Just a Good Conversation

Mark Comon is the President of Paul's Photo in Torrance, CA

Mark finds passion and inspiration in all things. Photography is how he expresses that passion. Around here, Mark seems to be everywhere at once. He is indefatigable.
When not assisting customers, answering questions camera and lens related or not, teaching classes, interacting within the community, leading trips around the US and the globe, he'll be found at his desk (occasionally napping).  If you can't find Mark you must not be listening for him. You can reach him or the store at paulsphoto.com

Gene Blevins is a contributing photographer from the Los Angeles Daily News for almost 30 years. Gene has covered fire, major storms as well as the North Hollywood bank shootout and the space shuttle Columbia disaster. He has been nominated for the photojournalism pulitzer prize four times. Gene has covered over 200 space launches over the years.

Gene Blevins is a contributing photographer from the Los Angeles Daily News for almost 30 years. Gene has covered fire, major storms as well as the North Hollywood bank shootout, the space shuttle Columbia disaster and the O.J. Simpson chase. He has been nominated for the photojournalism pulitzer prize four times. Gene has covered over 200 space launches over the years.

Steve Zylius is the Managing Producer-Director at UC Irvine. Steve wanted to trying his hand in radio, thankfully someone pulled him into a college newspaper and his photography life was changed for ever. From small newspapers in the LA area to meeting his wife on a shoot. Photography has been good to Steve over the years. Now 13 years at UCI we seat down and talk about how he got here and what he has learned along the way. We also talk about his over love music.

A former Cal State Fullerton Division 1 softball player with a degree from the University had a couple tough years during that time. Family issues and some bad chooses in relationships put her in a low place. She found her way out through church and building strong relationships. She now works in sports ministry helping others found their path and work on being a better person.

Michael Der and I sit down to talk about AI and the photo industry. AI was built with the idea to help. The photo industry is on life support. Can I Ai help or hurt the photo industry is the topic. Michael hosts the podcast ARTrepreneurs which comes out weekly. It's a photography podcast that inspires photographers and visual artists to live their best creative lives. He talks business, art, about the chaotic journey through self-employment. Episodes every Friday. Hosted by Michael Der. www.artrepreneurspod.com. Instagram: @artrepreneurspod

International award-winning photographer Dave Sandford is best known for his dramatic collection, Lake Erie - Liquid Mountains.  Submerging himself into the freezing waters of Erie, Sandford’s striking images reveal the violent & breathtaking beauty of this Great Lake.

His viral waves paved the way for a lifelong dream, a meaningful career in conservation & wildlife photography.

Sandford, a native of London, ON. Canada originally established himself as a world class photographer around the ‘frozen ponds’ of the National Hockey League. During Sandford’s time at his Alma Mater - Toronto Metropolitan University, Sandford channelled himself into the world of professional sports photography. Sandford’s work in sports quickly grabbed the attention of others & he found himself with a rinkside seat at the professional ranks before he even completed his degree.

Sandford’s storied career in professional sports brought him international recognition & established Sandford early on as one of the leaders in the industry. With over 25 years of experience Sandford’s work has landed him roles with sports giants such as the NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Sports Illustrated and Getty Images to name a few. While Sandford still has a foothold on pro sports, these days you are more likely to find Dave face to face with a polar bear on frozen tundra or dancing with whales under the sea.

Throughout Sandford’s career the call of the wild continually whispered in his ear.  Sandford’s passion for nature and wildlife led Dave down a path with strong ties to conservation. In 2015 when Sandford’s Liquid Mountain’s grabbed the world by storm, Sandford channelled that momentum at this pivotal point in his career, to make the shift into nature photography.

Seizing opportunities in wildlife conservation, Sandford quickly transitioned into this role, once again establishing himself as sought-after leader in the industry.  Sandford turned this into his opportunity to roam where the wild things are.

Canadian to the core, and similarly to his spirit animal, the polar bear - Sandford is right at home when the mercury dips well below the freezing mark. Making his first trip to the Arctic in 1997, Sandford now has over 20 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica to his credit. With saltwater coursing through his veins, Sandford has also taken his photographic skills into the world’s oceans, swimming alongside natures gentle giants (whales) or finding himself face to face with another of Sandford’s favourite subject’s, the great white shark.

Claws, paws or jaws, wide open spaces or tiny places, Sandford enjoys showcasing the beauty of our natural world, blended with exciting and insightful storytelling from his adventures both near and far. It is Sandford’s hope that by sharing what he loves, others will share in that love - promoting positive change in the preservation of our wild spaces and those wonderful creatures who inhabit them.

Amanda Pitts is the Photography Services Manager in the office of University Communications at GVSU. She received her Bachelor of Science in Photography from GVSU in 2005, and her Master of Communications from GVSU in 2010. Amanda has been at GVSU for 15 years during which time on any given day she might be found on the tops of buildings, deep underground, on a frozen waterfall, in a helicopter, on a boat, underwater, flying a drone, and sometimes even in her office!
Amanda is also an active member of the University Photographers Association of America, currently serving her second term on the board as the Corporate Relations Chair. She has won numerous awards from both UPAA and CASE during her time at GVSU.
When she is not at work, she likes to spend time with her family participating in tickle fights, scootering, hiking, camping, and especially cuddle time with her son, two cats and dog. But Amanda’s most very favorite thing to do, besides researching random useless things on the internet, is to annoy her family by stopping to take pictures every five minutes while on vacation!

