Episode 24 - There is typically lots of fashion & editorial photography that surrounds the Olympics. For this year’s 2026 Winter Olympics, Zach & Courtney found three cool photoshoots, but feel like there should be a lot more!

In this episode we talk about…

• Win Tam’s high-fashion photos of Team China for VogueMan China
• French photographer Mathieu Forget photographing Italian Olympians in a 5-star Milan hotel
• Newel Odin’s sleek, modern images of Team France

We also take an historical look at Olympics editorial photoshoots by Annie Leibovitz, Bruce Weber, and Ryan McGinley and compare them to what we’re seeing today.

PLUS, Courtney talks about how the Olympics are neither the time nor place for public wedding proposals and Zach gets up in arms about how photographers need to be credited correctly for their work.

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Index

0:00 - Where are the photoshoots? Are major publications commissioning less work?

0:45 - Olympic fashion photography

1:58 - Win Tam’s photos for VogueMan China

8:13 - Mathieu Forget photographs Olympians in a 5-star hotel

13:51 - Nawel Odin photographs the French Olympic bobsled & luge team

17:39 - It seems like magazines are doing fewer photoshoots for the Olympics

20:59 - Where are the editorial photoshoots by women?

23:16 - Annie Leibovitz’s 1996 Olympic photoshoot for Vanity Fair

30:59 - Where are the big photoshoots of Olympians?

33:00 - Too much coverage of Breezy Johnson’s engagement

38:11 - The right way to give photo credits to photographers

Find Zach

Website: https://zachdobson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_

About the Podcast

Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting.

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement

This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.

Episode 23 - What focal length lens do you use for backstage photography? Do you ever use “silent shutter” mode? Do you use fixed focal length? Do you have insurance on all your cameras & gear?

What do people who are actually from working class areas of England think of Martin Parr’s documentation of New Brighton?

In this episode, we answer questions and read comments from viewers and talk about retiring the Mystery Zine. We also address some of the most common questions we’ve received in the 4 years of printing our quarterly magazine.

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Index

0:00 - What happens when your camera gear damages property?

0:16 - Want to learn about photography? Ask us your questions!

3:05 - What do people think of Martin Parr’s The Last Resort?

9:30 - Should I use “silent shutter” mode on a DSLR?

11:16 - What is “rolling shutter effect”?

14:08 - What focal length to use when you’re close to people?

18:25 - Film vs Digital

21:06 - How important is the camera lens?

23:19 - Should I use the same brand camera & lens?

24:53 - Camera & general liability insurance for photographers

28:00 - What happens if I damage on a photoshoot (a story)

29:47 - Is a laptop or desktop better for photographers?

32:22 - What the sigma?

35:01 - How to start publishing a photography zine

Find the Mystery Zine

https://zachdobson.bigcartel.com/product/mystery-zine-17

Find Zach

Website: https://zachdobson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_

About the Podcast

Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting.

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement

This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.

Episode 22 - This week we talk about going behind the scenes and photographing backstage at concerts, shows, and events.

When attending a performance, what happens on stage is only one small part of the story. Going backstage to photograph the emotion, preparation, and all the moving parts offers a more complete sense of what it takes to make a show happen.

In this episode, we go through Zach’s backstage photography of concerts, comedy shows, dance performances and more. We also look at the work of photographers Sasha Gusov (ballet), Jim Marshall (music), and Marsha Bernstein (fashion).

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Index

0:00 - Garry Winogrand’s wife was married to a lens.

0:25 - Today’s subject is backstage photography.

1:35 - Courtney says why it’s important for kids to perform.

6:49 - Why we’re talking about backstage photography.

10:14 - Zach’s first big behind-the-scenes opportunity: a comedy festival in LA.

15:42 - What Zach learned photographing Mel Brooks backstage.

20:46 - The kids got into dance, so now we are, too.

32:32 - Photographing our kids in Bye Bye Birdie.

37:10 - A photographer’s photo.

46:50 - Russian photographer Sasha Gusov photographs the Bolshoi Ballet.

50:55 - Iconic rock & roll photographer Jim Marshall.

54:32 - Fashion photographer Marsha Bernstein.

57:37 - Courtney’s opening night performance.

Find Zach

Website: https://zachdobson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_

About the Podcast

Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting.

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement

This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.