The Elevator Podcast: Big Ideas in Short Rides

As Season One comes to a close, I reflect on photography not just as a way of capturing reality, but as a force that shapes memory, meaning, and history itself.

In my last episode of season one, I sit down with sociology professor Dr. Jimmie Bany to explore a powerful question: Does photography create social change, or simply reflect the world as it already is?We unpack how images do more than capture moments, they shape meaning. Drawing on sociological theory, including Durkheim’s concept of collective consciousness, we discuss how photographs become shared symbols that influence how societies understand themselves and others. From widely circulated images of global conflict to moments of protest and political transformation, photography has the power to inform, move, and mobilize people across the world.We also dive into the rise of smartphone photography and “citizen journalism,” examining how access to image-making has shifted power away from traditional media and into the hands of everyday people. At the same time, we confront challenges: media fatigue, digital tribalism driven by algorithms, and the growing difficulty of distinguishing truth in an age of AI-generated images.Through the lens of sociology, this conversation explores how images can spark empathy, sustain social movements, and reinforce, or challenge, systems of inequality. Ultimately, we ask: Who controls what we see, and how does that shape what we believe is real?

In a conversation with political science professor Dr. Claudia Sandoval, photography emerges as more than art, it becomes a powerful political tool. Reflecting on her upbringing in Inglewood during the Los Angeles Uprisings, Dr. Sandoval connects images to lived experiences of racial tension, community transformation, and political identity. Her work documents the shifting landscape of historically Black neighborhoods now shaped by Latino communities and rapid development, revealing both change and continuity. From construction sites to cars displaying political messages, her photographs capture a deeper truth: while cities evolve, underlying divisions and unresolved conflicts often persist. In a polarized society where language can obscure reality, photography cuts through, challenging viewers to confront what has changed, what hasn’t, and what still demands action.

On this episode of The Elevator Podcast, Dr. Mark Sellick unpacks politics not as a place, but as a process, driven by people, narratives, and power. Through that lens, photography emerges as far more than documentation; it becomes a political instrument.We explore how images construct and reinforce hierarchies, who gets included or excluded from the political “inside,” and how dominant narratives are shaped and maintained. Dr. Sellick introduces the idea of hegemony as the stewardship of powerful stories, and photography as one of its most effective tools.From subtle shifts in a candidate’s appearance influencing voter perception, to the stark contrast between those who heard versus watched the Nixon–Kennedy debate, this conversation reveals how visual media shapes political judgment. We also reflect on iconic imagery like the “napalm girl” and its role in shifting public opinion during the Vietnam War, as well as how modern governments attempt to control visual narratives through embedded journalism.The discussion reaches back to Frederick Douglass, who understood early on that images could humanize and persuade, and forward to today’s challenges, where AI blurs the line between truth and fabrication. In a world where objectivity in politics is increasingly questioned, one thing remains clear: images don’t just show reality, they help create it.

In this powerful and deeply reflective episode, Ethnic Studies professor Dr. Melanie Lindsay explores photography as both a tool of oppression and a force for resistance. Drawing on the words of James Baldwin, who wrote that “to be Black and conscious is to be in a constant state of rage”. The conversation confronts the painful visual legacy of slavery, violence, and dehumanization embedded in American history.Dr. Lindsey reflects on how images of brutality, including the lynching-era photographs and the murder of Emmett Till, have shaped collective memory. She highlights the courageous decision of Till’s mother to make his suffering visible, a moment that helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement and demonstrated the undeniable power of images to awaken moral consciousness.At the same time, this episode emphasizes photography’s role in preserving resilience, honoring ancestors, and empowering future generations. Through the lens of the Sankofa principle: "looking to the past for wisdom", Dr. Lindsey calls on us to recognize our responsibility in the present. From historical injustices to its modern day echoes, this conversation bridges past and present, urging listeners to find their voice and act.Closing with the enduring words of Assata Shakur, this episode is a reminder that remembering is not passive—it is an act of resistance, love, and collective responsibility.

In this episode of The Elevator Podcast, history professor Monica Hernandez explores the powerful role photography played in the Chicano Movement and its offshoots, including the farmworker movement. More than just documentation, photography became both a mirror and a weapon by documenting lived realities while challenging injustice.We discuss how images exposed generational poverty, police brutality, and unequal education faced by Mexican Americans and other marginalized communities. From the iconic documentation of the 1968 East L.A. Blowouts to meetings within the United Farm Workers movement, photography preserved stories often ignored or distorted.The conversation also dives into the ongoing struggle against misrepresentation. Drawing on the idea of the “burden of representation,” we examine how Chicano photographers pushed back against stereotypes from the 1940s through the 1990s. Artists like Carey Gamboa reframe identity through work like The Chicano Male Unbonded, presenting Chicano men with dignity and agency in contrast to historically subservient portrayals.This episode highlights how photography doesn’t just capture history but also shapes it.