Motivated by climbing and adventure, Doug Murdoch started making gear for himself and friends at The Harness Factory, in Sunland, California. Doug later worked for Mountain N’ Air Sports, Adventure 16, and Lowepro, as well as being a design consultant. Dissatisfied with the pressure to lower costs by reducing features, Doug struck out to design products that out-performed the stripped-down, less effective offerings from other companies. The original founders of Think Tank. Steven Harrison, Brian Erwin, Deanne Fitzmaurice, Mike Sturm, Doug Murdoch, Pam Austin, and Kurt Rogers started the company in 2005. Check out the website thinktankphoto.com

Jay Cohen has been playing the trumpet for over 50 years, 35 of them as a racetracker. Known for playing the "Call to Post" before each race over the years at HollywoodPark and now Santa Anita Park he was recently stricken with Bell's Palsy and has had to battle back to his calling. "This 35 years has turned into who I am," he says. A truly beloved character to his fans, he's asked to play birthdays, weddings and even funerals because. Always ready with a smile, a joke, and even a magic trick, this is Jay Cohen. Mr. Cohen has performed the "Call to the Post" to signify the start of racing more then 100,000 times.

Bruce Chambers is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. Husband of Carole since 1981. Father of Ian, David, and Colin. Grandfather (“Dude”to them) of Delaney, Rhys, Braxton, and Isla. Community Pastor at VOX Christian Community, Orange County, CA. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, California (2013-present). Newspaper photojournalist (1979-2014). Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker (2001-2019). Avid gardener. Explorer of backroads. Boulder collector. Introvert. People pleaser (in recovery). Unemployed, yet not accepting the label of retired. In denial.

When Bruce was 25-years-old (1981), he moved across the United States to Rochester, NY, to work for the Gannett Rochester Newspapers. He worked on a staff of talented photographers, who had the task of providing images for the city’s two, morning and evening edition, newspapers. Since the papers didn’t want to run the same images, there was a strong need for fresh wild art and multiple strong images from the top stories of the day. My photo boss, Dick Sroda, told me he expected two pieces of wild art every day, in addition to my assignments. Being the rule follower, he was then, he complied. That discipline, learned early on, made my career joyful as I challenged myself, every day, to “find” images that would interest my readers.

Bruce Chambers is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. Husband of Carole since 1981. Father of Ian, David, and Colin. Grandfather (“Dude”to them) of Delaney, Rhys, Braxton, and Isla. Community Pastor at VOX Christian Community, Orange County, CA. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, California (2013-present). Newspaper photojournalist (1979-2014). Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker (2001-2019). Avid gardener. Explorer of backroads. Boulder collector. Introvert. People pleaser (in recovery). Unemployed, yet not accepting the label of retired. In denial. 

When Bruce was 25-years-old (1981), he moved across the United States to Rochester, NY, to work for the Gannett Rochester Newspapers. He worked on a staff of talented photographers, who had the task of providing images for the city’s two, morning and evening edition, newspapers. Since the papers didn’t want to run the same images, there was a strong need for fresh wild art and multiple strong images from the top stories of the day. My photo boss, Dick Sroda, told me he expected two pieces of wild art every day, in addition to my assignments. Being the rule follower, he was then, he complied. That discipline, learned early on, made my career joyful as I challenged myself, every day, to “find” images that would interest my readers.

Kevin Jones never expected to graduate from college. In fact, after graduating from high school in 1988, he made the conscious decision not to pursue higher education – even though his three sisters had all gone on to university studies.

“School and I were not friends,” recalls Jones. “All the way through elementary school, then in high school, I just wasn’t the typical kid. I was the nerdy type that wasn’t accepted. So by the time 1988 came around, I had made up my mind. I was done with school.”

Jones went so far as to hold a mock funeral in the backyard of his mother’s house, digging a hole and burying his textbooks in it. He had decided that the blue collar lifestyle suited him best, and spent the next three decades drifting from one job to the next. “Truck driver, security guard, nurse’s aide – I did anything you can think of that’s underpaid and undereducated.”

It wasn’t until 2014, when the Los Angeles native found himself unable to pay rent and ended up homeless on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia, that Jones decided to turn his life around.

“It was March 14, 2014,” he says. “I’ll never forget the date. That’s when I had the revelation that life was getting serious. All of a sudden, the light bulb came on. I asked myself, ‘What are you doing with your life? What happened?’ From then until now, I was on a path to change things. I didn’t know that the path would include about four and a half years of homelessness…” “I thought I would be stuck in that lifestyle forever,” he says. “And now I’m considering options for graduate school. It’s amazing.”

Upon losing his home in Atlanta, Jones drifted along, sleeping in his car or abandoned warehouses before adapting himself to living in local homeless shelters.

“I had to learn the system, because every shelter has one,” he says. “For example, you have to be in line for bed every day at the same time. You really have to figure out your life based on that system.” Jones moved from shelters in Atlanta to those in San Jose, Calif., before ending up on Los Angeles’ Skid Row.

It was while on Skid Row that Jones dedicated himself to self-improvement. “I told myself I had two options,” he remembers. “I can stay here at rock bottom or I can go in the opposite direction. I started working on a plan of growing up.”

While staying at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles, Jones enrolled in a program there aimed at helping get clients off the streets. “They have a program for anybody that’s serious about not being homeless,” says Jones. “It’s a one-year program. If you go through the program, by the end of it, they guarantee you an apartment and a job. They don’t just kick you out and say, ‘You’re on your own.’”

He started working at the shelter while still living there. Within a few months of starting the program, Jones was able to move into his own apartment. Again, it’s a date he’ll always remember.

“I moved out of the Union Rescue Mission on June 18th, 2018,” he says. “I jumped in a taxi over to the apartment that they had for me in Compton. I’ve been off the street ever since!”

Jones’ return to school happened almost by accident. He was walking through Lueders Park in Compton while a career fair was going on. As he walked past the Compton College booth, the woman working there asked him if he wanted to enroll in school.

“I looked at her, and strangely, I considered it,” says Jones. “I walked over to the booth and I thought, ‘You ain’t got nothing to lose, right? I signed up, and the next thing you know, it’s Fall 2019 and I’m enrolled in junior college. Then I started seeing some good grades—grades that I wasn’t even getting in elementary school.”

“All of a sudden, my brain turned on and I could do the work. As I kept seeing those A’s and B’s coming in, I thought, ‘I can do this, and I’m going to keep working and see how far I can go.’”

