Mitch Stringer, Photographer and Fellow Podcaster Talks MLB, Travel and Art Books

Paris Chong welcomes fellow podcaster and renowned photographer Mitch Stringer for a deep dive into his life shooting Major League Baseball, traveling the world with his Leica, and the journey of creating an artistic legacy through publishing.

Watch the Video

Listen + Watch on

Paris Chong welcomes photographer and fellow podcaster, Mitch Stringer! The episode kicks off with a fun story about how the two met in New York City at the Leica 100-year anniversary event—a chaotic yet memorable block party where Mitch briefly served as the opening act for a swarming crowd, immediately followed by Jason Momoa. They quickly dive into their shared experience as podcast hosts, discussing the journey of building an audience, with Mitch having reached over 55 episodes and Paris's show now transitioning to a monthly format.

Mitch Stringer, a Leica enthusiast and professional photographer based in Baltimore, details his life behind the lens, highlighting his diverse gear choices: Sony for the fast-paced action of Major League Baseball and his Leicas (Q3, SL3, M11) for his artistic passion projects in portraiture, street, and travel photography. The conversation shifts to the ultimate artistic goal of having a published work. Mitch, who has already published a book on Cuba, shares insights from his experience and talks about his next project: a book dedicated to African wildlife.

The chat expands to cover Mitch’s extensive travel, including an upcoming two-week trip across Morocco focused on capturing the people, history, and architecture—a stark contrast to his wife's preference for less adventurous sightseeing in places like Italy and rural England. They also touch on the lighter side of life with candid talk about Mitch's three children and multiple pets, the addictive nature of Instagram, and humorous, relatable moments of aging, like receiving a startling promotion from a crematory. The episode concludes with a nod to acclaimed photographers like Greg Gorman and Art Wolf, whose work continues to inspire Mitch's photographic vision.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Intro
00:16 Meet Mitch Stringer
01:08 Leica Party Origin Story
02:45 Podcast Guests and Instagram
07:18 Podcast Metrics and Media Roots
12:15 Baseball Photography and Gear
15:42 Travel Tales and Photo Books
23:22 Dogs and Loss
24:30 Cremation Mail Shock
25:59 AAA and Keeping It Together
26:37 Next Book African Wildlife
29:21 Mentors and Great Portraits
32:17 Zoom Face Critique and Tattoos
37:30 Advice for Young Photographer

Links to Mitch Stringer

Mitch Stringer's Weebsite
Mitch Stringer's Instagram
Mitch Stringer's Facebook
MD Photo Alliance - Artist Spotlight Podcast - Link

🎵 Music by Andrew Raiher

📸 Shot & Edited at Visible Audio Studios

‍

Okay. Hi everybody. Welcome back to the Paris Chong Show. I guess you guessed who I am and I have a very special guest. I say that every time I know, but this is a very special guest because this is the first time I'm having someone on the podcast that I actually was a guest on his podcast. That's true.

So it's really cool that I can reciprocate, right?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: So I welcome Mitch Stringer.

Mitch Stringer: Thank you. Thank you. It's great to be here. It's great. I'm so used to asking the questions. It's great to be kind of on the other side of that.

Paris Chong: Yeah, I, well, that's good. 'cause I'm gonna take, I have a little cheat sheet 'cause I think I, I had a little, I had a little weird morning and I lost my car keys and my house keys and everything else.

So I was like using my prep time to just walk around the block a hundred times to find my keys. But anyways, uh, if anybody has a friend at Mercedes, have 'em call me. Um, I need a new Fup. Anyways, uh, so we're gonna talk about everything that you're doing, but I want it 'cause you're, you're a photographer and the way we met was really cool.

Mm-hmm. Okay. So we met in New York City at the, uh, op, the hundred year anniversary of Leica. And that was being held at the meat packing district. We did this incredible party block party. It was insane. And, um. And there was a lot of festivities and a lot going on. And of course, uh, Jason Mamo was floating around, so everybody was kind of like, oh, Jason Mamo is here because everyone gets so starstruck.

I was, uh, standing in the hot sun in a really bad outfit I had to wear that was. Corporate, all the girls had to wear the same outfit and it turned out to be a really hot day and very bad fabric for a really hot day. So we were all just out there dying in the sun and I was standing there and one of my coworkers said, Hey, can you go and relieve Bell?

She's, uh, Bell's the gallery director of the Boston Gallery. She's lovely. She's like, she's a very young, she's lucky. And so, um. I said, yeah, sure, of course. So I walked over and I was like, yeah, I could use sitting in some shade and not being out here in the hot sun in this very hot outfit. So I walk in there and as soon as I sat down, you kind of came in.

Then right behind you was Jason Momoa. Remember that?

Intro Song: Yeah.

Paris Chong: And then all of a sudden everyone's like, it's like crazy. And everyone's like swarming into the area that we were in and it was just cr nuts. And then they finally had to close the door, and then we ended up, we're sitting there talking and that's how we met.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Yeah. I was basically Jason Momo's opening act. I came in and then I got the crowd warmed up, and then he came in right after

Paris Chong: me. Yeah. And then he came in and stole everyone's thunder and he didn't even thank me for singing Purple Rain with him and his band at the Whitney Mu Museum. And I'm Hawaiian that's.

Like, no, aloha. Right, right there. Okay. So tell me a little bit about, and that's how we started talking about the podcast and then I was a guest on your podcast. And I al as, as usual, I never even know what the hell I'm saying, so I don't even know what I said, but I hope it went well. And then I, Rob Terrell was on the show also.

Who else do you have from Leica coming on the show?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, it's been, uh, it's been great. I, I've had, uh, you know, so many folks, Jeff Garland's been on the show. Oh, I love Jeff. And, uh, you know, he's, he's just, uh, to say the very least, an aficionado of, of all things, uh, that are like, uh, uh, cat burns from, uh, uh, the, uh, New York store also has her own photography things that are going on.

Uh, Phil Caruso.

Paris Chong: Oh, I love Phil.

