Light Painting

Light Painting

Author: Steve Brazill August 26, 2021 Duration: 47:03

Let’s start here… Cliff Mautner’s career in photography spans 38 years. Think about that for a minute… 38 years ago Nikon released the world’s first SLR with Matrix Metering, the Nikon FA, and the world’s first camera with a 1/250 sec. flash sync speed, the FE2. Man, we’ve come a long way, and Cliff has been there for all of it.

Cliff’s career has included multiple genres. After 15 years and 6000 assignments as a photojournalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as shooting for an eclectic array of commercial clients ranging from Comcast to Subaru, Cliff launched his wedding photography career. After about 1100 weddings or so, he still brings the same passion and intensity with him to each event with an emphasis on creating authentic moments in some of the most difficult light imaginable. His ability to blend his lifetime of experience in photojournalism and commercial photography with his wedding photography is amazing. Browsing through his portfolio quickly reveals a journalistic approach to capturing his client’s most important day.

Experience like Cliff’s, and more importantly talent like Cliff’s, comes with recognition. Cliff is a very proud Nikon Ambassador to the United States, and an Ambassador for Light & Motion. He was named one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world by American PHOTO magazine, and has received the Nikon WPPI Photographer of the Year award. He has also has been honored with the International Photographic Council Leadership medal at the United Nations, presented with the WPPI Lifetime Achievement Award, and is a two time WPPI Grand Award winner for photojournalism. Like I said…. talent like this gets recognized.

Join Nikon Ambassador, and Light & Motion Ambassador, Cliff Mautner and me as we explore the challenging world of wedding photography, and the art of light painting, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Cliff

Website: cmphotography.com
Instagram: @cliffmautner
Facebook: @CliffMautnerPhotography
Facebook Group: Cliff Mautner Education
Twitter: @cliffmautner

The Lighting and Skillset Bootcamp

Website: cmbootcamp.com

Nikon

Ambassadors: nikonusa.com

Light & Motion

Collections: lightandmotion.com/collections/camera
Ambassadors: lightandmotion.com/blogs/ambassadors

Cliff’s KelbyOne Classes

Website: kelbyone.com

Cliff’s Photographer Picks

Dave Black: daveblackphotography.com
Mark Edward Harris: markedwardharris.com
Larry Price: larrycprice.com
Elliott Erwitt: elliotterwitt.com
Diane Arbus: fraenkelgallery.com
Sebastião Salgado: icp.org
Sebastião Salgado Documentary: The Salt of the Earth


Steve Brazill hosts Behind the Shot-Video, a series that goes far beyond gear lists and camera settings. Each conversation is a deep exploration of the creative and technical journey behind compelling images. You’ll hear working photographers unpack the entire process-from the initial spark of an idea and the challenges of the location to the critical decisions made in post-production. This podcast sits at the unique intersection of art and practical technology, offering tangible lessons for anyone looking to improve their visual storytelling. Rather than abstract theory, these discussions provide a real-world look at problem-solving under pressure and the artistic choices that define a signature style. Tune in for honest, detailed breakdowns that reveal how memorable shots are truly built, layer by layer. It’s an essential resource for visual artists seeking both inspiration and actionable knowledge, all grounded in the lived experience of accomplished creators.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 200

Behind the Shot - Video
Podcast Episodes
Better B&W Portraits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:52
In the time I have been doing photography there have been a few names I seem to have always been aware of, and one of those is Ron Clifford. When I receive an email from our mutual friend Rick Sammon introducing us, and…
Uncommon Grit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:12
For each episode of Behind the Shot I write a post with some information about my guest. I usually use a combination of the guest’s bio, along with pieces of info I gather through research, to try and give a bit of insig…
Capturing the Moment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
When I book a guest for Behind the Shot I usually have an idea on how I will describe them, but sometimes that is a bit more difficult. Let’s take today’s guest, Atiba Jefferson, for example. Atiba is perhaps best known…
Self Portrait Artistry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:54
One of the most enjoyable aspects of doing the Behind the Shot podcast is the wonderful artists I get to meet. All are photographers that I truly admire, and that I am inspired by. Hand-in-hand with that is the way that…
Toy Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:28
I had not heard of Mitchel Wu until my friends at Platypod mentioned him to me, and that surprised me. I don’t want that to happen to you, so I am introducing you to some of the most playful work you’ll ever see. His wor…
Advanced Lighting Techniques [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:37
I have known of Joel Grimes for as long as I have been involved with photography. Joel is one of those artists that can be described as a “master of their craft”, and that skill has earned him the rare designation as a C…
Photographing the Milky Way [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:36
I have met more photographers through Twitter than any other platform, and Jeff Harmon is one of those photographers. The wonderful part about Twitter to me is that I can reach out to people I might have never met before…
Pet Photos that Make a Splash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:10
www.samhaddixphotography.comwww.facebook.com/samhaddixphotography I will never forget the night I met Boston based pet photographer Kaylee Greer. It was at Photoshop World 2019 in Las Vegas, and the first night they had…
Lighting the Scottish Landscape [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:15
Sharing your work online has never been easier, but so many sites take your beautiful images and compress them beyond recognition (I’m looking at you Facebook and Instagram). When Don Komarechka and I were looking at pla…
Canon EOS R5 & R6, and RF Lenses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Canon recently announced the EOS R5 and R6, along with a number of lenses, and I knew right then I needed to get someone from Canon on the show to chat about all of the great new gear.The EOS R5 and R6 announcements were…