Kevin Jones never expected to graduate from college. In fact, after graduating from high school in 1988, he made the conscious decision not to pursue higher education – even though his three sisters had all gone on to university studies.

“School and I were not friends,” recalls Jones. “All the way through elementary school, then in high school, I just wasn’t the typical kid. I was the nerdy type that wasn’t accepted. So by the time 1988 came around, I had made up my mind. I was done with school.”

Jones went so far as to hold a mock funeral in the backyard of his mother’s house, digging a hole and burying his textbooks in it. He had decided that the blue collar lifestyle suited him best, and spent the next three decades drifting from one job to the next. “Truck driver, security guard, nurse’s aide – I did anything you can think of that’s underpaid and undereducated.”

It wasn’t until 2014, when the Los Angeles native found himself unable to pay rent and ended up homeless on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia, that Jones decided to turn his life around.

“It was March 14, 2014,” he says. “I’ll never forget the date. That’s when I had the revelation that life was getting serious. All of a sudden, the light bulb came on. I asked myself, ‘What are you doing with your life? What happened?’ From then until now, I was on a path to change things. I didn’t know that the path would include about four and a half years of homelessness…” “I thought I would be stuck in that lifestyle forever,” he says. “And now I’m considering options for graduate school. It’s amazing.”

Upon losing his home in Atlanta, Jones drifted along, sleeping in his car or abandoned warehouses before adapting himself to living in local homeless shelters.

“I had to learn the system, because every shelter has one,” he says. “For example, you have to be in line for bed every day at the same time. You really have to figure out your life based on that system.” Jones moved from shelters in Atlanta to those in San Jose, Calif., before ending up on Los Angeles’ Skid Row.

It was while on Skid Row that Jones dedicated himself to self-improvement. “I told myself I had two options,” he remembers. “I can stay here at rock bottom or I can go in the opposite direction. I started working on a plan of growing up.”

While staying at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles, Jones enrolled in a program there aimed at helping get clients off the streets. “They have a program for anybody that’s serious about not being homeless,” says Jones. “It’s a one-year program. If you go through the program, by the end of it, they guarantee you an apartment and a job. They don’t just kick you out and say, ‘You’re on your own.’”

He started working at the shelter while still living there. Within a few months of starting the program, Jones was able to move into his own apartment. Again, it’s a date he’ll always remember.

“I moved out of the Union Rescue Mission on June 18th, 2018,” he says. “I jumped in a taxi over to the apartment that they had for me in Compton. I’ve been off the street ever since!”

Jones’ return to school happened almost by accident. He was walking through Lueders Park in Compton while a career fair was going on. As he walked past the Compton College booth, the woman working there asked him if he wanted to enroll in school.

“I looked at her, and strangely, I considered it,” says Jones. “I walked over to the booth and I thought, ‘You ain’t got nothing to lose, right? I signed up, and the next thing you know, it’s Fall 2019 and I’m enrolled in junior college. Then I started seeing some good grades—grades that I wasn’t even getting in elementary school.”

“All of a sudden, my brain turned on and I could do the work. As I kept seeing those A’s and B’s coming in, I thought, ‘I can do this, and I’m going to keep working and see how far I can go.’” 

Tammy Locke started at the tender age of 18 months when she played Robert Redford's daughter in "The Voice of Charlie Pont". She continued working until she was 8 or 9 years old with entertainment talents like Ann-Margret, Clint Eastwood, Barbara Hershey, Rance, Ron, and Clint Howard to name a few. Tammy feel truly honored to have been blessed at such a young age. Although it has taken her almost 40 years to make my way back to the screen, she had never lost her passion for the business. It has been a part of her life in one form or another since she can remember. When she was 16 years old she began to make my way into the music business when she won 3rd place in The Battle of the Bands. At the age of 19, she became a professional Roller Derby skater with the Detroit Devils as #22 and a short time later she even had my own radio show on 93.5 FM, "The Tammy Jean Show". Not long after, a well-known promoter, Mr. Johnny Burger introduced her to a band known as the California Express. Its members included the nephews of the Famous Tex Williams, Russ Paul, and Dennis Orr and Tex's son in law Sam Aiello as well as Marty Rifkin and Christopher Nielson. They, in turn, introduced her to singer/songwriter, Jeffrey Steele. They all became great friends and bandmates as she headlined all over California as Miss Tammy Jean and the California Express over the next 5-6 years. It wasn't until much later, when she discovered Karaoke that her real dream came true and she met her wonderful husband Tom and would have a beautiful son Robby. Her has a website tammylocke.com

Wrapping up his 33rd season as Fullerton College's skipper, Nick Fuscardo has devoted his heart and vast experience to Fullerton College as a coach and educator.

In 2013, Fuscardo led the Hornets to an Orange Empire Conference title (32-15 overall, 15-6 OEC) and to the final four CCCAA State Tournament where Fullerton was the state runner-up.

In 2015, the Hornets made it to the postseason and swept Cypress College in the first round. In the Super Regionals, Fuscardo's Hornets fell to Santa Barbara City College in a hard-fought series.

The 2016 season saw the Hornets making it all the way to the Super Regionals after sweeping the #2 seed Glendale College Vaqueros. FC ended up falling to Cypress College in the Super Regionals in a close two games to one series.

Fuscardo locked down his 500th win on a 3-2 come-from-behind 11 inning victory against Allan Hancock College on February 25, 2011.

On February 2, 2016, Fuscardo won his 600th game as the Hornet Skipper on opening day at San Diego Mesa College 10-4.

Coach Fuscardo also holds the Hornet record for most career wins with 665. It was an 8-3 win on March 18, 2010 against Irvine Valley College that gave Fuscardo his 488th win surpassing the previous mark set by FC Hall of Fame coach Mike Sgobba (487 wins).

Fuscardo has led the Hornets to 25 wins or more in seven seasons, including 1988 (30 wins) and 2013 (32 wins - school record). He also has 16 seasons with 20 or more wins with the Hornets.

