Visual Revolutionary

Filmmaker, Commercial DP, Photographer, Adventurer, and man of many talents Steve Rokks joins the podcast to talk about how he went from a kid growing up in Long Island with a fascination for jazz drumming, to  dreams of a Navy Seal career, to working as an engineer, to a job in the music industry in Dallas working with labels like Def Jam and artists like Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube, to editing videos on the side for a filmmaker friend, to finally finding himself behind the camera focused on his current career of commercial DP and documentary filmmaker.  From his earliest years that he can remember, Steve was always inspired by the work ethic and DIY attitude of his father.  It's a thread he's taken through his own life of "when a door opens, go through it and see what you can make of it".  He applied it through his younger years of making music, through the opportunity he was presented to work as a sound engineer, and finally to working as a filmmaker.  We talk about what goes into that mind set and where it co

We finally made it to episode 100 of the podcast, and to celebrate I'm joined by special guest host Kenna Klosterman to help lead me through telling my own life story.  You might know Kenna as the host of Creative Live, or from her own great photography podcast "We Are Photographers", so she seemed like the perfect person to come in and take over hosting the Visual Revolutionary Podcast.  Kenna has also been a guest on this show before so make sure to check out Episode 64 to hear her story.  Believe it or not, I've had several requests over the last 99 episodes to tell my own story, so during this episode you get to learn more about me.  Therefore if you are one of the people who have commented that I talk too much, it might not be the episode for you.  During our conversation I tell Kenna about what it was like growing up in a small town in Kentucky, how skateboarding was the impetus of so much creativity and rebellion in my life, what it was like traveling on tour with the Grateful Dead, my stint in life as

My good friend Sean Boggs returns to the show to talk about his recent personal project working with the Ninash Foundation, where he traveled through India to document people from all walks of life and captured some of the amazing changes Ninash has made in their lives and the lives of others.  During our conversation we talk about taking on personal projects and giving back by donating your services to non profit organizations, how he went about planning and executing this project, the logistics of creating environmental portraits in all types of situations, and the way others have received the work thus far.   To Learn More About Sean Boggs Visit: https://seanfboggs.com To Learn More About the Ninash Foundation Visit: http://www.ninash.org To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: http://www.visualrevolutionary.com And Follow on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/    

Celebrity and lifestyle photographer Jeff Lipsky joins the podcast to talk about how he went from working as a fly fishing guide in Telluride, CO and trying to see how many days a year he could snowboard, to shooting some of the most well known celebrities in the world and working on ad campaigns for companies like Verizon, Eddie Bauer, Warner Brothers, and many others.  Although Jeff was turned on to photography at a fairly early age, it would be his passion for skiing and snowboarding that would get him to move from the east coast to explore the rest of the country.  He fell in love with mountain life and spent 10 years in Telluride, CO until photography came calling again and he rekindled his passion for shooting.  Before long he moved to LA with big dreams and a drive to make it in the very competitive world of shooting fashion and celebrity work.  After putting in his time as an assistant with some of the most well known photographers of the time, he finally took the plunge to try and make it on his own,

On this episode of the podcast we are joined by outdoor photographer, director, writer, creative director and the co-founder/editor-in-chief of Modern Huntsman magazine Tyler Sharp.  Tyler takes us through his story of growing up outside of Austin Texas, studying photography and filmmaking at USC, and how that would eventually lead to him living in Tanzania filming Safari expeditions as his first job out of college.  After developing a taste for travel, expeditions, hunting culture, and an outdoor lifestyle, Tyler continued to pursue work in that field and before long was traveling the world with famed hunter and media personality Jim Shockey, filming a television series for the outdoor network.  Before long however, Tyler found himself back in the states and the grind of daily life expectations and work.  He started to become burned out on shooting before returning to what had generated the most passion in the first place.  Through a creative approach to marketing and networking, he soon found himself workin

