Let's Talk Photography

In this solo show Bart shares the story of a series he recently shot of spring flowers along the woodland trails in Carton House Estate near Maynooth in the east of Ireland. Bart focuses on the artistic choices he made before setting out, and how they helped him produce a nicer set of images. The idea is not to inspire you to make the same choices before your next shoot, but to inspire you to take the time to make your own choices. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp151. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares and anecdote that reminded him of just how rewarding it can be to combine your curiosity with your photography. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp150. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart reminds you that the sliders in your editing app go both ways, even those you reflexively always slide in the same direction! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp149. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

Rather than resolutions, Bart starts his photographic year by setting himself a challenge. It went great in 2024, so how did it go in 2025? And what about 2026? Could this approach work for you? Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp148. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon.

Bart shares his experiences chasing steam trains in the run up to Christmas 2025 as an illustration of how adversity can be a learning opportunity if you approach it with the right mindset. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp147. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

Phone cameras don’t change that much year-to-year, but those changes really add up over two or three! In this solo show Bart illustrates this point with his experiences upgrading from an iPhone 15 Pro Max to a 17 Pro Max. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp146. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

Fresh off presenting to a Mac Users Group, Bart shares his basic advice for getting better photos in general, being careful to pay extra attention to getting the most from phone cameras because those are the cameras most of us have with us most of the time. No matter what your experience level, you can always benefit from a refresher on some of the basics! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp145. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart describes the technological tricks modern smartphone cameras use to take better photos than traditional optics and sensors alone could possibly achieve. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp144. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

Bart is joined by friend of the show Allison Sheridan from the NosillaCast podcast for a chat about shooting in urban environments triggered by an intriguing email from Allison. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp143. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

This solo show is dedicated to a simple piece of advice — don't try to use a phone camera as if it's a high-end DSLR, it isn't, so let that reality guide your use of this wonderful photographic tool. Avoid the the inherent weaknesses, and lean into the inherent strengths! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp142. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart tries to convince you to do the considerate thing and add alternative text to all the photos you share on social media. Sure, do it because it's the right things to do, but don't think of it as a chore, embrace it as an opportunity to improve your photography! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp141. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart pontificates on just one word — Luck. It's essential, but not sufficient, and understanding it's role will transform it from your nemesis into an opportunity. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp140. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart describes how he's going to pivot to the unintentional insult of complimenting his camera into an opportunity to evangelise the craft of photography, and offers ten simple tips to get people started. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp139. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his expanded understanding of the many kinds of symmetry all around us, how it was triggered by a simple photographic challenge, and how it led to his new-found appreciation of art of designing car wheels! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp138. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares some recent experiences engaging with creative professionals, and how those experiences have helped clarify some of his thinking on whether or not AI bots can replace photographic creative professionals. As you might well deduce from the title, he doesn't think so, but do you agree with his reasoning? Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp137. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his idea of setting himself "New Year's Challenges" instead of stereotypical New Year's resolutions, looks back on his 2024 challenge to try shoot more monochromes, and forward to his 2025 challenge to try find shots where the colours themselves are the primary subject. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp136. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart tries to explain the difference between a channel mixer for monochrome conversion, and the very similar looking selective colour adjustment, and to do so, he starts by describing the HSL representation of colour our photo editors use internally. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp135. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart explains why we can't have a single unified opinion on 'AI in photography' — there are a whole spectrum of different AI-powered tools that interact with photography in different ways, and they all have their own subjective pros and cons. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp134. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