Mitch Stringer: Oh,

Paris Chong: has been Shahi. He's been, he's been sitting there. Also.

Mitch Stringer: Love Phil. I know, I know. He, he said hilarious when I told him that I was gonna be joining you, he said, oh, it's fantastic. It's great. It's great. Talking to Paris and I, I said yeah. Yeah, it definitely is. Uh, let's see.

Uh, Cherise May

Paris Chong: I love Charise. May big fan of Charise May. That's my girl. She's in town soon.

Mitch Stringer: Oh, okay.

Paris Chong: Oh, wait, she's coming on the 10th. Does it? What date? What's the date? You know, I actually, we, we actually asked Jeff to come on our show, me and my team, and I think he told us to fuck off. Okay. Wasn't that right, Don?

Don? And so many words, something like that. We thought we we're kind of like scared and thought it was funny, but kind of also kind of scared, like, 'cause we, we didn't know if he was for being serious or not, but he did say he was coming on the show. So hopefully that'll be soon. You're on the show soon.

Jeff Garland. We did an interview during COVID. Uh, Jeff and I, um, when we were on lockdown and Leica was. Trying to get us to do different things to keep people engaged. Mm-hmm. Since there wasn't a lot going on at the store, so they, they told me I had to get on Instagram, which I was trying to avoid.

Intro Song: Mm-hmm.

Paris Chong: So I only got on Instagram in 2020 and, um, they said, you need to learn how to do this. I said, I don't really wanna learn how to do that. No, you have to. 'cause you have to start doing interviews. And so I had this young girl. From, uh, corporate teaching me how to use the Instagram. It was like, you know, and now I'm addicted, like all the rest of

Mitch Stringer: the kids.

Oh yeah. Like

Paris Chong: all the other kids.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. It's, it's a rabbit hole. Mm-hmm. And it's, I think it's changed some may say for the worst, some for the better. For me, it's, it's a photographic outlet. It's not a, here's what I had for breakfast kind of thing. 'cause it's just, for me it's, it's photography, you know? Have

Paris Chong: you heard of Iris?

Alan Shaller, just, it's so weird. He just called, he lives in London and he ironically called and the last time I think I was in here, he was in here. So he, um, he's starting a new platform for, uh, just photography. Iris's great. And when he's working a little bit with Leica and it's, it's cool. I think it's cool.

It's like nobody's talking about. People's butt implants and stuff like that. It's just about photography.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, I think. I think

Paris Chong: But you can have a butt implant if you wanna go on

Mitch Stringer: it. It can be on it as well. Yeah. I think, I think that over time, uh, several people have either started or promoted that kind of a, of a platform to kind of get back to early days of Instagram and, you know, I don't know that.

To me that they kind of come and they go, and I don't know which ones have gotten traction. Um, yeah,

Paris Chong: it's hard to tell, isn't it?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, you, you get these little notations that, or notifications, uh, so and so has joined, fill in the blank, you know, platform. Um, you know, I wish having started multiple businesses, I have incredible respect for anybody who does, and people who are trying to kind of restore the focus.

No real pun intended on photography mm-hmm. For some of those platforms. Yeah. I, I wish them great success because I think that artistically, um, there's room for it and I think that, uh, it makes sense. I know whatever number of followers a person has for whatever that matters. I think only a fraction of those people.

Who have chosen to follow you and your work actually get to see your work because of these algorithms that none of us really understand.

Paris Chong: And it gets you and it traps you in it. 'cause they do play some really interesting things you have to admit. Mm-hmm. Like I, today, I just saw an old ad, an old um, ad for Mary Tyler Moore show and remind me of my mom.

'cause my mom loved that show. Mm-hmm. So I get, I'm like, oh yeah, I, I have a million things to do. I just lost my car keys. I have to do two podcasts. And I'm looking at Mary Tyler Moore, old you. It gets addicting. You know who's coming on after you?

Mitch Stringer: Who's that?

Paris Chong: Greg Gorman.

Mitch Stringer: You know Greg Gorman? I was introduced to him years ago by a, uh, a mutual friend.

Had a phone conversation with him. I've never met him, but,

Paris Chong: oh, well, you're gonna meet him today.

Mitch Stringer: What a fascinating

Paris Chong: guy. Lucky guy. He, he lucky he gets to meet Mitch Stringer.

Mitch Stringer: He's probably a little nervous right now.

Paris Chong: He probably, that's probably why he was running late. He is like, oh my God, you didn't tell me Mitch was gonna be there.

I, I think he's what to wear. Yeah, I think he went to get a haircut. Okay. So, yeah. So he's, he's gonna come in here. I love Greg Gorman. I love his work.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: Now to, before we talk about photography, I wanna talk a little bit about your podcast. Sure. Like we were talking about how you can tell who's listening and watching.

Like how are you, is it easy for you to find that stuff out? 'cause my team tells me about my show, but mm-hmm. We just, we're kind of new. How long have you been doing it?

Mitch Stringer: So I believe we just published, I wanna say episode 55.

Paris Chong: Wow.

Mitch Stringer: And we probably have an additional five that are, um, I guess they say in the can.

Paris Chong: Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: But, um,

Paris Chong: on the can.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. On maybe on the can. And in the, can we, we record on the can, um. But, uh, yeah, we, we can tell what the listenership is and you know, there's, there's still some things that we can't tell. Yeah. You know, I know that, you know, whether you have, you know, 500 listeners, a thousand listeners, 2000 listeners, you know, there are always gonna be shows that have 10 times, 20 times, a hundred times.

But I think whatever your listenership is, if you equated that with sitting in a room and having that many people. Listening to you almost like in an auditorium setting. Yeah. If it's 500, if it's a thousand, if it's 1500, that's a ton of people.

Paris Chong: I would hate that.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Well I

Paris Chong: could do this 'cause it's just us and those two plants.

But if it was, if it was like 500 people, I would not be in here.

