PODCAST · arts
Photography is Nothing
by Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken
Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.“Photography is nothing—it’s life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson
Episodes
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The Photography of Adger Cowans
In Episode 54 of Photography is Nothing, Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken explore the remarkable photography of Adger Cowans, a pioneering photographer whose work spans street photography, documentary photography, portraiture, jazz, fine art, and more than 30 motion picture sets. From his early...
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First Time in New York City
Zach & Courtney take the family to New York City for the first time. Over the past few years, Zach has been working regularly in New York, but the rest of the family (Courtney included) had yet to visit the city. In this episode, we talk about experiencing New York with our five kids. We visit...
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Interview with Tajette O'Halloran
In this interview with Australian photographic artist Tajette O’Halloran, we talk about the inspiration behind her projects like In Australia, The Quarry, and Regional Rituals. She talks about her difficult upbringing in the Northern Rivers area, and how that put her on a path to tell the stories...
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The Photography of Tajette O'Halloran
Tajette O’Halloran is a photographic artist based in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. Her work ranges from documentary to portraiture to conceptual. The common thread is examining adolescence and identity; both her own and others’. Tajette’s projects include In Australia, where she revisits…
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What We've Learned So Far
In this 50TH episode, Zach & Courtney talk about what they’ve learned so far from running a photography business, starting a podcast, raising 5 kids, homeschooling, and just being generally busy making things for 20 years. “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri...
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Football
Episode 49 - In this episode Zach & Courtney talk about how football and photography came up together since the late 1800s. We can see how as the technology advanced, the style of photography changed as well. “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson Index 0:00…
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Copyright
US Copyright laws exist to protect artists and their art. Zach & Courtney take copyright seriously and have retained the copyright for all of Zach’s photography since the beginning of their business. In this episode of Photography is Nothing, Zach & Courtney talk about famous court cases…
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Interview with Christopher Morris
Zach & Courtney interview Christopher Morris, a documentary photographer who has covered war, politics, and fashion since 1981. In this interview, Morris talks about being mistaken for a CIA agent, living with the consequences of witnessing atrocities firsthand, working to make sure his vast...
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The Photography of Christopher Morris
Christopher Morris is a documentary photographer who has covered wars, politics, and fashion since 1981. In this episode, Courtney & Zach introduce Morris’s photography ahead of next week’s interview with the photographer. Christopher Morris got his start with the Black Star agency covering...
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Interview with Kiliii Yüyan
Episode 45 • Kiliii Yüyan Zach & Courtney interview Kiliii Yüyan, National Geographic photographer, Explorer, and speaker. Kiliii’s work focuses on indigenous communities around the world with special attention to environmental issues. Indigenous Photography Kiliii is himself of Chinese and...
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Kiliii Yüyan
Zach & Courtney introduce you to the work of Kiliii Yüyan, National Geographic photographer. Kiliii’s work focuses on indigenous communities around the world with special attention to environmental issues. This week we talk about Kiliii’s background and some of his best known work so you’ll be...
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Kids and Cameras
Zach & Courtney talk about supporting their kids taking photos. Zach has always been open to letting kids use his professional cameras, even if it made him nervous at first. ICYMI, Zach & Courtney ARE married! They have 5 kids together, who have free rein with cameras whenever they ask. In this...
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World Cup 2026
Episode 42 - Zach & Courtney go through the best photos of the 2026 World Cup so far. And by “best” they mean the photos they like the most. There are a lot of great storylines that have unfolded early in the tournament and Zach & Courtney get into their favorite photos of these stories and...
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Larry Fink
Episode 41 - Zach & Courtney have talked about Larry Fink on multiple occasions, so wanted to have an episode dedicated to him. The photography of Larry Fink was documentary in nature and full of social & class commentary. His most famous series, Social Graces, put images of Manhattan socialites…
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Lourdes Grobet
Episode 40 - Zach & Courtney talk about Lourdes Grobet, an amazing Mexican photographer whose best known work is her nearly 40 years of documenting lucha libre, Mexican wrestling. Grobet’s work isn’t just unique because of the subject matter. She did a mix of action, documentary…
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PaJaMa Collective
Episode 39 - Zach & Courtney talk about PaJaMa collective, made up of painters & photographers Paul Cadmus, Jared French, and Margaret French. Between 1937 and the mid 1950s, they created a set of photos that feel like summer. This episode about PaJaMa is also a great way to celebrate Pride…
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Joel Meyerowitz - Cape Light
Episode 38 - Zach & Courtney talk about photographer Joel Meyerowitz and his project Cape Light. This series, created in 1976-77 in Cape Cod, is a fantastic and nostalgic look at what summer feels like. Joel Meyerowitz is an early adapter of color photography in an era when “serious” art...
