Remember the wild hairstyles, the fancy dance moves, and the nights when Studio 54 ruled New York? Well, today's guest was there... camera in hand, and thankfully she kept the negatives!

In this first part of my conversation with Meryl Meisler, we travel back to the beginning of a remarkable photographic journey. Best known today for her street photography and photographs of the '70s disco era, Meryl spent decades documenting the people around her, never imagining that these everyday moments would one day find their way into books, galleries, and museum walls.

We talk about growing up on Long Island, receiving her first camera, the importance of family, discovering photography, and finding herself in the middle of New York's legendary nightlife scene. From Studio 54 and Paradise Garage to family gatherings and neighborhood streets, this may begin as a conversation about street photography, but it quickly becomes a story about family, friendship, New York, and a life lived with a camera always close at hand.

Grab a coffee, settle in, and join us for this wonderful conversation with Meryl Meisler.

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📸 See more of Meryl's work: https://www.merylmeisler.com/

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🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

Most people look at bird migrations on maps. A photographer and a biologist decided to follow one on bicycles...for 2,500 miles!

When I first reached out to Mike Forsberg, the plan was to talk about his remarkable photography career and decades of conservation storytelling. Then I discovered that Mike and his friend Andy Caven were about to set off on a bicycle journey from the Texas Gulf Coast to central Saskatchewan, following the migration route of the endangered whooping crane. Suddenly, that conversation had to wait.

Recorded during a rest day roughly halfway through their journey, this episode follows conservation photographer Mike Forsberg and conservation biologist Andy Caven as they pedal their way along one of North America's great migratory flyways. Along the way, we talk about whooping cranes, conservation, friendship, small-town encounters, life on the road, and what happens when you choose to experience migration at the speed of a bicycle.

Most of all, this is a story about curiosity, connection, and slowing down long enough to truly experience the landscapes, people, and wildlife that make this migration possible.

And don't worry—after the summer, Mike will return to The Camera Cafe Show for a much deeper conversation about his photography career, conservation storytelling, and the projects that have made him one of North America's most respected conservation photographers.

So grab a coffee, hop on your bike, and join us for a few miles along the Whooper Highway with Mike Forsberg and Andy Caven.

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🚲 Learn more about the Whooper Highway project:

https://whoopingcranechronicles.com/bike/

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📸 Mike Forsberg:

https://www.michaelforsberg.com/

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🦩 International Crane Foundation:

https://savingcranes.org/

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🎧 Your Weekly Dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

War doesn't end when the photograph is taken. For many people, that's where the story begins.

In Part 2 of this special two-part conversation, I once again sit down with Ukrainian photojournalists Oksana Parafeniuk and Iva Sidash. While Part 1 focused on home, and their personal journeys in photography, this second conversation moves deeper into the lasting impact of war on individuals, families, and communities. Together, we talk about what happens long after the headlines fade and the cameras move on.

We explore the emotional weight of documenting difficult stories, the experiences of children growing up during war, and the responsibility of telling stories that continue long after a photograph has been made. Along the way, there are also moments of hope, humor, and humanity that remind us why these stories matter in the first place.

Grab a coffee, settle in, and enjoy Part 2 of my wonderful conversation with Oksana Parafeniuk and Iva Sidash.

📸 See more of Oksana and Iva's work:

https://oksanaparafeniuk.com/

https://www.ivasidash.com/

🎙️ Listen to my first conversation with Iva Sidash, recorded in May 2023:

https://thecameracafeshow.com/ivasidash

🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com