Renowned mountain bike photographer Sven Martin joins the podcast to talk about the journey from his early days as a pro skateboarder, to racing downhill mountain bikes, to transitioning into a full time photographer and all the adventures in between. Growing up in South Africa, Sven's father had a camera in his hand at an early age and helped him develop a skillset, along with his mother's keen eye for composition, that would serve him well as he moved through his own passion for surfing, skateboarding, and eventually mountain biking. During our conversation Sven tells stories of skateboarding with Tony Hawk and Ed Templeton, as well as his early photography work for Thrasher Magazine and how his girlfriend (now wife) Anka would eventually lead him towards the mountain bike world, what his schedule is like covering the world cup race circuit, how things have changed over the years with the advent of new technology and so many more shooters on the scene, how he has managed to stay so stoked on the sport after all these years, and the advice he gives to others rising up through the ranks of actions sports photography.

To Learn More About Sven Martin Visit:

https://www.instagram.com/svenmartinphoto/

To Watch the Short Film About Sven Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d0lBJiowAY

To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit:

https://www.visualrevolutionary.com

And Follow On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

Filmmaker and artist David Donnelly joins the podcast to talk about his newest documentary film "The Cost of Convenience" that sheds light on the pervasive impact of surveillance capitalism on our privacy, autonomy, and democracy. David has spent many years creating documentary films in the classical music realm, but when Covid came along and shut down the live performance spaces he was so accustomed to, he found himself exploring the exponential rise in the dependence of social media platforms and other spaces that exploded during the pandemic. When he set out with a goal of documenting our addiction to this technology, he had no idea of the massive story that would begin to unfold of the other nefarious aspects hiding in plane site, and how his film would adapt to try and tell a much broader story over years of work and countless days of travel. During our conversation we discuss the last analog generation that we both come from, the inability for people to just be bored and how that is affecting creativity, the conversation that needs to be had about the future of social media, and so much more.

To Learn More About David Donnelly Visit:

https://theculturemonster.com

To Learn More About the Film "The Cost of Convenience" Visit:

https://costofconvenience.film

To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit:

https://www.visualrevolutionary.com

And Follow On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/

And YouTube At:

www.youtube.com/@visualrevolutionary

Photographer and Fujifilm Ambassador Alison Conklin joins the show to tell her inspiring story of perseverance after a doctor gave her the news that she had 6 months to live if she didn't get a new heart, and the transplant surgery that would soon follow and give her a new lease on life and a new appreciation for the selfless kindness of strangers. During our conversation Alison tells me how the tragic death of her mom at age 14 would end up leading her into a love of photography that she shared with her father, how she built her career as an amazing wedding photographer, how all the challenging events in her life have given her a true appreciation for the present moment, and the advice she gives to others trying to find their own path. It's a beautiful story that will inspire you to appreciate all the things you already have.

To Learn More About Alison Conklin Visit:

https://www.alisonconklin.com

And Follow Her On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/alisonconklin/

To Learn More About Visual Revolutionary Visit:

https://www.visualrevolutionary.com

And Follow On Instagram At:

https://www.instagram.com/visualrevolutionary/