
Saturday Apr 18, 2020
Saturday Apr 18, 2020
Renato D’Agostin is a photographer based on the the outskirts of Venice, Italy.
I have admired Renato’s work for a very long time and I had the pleasure of meeting up with him last January at his beautiful warehouse studio and darkroom.
The first time I saw Renato’s work, it completely changed my perception and expectations of what photography could be and could do.
Dislocating subjects from their realities, he depicts his perception of the space around him, the relationship between the architecture and people, opening a new portal in the spectator’s imagination.
His works have been exhibited in several exhibitions in Europe, the United States and Asia and published in numerous books.
Renato shoots mainly black and white film and we talk about his photography and his approach to his work and the importance of the darkroom as an extension of his process.
We talk about his time living in New York City and assisting photographer Ralph Gibson and what drew him back to Venice. We also discuss his approach to exhibiting his work and why he loves making books. And we delve into how he thinks about projects and much, much more.
Renato is one of the most inspiring artists I have ever met and he shares so many gems in this episode. I hope you enjoy!
Find Renato on his Instagram @renatodagostin
and his website
Friday Apr 10, 2020
Friday Apr 10, 2020
Oddur Thorisson is a Torino based photographer, writer, art director, gourmet, and a lover of champagne, dogs, and especially his wife Mimi.
I've admired Oddur's work for a long time and had the pleasure of sitting down with him over lunch and champagne in Torino last January. We talked about all things photography and how he approaches his work. We talk about how he collaborates with his wife Mimi on her cookbooks and blog. How he approaches teaching photography. He also shares some thoughts on leading an aesthetic life, writing, some Champagne recommendations, and of course his love of wine, food, and much, much more.
This episode is best served with a glass of a champagne or your favorite cocktail. Enjoy!
Find Oddur on Instagram @oddthor
And for workshops and Oddur’s occasional posts on his wife Mimi’s blog
And the post mentioned in the episode
Friday Dec 06, 2019
Friday Dec 06, 2019
Joshua Zucker-Pluda is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles and New York City. His work has been shown in the New York, Telluride, Venice, and Toronto International Film festivals and has been included in the esteemed Criterion Collection.
Most recently, he worked as second unit cinematographer for Alex Garland on his upcoming TV series DEVS for FX Network alongside Rob Hardy BSC, and Andrew Whitehurst. As a filmmaker, he has collaborated with artists such as Laurie Anderson, Sky Ferreira, Savages, Zola Jesus, Doug Aitken, and Jim Jarmusch.
After graduating from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2001 with a degree in film production, Joshua spent the next several years ignoring common sense touring in punk rock bands. He then returned to film as a cinematographer working on commercials, music videos, narrative projects and documentaries.
Joshua currently holds a MFA in Cinematography from the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles and is a Director of Photography in the International Cinematographers Guild Local 600.
In this episode we chat about his formative high school years, his background in music and playing in a punk band. His aesthetics as a cinematographer, his personal photography practice, our experiences in film school, our mutual love of some of the same films and directors, and much, much, more…Enjoy!
Find Joshua on Instagram @hamletpowpowpow
and on his website:
Thursday Nov 21, 2019
Thursday Nov 21, 2019
Robert Spangle is a Los Angeles based photographer, but can be found traveling for 30 weeks out of the year photographing for the likes of GQ, Vogue, The Rake, and many others, as well as pursuing personal projects around the world.
In this episode we talk about his experience in the Marines with two deployments to Afghanistan, becoming an apprentice on Saville Row, and how he ultimately came to photography.
We also delve into why he shoots with the Leica MD system, what influences his style and personal aesthetics, and his ongoing projects exploring hyper-masculine roles such as matadors, fighters, and racers in the search for truth and spirituality.
There is so much good stuff in this episode and I hope you enjoy!
Find Robert on Instagram @thousandyardstyle
and on his website
Sunday Nov 10, 2019
Sunday Nov 10, 2019
Sean Conaty is an Emmy award winning cinematographer based in Los Angeles.
He has lensed a wide variety of work, everything from music videos and commercials to narrative feature films. His work has played at Sundance, Cannes, and Berlin.
In addition to his cinematography, he is also an accomplished photographer, exploring deeply personal themes in his work.
In this episode we dive into Sean’s background in philosophy and how it has influenced him as a filmmaker. How he approaches a project and some very creative ways of thinking. We also chat about his personal photography and how he brings that into his professional projects. We also get into some of the films and filmmakers that have influenced him as well as some of his personal interests outside of film and photography that keep him inspired and the creativity flowing.
I’ve admired Sean’s work for a long time and this chat was a real treat for me. He shares a lot of inspiring gems in this one and I hope you enjoy!
Find Sean on Instagram @seanpconaty
and on his website: https://sean.conaty.net