The Candid Frame: A Photography Podcast

When filmmaker Ilie Mitaru first discovered Serbest Salih’s Instagram feed, he was struck by the power of the photographs—vivid, intimate images made by children from displaced and marginalized communities across Turkey. These weren’t typical snapshots. They revealed a bold visual instinct and emotional clarity that defied the children’s limited experience behind the camera. Ilie saw not just compelling photographs, but a powerful story of self-expression—one that urgently needed telling. That story became First Frames, a film that shifts focus away from trauma and instead highlights the playful, curious, and complex inner lives of its young image-makers. Rather than treating the children as passive subjects, Ilie embraced their perspective—amplifying their imaginations and voices. The result is a vibrant, deeply human portrait told through the children’s own lenses, reminding us that some of the most resonant stories come from those who are so often overlooked. Resources: Ilie Mitaru First Frames Film Serb

Jasmine Benjamin, a California native, embodies the laid-back spirit of Northern California where she was born and the dynamic energy of Hollywood, where her work thrives. With a career spanning 17 plus years as a stylist, consultant, and creative director, she has established herself as a key figure in culture. Her latest project, CITY OF ANGELS: “A book about L.A. style”, is her first coffee table book, capturing the essence of contemporary LA style through 120 plus portraits of local luminaries. Set for release in Spring 2025 by Italian publisher Damiani, the book showcases Jasmine’s talent as a photographer, creative director and curator. Jasmine’s career began while she was studying at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. In 2002, she turned an internship at Interscope Records into an opportunity to shape the visual identity of the label’s artists. In 2005, she styled her first influential indie band, J*Davey, before moving to New York City in 2007, where she immerse

Matthew Finley (b. 1972) uses his photography to express himself and connect to the world around him. With a variety of photography processes, he explores intimate emotions through gesture and line to communicate his experience. Growing up queer in an unaccepting environment, Finley felt apart from the world around him. Now, as an adult working through anxiety, the studio is a safe space to create where he can be vulnerable and express his true self. Creating and exhibiting his work is a way to forge relationships with viewers and help those who see themselves reflected in it to feel less alone. Finding inspiration in classic art and statuary, he addresses modern issues such as his coming out story, intimate relationships, and finding peace in our tumultuous world. Based in Los Angeles, Finley’s work has shown in solo and group shows in multiple galleries across the U.S. Most recently, his work was on the walls of the esteemed Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles with the likes of Herb Ritts and Herbert In 2024

Founder and Publisher Daniel Power started powerHouse Books in 1995, and was joined by Craig Cohen in 1996. The early years had Power and Cohen tag-teaming on a few books at a time, raising the bar each season when, in 1998, PowerHouse Books had its first best-seller, Women Before 10 A.M. by Véronique Vial. Power and Cohen followed up on that success in 1999 with the critically acclaimed cult monographs X-Ray by François Nars and Life is Paradise by Francesco Clemente and Vincent Katz. In 2000, Cohen became a partner in the company, assuming the title of Vice President and Associate Publisher, serving as Executive Publisher between 2008 and 2019. He quickly signed up for the next company bestseller, Back in the Days by Jamel Shabazz, and in the same year, he developed a packaging deal with Capitol Records to produce the Beastie Boys Anthology: The Sounds of Science. With the publishing program growing rapidly, Power and Cohen hired Sara Rosen, who served as Publicity Director from 2000 to 2009. Since then, th

Jeffery Saddoris is not only a talented artist, writer, and podcaster but a friend. A repeat guest of the podcast, we have enjoyed wonderful conversations about what it means to lead a creative life. What started as a technical test of my new podcast set-up turned into another wonderful conversation. We discussed recent events in my life and where we stand in our creative lives. Most importantly, this episode marks our return to regular production with new episodes of great conversations with and about photographers. Thank you for your kindness, support, and patience over the past three months. Resources: Jeffery Saddoris Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame Websites Photo Workshops & Webinars Breaking Out of a Rut: Tips for Creating Breakthroughs in Your Photography Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Clic

It has been a little more than a month since the Eaton Fires devastated areas in Southern California, including the Palisades and Ibarionex’s home of Altadena. The show remains in hiatus as Ibarionex and his family contend with being displaced. In this episode, Ibarionex provides an update on the status of his and his family’s journey to recover and rebuild. Since recording the audio, the Perello family has secured housing for the coming year. Once settled, we hope to return to conducting and releasing interviews for a new season of the show. They welcome financial support of any kind o meet their short-term and and long-term needs. You provide support via: Websites Photo Workshops & Webinars Breaking Out of a Rut: Tips for Creating Breakthroughs in Your Photography Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click her

