Ian Spanier | Coffee with Creators

Join host Seth Miranda (@LastXwitness) LIVE on Wednesdays at 11 AM ET from the Event Space at Adorama in NYC for an insider conversation with fellow creators, professionals, industry peers, and more. Thank you to Tenba, Westcott, and Gotham Coffee Roasters for sponsoring this episode ✨ https://www.adorama.com/brands/Tenba https://www.adorama.com/brands/Westcott https://www.gothamroasters.com/ 🔘 Photographer, Ian Spanier Born in Connecticut and raised in Westchester, New York, Ian Spanier has had a lifelong interest in photography — since age 6, to be specific, when his parents gave him his first camera: a Kodak Disc. For two decades after, Ian did everything he could not to become a photographer — yet he somehow always found himself with camera in hand, composing pictures and telling stories. In college, Ian majored in art and psychology, and his first career aspiration was to work in sports medicine as a trainer for a professional team. Even after he abandoned that plan in favor of photography, though, he spent much more of his time on the back end — as a magazine photo editor, assigning and organizing shoots rather than creating images himself. As the years passed, though, he found himself increasingly in the field and not behind a desk — and realized, however circuitously, that he had found his true calling after all. These days, as comfortable hanging off the edge of a cliff as he is in the studio, Ian’s happy to go to just about any length to get the shot. He has long said that his brain doesn’t really have a “fear switch,” but there was always one exception: sharks. Not wanting to self- impose professional limitations, however, several years ago Ian took it upon himself to go to South Africa, submerge himself in a protective cage and go face-to-face with the Great White. This episode seems to have cured him of his phobia — a result perhaps psychology-major Ian could have shed some light on back in college. Ian lives in Los Angeles full time now, and is available for assignments in New York, California . . . and anyplace else that’s accessible by plane, train, car, horse, dune buggy, bungee cord, camel or mule. If it can be reached by legs, hooves, hooks, wheels or wings, it’s fair game for an Ian Spanier shoot. Spanier considers himself primarily self-taught in lighting. Absorbing lighting styles from his time as a photo editor, studying photography books and portfolios then he really began his “10,000 hours” …and then some. Taking a unique path to find his personal style, Spanier credits finding his inspiration from natural light first and foremost, making mental note of the constant subtle, and not-so-subtle changes in light. Then with equipment, taking those mental notes and transforming them in the studio with artificial lighting in repeatable style. 🔘 Host, Seth Miranda Seth Miranda is a New York City photographer known for commercial, editorial portrait, and SFX makeup photography. His work has been featured in MakeUp Artist Magazine and IMATS, as well as billboard and print ads for agencies like Deutsch. Seth is a content producer and host on AdoramaTV and has been a speaker at conventions such as ImagingUSA, Photokina, ShutterFest, PhotoPlus, and WPPI. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:42 Ian Spanier: editor to celebrity photographer 04:12 Learning light from the sun 05:42 Developing style and client stories 07:12 Why light meters matter 10:31 Light meters and high-speed sync 14:00 Aperture and depth of field 18:10 Creating atmosphere and evolving style 20:35 Navigating industries and clients 23:00 Efficient shooting and time management 25:13 Overcoming fear: shark story 27:42 Safety on set: fire shoot 31:58 Lighting gear and portable power 35:51 Personal projects and career growth 42:32 Sharing knowledge and standards 48:10 Longevity, professionalism, and vibe 50:42 Publishing and gallery recognition 53:34 Phones and social media impact 57:59 Fast delivery and live shooting 01:02:40 Embracing tech: AI and cloud 01:05:50 Outro SUBSCRIBE AND BE PART OF THE ADORAMA FAMILY: ➥ https://www.youtube.com/user/adoramaTV __________________________________ Be the first to shop our great deals and sales by signing up for emails from Adorama! https://www.adorama.com/MyAccount/Login #ianspanier #photography #adorama __________________________________ ❐ LET'S GET SOCIAL ❏ ➥ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@adoramanyc ➥ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/adorama/ ➥ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adorama/ ➥ Twitter https://twitter.com/adorama ❐ MORE ADORAMA ❏ ➥ Shop https://www.adorama.com/ ➥ Blog https://www.adorama.com/alc/ ➥ Adorama Events https://www.youtube.com/@AdoramaEvents __________________________________ More of Ian Spanier Website: https://www.ianspanier.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianspanier/ __________________________________ THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!