Fuscardo has coached more than 70 players who have been drafted or have signed professional contracts, including New York Mets standout pitcher Steve Trachsel, San Diego Padre catcher Tom Wilson, Mitch Levier to the Oakland A's, and Jose Rojas of the Angles. Other recent draftees include outfielders Shane Carrier (Twins) and Austin O'Banion (Rangers) off the 2016 Hornets. Fuscardo is also proud of two other 2016 grads in Laine Huffman (shortstop for Long Beach State) and Justin Row (2nd Base for the University of South Carolina).

More than 200 of Fuscardo's players have gone on to play baseball at the four-year level.

Before coming to Fullerton, Fuscardo was the head coach for 13 seasons at nearby Troy High, where he led the Warriors to a 205-68 record, five Freeway League championships and 11 playoff appearances.

Fuscardo was offered an assistant position at Cal State Fullerton under Titans Coach Augie Garrido in 1981, but instead, accepted a position as an assistant under Sgobba in 1982. Four years later, he was named the ninth coach in Fullerton's history.

Fuscardo has been on the other side of the lines in community college baseball as well. He was the starting second baseman at El Camino College in 1962 and 1964, when he was an All-Metro Conference selection.

During the 2004 season, Fuscardo was inducted into El Camino's Athletic Hall of Fame. He attended West Liberty University in West Liberty, West Virginia, where he started at shortstop and earned All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors. Coach Fuscardo was also named as the CCCBCA/Victory Athletics Coach of the Year in 2010.

Fuscardo earned his bachelor's degree from West Liberty College in physical education and speech in 1968, and later received a Master's degree in Education Administration from Cal State Fullerton.

Fuscardo is also an avid golfer and coached the Fullerton College women's golf team to a share of the Orange Empire Conference title in 2000 (Coach of the Year). During that time Hornet Golf had State Golf Championship finalists, including Hye Yoon Jung (1999, 2000) and 2-time finalist, Jeri Costello (2002), He recently served a two-year term as president of the California Community College Women's Golf Association.

Steven Bridges is the senior photographer for the Office of Communications and Marketing at the University of Tennessee. He became a full-time staff member in 2018 after a 17-year run as a full-time freelancer in the Knoxville, TN area. Before that he did newspaper work in his native Arkansas. Steven is a 1999 graduate of Arkansas State University and was a corporal in the United States Marine Corps. We talk about getting hi first camera, his up bring, his creative process and the photo world.

Paul Pantani was born in New York City and raised in Southern California. From a young age Paul knew he wanted to be a police officer. Paul got his first job with a law enforcement agency in 1988, shortly after graduating high school. Paul has spent the last thirty plus years working in law enforcement in various assignments and capacity, both civilian and sworn. Paul has been a police officer since 1992.

During his law enforcement career Paul has held assignments as a Field Training Officer, Detective, Bicycle Patrol Officer, Range Instructor, Tactical Team Member, and Computer Forensics Examiner; spending two years assigned to the FBI. Paul has also commanded divisions including Task Forces investigating Internet Child Exploitation, Narcotics, Gangs, Violent Felon Apprehension, and Cold Case Homicide.

Paul has a master’s degree and has been teaching college level graduate and undergraduate programs in Cybersecurity and Computer Crimes Investigations since 2011.

Paul has a podcast Transition Drill https://www.transitiondrillpodcast.com

Whether it is retirement, the end of an enlistment, an unexpected opportunity or other interest, or something that occurs which forces you to transition before you planned to, we will all have to address our transition. How each of us handles our transition comes from how prepared we are.

International award-winning photographer Dave Sandford is best known for his dramatic collection, Lake Erie - Liquid Mountains.  Submerging himself into the freezing waters of Erie, Sandford’s striking images reveal the violent & breathtaking beauty of this Great Lake.

His viral waves paved the way for a lifelong dream, a meaningful career in conservation & wildlife photography.

Sandford, a native of London, ON. Canada originally established himself as a world class photographer around the ‘frozen ponds’ of the National Hockey League. During Sandford’s time at his Alma Mater - Toronto Metropolitan University, Sandford channelled himself into the world of professional sports photography. Sandford’s work in sports quickly grabbed the attention of others & he found himself with a rinkside seat at the professional ranks before he even completed his degree.

Sandford’s storied career in professional sports brought him international recognition & established Sandford early on as one of the leaders in the industry. With over 25 years of experience Sandford’s work has landed him roles with sports giants such as the NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Sports Illustrated and Getty Images to name a few. While Sandford still has a foothold on pro sports, these days you are more likely to find Dave face to face with a polar bear on frozen tundra or dancing with whales under the sea.

Throughout Sandford’s career the call of the wild continually whispered in his ear.  Sandford’s passion for nature and wildlife led Dave down a path with strong ties to conservation. In 2015 when Sandford’s Liquid Mountain’s grabbed the world by storm, Sandford channelled that momentum at this pivotal point in his career, to make the shift into nature photography.

Seizing opportunities in wildlife conservation, Sandford quickly transitioned into this role, once again establishing himself as sought-after leader in the industry.  Sandford turned this into his opportunity to roam where the wild things are.

Canadian to the core, and similarly to his spirit animal, the polar bear - Sandford is right at home when the mercury dips well below the freezing mark. Making his first trip to the Arctic in 1997, Sandford now has over 20 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica to his credit. With saltwater coursing through his veins, Sandford has also taken his photographic skills into the world’s oceans, swimming alongside natures gentle giants (whales) or finding himself face to face with another of Sandford’s favourite subject’s, the great white shark.

Claws, paws or jaws, wide open spaces or tiny places, Sandford enjoys showcasing the beauty of our natural world, blended with exciting and insightful storytelling from his adventures both near and far. It is Sandford’s hope that by sharing what he loves, others will share in that love - promoting positive change in the preservation of our wild spaces and those wonderful creatures who inhabit them.

You can find Sandford’s work in many traditional international publications including National Geographic, Outdoor Photographer, Canadian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, The Surfer’s Journal, MacLean’s, Natures Best and many others. 