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Indy 500 2026
Episode 37 - Zach & Courtney head to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for their annual trek to the famed Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, aka the Indy 500. This episode is a visual experience! You have to see the sights through video clips and photos. This is Neve’s first Indy 500, so we were all very...
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Ruedi Hofmann - Photographer & Master Printer
Episode 36 - In this episode, Zach & Courtney talk with Ruedi Hofmann, photographer and master printer for Richard Avedon's In the American West. Ruedi Hofmann has worked as a professional photographer since the 1980s with regular clients like Giorgio Armani. But before that, Hofmann worked for 5...
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Famous Photographers' Family Photos
Episode 35 - In this episode, Zach & Courtney talk about famous photographers photographing their own families. After last week’s episode about documenting everyday life, Zach wanted to talk about some famous photographers who documented their own life, and specifically their family. Documentary...
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Documentary Photography is for Everyone
Episode 34 - In this episode, Zach & Courtney talk about the importance of documenting our lives. It’s could be easy to dismiss photographing everyday life and the world around us, but it’s an important practice. We learn a lot about the past from ordinary images, maybe even more than we learn…
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Baseball - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 33 - In this episode, Zach & Courtney talk about their recent trip to the ballpark and learn about a photographer from the golden age of baseball. Charles M. Conlon photographed baseball between 1904-1941, taking absolutely gorgeous photos of some of the game’s most famous names....
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Moab, Utah - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 32 - Zach & Courtney talk about one of their favorite trips: Moab, Utah! They visit Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and more! Zach used to photograph weddings and that’s how he ended up in Moab 3 years in a row. Courtney & Henry went, too, on...
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Yes, Michigan! - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 31 - Zach & Courtney talk about a trip to Hoeft State Park located on the beautiful shores of Lake Huron in Rogers City, Michigan. They stayed in a 1929 Sears Roebuck house just 100 yards from the beach, visited 40 Mile Point Lighthouse and Rogers City Marina, and took in a super early...
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Florida Keys Road Trip - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 30 - Zach & Courtney talk about a favorite family trip: A roadtrip through the Florida Keys! In 2018, Courtney, Zach, and (then) 4 kids, drove nearly 3,000 miles from Indianapolis, IN to Key West, FL (and back, of course). On this episode we talk about the experience, including our…
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All-Time Best Basketball Photos - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Zach & Courtney talk about Zach’s six selections for all-time best basketball photos. Plus, they take a look at the photography of Walter Iooss, Jr., who has photographed professional sports in 7 different decades! “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson…
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Basketball - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 28 - Zach & Courtney take a look through Zach’s archive of basketball photography from around the state of Indiana. Indiana is of course the best state in the country for basketball. In this episode, Zach & Courtney talk about their own experiences with the sport as well as go in-depth on...
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St. Patrick’s Day - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Zach & Courtney take the family to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Indianapolis, IN. They talk about the experience while looking through Zach’s documentary photography from the event. Courtney tells Zach what she learned about Irish photographer Jane Shackleton (1843-1909) and they go through…
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Photography Hot Takes - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 26 - Photographers are a passionate bunch and always have hot takes about our beliefs and convictions surrounding our art. And this goes all the way to the beginning of photography with the original hot take: Is photography art? Zach and Courtney discuss some of the biggest hot takes...
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Best Photos of the 2026 Olympics - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 25 - Bringing you the best action and documentary photography from the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games! Zach scoured the internet to find the greatest photos of the Olympics so he and Courtney could discuss the making, the meaning, and the impact they’ve had on our view of the...
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Olympic Fashion Photography - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 24 - There is typically lots of fashion & editorial photography that surrounds the Olympics. For this year’s 2026 Winter Olympics, Zach & Courtney found three cool photoshoots, but feel like there should be a lot more! In this episode we talk about… Win Tam’s high-fashion photos of Team...
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Photography Q&A - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 23 - What focal length lens do you use for backstage photography? Do you ever use “silent shutter” mode? Do you use fixed focal length? Do you have insurance on all your cameras & gear? What do people who are actually from working class areas of England think of Martin Parr’s…
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Backstage - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 22 - This week we talk about going behind the scenes and photographing backstage at concerts, shows, and events. When attending a performance, what happens on stage is only one small part of the story. Going backstage to photograph the emotion, preparation, and all the moving parts offers…
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Martin Parr - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 21 - This week we talk about the late great Martin Parr. Starting in the black & white documentary tradition in the 1970s, Parr’s work took a bold turn to color accentuated by flash in 1982. While still documentary in nature, in that he didn’t stage or pose scenes, Parr acknowledged that...