Mitch Stringer: Well, luckily the

Paris Chong: plants are not having. Yeah. No, they, I think they are, but I, you know, um, maybe I, I, I don't like getting up in front of big crowds. It makes me nervous, even though I did with the Jason Mamoa band thing. I was gonna

Mitch Stringer: say, you, you sang in

Paris Chong: front of a lot of people.

That was champagne. That was after champagne. I'll sing anywhere after champagne.

Mitch Stringer: Maybe that's the, uh, the pre-gaming

Paris Chong: key that needs to happen. The, that's the key. So, um, so how many years, I know 55 episodes, but how many years?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, so, uh, it, the show publish publishes on the first and the 15th. Of every month.

So we're a little over two years now.

Paris Chong: Okay. That's kind of similar to me. Yeah. Uh, but we, and I, but I've decided just because I actually have this crazy, amazing job that's very intense and everything's very busy at the gallery. I, I've decided to go to once a month. So it's just we were turning and burning.

I have some, I've had some great guests on. I'm really like, when I look back and look at the guests, it's been really fun and it's fun doing a podcast. I also, um, I'm always so surprised when people come into the gallery and they're like, we love your podcast. I'm like, people are listening to it. So cool.

No people, I love your podcast. I'm like, okay, thank you. But I almost like the idea of just doing it, um, not looking at. But just on the voice. Mm-hmm. The voice. 'cause I used to do radio and I'm kind of used to that and it makes me feel more comfortable. But for whatever reason we're doing this with all these cameras here, but, and yours is that way you do yours with your own camera.

Mitch Stringer: Yes. Yeah. And you know, when I was, when I was. In college. And then after college I started off in television and radio. Uh, I was on television. I was broadcasting college, baseball and basketball.

Intro Song: Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: Uh, that was television and radio. And then went on to do, uh, DJing at a rock station, even doing metro traffic reports in Orlando.

So that was a kind of like a past life. So. I'm comfortable with, you know, the cameras and, and that sort of thing. And, and to be able to marry that with the photography and talk to people like yourself and many others, it's, um, yeah, I really enjoy it.

Paris Chong: Yeah, that's, I, I, I used to do new, um, I used to do news and traffic and top 40 for the Barstow stations.

Mitch Stringer: Really?

Paris Chong: Barstow stations? Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: Oh, wow.

Paris Chong: Yeah. That was insane. But you're the only, you're like one of the very few photographers I know. That like sports.

Mitch Stringer: Really?

Paris Chong: Did you ever notice that? Like a lot of photographers, they don't care about sports. That's why whenever we try to plan something at the gallery, oh no, there's a game on that day.

No, it doesn't matter. At the photographers will be there. Interesting. They don't care about the games. I mean, there's a couple of guys that, you know, shoot for the Dodgers or this and that. Mm-hmm. But tech typically, I've noticed. Camera pho, like photographer guys, they don't love sports. Have you not noticed that?

Mitch Stringer: You know, it's funny you say that because I, I know so many professional sports photographers, so it's, it's sort of tough for me to separate myself from that. But I, I think the photographers that I know who are not sports photographers. Well, Jeff Garland is a huge sports fan. Well,

Paris Chong: he's,

Mitch Stringer: yeah,

Paris Chong: he's, but he's,

Mitch Stringer: yeah, just huge sports.

So he and I talk baseball cards and

he's

Paris Chong: from Chicago. I mean, one,

Mitch Stringer: he's a massive fan. Um, and, uh, I know Rob people love their sport. Rob Terrell's a big sports fan, but yeah, you know, I, I think that photographically, that's

Paris Chong: two.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, right. Where at two, two in counties.

Paris Chong: Two and that I can think of.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, no, I, I, I think that the, the photographers who are shooting with Leica specifically, I think that their focus tends to be, I'll call it a more considered form of photography, whether it's street portraiture, architecture, there's other types as well, naturally.

But, um, but yeah, maybe, maybe just. Mindset wise, there's not as much interest in sports as there is travel and mm-hmm. And architecture and just other things. Mm-hmm. That could

Paris Chong: be, so, so let's talk about, you've photographed a lot of major League baseball teams. Yeah. So, who, who, who have you've taken photos of?

Mitch Stringer: Uh. Pretty much all of them. Uh, I'm based in Baltimore, and so I'm shooting at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles.

Paris Chong: Okay.

Mitch Stringer: So all the teams that come through Baltimore to play the Orioles, I'm there, uh, on the field essentially in the dugout, uh, before and during the game photographing. Both teams, because I'm shooting for editorial purposes.

So that's gonna be your starting pitchers. It's gonna be your home runs and the, the jubilation of the, the high fives. Mm-hmm. And, uh, home, uh, plays at home plate and that kind of thing. And then, uh, also either. During the game or in between innings, looking for candid moments, portrait, uh, portraiture opportunities that are there.

And as I've been doing this now for over 15 years, there's a lot of baseball players who love photography.

Paris Chong: Mm-hmm.

Mitch Stringer: And they will come up to me and, you know, I'll get the, Hey, what lens is that? You know? Yeah. You mind if I take a look kind of

Paris Chong: thing. And what are you shooting with?

Mitch Stringer: So, uh, for sports. Because of the need for very fast auto focus.

Mm-hmm. And very long focal lenses. Uh, I'm shooting Sony.

Paris Chong: Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: And then for really everything else, my portraiture, travel Street, I'm shooting exclusively with Leica.

Paris Chong: Mm-hmm.

Mitch Stringer: So I've sort of found this. Have the tools you need for a specific assignment and then, and then doing so accordingly.

Paris Chong: Yeah. It's kind of funny how some guys are just only like a mm-hmm.

Like even if they, even if the camera maybe doesn't really work for what they're doing. Mm-hmm. Sure. Like you're, it is usually when you're moving fast, I hear, but I'm not a photographer, so, um, but, uh. But then there's a lot of other, majority of the people I meet, they shoot with a few different cameras.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. But that, for whatever reason, they only wanna say they shoot with Leica. It's like,

Mitch Stringer: yeah, I, I think you

Paris Chong: wanna be cool. You have to say you only use Leica, or, you know,

Mitch Stringer: I, I have, you know, many photographer friends who have. From a, I guess a very sort of intellectual perspective. They've said to me, how many times do you see photos in a gallery, not specifically a, like a gallery mm-hmm.

