We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Allan Weitz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Allan below.

Alright, Allan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your creative career?

One of my early mentors – B.Martin Pedersen, gave me sage advice about organizing my portfolio before heading out to show a potential client my work. Marty told me he reviews dozens of portfolios every week, and while he spends ample time looking at the best work in each portfolio, he is also looking out for the weakest sample in the book. Why? Because even though the individual presenting the work might very well be capable of producing extraordinary work, the weakest sample in the book illustrates how ‘less-than-terrific’ the person considers acceptable, i.e., ‘good enough’. And as Marty made very clear from the start, “I don’t want ‘good enough’… I only want the best.”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a graduate of the High School of Art & Design and School of Visual Arts, both in Manhattan. My first job out of school was washing and drying prints in the darkroom at Look Magazine. I was hired by the director of the Look Magazine Photography Department, the legendary WPA photographer, Arthur Rothstein.
From there I went on to a long career as an editorial/corporate/advertising photographer with a specialty in (depending who you asked) yachting and classic boats, editorial and corporate portraiture, architecture, or studio photography.
For several years I was an adjunct professor of photography at the Moore College of Art, in Philadelphia.
In the mid-90s I began writing technical articles and product reviews of camera gear for Popular Photography and other photographic publications. I also served as an editorial adviser for K&L Advertising, Tokyo (Nikon Global Advertising), Profoto, Sekonic, and other companies in the photographic industry.
In 2005 I was hired to manage and write for what would become the B&H Explora website. In 2015 I became host of the B&H Photography Podcast – a position I held for 10 years. My last podcast was scheduled for January 16, 2025.
I continue to produce new work, and might even be interested in doing another podcast one of these days. Stay tuned…

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Here’s some serious advice.
It doesn’t matter how talented you are, how many awards you’ve won, or how amazing your mother believes you are. And no, nobody doubts your artistic abilities.
But if you don’t know or understand the business side of things – or employ somebody who manage your business affairs – it’s only a matter of time before you are going to crash and burn. And the damage can run deep.
Creative types are not always the best at business-related issues such as organising, budgeting, scheduling, and equally important – communicating.
If I just described you or somebody you know, this isn’t a judgment call – it’s simply solid advice from a creative type who has been there.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I had to (or chose to) pivot at several points over my 50-year career. The first time was back in the mid-90s when faced with increased cost-of-living realities, a growing family, and the realisation that magazine day rates weren’t paying the bills the way they used to. There were also fewer editorial jobs to be had. This was partly because cameras had become so easy to use magazine editors and writers began taking their own photographs, saving the publisher oodles of travel expense money! The pictures weren’t as good but try explaining that to the beancounters.
At one point I actually stepped away from freelancing and paid my bills by working behind the counter at a deli. And for the record, I look back at that time with a smile on my face. It was an amazing experience on numerous levels. For the record I can slice lox as thin as paper and eyeball where to score a sheet cake when somebody asks for 3/4lb, or any weight for that matter. I was like Tom Cruise in that bartender movie. About a year later I returned to the wonderful world of photography.
As a freelancer, part of my job was walking in stone cold and meeting somebody for the first time, and get to know them and make them feel comfortable all while setting up a camera. You have to be a ‘people person’. These skills came into play every time a customer stepped up to the deli counter. These very same skills came into play years later when I was named host of the then-new B&H Photography Podcast in 2015. Every week I would interview somebody who with few exceptions, I had never met before. And for an hour-or-so I would have to get comfortable with a person with whom I share a single passion – photography. The fact I can be a wiseass when called for helps, and I can laugh at myself when the pointer stops in my direction. But it’s the chemistry – the connection I make with the person I am interacting with that matters. And it doesn’t matter if I’m taking their portrait or slicing a pound of extra-lean corned beef for them. Chemistry is chemistry and people are people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.allanweitz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allanweitz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allan.weitz1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-weitz-30840614/

Image Credits

All photographs copyright Allan Weitz 2025