Renowned action sports, advertising, and fine art photographer/director and friend of the show Bo Bridges returns to the podcast to talk about his recent collaboration with Marvel Comics, what it's like shooting in the impact zone of big wave surfing productions, and the challenges of running a brick and mortar gallery in today's retail climate.  Bo was one of Visual Revolutionary's original guests, so make sure to check out his full biographical story on episode #3 of the podcast.  During this conversation we discuss what the behind the scenes day to day looks like in the busy schedule of juggling a commercial photography career with a gallery business, what some of the specific challenges of big wave surfing photography look like, and how an action sports photographer gets hooked up with Marvel Comics.   To Learn More About Bo Bridges Visit: http://www.bobridges.com And Follow Him on Instagram At: https://www.instagram.com/bobridges/ To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit: http://www.visualrevolutio

On this episode of the podcast we are joined by Christopher Michel to hear about how he went from being a naval flight officer, to working at the Pentagon, to Harvard business school, to creating multiple companies in the tech world, to his current life as a world traveling photographer documenting some of the harshest conditions on the planet and working with everyone from leading publications to research teams along the way.  As we learn on the show, it's hard to pinpoint where Christopher grew up.  He moved around a lot as a kid and, because of that, always felt like an outsider in the new towns he found himself in.  However, it would be that outsider's spirit and the desire to stay on the move that would end up serving him well in his most recent manifestation of work and passion.  He would first find himself moving through multiple careers, finding both success and failure in the high stakes world of tech entrepreneurship, but finally he would decide that his true goal was to continue to travel the world

Professional skateboarder, photographer, and frequently requested guest Arto Saari joins the show to talk about how he went from a small rural town in Finland, to leaving the country as a young teenager to go on tour with Danny Way and start an adventure that's continued ever since.  Like many people from a certain generation, Arto had his young mind blown by films like Thrashin', Gleaming the Cube, and even Back to the Future's skate scenes, but it would be an old board left behind by his uncle that would end up changing his life forever.  Although Seinajoki, Finland wasn't known for its abundance of skate-able terrain, Arto and his friends set about taking their skills to the next level by finding old warehouses that would make do as their own personal skate parks.  Before long Arto began to attract global attention when he seemed to come out of no where at the world championships in Germany.  That would lead to an invite to go on tour with Plan B, and the rest is history.  Arto would end up living in south

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 s

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, skat

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 bigges

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 hav

Ed Templeton joins the podcast to talk about his latest photography book "Tangentially Parenthetical" (link below) and how he from being one of the most influential street skaters of his generation to showcasing his paintings and photography in highly respected galleries and collections.  Although Ed's story has been told many times in some great interviews and documentaries, I get the chance to trace his history of growing up in Orange County in a fairly tough family situation and how that eventually led him to skateboarding.  For those who aren't familiar with Ed Templeton, his influence to the world of skateboarding is undeniable and in 2016 he was inducted into the skateboarding hall of fame.  But this conversation dives into how his skate career led him into the world of painting and photography and some of the early relationships with people like Aaron Rose and Alleged Gallery that would help push him into the national spotlight as an artist.  During our talk I get the chance to ask Ed what attracts him

Lifestyle and portrait photographer Samuel Elkins joins the show to talk about how, at the age of 22, he's already had years of professional experience shooting for some of the biggest companies in the country and what's next for him as he continues to evolve as an artist and a brand. Sam grew up outside of Seattle Washington.  As someone who is now 6'8, he was always one of the tallest kids in his class and naturally moved towards a love of basketball.  But at the age of 15 he would stumble into photography and by his senior year of high school would quit basketball to put all of his focus on his newest passion.  With opportunities to intern with a local wedding photography business, and using Instagram to meet up with others who shared his love for photography, he quickly began to develop his craft.  Using the pacific Northwest as his backdrop, his aesthetic became a somewhat washed out and high contrast look that earned him a big social media following and soon had companies calling to work with him.  Afte

Stuart Palley joins the podcast to talk about how he went from a degree in business and finance to chasing some of the biggest wildfires in the history of California and creating beautiful images in the midst of chaos with his project and book "Terra Flamma".  Over the last couple of years Stuart has received a lot of press and recognition for his outstanding wildfire work and we sit down to talk about how it all got started and his plans for the future.  Although Stuart always loved photography, he earned an undergrad degree in business and finance and began interning in the bank world during the tough financial times of 2009.  It was then that he would revaluate what he wanted from life and make the switch to a photojournalism post graduate education in Missouri.  During that time, on trips home to California, he became very interested in what was happening with the climate, and the fires that seemed to be increasing in intensity in his home state.  Combining his love for nighttime imagery and environmental

