Episode
Backstage - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
- Podcast
- Photography is Nothing
- Published
- Jan 28, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3522
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Episode 22 - This week we talk about going behind the scenes and photographing backstage at concerts, shows, and events. When attending a performance, what happens on stage is only one small part of the story. Going backstage to photograph the emotion, preparation, and all the moving parts offers a more complete sense of what it takes to make a show happen. In this episode, we go through Zach’s backstage photography of concerts, comedy shows, dance performances and more. We also look at the work of photographers Sasha Gusov (ballet), Jim Marshall (music), and Marsha Bernstein (fashion). “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson Index 0:00 - Garry Winogrand’s wife was married to a lens. 0:25 - Today’s subject is backstage photography. 1:35 - Courtney says why it’s important for kids to perform. 6:49 - Why we’re talking about backstage photography. 10:14 - Zach’s first big behind-the-scenes opportunity: a comedy festival in LA. 15:42 - What Zach learned photographing Mel Brooks backstage. 20:46 - The kids got into dance, so now we are, too. 32:32 - Photographing our kids in Bye Bye Birdie. 37:10 - A photographer’s photo. 46:50 - Russian photographer Sasha Gusov photographs the Bolshoi Ballet. 50:55 - Iconic rock & roll photographer Jim Marshall. 54:32 - Fashion photographer Marsha Bernstein. 57:37 - Courtney’s opening night performance. Find Zach Website: https://zachdobson.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto Find Courtney Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_ About the Podcast Photography is…