Through the Lens: The Art, Science, and Hustle of Commercial Photography with Greg Gardner

In this episode of the Talk Design podcast, host Adrian sits down with Greg, a highly sought-after commercial photographer with over 36 years of experience. A fellow Kiwi now living on the Sunshine Coast, Greg brings a wealth of technical knowledge, a fantastic sense of humor, and a uniquely grounded perspective on the creative industry.Greg shares his origin story, from growing up in New Zealand with a fine artist father and a speech-and-drama teacher mother, to getting his first big break as a photography assistant (which included a memorable incident of falling asleep in the darkroom after a big rugby night out). They discuss the massive shift from the unforgiving days of film to the limitless possibilities of digital photography and post-production.The conversation takes a deep dive into the world of architectural and real estate photography. Greg explains how he finds the "hero shot" of a property, why he still looks through the viewfinder rather than the digital screen to stay immersed in the environment, and the challenges of shooting million-dollar homes (hint: architects, please include a ladder cupboard in your designs!).Adrian and Greg also trade their best "hacks" for the creative process. They discuss the power of taking 12-minute power naps, using essential oils like peppermint to spark afternoon energy, drawing inspiration from clear quartz crystals, and Adrian’s genius trick for making nervous portrait subjects instantly relax. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.