The recent Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, impacted Ibarionex and his family. They lost their home and studio and are among the tens of thousands of people displaced by the disaster. In this episode, he describes his escape from the fire and the early days of recovery. They welcome financial support of any kind o meet their short-term and and long-term needs. You provide support via: Websites Photo Workshops & Webinars Breaking Out of a Rut: Tips for Creating Breakthroughs in Your Photography Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click here to download Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donatio

Lana Z Caplan works across various media – including single-channel films or videos in essay form, interactive installations, video art, and photography. Her recent photographic monograph, Oceano (for seven generations) published by Kehrer Verlag in 2023, contrasts the historic inhabitants of California’s Oceano Dunes – the Indigenous Chumash and a colony of depression-era artist and mystic squatters – with the current ATV riding community which is the source of a public health crisis in neighboring communities. Oceano (for seven generations) is in the collection of museums including Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Getty Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston and The Cleveland Museum of Art. Her work has been reviewed and featured in publications such as ARTnews, LA Times, , and The Boston Globe and she has received several grants including from Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Film/Video Studio Program Fellowship at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, OH. Caplan earned her BA and BS from Bos

Dana Stirling is a fine art photographer and the Co-Founder & Editor In-Chief of Float Photo Magazine since 2014. Originally from Jerusalem Israel, Dana is now based in Queens New York. She received her MFA from The School Of Visual Arts in Photography, Video, and Related Media in 2016 and her BA from Hadassah College Jerusalem in Photographic Communications in 2013. Her work has been exhibited in group show including, Candela Books + Gallery VA, The Rockaway Artists Alliance NY, Vermont Center for Photography, Lafayette College PA, Radiator Gallery NY, Fresh Paint Art Festival Israel,  Bezalel Gallery Israel, Inga Gallery Israel, Tel Hai Museum of Photography Israel, Brick Lane Gallery UK, Saatchi Gallery UK and others. Her hand-made artist book is a part of these select library collections, Yale University, Mass Art College of Art and Design collection, Savannah College of Art and Design collection and Goldsmith University, London. Her latest book is Why Am I Sad Resources Dana Stirling Why Am I Sad W

Jacque Rupp is a documentary and fine-art photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A visual storyteller, Rupp uses the camera to challenge and question, offering a unique perspective on the world around us. In her most recent work, Rupp focuses on womanhood, using herself and experiences. As the subject matter, Rupp ventures off into the imagined, exploring issues of identity and purpose. Rupp received an MBA from Santa Clara University and later worked as an executive in Silicon Valley. Building on her lifelong passion for the visual arts, Rupp studied photography at Stanford University, at the Los Angeles Center of Photography and Santa Fe Workshops. She is on the advisory board for the UNAFF (United Nations Associated Film Festival), a documentary film festival and serves on the board of the Weston Collective, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding student access to photography. Her photographs are held in private collections and have been exhibited widely in juried shows and publications

Michael Rababy documents US American gambling culture in his new book, Casinoland - Tired of Winning. Rows of shrill slot machines, glowing billboards, and gaudy splendor appear alongside exhausted faces, tired looks, and lost games. Rababy’s realistic camera view scrutinizes the glamorous appearance of the gleaming gambling halls and exposes their mendacious promises of wealth. The series focuses more on the casino as a capitalist institution as a whole than on the individual gamblers. Michael Rababy is a Lebanese-American documentary photographer who frequently deals with US American culture and society in his work. He works as a freelance photographer and has photographed for numerous media companies. Resources Michael Rababy Casinoland - Tired of Winning Book Websites Photo Workshops Tokyo Exploration Workshop with Ibarionex Perello Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Chico Review Photobook Retreat Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Downloa

David Hobby is the lead instructor for all X-Peditions trips. He spent 20 years as a staff photojournalist, completing more than 10,000 assignments before leaving The Baltimore Sun in 2006 to found . Over the following 15 years, Strobist grew to be the world’s most popular resource for professional-level photographic lighting education. David has taught scores of workshops and classes in cities across the U.S. and around the world. In 2014, he produced the video series The Traveling Photographer for . The series features episodes filmed on location in New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Dubai. Resources David Hobby’s X-Peditions The Traveling Photographer’s Manifesto: A Guide to Connecting People and Place. The Strobist Blog Websites Photo Workshops Tokyo Exploration Workshop with Ibarionex Perello Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Chico Review Photobook Retreat Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your f

