The Paris Chong Show

Film vs. Digital | Show Clip

Jeff Dunas and Paris Chong contrast the deliberate, psychologically significant process of film photography, with its 36-shot limit, against the expansive, sometimes less focused, nature of digital. Dunas recounts his role in connecting fellow photographer Ralph Gibson with Leica, a company Dunas has worked with since the early eighties, and he is encouraged to submit his own work for recognition. The conversation pivots to the Palm Springs Photo Festival, which Paris Chong notes was the start of her portfolio review career. Dunas emphasizes that the festival's unique structure positioned the portfolio reviews as an effective "job fair," successfully connecting photographers with editors and publishers to advance their careers and secure work. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Jeff Dunas https://youtu.be/DRTByJF3HtU https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #photography #filmphotography #digitalphotography

Unexpected Fame | Show Clip

Jeff Dunas's career in nude photography, which he says he is "famous for" if you’re older. He recounts his work for Playboy in his late teens. Dunas showcases his book of nudes, a 30-year collection spanning from 1970 to 2016, noting that the photos were all shot with Leica M-series cameras (M3s and M6s), mostly in Europe. He also discusses his other books made during COVID, revealing he self-designed and printed them using the service Blurb to create high-quality "dummies" for potential publishers. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Jeff Dunas https://youtu.be/DRTByJF3HtU https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #photography #hughhefner #playboy

From Secrets to Solidarity | Show Clip

Jeff Dunas and Paris Chong discuss how, especially within the Leica community, photographers now embrace networking and shared passion, contrasting with an earlier time when professionals guarded their secrets. Dunas emphasizes that the Palm Springs Photo Festival's portfolio reviews were designed as a "job fair" to facilitate career-changing connections, and they muse over the unique culture of Leica users who treat their cameras as both a professional statement and a valued object, often bringing them to social events and showcasing their investment in the craft. This culture is further juxtaposed with the changing technical landscape, contrasting the thoughtful, limited-shot process of film photography with the endless shooting and extensive editing of the digital era. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Jeff Dunas https://youtu.be/DRTByJF3HtU https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #photography #photographers #leica

Dubai: A Forest of Cranes | Show Clip

Jeff Dunas and Paris Chong discuss their travel experiences and connections to the photography world. Dunas describes his trip to Dubai, noting the massive construction with a "forest of cranes" and the surreal nature of the man-made environment. The conversation then shifts to Paris Chong's upcoming trip to the House of Leica in Greece, which is happening right before her international gallerist meeting in Wetzlar, Germany. They then discuss Hossein Ani, the founder of the Loosies and Paris's former boss, who co-founded the Palm Springs Photo Festival with Dunas. Dunas notes that Ani has not returned to America, and is now running his galleries in various international locations, including Budapest and Thailand, having found his element in the global art scene. Show Clip from The Paris Chong Show with Jeff Dunas https://youtu.be/DRTByJF3HtU https://www.theparischongshow.com 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com #dubai #photography #podcast

Jeff Dunas, Passion Projects, Publishing Art Books, Palm Springs Photo Festival & Leica

Paris Chong welcomes back renowned photographer Jeff Dunas, who dives into the photographic books he produced during the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily from his archive. These projects include a small, limited-edition book with publisher Nazraeli called *Highway 61 to Honeyboy*, a Renaissance garden book, and a collection of his American pictures. He discusses the changing landscape of photo book publishing, particularly the unique crowd-sourced model used by Michelle from Minor Matters, who also designed his earlier book, *State of the Blues*. Dunas also reflects on his early career, including his widely known nude photography for Playboy while in his late teens.   Dunas shares his deep connection to Leica cameras, which he has used since the early eighties, noting he still owns an M3 and M7. He highlights his attachment to the M9 Monochrome, calling it "perfect" for black and white work—like shooting an M6 with Tri-X film. He contrasts the slow, deliberate process of shooting with film (the psychological importance of a 36-picture limit) and the mastery of the darkroom with the current, faster pace of digital photography. He likens his new hobby of making sourdough bread to the focused, scientific process of working in a darkroom. The conversation also covers the Palm Springs Photo Festival, which Dunas co-founded and ran for 17 years. He proudly defines its portfolio reviews not as critique sessions, but as a crucial "job fair," connecting emerging photographers with industry people who could hire, publish, or exhibit their work. While the festival itself is currently on hold due to the high costs of maintaining its high-quality faculty, the reviews continue online. Finally, Jeff discusses his successful "Palm Springs Photo Festival podcast," which he started in 2020 to maintain a sense of community during the pandemic. You can find Jeff Dunas's work on his website, dunes.com. Show Notes: www.theparischongshow.com/episodes/jeff-dunas-passion-projects-publishing-art-books-palm-springs-photo-festival-leica Chapters: (00:00:00) Intro (00:00:51) Jeff Dunas (00:01:19) A Few New Books (00:05:07) Paris's First Art Book (00:08:28) Famous For Nudes (00:11:25) Super Rare Books (00:15:26) Palm Springs Photo Festival (00:18:48) Marker 12 (00:22:45) Leica Store (00:25:24) Other Hobbies (00:32:25) Didn't Know You Had A Daughter (00:36:26) Landscape - Palisades Fire Talk (00:39:04) What's Next? (00:46:33) Outro 🎵 Music by ⁠Andrew Raiher⁠ https://andrewraiher.com/ 📸 Shot & Edited at ⁠Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com