But a gallery. And you say, that is an amazing shot. I wonder what brand camera they used, and, and the answer is. Probably never. And so I look at it as our goal as photographers is to create the, the best image we can. And if we feel there's a tool that's most appropriate to maximize the talent that we have and our vision of what we have, well, you should be using that tool.

And, and I know that even within, uh, like as, uh, ecosystem. There are certain models I use for certain situations and then certain ones I use for other situations. So, you know, if I'm gonna be in, in a humid environment or rain is, is a very reasonable expectation. I'm probably taking my Q3. I'm probably taking an SL three, probably not at M 11 because it's not.

Weather sealed. Right. So, you know, I'm, I'm looking at the situation and, and bringing the most appropriate tool with me.

Paris Chong: Yeah. So you usually take two cameras with you?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Yeah. I, I do. And, and I would say that regardless of brand, because you know, things happen. Mm-hmm. And, and you know, God forbid you're in a situation and you're there, whether it's on assignment or you're there on a self assignment, or you're just there and it's a leisure type thing.

And the one camera you have. Breaks. Oh yeah. And you are SOL and so, yeah, I'll, I'll always bring two and it might be a one lens situation, but I'm still gonna have that other camera.

Paris Chong: Yeah. Just in case. That's good. So you've been traveling a lot. I see. So you just got back from Cuba, right?

Mitch Stringer: Uh, recently. Cuba and, uh,

Paris Chong: Cuba.

Mitch Stringer: Cuba, yeah. Oh, love, love Cuba.

Paris Chong: I wanna go to, I wanna go to Cuba.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, it's, it's amazing. And I, you know, I still get people who say to me, you know, we can go there. You know, I know as Americans, I know, and it's, it's as easy as buying the ticket. And indicating what form of visa, um, you're going to be going under.

I mean, the days of going through Mexico and then going in and not having your passport stamped

Paris Chong: are, yeah, they're gonna make it easy. They didn't make it easy for a long time. Yeah. But it just traveling such a hassle now anyways. There's so much. Weirdness going on in the world. You know, people are scared to travel 'cause they're scared they won't get back in and, you know, all kinds of weird stuff.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, I think, I think it is, you know, I think that there's, you know, there's perception and then there's reality and those change seemingly by the hour now mm-hmm. Uh, much more frequently mm-hmm. Than they once did. And, uh, I know, you know, I'll be, uh, headed to Morocco and the thought of going there, I didn't second guess, but the thought of.

Are we gonna do something to annoy Morocco? Are we, are we gonna be a persona n grata in Morocco next?

Paris Chong: Well, it seems like Americans are always kind of like that in foreign countries. For whatever reason, they, they, they, they judge us by that one loud Texan guy, you know?

Mitch Stringer: Well, yeah,

Paris Chong: the one obnoxious family that even the Americans are scared, like, scared to say they're American, but you know, there's all those people you see when you're traveling, like, oh my God, no wonder they hate, hate us.

You know?

Mitch Stringer: Well, you know, using Cuba as the example, having been there a number of times. I, I would have unsolicited Cuban people come up to me and they say, we love Americans. We don't necessarily care for the American government.

Paris Chong: Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: But we love American people. And, um, and, and you know, I, I think that too often our leaders don't necessarily represent what the actual people.

Intend or want or feel

Paris Chong: Not at trouble. Not even

Mitch Stringer: close. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I, I think that, you know, when I go to countries, really any country, I, I don't talk politics.

Paris Chong: Oh God.

Mitch Stringer: I, I don't talk about,

Paris Chong: I don't, I don't like talking about it anyway. Yeah. It's just too depressing.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah,

Paris Chong: it's too depressing.

So where are you? You go Morocco, when are you doing that?

Mitch Stringer: Uh, go to Morocco the beginning of, uh, of March. And, um, and I'll be traveling really across Morocco for two weeks. And, you know, my, my objective there is to really capture, uh, the people.

Paris Chong: Yeah,

Mitch Stringer: the architecture, just a sense of the history. Um, you know, they have, you know.

You know, our culture here in the States is measured in hundreds of years. Theirs is thousands of years. Mm-hmm. You know, when we see a house here, if it's 150 years old, we say, wow, that's old over there. That's called new construction. It's just, you know, that building's a thousand years old. That one's 2000 years old and they're still there.

They're still standing and it's, it's amazing.

Paris Chong: I know, I think it's really sad how there's like all these. Kind of places, and we, and people just keep knocking them down to build something new. Like, like Las Vegas for example. They got rid of every famous hotel that was,

Mitch Stringer: I know

Paris Chong: they got rid of a hotel called The Landmark.

It's a landmark. Wait, why are you blowing this up? I wish I, I mean, I grew up in Las Vegas when I was little. I, I missed, I miss all those places and every time they show them getting bombed, I'm just. Like, I'm like, why are they doing this? Like, it's so, there's so much land there. They could build casinos other places, but I dunno, it's not good.

I forgot that you, you, I, you mentioned Baltimore. I forgot. That's another reason why I liked you. 'cause we're both from Maryland.

Mitch Stringer: Exactly.

Paris Chong: I always wonder what it would've been like to stay there. So you were born and raised in, in Maryland.

Mitch Stringer: Born and raised in Maryland and, and lived all over. Just, uh, you know, work-wise, I've lived in, uh, in Miami.

Went to school in Florida, lived in Dallas, lived in Los Angeles, and just lived all over.

Paris Chong: How long were you in la?

Mitch Stringer: Three years.

Paris Chong: Did you like it?

Mitch Stringer: Loved it.

Paris Chong: Do you miss it?

Mitch Stringer: Loved it.

Paris Chong: I know LA's kind of a cool place,

Mitch Stringer: right? Yeah. And, and just the, the neighborhoods and, you know, driving around, uh, a little bit yesterday and I've been here.