Valérie Jardin is an award-winning French photographer who has developed a unique style that is both evocative and authentic. Her work is characterized by a strong sense of narrative, capturing candid moments that reveal the human experience in all its complexity and beauty. With a discerning eye for composition and a keen understanding of light and shadow, Valérie Jardin creates emotionally charged photographs of everyday moments. She is very committed to the true tradition of capturing the decisive moment. Every frame captured through Valérie’s 23 mm lens is candid. Valérie's work is also marked by her commitment to teaching and mentoring other photographers. Through international workshops, online courses, conferences, and over a dozen books, she shares her knowledge and experience with others. Resources Valerie Jardin Websites Photo Workshops Tokyo Exploration Workshop with Ibarionex Perello Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Chico Review Photobook Retreat Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Pho

Rob Hammer is a photographer based in Denver, Colorado, who shoots for commercial clients like Nike, Adidas, Foot Locker, Fox Sports, and Smithsonian and produces other personal documentary exemplary art projects, including American barbershops, basketball culture, duck hunting, and real Cowboys in the American West. Resources Rob Hammer Websites Photo Workshops Tokyo Exploration Workshop with Ibarionex Perello Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click here to download Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via . You can follow Ibarionex on and .

Mikko Takkunen is a photo editor at The New York Times’s Foreign desk, where he spent more than five years between 2016 and 2021 in Hong Kong as the desk’s Asia photo editor. He began taking these photographs in early 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued until the summer of 2021 when he left Hong Kong. Resources Mikko Takkunen Websites Photo Workshops Tokyo Exploration Workshop with Ibarionex Perello Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click here to download Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via . You can follow Ibarionex on and .

Ivan McClellan is a photojournalist and designer based in Portland, Oregon. His work reveals marginalized aspects of black culture and challenges broad assumptions and myths about racial identity in America. In 2015, photographer Ivan McClellan attended the Roy LeBlanc Invitational in Oklahoma, the country’s longest-running Black rodeo, at the invitation of Charles Perry, director and producer of The Black Cowboy. Over the next decade, he embarked on journeys across America, crafting a multilayered look at contemporary Black rodeo culture. Resources Ivan McClellan’s 8 Seconds Websites Photo Workshops Tokyo Exploration Workshop with Ibarionex Perello Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click here to download Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee Support the work at The Candid Frame by contri

For over 40 years, Jay Silverman has excelled as a leading Director, Producer, and Photographer specializing in award-winning films, television, digital, and print campaigns. Jay’s narrative films have been awarded numerous Best Feature and Audience Awards at festivals nationwide.  His current dramatic feature ‘Camera’, stars Golden Globe, Emmy, and Grammy Award Winner Beau Bridges, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Scotty Tovar, Bruce Davison, and Miguel Gabriel. A graduate of Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara with a Master of Science Degree, Jay founded Jay Silverman Productions in 1979 in Hollywood, California, and built a 40,000-square-foot facility including three sound stages. Jay currently lives in Los Angeles, California, and has three wonderful daughters. Resources Jay Silverman Camera - The Movie Websites Photo Workshops Tokyo Exploration Workshop with Ibarionex Perello Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download

Petronella Lugemwa is a storyteller, speaker, educator, and Creative Director of Petronella Photography – an award-winning destination wedding and family photography studio based out of the New York area. She specializes in helping multicultural, interracial, or mixed couples celebrate their love in a modern way and believes that what makes you different makes you beautiful. She was named a Rising Star in Wedding Photography Worldwide and photographed the Nov 2018 magazine cover. Her work has been featured in The Knot, Carats and Cake, Essence, Martha Stewart Weddings, and MunaLuchi Bride. Resources Petronella Lugemwa Websites Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click here to download Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon ef

Martin Parr CBE (born 23 May 1952) is a British documentary photographer, photojournalist, and photobook collector. He is known for his photographic projects, which take an intimate, satirical, and anthropological look at aspects of modern life. He particularly documents the social classes of England and, more broadly, the wealth of the Western world. Since 1994, Parr has been a member of Magnum Photos. He has published around 40 solo photobooks and been featured in around 80 exhibitions worldwide, including the international touring exhibition ParrWorld and a retrospective at the Barbican Arts Centre, London, in 2002. The Martin Parr Foundation, founded in 2014 and registered as a charity in 2015, opened premises in his hometown of Bristol in 2017. It houses his archive, his collection of British and Irish photography by other photographers, and a gallery. Martin Parr’s latest book is Resources Martin Parr Foundation Websites Sponsors Story-teller Workshops with Dotan Saguy & Gail Fisher   Charcoal

Alex Kilbee has over 20 years of professional photography experience. He received his formal education in South Africa at the prestigious Pretoria Technikon Photography School. He runs The Photographic Eye, one of the most respected photography YouTube channels. Resources Alex Kilbee’s The Photographic Eye YouTube Channel Alex Kilbee’s Instagram Websites Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click here to download Contribute a one-time donation to the show thru Buy Me a Coffee Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via . You can follow Ibarionex on and .