Shutter Nonsense: A Nature Photography Podcast

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...

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 sh...

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 ex...

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, gela...

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey talk about the messy, subjective, and sometimes frustrating process of evaluating your own photography.

They dig into what happens after a trip, from the first Lightroom pass to choosing which images deserve more attention, which ones fall short, and which ones might have potential even if they do not immediately jump off the ...

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey are joined by landscape photographer Jon Norris to talk about Joshua Tree National Park, a place that has become one of Jon’s favorite subjects and creative escapes.

Jon shares what keeps pulling him back to Joshua Tree after hundreds of visits, from the strange character of the trees to the glowing rock formations, hidden corners, old mine workings, and the need to exp...

One year ago, we recorded the very first episode of Shutter Nonsense in the Great Smoky Mountains. For this bonus anniversary episode, we are back in the Smokies reflecting on the first year of the podcast, answering listener questions, and talking about what we have learned from recording the show, leading workshops together, and having regular conversations about landscape photography.

In this episode, Shutter Nonsense hosts Mich...

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey are joined by nature photographer Brenda Tharp for a thoughtful conversation about finding your own creative voice in landscape and nature photography.

Brenda shares her perspective on the pressure to photograph popular locations, follow trends, chase social media approval, and balance personal expression with the realities of building a photography business. The conversation...

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey talk about one of the trickier decisions in landscape and nature photography - knowing when to keep working a scene and when it is time to move on.

Sometimes staying longer helps you find stronger compositions, better light, and quieter details you would have missed at first glance. But sometimes you are not really working the scene anymore, you are just standing there pressi...

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey dig into the idea of growth through limitation in nature photography. What happens when you intentionally narrow your options instead of keeping every possibility open?

They talk about one-lens outings, local shooting, black and white challenges, slowing down in the field, and how removing certain choices can actually help you see more clearly. The conversation also gets into...

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...

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...

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 Ang...

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 exp...

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 ...

Is photography better kept as a passion, or does turning it into a business change the relationship entirely?

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey dig into the real-world tradeoffs between photography as a hobby and photography as a source of income. The discussion explores what monetization actually looks like for landscape photographers, why prints and education tend to be the most common paths, and how financ...

In Episode 19 of Shutter Nonsense, hosts Michael and Jeffrey dig into how photography trips shape us far beyond the images we bring home. Travel can spark creativity and excitement, but it also introduces uncertainty, pressure, and the challenge of balancing expectations with reality.

We talk about what happens when you photograph unfamiliar places, how travel can help reconnect you with your original motivation for picking up a ca...

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, hosts Michael and Jeffrey explore the often-overlooked power of local photography and why shooting close to home can make you a stronger, more fulfilled nature photographer.

Traveling for your nature photography is inspiring and iconic, but local landscapes offer something just as valuable: repetition, familiarity, and the chance to truly learn a place. We talk about how photographing nearby loc...

In Episode 17 of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey dive deep into the business side of selling photographic prints. From pricing and production choices to fulfillment and customer service, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to make print sales work sustainably.

They discuss how to think about pricing beyond just cost, the pros and cons of printing your own work versus using a professional lab, and ...