The Documentary Photographer Podcast

In 2012, Carly Clarke was diagnosed with cancer. One of her coping mechanisms was to document her treatment journey. But what does it take to photograph a story that could end with your own death? And why do it with a Pentax 6x7—a cumbersome camera at the best of times; an absolute monolith for a patient ravaged by cancer and chemo? Carly Clarke had the grit and desire to do both. You can see the photographs Carly took during her time with cancer took in the Reality Trauma gallery on her website: www.carlyclarkephotography.co.uk

Have you ever been lost as a photographer or cast adrift as a human being? This episode is for you. Gabrielle Motola talks frankly and openly about dealing with a range of professional and personal setbacks. This is an episode about life, joy and struggle. It's about staying connected to your soul as a photographer, as an artist, as a creative, as a human being. It's also about facing down upsets by taking action. Massive action (ride to Iceland on a 250cc motorbike) and small action (take just one photograph, connect with one person, however fleetingly). Above all, this episode is about staying true to yourself and finding beauty and purpose in a turbulent, messy and sometimes frightening world.

A one-off episode to catch up with previous guest Jonathan Desmond about his recent book of photographs of Vancouver's Chinatown: I Was Lured Into A Tea Shop—Vancouver’s Chinatown from 2013-2015 The book is available on Jonathan's website: www.jonathandesmond.com

This is the final episode of the Documentary Photographer Podcast. It may return for a second season, but for now it is the last one. You'll hear me explain why I've called a halt and find out the top 10 wondrous things the podcast gave me.   Here's the list (in no particular order of importance):   1. Spoke to my hero: Doug Menuez 2. Spoke to great photographers 3. Taught me about photography: how to take pictures 4. Taught me about business 5. Inspired me/showed me what’s possible: pursuing dreams 6. Broadened my horizons/understanding of humanity/culture 7. Marketing of my brand 8. Taught me a new product/business 9. Taught me a new skill (speaking/interviewing) 10. Broadened my network: interviewees & listeners   Thank you for your company along the way. It's been a privilege.   Links: Show & Tell Communications (www.showandtellcommunications.net) Spierkater (www.spierkater.com) Roger Overall Photography (www.rogeroverall.net) Peter Cox Photography (www.petercox.ie) Doug Menue

Anna Gunn joins us from Portugal to talk about her career in photography and how she created Porto Photo Fest from scratch. Follow her journey from aerospace engineering via theatre lighting to photography. You'll not only hear lots to inspire you on your own creative journey, but also learn how Anna convinced some of her photography heroines and heroes run workshops at the inaugural Porto Photo Fest.

In this episode, you’ll hear Mandy Baker talk about her project Beyond Drifting: Imperfectly Known Animals, which draws attention to plastic pollution in the environment—seas and oceans in particular. From the project exhibition press release:  Plankton form a diverse group of microscopic marine organisms living in the water column, not able to swim against the current; they exist in a drifting, floating, state. In this series by Mandy Barker, unique ‘specimens’ of this animal species relate to the pioneering discoveries made by marine biologist John Vaughn Thompson in Cobh and Cork Harbour during the 1800’s.    Mandy Barker with of her photographs on display at the Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh, Ireland, 27th May, 2017  Presented as microscopic samples, objects of marine plastic debris, recovered from the same location, mimic Thompson’s early scientific discoveries of plankton. The work represents the degradation and contamination of plastic particles in the natural environment, by creating the percepti

Welcome to the Documentary Photographer podcast. In this episode, you’ll hear Gabrielle Motola talk about her career path and her work, especially her book ‘An Equal Difference’. The book looks at Iceland’s response to the 2008 financial crisis and focuses on the country’s thinking around gender equality and gender identity. Central questions in the book are “Why did Iceland react the way to its financial crisis by calling for the feminisation of the banking culture? Why did it prosecute those who did not live up to their social responsibilities and acted in self-serving ways to the detriment of society? Why did no other country react in this way?” For me personally, 2016 was a year that underlined starkly how women aren’t seen and treated as equals in many societies, actually probably most societies. I think a good example is that of the USA, which will soon have a president who has admitted to treating women outrageously, but that’s OK by a large share of the electorate—large enough to have him elected, wi

Damian Drohan talks about how to generate paying documentary commissions and explains how he has received commissions from public bodies. He also talks about keeping yourself going during lean times and during dark times.

Jon Wilkening left a successful career in finance to become a fine art photographer. His whole life, he felt like he was different and couldn't shake a sense of not quite belonging. It's hardly surprising when you think he's an American whose childhood was spent in the Netherlands and India. He was 12 by the time he settled permanently in the US. Jon speaks about his fascinating upbringing and about how he came to make a risky, yet fulfilling leap from finance to photography. You'll also hear about the influence AJ Leon and the force of nature that is Misfit Inc had on his life. A special mention goes to Jane Boyd, a mutual friend who brought Jon and I together for the show. 