Before, uh, just coming back now to visit, but, um, like we said about why are they knocking this down and that down, there's a lot of of buildings that I saw that have been knocked down and, you know, I love, I love then as now old Hollywood.

Paris Chong: Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: Loved old Hollywood. And I think, you know, whether it's the Spanish style, uh, architecture, whether it's, you know, the, um.

Just the, the old, uh, just the old buildings, you know, maybe it used to be a recording studio or It used to be,

Paris Chong: yeah. They've got rid of

Mitch Stringer: some few things. Good. Yeah. And just the whole, the whole vibe I loved and,

Paris Chong: and the restaurants. They got rid rid of a lot of like, you know, super famous restaurants, but

Mitch Stringer: yeah.

Paris Chong: It's, I think things, I don't know. Sometimes things change too quickly. So now are you working on a book?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, I'm, I'm working on a, a book of my photography from Africa.

Paris Chong: Do you think someone said to me recently, I did my first, I did my first book that's coming out this year with my friend Jeff Whitman for the Pearl Down.

Tour. I'm very excited about that. I'm very excited about that. But, um, so I'm, I'm a little more interested. I'm getting more interested in publishing and doing more photo to editing, uh, down the road and in the future. So, um, someone, I can't remember who it was, but one, one of my photographer friends said that that's the ultimate goal.

It's not to have a gallery show, but to have a art book. Do you feel like that.

Mitch Stringer: I think that, this is funny. I think that having a book, you know, it sounds more of it, but once we're gone, um,

Paris Chong: oh my God.

Mitch Stringer: You know, then to have something that remains afterwards, you know, kind of stands the test of time is, is something that it, it certainly feels good.

What's funny is so. I had my book on Cuba published a couple years ago, and, um, about six months ago, I'm in New York City at The Strand, the bookstore, the Strand, and I was looking at books. I wanted to find a book on the photographer, Bert Stern. So as I'm looking through these books on these shelves of just hundreds of thousands of pre-owned books, I'm looking and stern, stern, stern.

I'm looking my book. Is there in the used books for sale. And I thought, wow, I've achieved something. I've, I've finally been marked down. So there I was. Of course I had to take a picture of it. But, um, yeah, I, I think having a book is, it's very cool. You reach an audience that's beyond just the people that you know and.

It's kind of like putting it out there in the world.

Paris Chong: Did you, did you find the Bert Stern book?

Mitch Stringer: Uh, I did not find,

Paris Chong: I have the, I have the Bert Stern book in Maryland, you know? Yes. That's, I love that

Mitch Stringer: one's Yeah. Of her last

Paris Chong: sitting. Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: I have that. I can't believe I, I got that in London a million years ago, so, so do you have kids?

Mitch Stringer: I have three.

Paris Chong: So you get to leave those little brats behind as a

Mitch Stringer: legacy?

Paris Chong: I

Mitch Stringer: do, yeah. I have two sons and a daughter, and, uh, they are characters and, uh, yeah. Yeah. So they,

Paris Chong: isn't it hard being a parent.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Oh yeah. Course I'm a single mom. Yeah. You've got disco though, and your son I've got,

Paris Chong: no, I have, that's what I'm saying.

I have two. Yeah, I have, I have two sons, one's half Chihuahua and one's half Italian.

Mitch Stringer: Right.

Paris Chong: That's, and, and it's, and they really are like my sons, but one's better behaved than the other one. I won't say who, but normally disco would be here. I'm so sad he is not here. But I know because I didn't, um, I don't have my car and I have.

To do stuff. I just thought it'd be easier to leave him at home. So he is probably having a nervous breakdown right now, or hopefully having a martini. I don't know. I don't know what he does when he is not with me 'cause he is always with me. He'd normally be sitting right there under your chair. So Do you have a dog?

Mitch Stringer: I have a dog actually. Who's at the vet today, but yeah. Oh yeah. I have, I have a dog had three dogs, but, uh, fortunately two of them passed. Um, that's the downside. You have these, these furry loved ones and even when they, as mine did live these very long lives. You know, 13 years, 15 years. That's not long.

Not long. Well, it, it is for what? Their normal life. Yeah. I, some of their lifespans

Paris Chong: are. Yeah, I know. It goes 13 and I just am like, I can't, I, I,

Mitch Stringer: yeah.

Paris Chong: I just a thought, I just can't imagine how old's the dog that's still here.

Mitch Stringer: Uh, nine.

Paris Chong: Aw.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Nine.

Paris Chong: So you had three, you had three kids and three dogs at the same time?

Mitch Stringer: Yes.

Paris Chong: Wow. You're a glutton for punishment

Mitch Stringer: and, and rabbits and a Guinea pig. Yes, but, uh, that's

Paris Chong: cute.

Mitch Stringer: It's a menagerie. It was a menagerie. No, that's good. But, uh, but yeah. Yeah. No

Paris Chong: goldfish.

Mitch Stringer: Uh, no, no, no. No goldfish.

Paris Chong: No goldfish.

Mitch Stringer: Well,

Paris Chong: rabbits and, and, um, I know, I know Guinea pigs usually the, they, you could like come with the goldfish parents.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: But, um, but then you always have to just flush them down to the toilet and have funerals for them. And that makes you sad. You know what really creeped me out the other day? Speaking of what? Like, you know. Unfortunately, like how living and dying and whatever. But I got the weirdest, um, in like a, like a really pretty looking invitation in the mail and I was like, oh, I wonder what this is thinking it's something good.

It was like from some moratory,

Mitch Stringer: okay.

Paris Chong: That was like, you need to start thinking about this. I was so freaked out. I just couldn't, I'm like, I, I. Like, I mean, do you hit a certain age and then you start getting the crematory, uh, pack packages and, and they fool you with the pretty invitation? Of course. And it looked like a really beautiful invitation.

It didn't look like junk mail at all. And it was really like, I kind of read the first paragraph. I'm like, God, you know, I mean, I guess maybe one should think about that, but I'm just throw that in the trash. I'm not going anywhere right now. That is, I, I I, it really kind of. Disturbed me.