Follow online at davesandfordphotos.com / Instagram: @davesandford / 

Facebook: Sandford Photography / Twitter: @dave_sandford / TikTok: @davesandford and LinkedIn: Dave Sandford

International award-winning photographer Dave Sandford is best known for his dramatic collection, Lake Erie - Liquid Mountains.  Submerging himself into the freezing waters of Erie, Sandford’s striking images reveal the violent & breathtaking beauty of this Great Lake.

His viral waves paved the way for a lifelong dream, a meaningful career in conservation & wildlife photography.

Sandford, a native of London, ON. Canada originally established himself as a world class photographer around the ‘frozen ponds’ of the National Hockey League. During Sandford’s time at his Alma Mater - Toronto Metropolitan University, Sandford channelled himself into the world of professional sports photography. Sandford’s work in sports quickly grabbed the attention of others & he found himself with a rinkside seat at the professional ranks before he even completed his degree.

Sandford’s storied career in professional sports brought him international recognition & established Sandford early on as one of the leaders in the industry. With over 25 years of experience Sandford’s work has landed him roles with sports giants such as the NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Sports Illustrated and Getty Images to name a few. While Sandford still has a foothold on pro sports, these days you are more likely to find Dave face to face with a polar bear on frozen tundra or dancing with whales under the sea.

Throughout Sandford’s career the call of the wild continually whispered in his ear.  Sandford’s passion for nature and wildlife led Dave down a path with strong ties to conservation. In 2015 when Sandford’s Liquid Mountain’s grabbed the world by storm, Sandford channelled that momentum at this pivotal point in his career, to make the shift into nature photography.

Seizing opportunities in wildlife conservation, Sandford quickly transitioned into this role, once again establishing himself as sought-after leader in the industry.  Sandford turned this into his opportunity to roam where the wild things are.

Canadian to the core, and similarly to his spirit animal, the polar bear - Sandford is right at home when the mercury dips well below the freezing mark. Making his first trip to the Arctic in 1997, Sandford now has over 20 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica to his credit. With saltwater coursing through his veins, Sandford has also taken his photographic skills into the world’s oceans, swimming alongside natures gentle giants (whales) or finding himself face to face with another of Sandford’s favourite subject’s, the great white shark.

Claws, paws or jaws, wide open spaces or tiny places, Sandford enjoys showcasing the beauty of our natural world, blended with exciting and insightful storytelling from his adventures both near and far. It is Sandford’s hope that by sharing what he loves, others will share in that love - promoting positive change in the preservation of our wild spaces and those wonderful creatures who inhabit them. 

You can find Sandford’s work in many traditional international publications including National Geographic, Outdoor Photographer, Canadian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, The Surfer’s Journal, MacLean’s, Natures Best and many others. 

Follow online at davesandfordphotos.com / Instagram: @davesandford / 

Facebook: Sandford Photography / Twitter: @dave_sandford / TikTok: @davesandford and LinkedIn: Dave Sandford

Though it seemed like photographing them was his destiny, Green actually aspired to be a documentary photographer. Becoming the Cubs photographer, he recalls, was serendipitous. Green was doing a graduate thesis on Wrigley Field, then owned by the Wrigley family at the Art Institute of Chicago, but unable to afford the tuition, he still decided to work on the project independently. For the next year, he covered publicity events and the seventh inning stretches. When the Wrigleys sold the ballpark to the Tribune Company at the end of the 1981 season and with their photographer retiring, Green was offered the position of official photographer. In his 35 years, he’s photographed alongside Associated Press and Sports Illustrated photographers including Walter Iooss, John Biever, Neil Leifer and Brad Mangin. One of things he’s picked up over time is shooting things that moves. With that in mind when on assignment for magazines, Green explains the different approaches in shooting a baseball game outside of the basics. “If you’re shooting for a trading card, you just need very clean peak action,” he says. “If you’re working for a magazine, it’s usually a story specifically driven about a player and you want, like in Sports Illustrated or those magazines, a picture that’s got a lot of emotion in it and a lot of intense action.” Of all the Cubs teams he’s photographed over three decades, Green states the 2016 Cubs were his favorite to shoot because the group had grown up together and had developed a history, unlike previous years where players acquired through trades and free agency didn’t stick around for long. “This team’s really kind of cool,” he says. “I really love photographing [infielder] Javier Baez. He’s so athletic. He’s so excitable and fun to shoot. They’re all so different. Kris Bryant is very classic. His form is really good. He’s really easy to take a good picture of. Same with [Anthony] Rizzo. His swing is so perfect. But Anthony Rizzo is very emotional. He’s very responsive.” We talk about his love of photography, jazz and blues, Oprah and rain delays.

Dr. Dan Mickool had an idea during the pandemic about soap and cleaning products, something he had been making for himself for years. One thing lead to other and Ryan Crawford jumped into help and Maine Farm House Brands was formed. A deep connection to the land, farms, ocean, and natural products are not a new fad here in Maine. Local craftsmen, farmers, and fishermen have produced products we’ve used for generations. We have close communities built on honesty and integrity. We think honest-made products are best and we trust that you will agree. 

At Maine Farmhouse Brands, our growing concern about chemicals in personal care products based on petroleum led us to formulate without using these hormone disrupting and toxic substances. We want to feel good about our families using soaps and cleaners especially those with sensitive skin.

At Maine Farmhouse we practice environmental stewardship caring for all creation.