Peter Cox is a successful professional landscape photographer based in Co. Cork in Ireland. He is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to help publish his second book—"Atlantic Light". To say it has been a huge success so far would be an understatement—like saying the summit of K2 is a bit of a walk. Peter is no stranger to Kickstarter success. His previous book campaign was almost 400% funded and he is on track to repeat that this time round. In this episode of The Documentary Photographer Podcast, Peter talks about what you need to run a successful Kickstarter campaign and explains what went into his latest book project. Peter is also an early adopter of drone technology for his photography and his latest book will feature photographs taken exclusively from the air. He explains what drew him to drone photography and tells of some of the mishaps along the way. If you have plans to run a Kickstarter campaign to publish a book of your photographs, Peter has some wonderful and useful insights for you. You c

Can you make money from smartphone photography? Yes, you can. In this episode of The Documentary Photographer podcast, American photographer Stephen Serio talks about his Instagram photography and how it fits in with his career as a professional photographer. He also talks about his recent switch from being a staff magazine photographer to a freelancer, along with the reasons behind the move. He also explains how he is using the contacts he built up as a magazine photographer to build his freelance client base in and around Chicago. Stephen also explains the "architecture of light", a principle he learned from one of his mentors, documentary photographer David Plowden. You can see Stephen's work on his website (www.stephenserio.com) and follow his smartphone photography on Instagram, where he is @phoned_it_in.

In a change from the norm, Canadian photographer Jonathan Desmond takes the reins of the podcast and asks regular host Roger Overall questions about how he approaches documentary photography. In particular, they talk about how to explain to both wedding and corporate clients what documentary photography is. Roger talks about the importance of letting your passion for the authentic moment shine through.

In this episode documentary photographer and teacher Iesha Small talks about her project documenting depression. Iesha explains how her own spell of depression resulted in her taking up photography. She also talks about using text and audio in her work, and about how she approaches such a sensitive topic. You can see Iesha's photography and stories at http://www.mindshackles.co.uk/

Carl Weese, who joined us in episode 3, is back to bring us up to date on his epic 18,000-mile trip around the USA to photograph drive-in movie theatres. He also talks about the platinum/palladium print process. He is a master of this contact printing technique, which produces prints with a remarkable tonal range. Carl reveals how he has combined this alternative printing method with thoroughly contemporary technology. He is currently offering two of his photographs for sale as platinum/palladium prints through the latest print sale on The Online Photographer - Carl Weese Print Sale 

Speaking purely from a selfish point of view: I could happily live out the rest of my days producing documentary photographs and films about artisan food producers. Being around them is inspirational. Their knowledge, skill and passion is infectious. Moreover, I like my food. You can imagine, then, how excited I was when I came across the photographs and video that Reuters photographer  Denis Balibouse produced of Gruyere cheese makers. He spent time with the Murith family between May and October last year documenting the making of Gruyere cheese on the mountainside. The experience challenged his assumptions about cheese making and traditional aspects of Swiss life, which is thought were under threat. In our conversation, we talk about some of the fundamentals of documentary photography such as access and respecting your subject's integrity and rights. We also look at the rise of video and its importance for us as documentary photographers.

This episode features a conversation with Brian David Stevens. He speaks eloquently and thoughtfully about his work and approach to photography and his subjects. We meander through landscape photography, street photography and documentary photography as sub-genres of photography. We talk realism, truth and meaning, as well as building meaningful relationships with your human subjects when they are very different from you. Brian's interests are varied, covering seascapes to graffiti artists, yet there is a coherence. Often Brian collaborates. Either with his subjects or by working with others on a project, a poet for instance. His work is about dialogue. Landscapes are revealed to have human meaning due to events that happened there – the interplay between image and words creates a deeper story.

The recent passing of Bill Eppridge reminded me of the photograph that he took of a dying Robert Kennedy and of my reaction to it – it is a beautiful photograph. I wonder whether the beauty of the photograph detracts from the story. Is it above all a thing of aesthetic delight and a storytelling image a distant second? I don't intend any disrespect by saying this. It's just that I wonder at the relationship between beauty and storytelling. Does beauty detract or obscure the story the photographer intends to tell? Or perhaps it enhances it somehow? In this episode of The Documentary Photographer, we touch on the issue of beauty in documentary images. We also look forward to the upcoming print sale to raise funds for medical relief in Syria.

This is a special episode of the podcast. So special that it's being released ahead of the usual slot and before another interview that was already in the queue. The reason is twofold. First the photographer interviewed is a remarkable man who went out of his way (and possibly into harm's way) to tell a remarkable story: Christian Payne. Online, many know Christian as Documentally, a storyteller who uses multiple online platforms to tell his own story and that of his clients. He does exciting things for interesting clients. I first became aware of him when he travelled from Land's End to John o' Groats (the UK's famed tip to top journey) with nothing but online airtime to offer those who gave him rides, shelter and food. That alone should give you an idea of the person he is. He does things most of us wouldn't. One thing he did very recently was travel to Turkey and Syria. He wanted to find out first hand how the war was affecting regular Syrians – people like you and me. In this interview, recorded on

How do you choose the things that you want to photograph? Our personal circumstances and interests play a big part in our choices, of course. But so does serendipity. Gina Glover's story is a good example of this. She launched her career photographing something that was on her doorstep: a former nuclear missile launch site.  Gina's career has spanned several decades and in that time she has explored the missile site in detail – digging in and exploring it from a number of angles. Over time, her technique, gear and approach changed, but the topic remained the same – gradually being revealed layer by layer, deeper and deeper. In this episode of of The Documentary Photographer podcast, we discuss her seminal Playgrounds of War, as well as practical issues such as gaining access to sensitive areas and her approach to colour. Special thank you: this episode of the podcast owes much to the help of Richard West at Source magazine. Want to know why? Listen in. 

In this episode, I'm joined in conversation by Dana Popa, a Romanian photographer who is based in London. Dana has done work in very sensitive environments – among sex slaves, for instance. These environments made me wonder whether a man could have gained the access required to produce a visual story.