Podcast: Passing the Podcast Keys with Derek Fahsbender and Allan Weitz

01/16/2025Link1

Allan Weitz had little idea of the grand photographic adventures in store when he signed on as host of the B&H Photography Podcast shortly before the show’s debut in October 2015. As a self-described big mouth, and with more than 40 years as a working pro fueling his curiosity about all things photographic, Allan quickly honed his chops to become the voice of the show.

Above photograph © Allan Weitz

The image that launched Allan’s career on the cover of Nautical Quarterly #4. Along with awards, it led to diverse corporate and advertising assignments.
The image that launched Allan’s career on the cover of Nautical…
For an article on Hinkley Yacht Company, Allan needed a to make a strong vertical out of an elongated horizontal subject. He succeeded by framing the bright red hull of a ship in dry dock against a polarized blue sky.
For an article on Hinkley Yacht Company, Allan needed a to make a…
A selection of some of the more than 80 magazine covers Allan photographed over the years.
A selection of some of the more than 80 magazine covers Allan…
Lobster boat builder Alvin Beales in his boat shop with a scale model of one of the boats he built as a younger man, Beale Island, Maine.
Lobster boat builder Alvin Beales in his boat shop with a scale model…
Slipcase cover for Nautical Quarterly #6, which also generated a bunch of assignments for Allan, boating and otherwise.
Slipcase cover for Nautical Quarterly #6, which also generated a bunch…
One of about a dozen Merit cigarette advertisements Allan photographed during his career.
One of about a dozen Merit cigarette advertisements Allan photographed…
Milton Glaser gave Allan two weeks to transverse the country photographing for this Esquire magazine book review of The 10 Best Roadside Diners.
Milton Glaser gave Allan two weeks to transverse the country…
Allan Weitz, except when noted in captions

Today’s episode marks a crossroads, as Allan passes his hosting mic to the show’s incoming host, Derek Fahsbender, producer and host of the B&H Event Space. During a lively chat, we celebrate Allan’s long and successful career, both on assignment and at the helm of the podcast, with some never before told stories and audio clips from memorable interactions with guests.

Allan with his Hasselblad SWC/M Superwide, in his opinion the finest camera series ever designed.
Allan with his Hasselblad SWC/M Superwide, in his opinion the finest…
A recent landscape depicts the lighthouse at Tybee Island, GA, the type of work Allan enjoys doing these days.
A recent landscape depicts the lighthouse at Tybee Island, GA, the type…
Time exposure using split diffusion and color-balanced flashlights, which Allan made for a series of toy portraits. The gear he used in this series spanned 4x5 film to digital capture with a Fujifilm S2 Pro DSLR.
Time exposure using split diffusion and color-balanced flashlights,…
This infrared landscape was selected for inclusion in a group show curated by John Paul Caponigro, one of Allan’s personal honors.
This infrared landscape was selected for inclusion in a group show…
Sunrise in the rose garden at Elizabeth Park, Hartford, CT. One of Allan’s favorite locations for making pictures in walking distance of home.
Sunrise in the rose garden at Elizabeth Park, Hartford, CT. One of…
A sprig of dill pops against an abstract yellow background.
A sprig of dill pops against an abstract yellow background.
Bench #4, a simple black & white view made with a 50mm lens and a wide aperture, is typical of Allan’s current personal work. In the past year, this image has appeared in a half-dozen exhibits.
Bench #4, a simple black & white view made with a 50mm lens and a wide…
Allan Weitz in the custom-designed podcast booth he set up in his basement. Photo © Jill Waterman
Allan Weitz in the custom-designed podcast booth he set up in his…
Allan Weitz, except when noted in captions

A few of the many topics we cover include, how a kid from Sheepshead Bay made a name for himself photographing classic yachts, the ways in which Allan’s time behind a New Jersey deli counter enhanced his ability to engage with people on a human level—among other benefits to career reinvention—and how his shift into podcasting taught him to use his voice as an instrument.

As Allan aptly summarized for attendees of the podcast team’s 2018 presentation of Podcasting 101: “It’s not always what you say, but how you say it.”

Guest: Allan Weitz

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Episode Timeline

  • 3:38: Allan’s B&H Event Space segment from Podcasting 101.
  • 8:35: The back story to Allan’s one-word podcast intro “Greetings!”
  • 10:44: Allan’s chat with digital camera inventor Steve Sasson about their shared Brooklyn roots.
  • 13:56: Allan’s hosting skills as a court jester—or Tummler in Yiddish.
  • 16:12: Gear talk, and a clip from Allan’s chat with Bellamy Hunt of The Japan Camera Hunter.
  • 21:19: Allan waxes poetic about his love for the Hasselblad Superwide, plus his early adoption of digital gear.
  • 28:24: Branching out from commercial assignments to tech writing and other things.
  • 38:18: Episode break
  • 39:27: Memorable stories and life lessons from Allan’s assignment career.
  • 44:22: Allan’s entrée to the world of yachting photography and portfolio tips.
  • 50:44: Allan’s career evolution in the rarified 1980s photography landscape.
  • 57:31: The art of the interview and the value of collaboration among the podcast team.
  • 59:53: Getting beyond difficult pictures during an interview with Bruce Gilden.
  • 1:03:50: Upcoming plans and Allan’s Kodachrome book project.
  • 1:10:31: Allan offers listeners his Tusen Takks for their trust in his time behind the mic.

Guest Bio:

Allan Weitz started taking pictures when digital meant doing something with your fingers. A graduate of New York City’s High School of Art and Design and the School of Visual Arts, Allan is the founding host of the B&H Photography Podcast, one of the highest-rated photography podcasts in Apple's Creative Arts category.

For more than 50 years, Allan’s photographs have graced the covers and inside pages of dozens of publications, including New York magazine, Esquire, GQ, Yachting, and Nautical Quarterly. Many of these images have won him awards from the New York, Philadelphia, and New Jersey Art Directors Clubs, the Graphic Artists Guild, Art Direction Magazine, Print, and Graphis, among others. 

More recently, Allan has had great success exhibiting—and winning awards for—his photos as fine art prints, as well as dabbling with artificial intelligence using the traditional photos from his vast image library as source material. 

Stay Connected:

Allan Weitz Website: https://www.allanweitz.com/

Allan Weitz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allanweitz/

Allan Weitz articles on the B&H Explora Blog: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/users/allan-weitz

Podcasting 101 with the B&H Photography Podcast Team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd2KDaNSjGI

Steve Sasson Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/invention-of-digital-camera

Japan Camera Hunter Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/podcast-the-japan-camera-hunter

Graham Nash Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/graham-nash-ace-photographer-digital-printing-pioneer-music-legend-the-bh

Bruce Gilden Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/closer-look-bruce-gilden

Founding Host: Allan Weitz

Incoming Host: Derek Fahsbender

Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman

Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein

Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

1 Comment

jeffrey K.
5 hours ago

Thank you for your many years illuminating so many sides of photography. Sorry we never had an official conversation.

Never realized beside photography love we share lives that included Sheepshead Bay (29th & V) and SVA. Best of joy in "retirement".