Wayne Suggs is an immensely talented landscape photographer hailing from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Wayne captures the beauty of the Southwest United States and shares his images not only for others to enjoy, but to help increase awareness of the necessity to preserve our precious surroundings.  Wayne is a professional photography instructor with Muench Workshops and his hardcover photography book, The Color of Dreams, is an instant classic and expresses some of Wayne's best work in...

In this episode, Richard talks about  AI-proofing your photography as well as taking your creative work to the next level. That involves incorporating emotional engagement into your artwork, not "playing to the audience," and learning to create for yourself, not others, in order to find your true artistic voice. Notable Link: Art as Self Care by Katie Willard Virant, Psychology Today, June 2018 This episode is brought to you by Lexar. For more than 25 years, Lexar has  been trusted as a...

Raabia Hawa abandoned a successful career in radio and TV to found the Ulinzi Africa Foundation, East Africa’s very first NGO to help Kenya rangers in their fight against wildlife poaching. Recorded in person during Richard’s recent trip to Nairobi, Raabia talks about her career, her personal and professional transformation from radio and TV personality to wildlife warrior, the evils of wildlife poaching, the dangers of working in Kenya’s Tana River Delta, trophy hunting, being underestimated...

In this episode, I am joined by astrophotographer, Andrew McCarthy.  Andrew creates stunning images of the moon, sun, distant galaxies, the International Space Station moon and sun transits, and much more. Many of his photographs have gone viral and are instantly recognizable once you visit his website, Cosmic Background. He has more than 600,000 followers on Instagram and he generously shares how he captures many of the images featured all across  social media.  In this interview, Andrew...

Steven McCurry is an American photographer who has captured some of the world's most iconic photographs of the 20th and 21st centuries. From the war-ravaged landscapes of Afghanistan to the vibrant, colorful streets of India, his ability to capture the raw emotions and the spirit of humanity over the course of five decades has made his work both timeless and universally revered. His most famous photograph, the  haunting portrait of the 'Afghan Girl,'  first graced the cover of National...

Scott Kelby is the President and CEO of KelbyOne, the online educational community for photographers, Photoshop & Lightroom users. He’s a travel photographer, Editor and Publisher of Photoshop User Magazine, Conference Technical Chair for the Photoshop World Conference & Expo; host of the photography talk show “The Grid,” founder of the annual “Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk” and author of several bestselling photography, Lightroom and Photoshop books, which includes the...

Nevada Wier is an award-winning photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. USA, specializing in documenting the remote corners of the world, the people, and their cultures. She is especially recognized for her creative and intimate approach to people. She has been published in numerous national and international publications, including: National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, National Geographic Adventure, Geo, Islands, New York Times Magazine, Outside, and Smithsonian. Nevada’s...

Talor Stone is a photographer, conservationist, and PhD researcher who specializes in Earth's  Arctic regions. Her summers in Greenland have inspired academic research projects on topics such as globalization and indigenous identity, mass tourism and peripheral communities, and climate-induced human migration among Inuit populations. in 2022, Talor partnered  with filmmaker Ashlei Payne to produce a documentary film about the modern changes of hunting culture in northern Greenland based on...

On this episode of Beyond The Lens, I'm sharing my recent experience in Borneo, Indonesia: the rainforest, the photographic challenges the rainforest creates, and the "persons of the forest," the orangutans. I talk about the existential threats that orangutans face caused by deforestation and loss of habitat due to development and palm oil plantations. You can help keep orangutans from extinction by buying products using environmentally sustainable palm oil with the RSPO label or donating...

Carlton Ward is a Florida conservation, wildlife, and nature photographer. His work is exhibited worldwide and featured in renowned publications such as National Geographic, Audubon, Smithsonian, Nature Conservancy, and more. In partnership with the National Geographic Society, Carlton worked with scientists, conservationists, ranchers, veterinarians, and the local indigenous population to capture stunning images and videos of one of the most elusive animals on the planet, the Florida...

Daniel Sackheim is an American filmmaker and Emmy-Award winning director and producer of shows like Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, X-Files, NYPD Blue, Ozark, Better Call Saul, Law and Order, and many more. Daniel is also the co-founder of Bedrock Entertainment, a producer of premium television content for the global marketplace across network, cable and streaming platforms. As a noir street photographer, he uses the creative talents he displayed on the sets of Hollywood’s biggest shows and...

Art Wolfe is a legendary American wildlife, landscape, and cultural photographer, as well as explorer and conservationist. His career spans more than five decades and he shows no sign of slowing down! Art is a Canon Explorer of Light, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, and the creator of more than 100 books. He was the host of the popular TV series on PBS, Art Wolfe’s Travels To The Edge. Many of his photographs are classics and two in particular are featured on US postage...

Ian Plant is a world-renowned wildlife and landscape photographer and founder of Photo Masters. Rick Sammon was the first-ever guest on Beyond the Lens! Known by some as “The Godfather of Photography”, he is on a mission to make digital photography fun, creative, exciting, and rewarding for others. Rick is also a best-selling author and talented musician. In this episode, Richard, Ian, and Rick reminisce on dramatic expeditions together and dig deep into their photographic philosophies. Are...