Mitch Stringer: Well, maybe, you know you're,

Paris Chong: have you ever got something like that?

Mitch Stringer: You know what I, I,

Paris Chong: I'm gonna cry.

Mitch Stringer: I I didn't

Paris Chong: wanna get that. Whoever said that, don't send it again.

Mitch Stringer: Right When you sign up, I'll figure it out for a a RP within a week. Oh, I didn't do that Within a week. None, neither died. Within a week, they'll just send you that. Yeah. I You thought you were gonna have a good day until you got the cremator promotional mailing.

Paris Chong: I have a friend who tried to get me to my friend's, like, you need to get a a RP or whatever. You get free movies and blah, blah, blah. I'm like. Girl, you are rich as hell. Why? Why are you needing free movies? Why would I wanna get that? Maybe that's just like a dead giveaway that you are Old, old, old

Mitch Stringer: May, maybe aaa.

That's about, that's about as much

Paris Chong: as I need. Hey, you know what? I was glad I had AAA today. I, they, man, they came quick and they opened my door. The alarm went off. At least I was able to get my purse and my phone, everything outta there. Um, I'm very sad about that, but I'm gonna move on from this. I, I was the, today was a really big test for me not to have a nervous breakdown and just get on with business.

And I was like, you know, if you're an actress, you'd have to pull your shit together and just go and do it. And then you can be freaked out later. You know? Yeah.

Mitch Stringer: There's time for that.

Paris Chong: Yeah. Whatever.

Mitch Stringer: Right. Right. Before calling the crematory to

Paris Chong: make that reservation. Yeah. I remember. How dare you. I know I've like, I've never got mail like that before.

It really, really freaked me out and I didn't like it or appreciate it at all. Okay, so following up to your Cuba book, is there, so is it, you know what? I cannot believe we're both from Tacoma Park.

Mitch Stringer: No. Well you are, and I I

Paris Chong: Wait, did you put that?

Mitch Stringer: I did.

Paris Chong: Wait, I'm, I'm sorry. I don't have my glasses on. I need glasses now.

Also, that's why I'm getting the crematory information and stuff, and I didn't bring them. I had to get my first pair of glasses to read clo like,

Mitch Stringer: God,

Paris Chong: so wait, Baltimore? Yeah. My dad was from Maryland. My dad was born and raised in Maryland.

Mitch Stringer: Maryland.

Paris Chong: So, wait place did you say? Okay. Getting back to the book, is there another, there is another book coming.

Mitch Stringer: I'm working on gathering the images for a book on African wildlife.

Paris Chong: Okay.

Mitch Stringer: So I've been to various countries in Africa many, many times. I've been

Paris Chong: to Africa.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. As a, as a photographer. And a person who loves animals, you would lose your mind.

Paris Chong: I have to do, I have a friend who has a, um, he's a Leica guy who lo and he owns a big, gorgeous, um, safari spa.

Mitch Stringer: Wow,

Paris Chong: okay. And I know you have to fly into Cape Town to get there. Okay. But I should connect you guys.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah,

Paris Chong: definitely. But he, he wants to, he wanted to do some photo tours and, um, and it's a really beautiful, and he's in New York. Uh. I'll introduce you guys. Um, I just, my, my brother-in-law's, uh, Ugandan and I need to get over there.

I have a nephew who's half Ugandan, so I definitely wanna go visit Africa.

Mitch Stringer: Uganda is great.

Paris Chong: I have a reason though. I have

Mitch Stringer: a, well, it, it, it's especially great for, uh, the gorillas. In Uganda is, is incredible.

Paris Chong: I, I know I myself so well, and I don't see myself doing that.

Mitch Stringer: You know, I, I, I've talked to people who have been,

Paris Chong: I just don't see me being in the bushes with the, well, well, you're mosquitoes and no camera with gorillas.

I just, I, I envy people that have wanna do that.

Mitch Stringer: Mm-hmm.

Paris Chong: Like the people that swim with sharks. I, but I'm just like, yeah, no, I don't. I'd rather just go like, you know. To a beach or something like that. I maybe I'm not so adventurous anymore.

Mitch Stringer: You could do that. Maybe, maybe have a vehicle based safari so you're not

Paris Chong: hiking.

I like hiking. I would like watch you, you take I, yeah, I would like to see your photos of gorillas, but I'm not gonna get out there and do it. I've decided, um, that I wanna blow everybody's mind and all of a sudden just say, you know what I wanna do, I just wanna be a photographer. Now.

Mitch Stringer: You should do that

Paris Chong: because I take really good pictures, but with my iPhone.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Yeah.

Paris Chong: I really love taking photos. I can understand why you guys are so addicted to taking photos

Mitch Stringer: and girls, guys' angles. You know, they say the best camera is the one you have with you at the time.

Paris Chong: What do you have with you at the time?

Mitch Stringer: Uh, well, I have my iPhone and then in my backpack I have my V one and four lenses.

Paris Chong: you like that?

Mitch Stringer: Love? Yeah. Love, love, love, love.

Paris Chong: Who's your mentor?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, uh, photographically. I, I guess I don't have one. Per se, although, especially from a wildlife standpoint, my dear friend Art Wolf, the wildlife and cultural photographer, has taught me just such an incredible amount about not just photography in general, but I find that it's the small moments.

That one you have to recognize are there. Mm-hmm. And you have to be ready for them. And then you have to make that picture. Um, and, and I think that that's, you know, anybody can take a halfway decent picture, especially now with the technology. Yeah. Um, but to really see in a way that's unique and, and anticipate in a way that only that particular photographer can.

Is really something. And you know, you talked about Greg Gorman and I've heard him speak many, many times and he talks about understanding, uh, in someone's face, the angles, the light c creating the light, seeing the lines of a person's face, and just kind of figuring out the best way to photograph them, to show them in their best life.

He's,

Paris Chong: yeah, he's incredible. Yeah. You know, I, I, I, you know, man. Bauman's like that as well. Manfred Bauman looks, makes everyone look better than they really do.