Check out the website mainefarmhousebrands.com

Claudia Christian is an American actress, singer and author, known for her roles as Commander Susan Ivanova on Babylon 5, as Captain Maynard on Fox's 9-1-1, and as the voice of Hera on the Netflix series Blood of Zeus. She is also the voice of Helga Sinclair in Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Claudia Christian began her career on stage as a child in Connecticut. She booked her first television job as a teenager in the hugely popular series "Dallas" and never stopped working. She has been in dozens of films and hundreds of hours of TV. She became a sci-fi icon with her portrayal of "Susan Ivanova" in the Hugo and Emmy award winning series, "Babylon 5". She has worked with legends such as Morgan Freeman, Michael Keaton, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Faye Dunaway, Bob Hope, Don Ameche, George Clooney, Nicolas Cage, Sharon Stone and more in her 35+ year career. She lends her distinctive voice to dozens of the world's most popular games and is a published author of non fiction and fiction. Claudia runs C Three Foundation and is a TEDx speaker. In 2014 she produced the award winning documentary "One Little Pill" and is a passionate activist. She is the founder and CEO of the C Three Foundation, a proponent of the medication based Sinclair Method for treating alcohol dependence. Christian wrote a memoir in 2012 (Babylon Confidential) that tells of her experiences in Hollywood and her battle with alcohol addiction. The book was #1 on Amazon and has mostly 5 star reviews. She also writes alternative history novels. Tor/Macmillan published Wolf's Empire in 2016 to terrific reviews. She has a new young adult novel coming out in 2020 also with Tor/Macmillan. In 2014 she produced a documentary about TSM (One Little Pill) that explains the science behind the treatment and takes a look at real people on TSM. It is available on Amazon, Hulu and Tubi

Check out her website https://claudiachristian.net check out her Instagram www.instagram.com/officialclaudiachristian

and her foundation cthreefoundation.org

Jessica comes from a photo journalistic background and it shows in her work. With a diploma in Professional Photo Imaging and a Degree in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing /Advertising, Jessica has worked with such Companies as the Vancouver Canucks, Getty Images and has been published in multiple Sports Fishing Magazines and other publications.  With an editorial based shooting style, Jessica has been capturing Sports fishing for over 10 years. In her early life, growing up on the ocean in Vancouver British Columbia; Jessica could be found running boats, sailing and fishing around the Pacific North West.  It was there that Jessica’s passion for Photography and Nature grew into a profession. Jessica played Hockey at Wayne State and played in a school-record 132 consecutive games, never missing a game in her four-year career ... named to the CHA All-Academic Team.  Jessica currently resides in the Bitterroot of Montana. Her website www.jessicahaydahlphotography.com and instagram www.instagram.com/haydahlphoto/

Paula Smith was named Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at UC Irvine on June 6, 2019.

Smith is one of 50 female Division I athletic directors nationally and the second at UCI following Linda Dempsay (1977-1983) who was the country’s first female athletic director at an NCAA Division I school. Smith has over 30 years of experience in college athletic administration, 17 of those at UCI. She previously served as executive associate athletic director (2008 to 2012), senior associate athletic director (2006 to 2008) and assistant athletic director for academic and student services (2000 to 2001). Additionally, she was associate athletics director at UC Riverside from 2001 to 2006. She began her career at the Big West Conference office, starting as a compliance intern and finishing as an assistant commissioner.

Smith is active in campus entities such as the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics, the Chancellor’s Advisory Council, and the Campus Ethics and Compliance Risk Committee. In addition to her UCI duties, Smith serves on the DI-AAA ADA Executive Committee and the DI-AAA ADA All-Sports Trophy Committee. Smith has also served on the NCAA Division I Council from 2017 to 2021, the NCAA Division I Competition Oversight Committee from 2015 to 2021, and the NCAA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Committee from 2014 to 2017. Other committees served during her tenure are the NCAA Minority Opportunity and Interest Committee with the Division I Strategic Planning Cabinet, NCAA Progress towards Degree Waiver Committee, NACWAA Nomination Committee, and CCACA Committee. Over the past 25 years, she has served on several national panels.

A native of Alamogordo, NM, she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing at New Mexico State University.

With Smith serving as Athletic Director, UCI teams have advanced to the NCAA Championships five times and claimed seven Big West titles. Several teams have been ranked nationally, including women’s water polo and men’s volleyball who have each been as high as No. 3 in the country. Individually, 20 student-athletes were honored as All-America, nine as Big West Player of the Year, four as conference Newcomer of the Year, 137 as all-conference and 302 as all-academic.

Tommy Martino is the photography manager working for the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. Tommy Martino is an award-winning photographer and photojournalist based in Missoula, Montana. Tommy graduated in 2014 from the Montana School of Journalism. Tommy went on to intern and work as a photojournalist at papers in Michigan, Montana and Wyoming. Tommy is an award-winning photographer and photojournalist based in Missoula, Montana. We talk about finding photography, being whiling to travel for a job, working and living in cold places as well as the challenges of being the lead photographer at a University. We can see Tommy's work at his website www.tommymartinophoto.com and follow him on Instagram www.instagram.com/tommymartinophoto

All trees have a life cycle, so Street Tree Revival are making every effort to save the trees we can from ending up in landfills. When city trees need to be removed, we preserve their natural beauty and also limit carbon emissions by salvaging trees lost during storms, disease, or normal senescence and recycling this wood into useable raw lumber.

Our urban wood offers a story unlike any other as they have been salvaged from our city streets… a true Street Tree Revival. 

Why urban wood? We have these beautiful heritage trees that provide a ton of resources and can give a new life if we allow ourselves to build something new out of them. We also once had this hundreds of years old tree that we got to witness scientists cut through and examine it, estimating it as one of the oldest in the known universe. They found bullets inside it, which was crazy. Abraham Lincoln could have stood under it. If you put it in a chipper and let it mulch up, that’s not honoring its whole story.

Another reason to use urban wood is because California is blessed with a diverse array of species of trees. San Diego has over 900 species of trees for example. The West Coast is typically a soft wood market, but there are so many exotic trees like eucalyptus globulus from Australia, Tasmanian blackwood from Tasmania, carob from Southeast Asia, eucalyptus camaldulensis, and the ficus from India. Who knew North Indian rosewood would be growing on the streets of California, Arizona, and Nevada? It is kind of invasive but look at the beautiful wood that has been going in the trash all these years.