Camille Seaman is a contributing photographer to National Geographic, a TED Senior Fellow, Stanford Knight Fellow, and lover of the Earth's polar regions and storm clouds. In this conversation with Richard Bernabe, Camille describes her upbringing in New York City and transformative experiences around the world as she built an enviable photography career. Camille is a passionate spokesperson for the protection of our natural world. She continues to travel to the Arctic and Antarctic regions...

Candice Millard is a New York Times bestselling author and former editor for National Geographic.  In this episode of Beyond The Lens, Candice pulls us into the world of her new book, River Of the Gods, which documents the epic search for the source of the Nile River, the holy grail of exploration during the mid-nineteenth century. She paints vivid character studies of the two primary explorers - the brilliant scholar Richard Burton and the thrill-seeking John Hanning Speke. The voyage takes...

Kevin Kelly is the co-founder of Wired magazine, where he currently holds the title of 'senior maverick.' He's also a writer, artist, photographer, prolific traveler, futurist, conservationist, an expert on Asian culture, and quite possibly the Most Interesting Man in the World.  In this episode of Beyond the Lens, Kevin shares his knowledge and passion for technological developments in art and photography, particularly AI-generated art. Throughout the conversation, he offers some...

National Geographic explorer Chris Rainier is an artist, social photographer, documenter, and photojournalist, globally respected for his work with endangered cultures worldwide. He calls himself a “serial traveler, gypsy, and photographer” and possesses unrivaled first-hand knowledge of world indigenous cultures. He describes his life experiences, as you might expect, in a beautifully visual way.  Chris's new book, Sacred, includes photos compiled from his decades of exploration and his...

Kristin Harila is a Norwegian mountaineer, skier, and outdoor athlete. In 2022, her record-breaking attempt to summit all 14 of the world’s 8000-meter peaks in six months was brought to a disappointing end as her team failed to obtain permits for the final two mountains in Chinese Tibet. Despite the setback, Kristin is more determined than ever this year to take on the record again set by Nirmal Purja in 2019.  In this episode, Kristin talks with Richard about her successes and failures...

As 2018 National Geographic Explorer of the Year, Joel regularly contributes to the magazine, specializing in documenting endangered species and landscapes worldwide. Joel founded ‘Photo Ark’, a documentary and photographic project in conservation, which has had images displayed at iconic and historical landmarks worldwide, including St. Peter's Basilica and the Empire State Building. In this great conversation, Joel talks about his early passion for wildlife, what triggered him to dedicate...

Sparked by his first experience of Belize's tropical rainforest in 1984, Jeff is a passionate activist for Central and South American rainforest conservation. Inspired by his experience serving as expedition naturalist for the 'JASON Project', a documentary series led by oceanographer Robert Ballard, he became a  TV presenter and producer, best known for hosting Disney Channel's 'Going Wild with Jeff Corwin', 'The Jeff Corwin Experience' on Animal Planet, and ABC's 'Ocean Mysteries with Jeff...

Entering 2023, award-winning Brazilian photojournalist Felipe Dana shares his experiences on location in Kyiv, Ukraine, where he has joined the Associated Press and dedicated himself solely to photojournalism. He started his career at 15 years old as an assistant photographer and later pursued a degree in photography while working on commercial assignments, contributing to various local and international news agencies. His work has received numerous awards, including the World Press’ ‘Photo...

Richard dives into the world of travel rewards with Straight To The Points founder and travel expert Spencer Howard – who shares his travel hacks and advice on using airline points, credit cards, and loyalty programs to fly business and first-class to "help as many people as possible enjoy the excitement of luxury travel." In August 2018, he started the 'Award Alerts' newsletter to make it easier for family and friends who wanted to fly business or first class but were struggling to find the...

As a master landscape photographer, William Neill’s work conveys the deep, spiritual beauty he sees and feels in nature. He has been a resident of the Yosemite National Park area since 1977. He received ‘The Director's Award’ from the National Park Service after a major portfolio of his Yosemite photographs entitled ‘Yosemite: The Promise of Wildness,’ were published by The Yosemite Association in 1994. His recent book, ‘Landscapes of the Spirit’ showcases a retrospective collection of his...

Will Travers OBE is the executive president and co-founder of the international wildlife charity Born Free. His parents starred in the oscar winning movie Born Free, where Will, as a young child, traveled to Kenya and established his passion for wildlife conservation –  in 2012, Will was awarded an ‘OBE’ for his conservation and animal welfare services. As a passionate animal rights activist, he manages to safeguard wildlife conservation across regions in Africa, Asia, America, and Europe. ...

Marc Muench is a professional landscape and wildlife photographer, an educator, and a founding partner at Muench Workshops, where he helps teach people who love photography and nature while taking them to the coolest places on the planet. Marc is a third-generation photographer following his grandfather Josef Muench, his father, David Muench, and his photographer-artist, Bonnie Muench. In this episode, Richard and Marc chat while crossing the Drake Passage after a 20-plus-day expedition to...