Coffee with Creators
Looking for introspective conversations with working creators and notables in the photo, film, art, gear development, and other creative industries? Coffee with Creators, a weekly show on AdoramaTV (Adorama’s YouTube channel), is what you are searching for!! Join host Seth Miranda as he dialogues with some insanely innovative people. These are not just interviews; these are snippets of a professional’s working experience and artistic life told from the creator’s perspective. Seth is a dynamic, vivacious host whose style makes guests feel comfortable enough to open up about their process, work, struggles, and inspiration. So grab a coffee (or your beverage of choice), settle in, and get ready to be entertained, inspired, and excited by Coffee with Creators!
If you know Adorama, you know Seth Miranda. Seth is a content producer and host for AdoramaTV. He was instrumental in returning the Event Space to Adorama’s physical store on 18th Street. Seth is an accomplished New York City-based photographer known for his beauty and SFX makeup photography. His work has been featured in magazines, billboards, and print ads. Seth is also an engaging speaker, giving presentations at ImagingUSA, Photokina, ShutterFest, PhotoPlus, and WPPI.
McNally is an award-winning, industry-leading photographer whose work includes five cover stories for National Geographic and seven covers for LIFE magazine. McNally has covered five Olympics for major media outlets such as ABC Television, Sports Illustrated, and TIME Magazine. He won the first Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Journalistic Impact. He is also a proud Nikon Ambassador. McNally is a funny, charming, and extremely knowledgeable guest on Coffee With Creators.
He likes his coffee black, with two sugars. In his chat with Seth, McNally emphasizes that photography is a “quest.” It is something internal to a photographer’s character, this driving force to create. Says McNally, “….I’m like a radioactive cockroach. I’ll come out on top of the rubble. I’ll look around, and I’ll say, ‘Who needs a picture?’ Because you can’t kill us. Because we love what we do so much.” Seth and Joe talk about inspirations, ranging from the Dutch painters with their “Irish pub light” to Frank Frazetta to the superhero worlds of DC and Marvel.
McNally is known for his storytelling approach to photography, and viewers can learn a lot from his discussion of the similarity between comic book “hero” panels and photographing athletes. It is fascinating to hear McNally talk about how “light speaks like language.” Even with all of the new technology available to photographers, Joe reiterates that there will always be the quest for the photo that speaks and has its own “memory.” This conversation between Seth and Joe is a rich opportunity to hear a master of the craft explain why photography is so important, why images become iconic, and what it takes to become a legend in the business.
As a 2D and 3D illustrator and Digital Creator, Dave Reed is putting his BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in NYC to good use!. He produces classes on Skillshare and is one of their top teachers. He also creates YouTube videos with instructions and demonstrations of 3D sculpting and Resin 3D printing. In this episode, we learn that Dave was a model for Adorama live streams and photo demonstrations. We also learn that Dave is NOT a coffee drinker (!), as he indulges in hot chocolate for this talk.
Despite this break from protocol, Seth chats with Dave about his 3D art. Reed talks about influences, citing both the Baroque style artists and the Ninja Turtles as special to him. Dave likes to do a lot of character work and concepts. Seth takes some time to shows some delightful examples of that work in this video. There is some discourse about how the lighting for 3D character sculpting can parallel the types of lights used in photo shoots. It is great to hear how these concepts are reinforced and reinterpreted in different creative mediums. Dave’s passion for art and teaching other creatives is on full display here. What really stands out is his commitment to showing eager creatives the thought process behind the creations.
Dave emphasizes how important it is to show your mistakes. In his teaching. he demonstrates how to learn from these errors. Most importantly, not spend too much time going in a direction that is not working. Reed also stresses how essential it is to find your own voice in this industry. He says, “If you’re gonna do it and try to be successful, like, you really have to go all in and just find a way to make it undeniable.” This is an interesting, thoughtful discussion that touches on so many different creative topics. And it gives love to Darkwing Duck!
McClure is a fine art photographer based in NYC. Her work has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Vogue, The New Republic, and more. In 2024, the Leica Gallery in Boston presented her solo show, “How Easily We Are Undone.” Jennifer is a Leica shooter. You can learn more about Leica here. She is also deeply committed to photography education. Jennifer takes her coffee straight black, “like a beat cop, ” according to Seth.