Award winning snowboard and lifestyle photographer and Burton principle shooter for almost 20 years Dean Blotto Gray joins the podcast to talk about how he went from his early years of sponsored snowboarding in Flagstaff to being one of the most recognizable names in snowboard photography.  From his earliest years of bmx racing, to the first time he was turned on to skateboarding, Blotto appreciated the individualism and creativity that came along with those types of scenes.  Inspired by the DIY attitude of skateboarding and punk music, he was trying to figure out what to do after high school until a trip to Flagstaff to go snowboarding that would change the direction of his life forever.   He quickly realized that he didn't have what it took to become a top pro, but wanted to figure out a way to stay in the industry.  When he got the opportunity to work with the newly created company Technine, he picked up a camera and began a life of photography and content creation.  Before long he was offered a position w

Commercial and editorial sports photographer and Nikon Ambassador Andrew Hancock joins the show to talk about how he went from his early years of college soccer to being a sought after photographer with cover images from Sports Illustrated to Time Magazine.  Growing up in Midland Texas, Andrew was surrounded by sports culture.  Although he was a soccer player in a football crazed town, he found a home and success within his sport that would elevate him on to college level competition.  During those years, while taking some down time, he got his first camera and was encouraged to take classes on how to use it.  Before long it was all he wanted to do.  He pursued journalism with a new passion and, after earning his degree, found a job at a small paper in Indiana and began the slow climb up the rungs of the editorial ladder.  After getting the opportunity to attend the Eddy Adams workshop, Andrew made a connection at Sports Illustrated that would soon change the direction of his career and start him on the path

Troy Conrad joins the show to talk about how he went from his early years as a stand up comic, to filmmaking, to producing a TV series, to photographing some of the biggest names in comedy and forming a unique relationship with the legendary Comedy Store in LA.  Growing up in Phoenix, Troy was always inspired by the late night comedy of David Letterman, but also had a curious mind on how things worked and became fascinated by his Dad's cameras and slide shows.  Throughout college, while working on his degree, Troy pursued stand up comedy and became a frequent local and touring act.  Before long he made the move to Los Angeles to further chase his dream.  It would be in LA however that Troy would start playing around with filmmaking and create several shorts films that would eventually lead to his role in producing the TV show and live touring act Setlist: Stand Up Without a Net.  During all this time Troy continued to love photography and soon found the opportunity to shoot the new phenomenon of Roast Battle

Photographer, cinematographer, and respected Atlanta hip hop archivist Zach Wolfe joins the podcast to talk about how he managed to go from his small town roots in Iowa to being one of the biggest names in southern hip hop photography.  From a very early age Zach was passionate about rap music and photography.  Thanks to a colombia house records subscription he was able to get his hands on a lot of early hip hop records in his small town, and thanks to the encouragement of a high school photography teacher, he had early dreams of one day becoming a professional photographer.  It wouldn't be until later that he would realize he could combine the two passions and create an amazing body of work around rap music.  After studying photography in Colorado, and a brief stint in LA interning with SmashBox Studios, Zach would make the journey to Atlanta to chase the dream of shooting the bourgeoning southern hip hop scene he had been obssessing over since he first heard OutKast.  He soon realized that the idea that he

Professional climber, filmmaker, and photographer Jon Glassberg joins the podcast to talk about his production company Louder Than 11 and how he went from getting recognized by his talents on the rock to working behind the camera producing films and content for some of the biggest names in the climbing industry.  Growing up in central Virginia, Jon was introduced to rock climbing at a young age during a summer camp he attended and fell in love with it instantly.  Although photography would also be introduced to him early on in his high school years, Jon's attention during that time was focused solely on the pursuit of climbing.  As he moved through the ranks of competition climbing and also began making a name for himself by sending some of the hardest boulder problems in the country at the time, Jon soon found himself attracting sponsorships and attention from the climbing community.  It would be later in college while studying business and graphic design that Jon would start to plan out the possibility of c