The Paris Chong Show

Paris interviews Desiree Astorga, a talented photographer known for her work in sports, particularly skateboarding. Desiree shares the intriguing story of her last name, which isn't her birth name, and the humorous discovery that her family's Italian heritage was a fabrication. She discusses her Belgian mother's background as an Olympic diver and her own athletic upbringing, which led to her passion for sports photography. Desiree highlights her love for the skateboarding community, emphasizing the supportive and resilient nature of its culture, and recounts how she and Paris met through a skateboarding event. Desiree also details her extensive experience in radio, having hosted "The Desiree Show" for 13 years on various stations like World Tune Radio and Dash Radio. She's now transitioning her show to a podcast, which will also include video, broadcast from Skullcandy's facilities. She explains her rigorous three-hour prep process for each show, contrasting it with Paris's unscripted approach. The conversation touches on Desiree's work with NFL players, which began through unexpected encounters and led to photography opportunities at games, practices, and even their homes, building genuine friendships rather than "groupie" relationships. Finally, Desiree shares her future aspirations, including a potential photography show at Mollusk and Funk in Santa Barbara and a new film photography series called "The Dynamo Series," focusing on inspiring women. She discusses her appreciation for live music and acknowledges the shift in the media landscape from magazines to digital platforms. The interview concludes with information on how listeners can find "The Desiree Show" podcast and view her photography online, with Paris expressing gratitude for Desiree's presence and support. Show Notes: www.theparischongshow.com/episodes/desiree-astorga-behind-the-lens-for-skate-nfl-and-punk-rock-photographer Chapters: (00:00:00) Intro (00:00:22) Desiree Astorga (00:04:55) The Desiree Show (00:09:41) Published as Desiree (00:14:34) What do you do now? (00:17:30) Prepping for a Podcast (00:21:18) Getting in, in the NFL (00:25:08) Who's your team? (00:27:18) Live Shows (00:31:24) Photo Wish List (00:33:16) Find More Desiree (00:35:09) Outro 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com

Paris and Bil discuss the unique draw of Leica cameras, with Paris noting their cult-like appeal and Bil sharing his personal obsession, including owning multiple models and trading them. Bil emphasizes his desire for a personal Leica to pass down to his children, particularly his son Dorian, who is already interested in photography and shooting film. They touch upon the resurgence of film photography and a cinematographer's process of digitally shooting and then transferring to film for a specific aesthetic, leading into Bil's current "Hollywood Cult" project, which explores underground queer culture and requires shooting in low-light conditions at odd hours, making digital capture essential for his artistic vision. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Bil Brown https://youtu.be/j1N0Yvgcf0U https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #leica #photography #film

Bil Brown and Paris Chong discuss the limitations and potential dangers of AI, with Bil asserting that AI cannot be a true artist as it lacks the ability to create or think independently, only compute based on existing data. He plans for the revived "Black and Gray" magazine to explore the "negative spaces" where AI cannot reach, focusing on what it means to be human in a world increasingly shaped by simulation. He references the controversial comedy routine "The Aristocrats" as a metaphor for a "rite of passage into humanity," aiming to highlight genuine human creativity and experience within the magazine's content. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Bil Brown https://youtu.be/j1N0Yvgcf0U https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #poetry #photography #ai

Bil Brown explains how his magazine work led him to a 15-year career as an agent, primarily for Amazon Fashion, where he managed over 600 photographers, stylists, and digitechs across multiple studios in several states. However, this relationship ended when he discovered Amazon was using his talent to train their AI, leading them to propose a "collab agreement" where he would pay them to hire his own talent, which he refused. Inspired by this, he's now taking a "vow of photography" to "make the world safe for photography" against AI, emphasizing the importance of content credentials in cameras like the Leica M11-P to prove authenticity, especially in light of controversial attribution issues like that of Nick Ut's iconic photo. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Bil Brown https://youtu.be/j1N0Yvgcf0U https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #photography #leica #ai

Bil Brown discusses the upcoming revival of his "Black and Gray" magazine, where he plans to feature both established and emerging artists, with Matt Mercury joining as an associate publisher. He then shares his varied professional background, from avant-garde poetry at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics to accidentally becoming a photographer, even meeting Robert Frank through Allen Ginsberg. Brown also recounts his 15-year career as an agent, where his primary client was Amazon Fashion, managing hundreds of photographers and stylists across numerous studios, a relationship that ended when he discovered Amazon was using his talent to train their AI and sought to have him pay to hire his own talent. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Bil Brown https://youtu.be/j1N0Yvgcf0U https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #photography #agent #amazon