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Cats - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 20 - Cats have been a part of photography since its beginnings. As early as the 1870s, people have been taking silly photos of cats in costumes or staged scenes. In this episode, we look at the beginnings of cat photography, technology that was developed from a scientist studying cats…
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Indiana University - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 19 - Indiana University is our alma mater and we love it! After IU football's Rose Bowl victory over Alabama, we decided to talk about our love for the school on this week's episode. In addition to football, we talk basketball (of course), soccer, Little 500, plus architecture, school...
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Football - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 18 - In this episode Zach & Courtney talk about how football and photography came up together since the late 1800s. We can see how as the technology advanced, the style of photography changed as well. “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson Index 0:00…
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Snow & Science - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 17 - In this episode Zach & Courtney talk about two photographers with opposite approaches of photographing the science of winter. Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley photographed closeup images of single snowflakes in the early era of photography (1885-1931). Esther Horvath is a photographer...
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Photography by Candlelight - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 16 - It’s that time of year when the sun sets early and we photographers are forced to practice our low light skills. Candlelight is not very bright and often inconsistent, but it’s one of the best sources for creating warm, cozy, moody, contrasty light. In this episode Zach & Courtney…
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Bokeh - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 15 - Photographers love to talk about bokeh. So let's get into it. We talk about the origins of the word and just how recently this came into the photography lexicon. Also, more important to us than how it works from a technical standpoint is how it's used in photos to direct a viewer's…
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Cars & Cameras - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 14 - Zach has always enjoyed photographing cars. Going to the occasional car shows and gatherings has been a regular part of our family life since the beginning. Today we welcome our boys to the podcast who also enjoy photographing cars with their dad. We talk through their images as well...
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Taylor Swift Album Art - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 13 - For any household with Swifties, the number 13 has special meaning. So for this 13th episode of Photography is Nothing, Zach & Courtney invite their daughters to discuss the meaning and evolution of Taylor Swift's album art through the eras. As Taylor Swift worked her way from teen...
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Tennessee - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 12 - This week Zach & Courtney visit Tennessee, both literally and photographically. They discuss Zach’s photos from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, view historical images from the Tennessee Valley Authority, and learn about the incredible Tennessee-based photographer Stacy...
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Road Trip! - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 11 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss photographing road trips, including Zach’s photos on the road and in the Florida Keys, plus Joel Sternfeld’s project from the 1970s and 80s, American Prospects. “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson Index 0:00…
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State Fair - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 10 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss their visit to the Indiana State Fair plus Zach’s project documenting fairs & festivals around the state of Indiana over the last 15 years. They also look at some photography of fairs by some of the all time greats like Danny Lyon, Inge Morath, Garry...
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Backstory - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken
Episode 09 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss starting a photography business and a family at the same time and how they work to fully integrate their lives together. “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson Notes Where it says, “Photo stories with the…
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Iconic Album Covers Part Two - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 08 - This week Zach & Courtney follow up with comments from last week’s album choices and discuss everything from lawsuits to successful collaborations between photographers and musicians. “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson INDEX0:00 - Intro - Be...
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Eight Iconic Album Covers - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 07 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss 8 iconic album covers and the stories behind them. They define what makes an “iconic” album cover, analyze the photos, tell how they were made, who the photographers were, and some of the myths that formed around the images. “Photography is...
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Photo Stories That Went Too Far - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 06 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss photography projects that became obsessive, including Japanese photographer Masahisa Fukase’s Ravens, Catherine Leroy’s coverage of the Vietnam War, W. Eugene Smith documenting Pittsburg for two years, and Zach’s own project of photographing lost…
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The Only Revolution is Within - Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson & Courtney McCracken
Episode 05 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss everyday photography, Zach’s 180 on fireworks photos, an important quote that influenced Courtney, and the work of photographers Sally Mann and Larry Fink. “Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson Index 0:00 -...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.“Photography is nothing—it’s life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson
HOSTED BY
Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Photography is Nothing have?
Photography is Nothing currently has 53 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Photography is Nothing about?
Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. Photography is Nothing invites you into the...
How often does Photography is Nothing release new episodes?
Photography is Nothing has 53 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Photography is Nothing?
You can listen to Photography is Nothing on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Photography is Nothing?
Photography is Nothing is created and hosted by Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken.
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