Mitch Stringer: Mm-hmm.

Paris Chong: That's why I love taking photos with him. I'm like, you're my guy. But I'm like, I didn't look like that that day.

Mitch Stringer: Well, you're a Sylvie Blum fan.

Paris Chong: I love her.

Mitch Stringer: I know you said you, I heard you say that if you were gonna have someone do nude

Paris Chong: photography of you, she did, but we promised no, we would never show that I don't feel comfortable being nude. Um, I, I was, I, like I said, I, I'm a bad Catholic and I was raised. But by these crazy women that made me always pull my skirt down and don't show anything.

And don't boys only want one thing, ter, you know, grew up like this. And so I'm very shy. Like even in the gym, like all the ladies are like foot naked. I'm also jealous of them. I'm like, how come I wanna be like that? But I'm not. And I'm not gonna go take pictures with the gorillas naked, but I let her take pictures of me naked.

It was kind of weird though, because I love her husband Dieter, but he was kind of floating about. I think I would've been more comfortable if he wasn't there.

Mitch Stringer: Little

Paris Chong: less. I was like, why the hell is Dieter here?

Mitch Stringer: Right.

Paris Chong: Uh, but, but it, I, it. I, I don't, I didn't see him and I don't wanna see him. And she did some fun photos of me, and that's good enough.

But, um, yeah, I don't, I'm not the girl that loves to take photos anymore. I think, you know, not that I did be before, but, um, but I love it when someone makes you look better than you really do, because I do know a lot of photographers, and I'm not gonna name any names or. Throw anyone under the bus. But there are some photographers out there that are really good photographers, but they don't take good pictures of you, and you never wanna share that picture ever again.

You're like, that's interesting. Then they think they're sending you like this beautiful photo of you and you're like, holy, I, I need a, I need a whole face, a remodel, a renovation. I need something. I need to just get a big hat, big hat and glasses and do that now. But, you know, and I don't know what, what, what that is either.

Mitch Stringer: Well, you know what? We are all our own worst critics.

Paris Chong: Yeah. Zoom ruined it for me. I will admit.

Mitch Stringer: Well, that's not flat. God.

Paris Chong: God, that kind of light's not flattering. Oh my God. Like, I don't wanna talk to somebody and, um, and be looking somewhere, anywhere on that computer at me. I don't wanna see me. I wanna see the person I'm talking to.

Like I don't, I want, I don't wanna be talking to you right now and also be seeing me. Yeah. I just wanna see you. I mean, it's weird, right?

Mitch Stringer: It reminds me, especially when you're on a multi-person call, it reminds me of the Hollywood Squares

Paris Chong: gives me a headache. Oh yeah, yeah. Oh, the Brady Bunch.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, exactly.

Paris Chong: The Brady Bunch.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: Um, yeah, but you know, they, they were saying that after, because of all the zoom like that, the, the, all the um, um, online calls and plastic surgery went through the roof really 'cause of people looking at themselves and being so critical. You know,

Mitch Stringer: I believe

Paris Chong: it, which I know, but it's like, I didn't know you had so many tattoos.

Mitch Stringer: Uh, you know, I got my first tattoo when I was 47 and Oh wow. Uh oh, wow. I

Paris Chong: like the peacock.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Yeah. This is definitely one of my, my favorite ones, so I love that. And then I have my, my dog, rookie. Aw. Who, uh, who passed away and, uh,

Paris Chong: I think I should get a tattoo Disco.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, you should.

Paris Chong: I really, I really should.

Mitch Stringer: And I got this before rookie passed, so she got to see it, but, um, Aw. But since we know that disco has many, many years. Ahead of, ahead to go, uh, get, get one soon.

Paris Chong: Okay. I, I did, I have a really bad tattoo, but I don't even wanna talk about that, but I, it, it, but I, it's a of a cross. I just, I'm in the art business.

It could have been a way better tattoo 'cause I know so many artists. Right. Um, but I don't know. Okay. So, so you're gonna do another book. You've got three kids at home Yeah. And one dog. Yeah. A rabbit. And a Guinea pig.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Yeah. It's,

Paris Chong: it's busy. Oh, I'm hoping to God a wife.

Mitch Stringer: Uh, yeah. Yeah.

Paris Chong: Can you imagine that?

I'm a single dad.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: And I'm

Mitch Stringer: take takes to take care of all those.

You

Paris Chong: have a nice life, it sounds like.

Mitch Stringer: Uh, you know what? Depending on which day, which part of a day. Yeah, yeah. Generally. So generous.

Paris Chong: So she, your wife's cool with you traveling about all these places?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. Yeah. She,

Paris Chong: I always wonder that about.

Photographers 'cause they travel so much how the wi you know, the wives are home with the kids and all that. I,

Mitch Stringer: yeah, yeah. As they say, uh, barefoot and pregnant, like that, that old saying goes

Paris Chong: Yeah. Which is a horrific saying. It's horrible. We need to get rid of that saying Yeah. Nobody wants that anymore.

The, that's not cool anymore.

Mitch Stringer: Exactly. Exactly. Uh, yeah. You know, uh, her type of travel is not sitting in a safari vehicle for, with gorillas for eight hours a day. Yeah. And, and that kind of thing. So, yeah, I,

I'm

Paris Chong: with her.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, the, the more, the more adventurous stuff, the things that, that I really, uh, prefer to do.

Um, yeah. I'm, I'm, well

Paris Chong: wait, what? Will she go with you to the beach

Mitch Stringer: like

Paris Chong: me?

Mitch Stringer: Um, no, I, I think if I was going to, you know, go to, uh, rural England and go to the TWA and, you know, see, she'd wanna

Paris Chong: come

Mitch Stringer: Sightsee and, and see the pretty places or, you know, Florence, Italy and, and these kind of things. Yeah. And, you know, shop and sightsee and have great meals and that kind of thing, which nobody, well,

Paris Chong: who wouldn't wanna do,

Mitch Stringer: which nobody would not like, like who

Paris Chong: would say

Mitch Stringer: no to that?

