West Coast Focus TV Talk Show About Photography
West Coast Focus, a new TV talk show produced by Access Monterey Peninsula (AMP), aired its first episode March 10, 2016. Created and hosted by Monterey Bay photographer Steve Zmak, the monthly show focuses on West Coast Photography with Monterey County at its core, including its legacy, its contemporaries, and its future. The show airs Thursdays, Noon and 7pm, and Friday, 1pm. The show reruns at these times each week until a new episode airs on the second Thursday of the month on AMP Comcast Ch. 27 and ATT Ch. 99 (Monterey, AMP2). It can also be streamed internationally on AMPMedia.org AMP 2. Each hour-long show will feature a panel of West Coast photographers and focus on a designated photography topic, such as a photographer, exhibit, institution, sub-genre, or work style. Zmak will lead the panel in a discussion on the show’s topic and other relevant photo subjects of the day, and feature their photography as well.
Viewers will see at least 100 photos per one-hour episode! The first episode featured 123 photos. Viewers will learn about photography’s rich heritage in Monterey County—which started nearly a century ago with Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and many more—and how that is being kept alive today. The premiere episode focused on photographer Richard Garrod’s Influence on West Coast Photography, and was sponsored by the Center for Photographic Art (Sunset Center, Carmel). Guests included Jack Wasserbach, Tracy Valleau, and Barbara Moon Batista, with a special appearance by Bob Nielsen. It also featured Garrod interview footage by Valleau.
Photography and Social Action was the topic for the second episode that aired April 7, 2016 with photographers Bob Sadler, Elizabeth Murray, Jerry Takigawa, and Kira Carrillo Corser; and was sponsored by the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club (founded by Ansel Adams in 1963).
The third episode aired May 12, 2016 on the topic of Fine Artists Shooting Commercially featuring guests Tom Gundelfinger O’Neal, Robert Ellis and Craig Lovell, and sponsored by Batista Moon Studio in Monterey. It also featured the work of 9 Monterey Bay professionals, and an instructional video on How to Jazz Up a Product Shot. More than 250 photos were shown during the 1-hour episode.
The fourth episode aired July 14, 2016 about Underwater Explorers with photographers Art Haseltine, Scott Campbell and Chuck Davis with additional photography by Ryuijie, and his collaborations with Camille Lenore, plus videos of how Seth Casteel shoots his Underwater Puppies. This episode was sponsored by Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo in Monterey.
The fifth episode aired August 11, 2016 on the Weston Scholarship with guests and scholarship winners Lane Olson, Eduardo Sandoval and Edwin Franco featuring an interview with program founders Gina & Kim Weston, and scholarship winner Annabelle Scott. This episode was sponsored by Myrick Photographic in Monterey.
The sixth episode aired September 8, 2016 about Pushing the Wet Darkroom with guest photographers Martha Casanave, Jane Olin and Robin Robinson featuring a printing demo by Zach Weston straight from the Wildcat Hill darkroom in Carmel Highlands, and featuring the photography of Beverly Rayner, Greg Mettler & Robertson Parkman. The episode was sponsored by photographer Kim Cohan and Telemetrix Network Solutions in Marina.
Monterey Photo Clubs was the topic for the seventh episode that aired December 8, 2016 with photographers Les Ellis from Independent Photographers, Ken Jones from Padre Trails Camera Club, and Richard Cannon from The ImageMakers of Monterey, and featuring a special interview with photographer Christine Holding about Monterey Photography (Mo-Pho), the Facebook group with more than 1,400 members. They showed their photography as well as a bank of images from their club members. The episode was sponsored by Coastal Giclee & Supplies in Carmel.
Landscape & Nature Photography, Part 1 originally aired Thursday, January 12, 2017, with photographer panelists Cara Weston, David Gubernick and Greg Weeks, and featuring photography from 14 other artists in this genre. The episode was sponsored by Kantishna Roadhouse Backcountry Lodge in Denali National Park, Alaska.
Landscape & Nature Photography, Part 2 originally aired Thursday, March 9, 2017, with photographer panelists William Giles, Kenneth Parker and Will Furman, and featuring a recorded interview with Brett Thomas at Point Lobos by Roger Aguirre Smith, and Robin Ward’s Above the Sea Portfolio of drone photography and video. The episode was sponsored by art patron Nick Papadakis of Carmel Valley.
Jerry Uelsmann’s Influence & Post Visualization originally aired Thursday, May 11, 2017, with photographer panelists Craig Lovell, Mary Aiu and Eduardo Fujii, and featured clips from Craig’s just-released documentary film about Jerry Uelsmann along with photography by Huntington Witherill and Jim Kasson. The episode was sponsored by AMP Media.
Street Photography originally aired Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, with photographer panelists David Clarkson, Mark Citret and Tom Schneider, and featured photography by Matt Connors, Jeanne Rouseau Marino, Jim Messer, and Mark Wainer. This episode is sponsored by AMP Media.
Photographing Alaska originally aired Thursday, January 11, 2018, with photographer panelists Oliver Klink, Cynthia D’Vincent and Tom Schleich, and featuring photography by Annelies deKater, Peter Hemming, Tom Hierl and Kirsty Knittel. This episode is sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County.
Black & White Artists, Part 1 originally aired Thursday, March 8, 2018, with photographer panelists Richard Murai, Bob Kolbrener and Jeff Nixon, and featuring and interview with Huntington Witherill by Douglas Ethridge. This episode is sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County.
Black & White Artists, Part 2 originally aired Thursday, May 10, 2018, with photographer panelists Patrick Jablonski, Kim Weston and Carl Couchman, and featuring the photography of Robert K. Byers. This episode is sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County.
Abstract Photography originally aired Thursday, July 6, 2018, with photographer panelists Huntington Witherill, Bert Ihlenfeld and Ryuijie, and featuring part 1 of an interview with Roman Loranc in the gallery at the Center for Photographic Art. This episode is sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County.
The Interviews on Location Special is special edition of WCF showcasing the interviews we’ve featured on our program over the last 2.5 years including Richard Garrod, Kira Carrillo Corser, Gina & Kim Weston, Jerry Uelsmann, and Brett Thomas. The new episode opens with the premiere of the full 15-minute interview with Roman Loranc during his solo exhibit at the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, California earlier this year. Did you know that Roman was proclaimed by the Chinese government to be the King of Photography? Hear all about it and more! This episode is sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County.
Portrait Photography originally aired Thursday, September 20, 2018, with photographer panelists Scott Campbell, Christine Holding and Chris Schmauch, and featuring an interview with Randy Tunnell in his Carmel, California home studio. The program was filmed in the gallery at the Center for Photographic Art. WARNING: This video contains outstanding and tasteful nude photography that will inspire the soul. This episode is sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County.
Upcoming shows include: Night Photography, Aerial Photography, Monterey Photographers Teaching Internationally, Henry Gilpin and the MPC Instructors, Defining the West Coast Genre, William Giles’ Influence, and Photographer Writers.
West Coast Focus is a nonprofit benefit to the community. Each of the first 11 episodes were sponsored by members of the Monterey County and greater photography community. All episodes produced in 2018 starting with #12 are sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County thanks to funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Each episode features original music by Bill Speacht (Comadog.com). To inquire about supporting the program, contact Zmak at steve@stevezmak.com or 831-883-4459. Access Monterey Peninsula is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 charity. All donations are tax-exempt.
2018 episodes are sponsored by