From one log alone, you can get 3,500 board feet, which could be enough to floor an entire house. There are so many resources that aren’t being tapped into or not being tapped into well enough. People need to realize that what they have in their front yard is valuable beyond when it’s still standing.

124 million tons of CO2e could be sequestered nationally from urban hardwood over the next 30 years. “Could be” is key. We currently don’t have the best management practices to harvest that wood and turn it into useable lumber; it’s more beneficial for cities and contractors not to use the wood. Urban trees in the U.S. hold about 774 million tons of carbon. Look how much is stored in our urban forest right now. The more trees we plant, the bigger the waste stream will eventually be. This means we need to think about what happens to trees in their next stage of life.

50% of above-ground is suitable for solid hardwood products. We’re currently making benches from logs that can only be 20 inches wide, so we’re not just talking about the big ones. Small ones work, too.

Also, urban lumber is valued greater than forest grade because of history, unusual figure, and personal meaning. Just like how Abraham Lincoln stood under this oak tree. When we chop a tree like that down, you can turn it into something else like a table or a mantelpiece to keep the tree alive for even longer.

A board foot is a 12-inch by 12-inch by 1-inch piece of lumber. For each board foot of wood, there is 4.7 pounds of carbon. We have at least 8,000 board feet in our showroom, which equates to over 37,000 pounds of CO2 stored! Each kiln load is 3,000-4,000 board feet, which is 14,000-18,000 pounds of stored carbon. By turning this wood into lumber, it keeps the carbon from going back into the atmosphere.

STR is located all over the state, collecting trees from Northern California and milling them up there and drying them down here in Southern California or vice versa. We also do work in Arizona and Nevada, just like WCA. It takes a team to get this profound amount of wood (300 tons of green waste a day) through our systems.

Reformed fine-dining chef Joseph Mahon (ex-Bastide in West Hollywood) has made a name for himself in the last few years with a menu of highly regarded premium burgers at Burger Parlor in Orange and Fullerton. Everything there is from scratch including the ketchup.

Adapting to weathering the lingering Covid 19 crisis Chef Joseph has morphed his two Burger Parlor locations to Jaxon’s Scratch-Made Chix Tenders with the same commitment to premium quality using all-natural, antibiotic free chicken. On the compact menu are 2, 3 and 4 piece chicken tender meals (served with crinkle fries,) a chicken sandwich and a teriyaki bowl with teriyaki basted chicken tenders, steamed veggies and white rice. House prepared sides include a side salad, pickles, sweet potato fries, crinkle fries, coleslaw and mac & cheese. A wide selection of rotating craft beers on tap is also part of the menu.

To complement the chicken tenders are a variety of dipping sauces. The house specialty is Jaxon’s Cajun Sauce. Premium Sauce selections are Polynesian, Scorpion Vinegar, Garlic Herb Parmesan, Reaper BBQ, Lemon-Lime Pepper and Blue Cheese.Joseph Mahon has been involved in the restaurant industry since he was 16 years old. Joseph quickly moved through the ranks in the local restaurant scene and enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Joseph's drive and passion landed him working weekends for free in New York City's 3 and 4 star kitchens. Eventually, he earned an intern position at Cafe Boulud with Andrew Carmellini. Upon graduating from school, Joseph was picked from his class to go work in the south of France. Returning to the United States, his passion for food led him back to Cafe Boulud in NYC. Feeling secure in his cooking foundation from Daniel Boulud and Andrew Carmellini; Joseph went on to take positions at Danube and Bouley under David Bouley where he was Chef de Partie. Joseph moved back to California to become Sous Chef of Sona with David Myers in Los Angeles. He was recruited for opening Chef de Cuisine position of the Fairmont Newport Beach and Executive Chef of 208 Rodeo in Beverly Hills.

Joseph went on to become Executive Chef of the now 'infamous' Bastide in West Hollywood. Critics noted his ability to do the simple things very well, maximizing flavors of his ingredients, innovative technique and overall balance on all of his plates. During his tenure, Bastide was awarded Top Food in Zagat with 27 for food. 4.5 Stars for opentable.com, 2.5 stars from the LA Times and Best Restaurant by LA FEAST with a score of 93.

He went on open 'Burger Mondays' at Bastide which turned out to be a huge hit. Joseph was surprised and inspired at the reactions of such a simple dish. Joseph notes, “Every Monday there was at least 2-3 people saying it was the best burger they ever had. At that moment, I knew what I was going to do next”.

 My guest Richard Mackson also photographed football all levels. We’ve both seen changes in the way this wonderful sport has been covered over the years. Today we dive into football etiquette.

Former Vice President at Kodak and Sports Illustrated photographer Richard Mackson talks about 40 years in the photo industry.  Richard has photographed World Cup Soccer, America’s Cup Yachting, fourteen Olympic Games, Rose Bowls, the Oscars, Kentucky Derbies, NCAA Final Fours, BCS/CFP Championships, NBA Finals, over thirty Super Bowls, Stanley Cups, World Championship Boxing, and countless other national and international sporting events. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Arts Education from California State University, Long Beach, and is also a frequent and enthusiastic speaker and lecturer on photography, technology and business strategy topics.  Today Richard resides in Santa Monica, California with his wife Joy and their daughter Lauren.

Jill Connelly is a documentary photographer and educator based in Los Angeles. She is a contributor to Zuma Press and her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, TIME magazine, Newsweek Japan, People, The Globe and Mail, The San Francisco Chronicle,  the Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe and many others. She has produced images for the Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters  and for five years worked as a contract photographer for the Los Angeles Times. Her images are included in the books “Wichita: Coming Home, Going Global” and “4:31– Images of the 1994 Los Angeles Earthquake.” Her work has also been exhibited in numerous group shows at galleries and other venues. Her current project, “Living With the Dead,” explores cemeteries as places for celebrations of life, art, culture and history.

She has enjoyed photographing numerous celebrities, athletes and politicians, including Rosa Parks, Shaquille O’Neal and Bill Clinton, but her favorite stories are those of the ordinary people who have overcome hardships, and have interesting stories to tell of their journey along the way.