This month Bart is joined by Allison Sheridan from the NosillaCast podcast for a wide-ranging conversation revolving around photographing recent astronomical events in modern ways. We start with the observation that the cameras in our phones can now see in the dark better than we can, before moving on to a cool new take on the concept of a telescope that takes the technology powering our phone cameras to a whole other level, before finally circling back to some software tips to help figure out where in the night sky to point our phones to capture the things we can't actually see! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp133. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his thoughts on where he would like to see the cameras in our phones continue to the evolve over the next few years. The cameras in phones have come a long way in the last decade, so what pain points remain? What opportunities are there for improvement? Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp132. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his new-found enthusiasm for shooting in monochrome, some thoughts on what makes a black and white photography different, and some tips for converting colour images to monochrome. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp131. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart takes the opportunity to step back and look at the big picture when it comes to AI and photography. It's been a year and a half since the Dall-E explosion, so how has, and how hasn't the world changed? What's ahead of us? Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp130. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart explains what the northern light are, how they work, how to see then, and how to photograph them. But most importantly, since we're entering the peak of the 11 year cycle they follow, Bart gives some advice on preparing to make the most of any aurorae visible in your neck of the woods! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp129. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this interview show Bart has a conversation with fellow podcaster Jill from the North Woods about her new podcast Buzz Blossom & Squeak which is all about helping us become more connected to the nature all around us, and, in the process, take better photos of it! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp128. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart starts by sharing his practical advice for staying comfortable and keeping your gear safe in the kind of chaotic weather that typifies April in Europe, before trying to inspire everyone to get out there to capitalise on the photographic opportunities the weather brings. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp127. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart explains how rainbows work, why that leads to some 'bonus extras' to keep an eye out for, and shares some advice on capturing these beautiful and ephemeral apparitions! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp126. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart digs into how it's possible to embed verifiable information about an image's creation and the chain of its that have been applied into the metadata along with the EXIF etc.. This work is further along than you might realise, and while the rise of AI is driving this work, it was needed long before AI and its usefulness extends beyond just thwarting deep fakes. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp125. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart describes his experiences traveling without his 'big boy camera' for the first time. Did he end up regretting bringing nothing more than his iPhone? Nope, and he shares some tips that helped him come home with some cherished keepers. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp124. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart describes the paid-for private social network for photographers, Glass, and explains why he's fallen in love with it. There is no one perfect social media for everyone, so the very reasons Bart enjoys it so much may well be deal breakers for you, but maybe you'll discover a community you fall in love with too. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp123. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his experiences with the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 5x telephoto lens, and considers the usefulness of similar lenses on smartphones in general. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp122. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his thoughts on truth in photography, and why all the current hand-wringing about modern AI developments bringing some kind of truth-pocalypse doesn't make sense to him. Not only does modern technology not change any fundamental truths about trust, it even has the potential to empower us to more confidently judge the trustworthiness of the images we encounter online. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp121. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

This solo show is a bit of a potpourri — Bart starts by demystifying the jargon around the recent advances in smartphone zoom lenses, then gives a quick review of the photo book 'Evelyn Hofer Dublin' which he pre-ordered after recording episode 102 'Ward Rosin on Evelyn Hofer'. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp120. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his new thinking on the ethical and legal questions around AI training — since chatting with Antonio about AI a few months ago Bart has realised he was at least half-wrong in his original take! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp119. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his experiences re-thinking his engagement with other photographs online. It's not about numbers anymore, but about meaningful engagement, and its as much about exploring the work of others than presenting your own work. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp118. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart ponders the many many tradeoffs we're always making when shooting. You might thing money could buy your way out of having to make tradeoffs, but it can't. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp117. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

Spring has very much sprung in the northern hemisphere, and as nature starts to put on its annual show, Bart is finding himself shooting a lot more flowers again. In this solo show Bart shares some techniques he uses to capture compelling shots of flowers with his iPhone. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp116. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart opines on two very fundament questions — what is art? and what is Photography? The show was inspired by German artist Boris Eldagsen's recent rejection of a prise in the Sony World Photography Awards after he entered an images created with the use of generative AI to see what would happen. Eldagsen has also thrown his support behind a new term for these photo-like creations, 'promptography'. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp115. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

