Episodes
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Episode 32: Carly Clarke—Photographing Cancer when You're the Patient
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...
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Episode 31: Gabrielle Motola—Recovery through Discovery
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…
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Episode 30: Jonathan Desmond—Lured into a Tea Shop
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
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Episode 29: Finale—Lessons Learned and How to Get the Most from this Podcast
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)…
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Episode 28: Anna Gunn—How to Create Your Own Photo Fest
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...
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Episode 27: Mandy Barker—Beyond Drifting: Imperfectly Known Animals
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...
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Episode 26: Gabrielle Motola—An Equal Difference
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...
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Episode 25: Damian Drohan—Relentlessness
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.
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Episode 24: Jon Wilkening—The Courage to Follow Your Heart to Fulfilment as a Photographer
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…
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Episode 23: Peter Cox—Self-publishing Using Kickstarter
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…
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Episode 22: Stephen Serio—Smartphone Photography & Changing Lanes
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...
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Episode 19: Jonathan Desmond & Roger Overall – Pre-qualifying Your Clients for Documentary Work
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...
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Episode 18: Iesha Small – Documenting Depression
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…
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Episode 21: Carl Weese and the Case of the Platinum/Palladium Prints
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...
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Episode 17: Denis Balibouse and the Gruyere Cheese Makers
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…
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Episode 16: Brian David Stevens – The Meaningful Landscape
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,...
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Episode 15: Bill Eppridge and the Beautiful Death
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...
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Episode 14: Christian Payne – Photography with a Conscience
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...
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Episode 13: Gina Glover – Bringing the Personal into Your Work
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...
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Episode 12: Dana Popa - The Role of Gender in Photography
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...
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Episode 11: Jonathon Keats – What Is A Documentary Photograph?
Just what is a documentary photograph? Like most of you listening to this podcast, I have my own definition of what it is, but I've never delved much deeper than my own ideas and preconceptions. I had a sense of what worked for me and that was enough. That's a dangerous road, don't you agree?…
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Episode 10: Dave Walsh - The Dialogue Between Photographer and Viewer
Have you ever thought about the relationship between the photographer, their work and the viewer? It's a key consideration for documentary photographers. How much should we reveal? How much should we explain? What role should we allow the viewer in the interpretation of the viewer? These are...
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Episode 9: David Creedon - Research, Depth and Understanding
In this episode of The Documentary Photographer podcast, we are joined by David Creedon. David has been dubbed "Cork's Vermeer" and his work is characterised by a similar use of available light to the Dutch Master painters. In the interview, he talks about photographing abandoned houses in…
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Episode 8: Joeri van der Kloet - Documentary Weddings
In episode eight of The Documentary Photographer podcast we welcome Joeri van der Kloet, a Dutch wedding photojournalist.
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Episode 7: Simon Norfolk - Finding A Higher Purpose
Simon Norfolk has been photographing man's preoccupation with war for over a decade. In this episode of The Documentary Photographer podcast he talks about his work, the underlying thinking behind it, how he gains access to sensitive and dangerous areas, his experiences and the need for...
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Episode 6: Darren Purcell - A Wedding Photographer in Haiti
Irish wedding photographer Darren Purcell tells how he was approached by a charity to photograph in Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake. We discuss dealing with subjects who have gone through such a trauma, as well as the logistics involved in photographing amidst the ruins…
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Episode 5: Penny Wolin - Descendants of Light
The guest for this episode of The Documentary Photographer podcast is Penny Wolin, a US photographer who has had an illustrious career. Penny is known for her many entertainment industry portraits and her work documenting the life of Jews in the US, including those in her birth state Wyoming. For...
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Episode 4: Doug Menuez - Advertising Documentary
In this episode of The Documentary Photographer podcast, I get to talk to one of my heroes: Doug Menuez. Doug is a US photographer who has found the holy grail - being paid advertising rates to photograph documentary images his way. The perfect blend of art and commerce.
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Episode 3: Carl Weese - Driving Around And Driving In
In the third episode of The Documentary Photographer podcast, Roger Overall interviews Carl Weese, an American professional photographer who is completing a 13-year-long project to photograph America's drive-in movie theatres.
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Episode 2: The Online Income Experiment and Pat Flynn, Smart Passive Income
In the second episode of The Documentary Photographer, Roger Overall interviews Pat Flynn, an online income expert who produces the Smart Passive Income blog and podcast.