Jill has done work for NGOs as well. She traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo and photographed the subjects of education, malnutrition, child soldiers, survival and sexual violence for UNICEF. She also went to Greece to photograph the refugee crisis for Allied Aid and photographs for The Red Cross in Los Angeles

Jill teaches photojournalism at Pierce College where she is the Chair of the Media Arts department and advisor for the campus newspaper and magazine. She has also taught at Brooks Institute of Photography and with the UCLA Student Media program.

She has a master’s degree in Journalism with a photojournalism concentration from Boston University and a bachelor’s in Communication from State University of New York (SUNY) Plattsburgh, where she minored in Photography. She also completed a social media certificate at Cal State Dominguez Hills and has created social media content for Allied Aid and Pierce College.

Dr. Tiffany Herbert is the Associate Vice President for Health and Well-Being at California State University-Dominguez Hills. Herbert has been with CSUDH for 18 years, ever since she arrived on campus as a pre-doctoral psychology intern. She fell in love with the campus and its students, and was officially hired as a full-time counselor in January 2005. Over the years, Herbert has held several positions on campus, including a year as chair of the Africana Studies department. As such, she’s developed relationships with faculty, staff, and students from all areas of the university.

Mike Greenlee and I sit down talk about MLB baseball playoffs.  We are both Dodgers fans and we discuss their game against San Diego as well as the Yankees, Albert Pujols, Angels and more. Mike is in the Cal State Fullerton Hall of Fame as he was a pitcher with a devastating slider. I've shot over 1000 MLB games and spent 4 years as the Angels team photographer. We both worked together at CSF covering college baseball and doing a documentary on Rosenblatt Stadium in 2010.

Jason is a CSU, Chico alumnus in communication design and former photo editor for The Orion. He also has an MFA in photography from the Academy of Art in San Francisco. Previously, he worked as a staff photographer for the Chico Enterprise-Record, where he won two first-place awards for his photos from the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Among his duties are taking photos for Chico State publications and web pages, covering campus events, and managing a database of university images. We talk about finding his love of photography, his newspaper career and finding home at Chino State.

Cristina Salvador Klenz, a photojournalist, freelance photographer, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism degree majoring in Photojournalism (1986). Cristina's documentary photography work on the Roma culture has been published worldwide in Aperture, Geo France, Interfacemagazine in Paris, and the textbook Photojournalism the Professional's Approach. She also received a National Endowment for the Arts/WESTAF grant for her work on the Roma culture. She was a grant finalist for the Alicia Patterson Foundation and the Nikon Documentary Grant. Her Roma images are in the collection of The Romani Archives & Documentation Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Cristina's interest in psychology inspired her to purse an additional Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Cal State University Long Beach (2005) and a Master of Education Curriculum and Instruction/Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State Univeristy (2015). In 2020 she became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

She currently works as a behavior intervention assistant for Long Beach (CA) Unified School District.

Kyle Zedaker is in his fourth year as the Team Photographer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After graduating from LSU in 2016, Kyle landed an internship with the Minnesota Vikings for a season. College came calling in May of 2017 and Kyle found himself at the University of Tennessee. After wearing orange for 15 months he moved up sunshine state to work for the Bucs. We talk about find photography, pushing he's limits in his art and dealing with athletes.

Christopher Bates is a proud family man and has passionately worked in sports medicine and human performance for over a decade. He is both a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), as well as a Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach (RSCC). Bates' experiences and paradigms for excellence have led to the creation and establishment of several holistic sports medicine and athletic-performance skill development programs across all levels of athletics including Olympic, University, High School and youth. We talk about finding a college, picking a career and making his Industry better. Chris a wonderful podcast The ATLast Podcast.

Dominic DiSaia is a native of Los Angeles. He once co-piloted an Italian Fighter Jet. He shares a birthdate with Albert Einstein. He drank beer from the Stanley Cup. And he was ejected from a basketball game after an altercation with Steve Urkel. Dominic loves the creative process and collaboration. He thrives on challenges. He has photographed the largest personalities in the sports world and has the ability to draw the best out of his subjects.

We talked about spending the day with Vin Scully, getting autographs and opening on a photo studio. Check him out on instagram www.instagram.com/dominicdisaia and his website www.dominicdisaia.com. HIs new photo studio Fourteen Studio. www.fourteenstudios.com

Being recruited as a college athlete is no easy matter, the choices you make will effect your life for ever, Hailey Pohevitz was the first in her family to go through this process. The battle scars of that experience and playing college soccer changed her forever, it turned out it made her stronger than ever. Hailey was recruited to Cal State Fullerton, for three years she was lost on the teams depth chart, a suspension on a team trip and then an injury was the final straw. She left CSUF and moves east to Southern Mississippi to finish out her playing career and start her career path in law enforcement. 

I seat down with my mom Chris Brown and we talk about how she handled when my father Tom Brown passed away in 2001 unexpectedly. A couple years later she wrote a book about the experience and for years talked to groups about what to expect when it happens to you. 

Paul Olden is the current public address announcer for the New York Yankees at Yankees Stadium. He has been the announcer since the Yankees moved to their new ballpark in 2009. Born in Chicago, Olden moved with his family to Los Angeles  as a child. He attended Dorsey High school and Los Angeles City College. Olden was formerly a radio and television play-by-play announcer for the Yankees,  Tamps Bay Devil Rays, California Angels, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Eagles,  UCLA Bruins, Los Angels Rams, New York Jets, New York Nets and ESPN. Olden was the target of Los Angels Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda's infamous and profanity laden "Dave Kingman tirade" in 1978, in which Lasorda ranted at Olden (who worked at Los Angels radio station KLAC at the time) when he asked him about Kingman having hit three home runs against the Dodgers that day. He was also the PA announcer for 13 consecutive Super Bowls from 1993 to 2005.Olden replaced Jim Hill, the successor to Bob Sheppard, who had been the Yankees announcer since 1951.