This month Bart is joined by a very special guest indeed — his beloved husband Wing. Wing just passed an important drone-flying test this week (his 'Specific Category Practical Skills Assessment'). This opens up his third drone-flying certification, allowing him to fly after sunset. Wing's drone-flying passion is tightly linked with a long-term photographic project — capturing images of ancient Irish monuments like ring forts and stone circles. Many of these impressive historical treasures are so large as to be effectively invisible from the ground, so compelling images require a different point of view! Bart invited Wing on to talk about the craft of arial photography with modern prosumer drones, and the hope is to have Wing back on in the future, when his project is more advanced, to talk about the art of arial photography. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp114. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In part 1 Bart described AI's evolution from a photographer's point of view — first came classifiers (this is a photo of a dog and a tree), then came smart processing like computational photography on smart phones, auto edit buttons that actually work, and advanced editing tools like content-aware fill, and now, here comes Generative AI, the ability to generate images from scratch using some kind of prompt. Let me tell you what's in the shot, then let me tweak it for you, and now let me create it for you! In this second part, Bart is joined by Antonio Rosario to talk through the pros and cons of each of these kinds of AI for photographers. This then sets up a follow-on conversation on Antonio's Street Shots Podcast where Bart joins Antonio to talk through some of the artists, moral, and ethical implications of all this. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp113. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart starts what will be at least a two-part discussion on artificial intelligence, and what it means for photography and photographers. This first part starts with the easy bit — describing what AI is, and what it does with our images today. If you've ever wondered what the difference is between AI and machine learning, or what neural networks are, this is the show for you! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp112. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart answers friend of the show Allison Sheridan's deceptively simple listener question – 'why 35mm?'. This takes us on a journey from Thomas Edison and the Eastman Kodak company to Leica, Henri Cartier-Bression, Nikon, and eventually DSLRs, Micro Four-Thirds, and full frame sensors. Along the way we demystify some photographic jargon like 'crop factor' and EFL. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp111. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart digs into two smaller topics that wouldn't quite be enough for a show by themselves. He starts with his thoughts on a shooting RAW on his iPhone 14 Pro for the paste few months, and moves on to reflect on his experiences capturing this year's autumn colours & mists. He shares some advice, and talks through his favourite four shots from this season (linked in the episode notes). Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp110. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart gives his answer to a simple sounding but deceptively complex question from friend of the show Allison Sheridan — how many cameras does the iPhone 14 Pro have? Just two, one on each side? Or maybe four, three on the back and one on the front? But what about that new 2X mode using part of one sensor as what is effectively a different sensor? Is there a single right answer? Or is it Schrödinger's Camera? Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp109. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his cybersecurity advice for photographers. The first step is to understand the business models, the second to secure your accounts with strong unique passwords, 2FA & password recovery options, and the third to be sure you have a good backup strategy. Finally, be ware of overly broad terms of service sneaking away your rights to your own work! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp108. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In last month's solo show Bart shared his thoughts on the end of the SLR era, and why he thought the mirrorless future was nothing to worry abut. This month Bart chats with long-time friend of the show Allison Sheridan from the NosillaCast podcast about her experiences living in that post-SLR world, and why she doesn't miss her old Nikon DSLRs. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp107. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his thoughts on the slow-motion end of the SLR era. Triggered by recent reporting that Nikon has stopped DSLR development, and that Canon is doing the same, Bart explains why he's not concerned about the future of 'big boy cameras' (to paraphrase friend of the show Allison Sheridan). Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp106. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart shares his recent re-discovery of the iPhone camera app's settings screen. It's easy to forget those settings exist, and they can enable some very powerful more advanced features in the built-in camera app. Bart also recommends two remarkable episodes of the Street Shots Photography podcast. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp105. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

In this solo show Bart makes the argument that it's not just OK to process your photos, you probably should! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp104. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

This month Bart is joined by Jeff Gamet for a chat about shooting macro shots with iPhones. The conversation is built around critiquing the 10 winning photos from Apple's recent macro photography contest, but it's much broader than that, and filled with tips, observations, and anecdotes. Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp103. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.

This month Ward Rosin joins Bart to evangelise the work of German-born photographer Evelyn Hofer. Hofer's work is varied and arresting, and includes some amazing colour street shots from the cities all around the world. She even turned her large-format lens on late 1960s Dublin! Listen, subscribe, and get the show notes at lets-talk.ie/ltp102. This show is ad-free because of the generosity of listeners like you. Please considering supporting the show on Patreon. Reminder - you can submit questions for future Q & A shows at lets-talk.ie/photoq.