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
An Oregon Coast Photography Road Trip [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:54
I have had to describe Rick Sammon to people on a number of occasions, and it seems to get progressively harder the more I get to know him. This will Rick’s forth time on Behind the Shot, which is more than any other gue…
Retouch Artistry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:26
I’ve been doing Behind the Shot for a few years now, and I am constantly being introduced to artists that just blow be away. Kelly Robitaille is one of those artists. After my recent “Pixel Alchemy” show with Renee Robyn…
Elevate Your Drone Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:20
I first met Colin Smith a few years ago at WPPI in Las Vegas. We were both at an after hours party and starting about podcasting and YouTube. Colin’s PhotoshopCAFE page has over 143,000 subscribers that watch his Photosh…
Water Droplet Refractions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:21
On this episode it’s the return of one of my most popular guests, Don Komarechka. Don is a nature, macro and landscape photographer from in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, and this will be his third appearance on Behind the Sho…
Pixel Alchemy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
I can’t believe this is actually happening. Renee Robyn is finally on Behind the Shot. Since most people already know who Renee is, I could probably stop here and call a day. I wouldn’t need to write anything long, or de…
WPPI 2019 Recap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:01
Last week in Las Vegas was WPPI 2019, and I had the chance to check out some new software, some new hardware, and to make some new friends. If you have never been to WPPI, it’s a conference in Las Vegas focusing on Weddi…
Storytelling & Street Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:22
Marco Larousse is a fine art, street, and documentary photographer based out of Hamburg, Germany. With over 30 years of experience his work encompasses the subtle touch only a a seasoned pro can capture, and I find a com…
Photography In The Abstract [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:28
This is our second of a continuing series in conjunction with Red River Paper. Red River Paper’s Education program helps photography students by providing high quality photo papers to photography education programs aroun…
Classic Portraits & Classic Lighting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:21
When I first saw Ian Spanier’s portfolio I immediately noticed one thing… he has a complete understanding of light. Ian began taking photographs at six years old, and that early start lead him to majoring in photography…
Wildlife & Wild Places [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:25
I am sitting here writing this and struggling with how to describe Moose Peterson, and the odds are you already know of Moose, or at least of his work. Still, it’s Moose Peterson, a wildlife, nature, landscape and aviati…