I, I just, you know, for some reason I have always enjoyed. Things that are outside of my regular life experience, things that can, I, I feel like if I'm uncomfortable, I'm super focused in general because it's things that are going on that are not my life experience and I want to absorb it. I want to be there and present in the moment, and I want to create.

Images that tell the story of the people where I'm at. And so I mentioned my friend Art Wolf. Art and I were in Bangladesh. And, uh, this is sadly one of the poorest nations in the world. And just to photograph the people and, and what they're going through and how they persevere and, and they make it through each day.

And same with Cuba, and same with parts of India. Um. So I like to be in places that make me uncomfortable and pay attention and learn. Um, I mean, I feel like. Anybody can go to a gorgeous mm-hmm. Resort area, but honestly I get bored there. Yeah. I really do. Let's, I

Paris Chong: really do, let's go. Do, do you work with any charities?

Mitch Stringer: You know, I have, I have not worked with charities. Um, and

Paris Chong: you should Yeah. Because that, if you're taking, you're doing this for awareness reasons, you know. Yeah. And sometimes it's good to partner with charities 'cause then you get exposure and you get to collaborate with other people's mailing lists and

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: Resources.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. That could be a possibility. That could be a possibility. You know, I, I, I, I have sort of two sides to my brain. One being the artistic, the other being sort of the business side. Mm-hmm. And so when I have worked with some charities in the past, uh, I've, I've questioned, you know, how much of every dollar is going towards Yeah.

Helping that. You have to worry, you have to

Paris Chong: worry about that

Mitch Stringer: too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because if your, if your work is out there. Photography's out there representing that particular cause. Uh, even though you're not involved in any of the financial decisions, your work is out there representing that charity.

Mm-hmm. So whatever goes on, good or bad, uh, you, you're, you're attached to. Yeah, that's

Paris Chong: true. That's true.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. So, and there's, there's many good charities and, and I like to think most. Do a really good job. I

Paris Chong: know Greg Gorman has a charity, a dog, charity.

Mitch Stringer: Okay.

Paris Chong: And it has paw in it. I remember that. Oh, nice. I'm like, I knew I liked that guy.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: Well, what would you, what advice would you give young people trying to get into the business of photography?

Mitch Stringer: Yeah. What I would say is, you know, you can learn. F stops and shutter speeds and, and rule of thirds and all those things. You can learn that a lot of different ways and, and it's, um, it's not that hard to understand those basics.

What's most important is having a vision and a style that is specific to you, because if you said, I can make a competent portrait, that's great, but you and. Hundreds of thousands of other aspiring photographers. What is it about the way you see portraiture, the way you see light, the way you see form that is different.

And for those young or any photographers that are up and coming, it's not about what filters can I put on this? I remember years ago I hired a young photographer to photograph a clothing line that my son and I had created. And you know, I wanted kind of a young hip, kind of a vibe, and I thought, well, I'm a dad.

I'm a little bit older than the demographic. Maybe I'm not as in touch. And what I saw was decent photography. But filters were being put on this in a way that if the shirt is red, the shirt should be red. If it's like a fire engine red, it should look like that. A filter shouldn't make it look burgundy or pink.

Yeah. Or whatever. So. Have a vision. Know how to execute it in a repeatable way. Understand light. Make yourself different because if you don't make yourself different, if you don't stand out in a crowd, you're just another image that nobody's gonna stop at.

Paris Chong: That is incredibly good advice.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, thanks.

Paris Chong: I feel that too, like, just be original.

Don't worry about the technical stuff. I actually have a show coming up this summer called Leica Emerging with eight, uh, young artists all under the age of 30. They're all mainly closer to 25, 26, so, and I've been trying to do it, uh, uh, for a couple of years and they keep getting older, so I'm just like, okay, now it's, it's 25, now it's 30.

Okay, let's do it. Let's do it before you guys turn 31. Dammit. So I'm really excited for that show. Maybe we could get you to come out and teach something.

Mitch Stringer: I'd love

Paris Chong: to do it. How long are you in town?

Mitch Stringer: Uh, I'm in town for about a week now.

Paris Chong: Okay. Yeah. Well, I hope I get to see you at the gallery.

Mitch Stringer: Uh, that Yeah.

I'll, I'll either but be there today or tomorrow.

Paris Chong: Okay, good. Yeah. Um, tomorrow you should come on Thursday. Manford Bauman's doing a photo shoot there.

Mitch Stringer: Oh,

Paris Chong: okay. Or come whenever you want. Okay. Yeah. Where, what, what part of town are you staying in?

Mitch Stringer: I am just, uh. Just above sunset. I'm in Hollywood.

Paris Chong: Okay, good.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah.

Paris Chong: Yeah. Awesome. That's good. Is that where you used to live when you lived here?

Mitch Stringer: Uh, I actually live right in Wilshire and La Brea area right near the tar pits. Oh,

Paris Chong: nice. Oh, that's a nice neighborhood.

Mitch Stringer: Yeah, yeah,

Paris Chong: yeah. LACMA by lacma.

Mitch Stringer: Exactly. Yeah. And it was so nice when, when I did live there, just to be able to walk around, go to the coffee shops Yeah.

And the little

‍

Related Show Clips

Show Clips Are In Progress.

Related Reels & Shorts

Clips 90 Seconds or less are coming soon.

Related TikToks

Mitch Stringer, Photographer and Fellow Podcaster Talks MLB, Travel and Art Books

Episode Timestamps

Links to Mitch Stringer

Show Clips Are In Progress.

Clips 90 Seconds or less are coming soon.

TikTok Clips in progress, Stay Tuned.

Information

Mitch Stringer, Photographer and Fellow Podcaster Talks MLB, Travel and Art Books

Episode Timestamps

Links to Mitch Stringer

Show Clips Are In Progress.

Clips 90 Seconds or less are coming soon.

TikTok Clips in progress, Stay Tuned.

Never miss an episode

Information