In this episode of Coffee with Creators, Jennifer discusses her love of shooting water, in part because of the beautiful images but also because of what it can symbolize. She goes into detail about her creative process, which is intricate and very personal. Her descriptions of how she creates her images and shows are inspiring. The philosophy of reaching a general audience by creating very specific, deeply intimate work is a recurring theme in this conversation.
McClure stresses that self-motivation is key. She often dives in and takes the initiative, such as when she helped to found the Women’s Photo Alliance NYC. McClure says she founded this community for women in order to combat online hostility in other spaces. “Instead of saying ‘somebody should do this,’ I was like “well, maybe I’m somebody.” This attitude bleeds into her teaching philosophy, where she tries to imbue in her students the realities of the art world. Jennifer attempts to teach learners about the financial realities of fine art photography and what the book publishing world looks like today for artists. Because of these realities, she reminds her students to do what she does- ground their work in authenticity. Make it about THE WORK. Let everything else follow from that. This dialogue between Seth and Jennifer is a great insight into an artist’s creative process and philosophy.
This episode shares a back-and-forth between Seth and cinematographer Andrew Trost. This one is for the pop culture nerds out there (and I mean, this is the best way!) Seth and Andrew touch on so much current popular media- if this is your jam, you are in for a treat. Andrew is based in New York City. He worked with Adorama and filmmaker Sal D’Alia on the film New York Rhapsody, which has won three cinematography awards and has been featured at over 40 festivals. Trost was the winner of the International Cinematographer’s Guild’s Emerging Cinematographer Award for 2024. He has worked with A24, HBO, and Netflix alongside the best in the movie and television industry.
After getting an iced latte (when he asked for hot), Andrew and Seth soldier on into a deep, rich discussion on what makes creative work like films resonate with different audiences. Andrew talks about which film creators have excited him recently, going to near-abyssal depths on filmmakers and their inspirations, the process of filmmaking, and the importance of instincts, taste, and innate aesthetics when creating visual media. Trost urges creators to “think laterally about what you are doing and…make your statement something people can respond to.”
Seth and Andrew discuss Seth’s SFX makeup work, and they exchange ideas on what to do when the creativity just is not flowing. Essentially, Andrew suggests doing something outside your field, such as something extremely tactile, if your field is more cerebral. Seth agrees, and if you watch this episode, you will get to find out about Seth’s sewing experience! The bottom line is that if you are a pop culture fan who is also interested in the intricacies of filmmaking and cinematography, this episode should be on your watch list. Andrew will educate you on equipment, relationships with directors, and how to navigate working on an actual set. And get some new ideas for your watchlist!
Here, Seth gives us a conversation with Victor Ha, VP of the Electronic Imaging and Optical Devices Division at FUJIFILM North America Corporation. You can find more information about FUJIFILM products here. Viewers can learn so much about the FUJIFILM brand and philosophy by watching this episode. Victor has been a photographer himself, and his multidisciplinary career has given him a skill set that allows him to understand how a creative mindset works and what creators need from their tools. He is very fun to watch as well. Ordering an Iced Red Eye coffee will give him street cred with caffeine lovers.
Victor sums up his work with FUJIFILM best by saying, “It’s just kinda been our philosophy to give people products that allow them to reach into a creative space because we do believe in storytelling, we do believe in image making, we do believe in people having accessible tools to be able to make images…” Seth and Victor discuss the story of the brand and how FUJIFILM emphasizes working with the community and customers. The brand is dedicated to listening to customer and creator feedback to make improvements that enhance the creator’s ability to achieve their vision.
Victor stresses that the FUJIFILM camera is a community camera engineered and developed by a brand that employs photographers and filmmakers. It is fun to watch Seth display his true camera geek here, talking about the ” film simulation dial controversy.” Victor also shares sage advice for aspiring photographers and videographers. This episode is a very informative delve into the minds behind the development of the FUJIFILM brand products. If you are interested in how certain brands develop their equipment and how you can be part of that process, check out this conversation.
No matter where your life journey takes you, be it in a professional creative direction or otherwise, there is something to be learned from listening to others’ experiences. If you are just starting your creative journey, get tips and advice from the people who have been there before. If you are stuck in your creative process, watch a Coffee with Creators and find where some of the best in the business find a way out of that malaise. Even if you are not planning on a professional creative life, there are nuggets of wisdom to be gleaned from these conversations. These episodes are so fun to watch, and I do not doubt you will find yourself binge-watching with a whole pot of coffee! For more encouragement and motivation, make sure to also check out our other programs on AdoramaTV.com.
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