In this episode of The Elevator Podcast, I sit down with Communications Studies professors Jose Oseguera and Rhejean Adu-Gyamfi to explore photography as a powerful non-verbal form of communication.We break down how images function within the communication process through encoding, decoding, channels, and feedback. We challenge the idea that photos simply “capture reality.” Instead, we argue that photographs are interpreted through the lens of identity, culture, experience, and personal bias.What happens when a photographer’s intended message doesn’t match what the audience receives? Without tone or clarification, meaning becomes fluid, sometimes ambiguous, sometimes deeply emotional.We also dive into the role of body language, visual storytelling, and the responsibility both photographers and audiences carry: the creator in shaping meaning, and the viewer in being self-aware of how they interpret it.This conversation reveals that we don’t just see photos… we negotiate their meaning.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Adam Felton, professor of psychology, for a fascinating conversation on how photography has shaped the field of psychology, and how it continues to shape the way we see each other.We explore how photographs became essential tools in psychological research, from studying facial recognition to understanding how we process visual stimuli. Dr. Felton breaks down our remarkable ability to recognize faces, often far better than we remember names, and why that expertise collapses when a face is turned upside down.We also dive into attraction science, including how even infants show preferences that align with adult standards, and why people tend to favor composite (average) faces over distinct ones. Along the way, we unpack the halo effect, revealing how we unconsciously assign traits like warmth and intelligence based solely on appearance, something that plays out daily on dating apps that are goofy and all sorts of "eww". The conversation touches on memory, including how photo-based images are retained in powerful ways, and explores conditions like prosopagnosia, where the ability to recognize faces is impaired.We close with a compelling connection between psychology and photography through Edwin Land, the mind behind Polaroid camera and the groundbreaking Retinex theory of color, showing how color perception is shaped by context.And for those listening closely… there’s a subtle lyrical nod to Photograph hidden in the episode 😉This is a conversation about perception, memory, attraction, and ultimately, what it means to truly see one another.

On this episode of The Elevator Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Rhonda Taube for a thought-provoking ride up 13 floors as we explore one of the most transformative inventions in human history: photography.Together, we unpack how photography didn’t just change art, it reshaped how we understand reality, truth, and memory itself. Before the camera, artists were largely responsible for recording the world as it appeared. But once photography emerged, that responsibility shifted. Artists were suddenly free to question reality instead of replicate it, opening the door to movements like Impressionism and abstraction, making figures like Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet possible.We also explore the cultural shockwaves photography created. In the Middle Ages, a person might see only a handful of images in their lifetime but today, we see thousands daily. From just 1 billion photos taken worldwide in 1930 to an estimated 3.2 trillion in 2025, images now shape how we remember our lives, experience the world, and even define truth.Dr. Taube shares fascinating insights into early photographic subjects; from postmortem memorial portraits to everyday life and soldiers, and how the invention of portable cameras brought candid human expression into focus. We also discuss how photography democratized image-making, breaking portraiture free from the elite and making it accessible to everyone.But with this power comes complexity. Photography can reveal but it can also manipulate. Through lighting, angle, and framing, images can tell very different stories.This episode is a deep reflection on how photography didn’t just capture the world, it fundamentally changed how we see it.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Virgil Lee to trace the fascinating chemistry behind the birth of photography, and how humanity learned not just to see images, but to preserve them.We explore the early magic of the Camera Obscura, where light first painted the world upside down, long before anyone knew how to keep it. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci studied and refined these projections, using them to better understand perspective and realism but capturing those images remained an unsolved problem.That changed with the rise of photochemistry in the 1800s, when scientists began experimenting with light-sensitive materials. We talk about pioneers like Nicéphore Niépce, whose long-exposure images marked the beginning of photography as we know it. From silver-coated metal plates to glass negatives and printable images, the medium rapidly evolved, eventually giving rise to mobile photography studios and, later, mass production through companies like Eastman Kodak.We also reflect on Kodak’s dominance, and its dramatic fall as digital photography reshaped the industry almost overnight. But beyond the science and the business, this conversation is about something deeper.... photography as a way to preserve time, to hold onto people and moments, and to give us access to lives we’ve never lived.And yes, we even share a laugh about the universal tradition of grand baby photos.This episode is a blend of chemistry, history, and humanity, capturing how light, quite literally, became memory.

In this episode of The elevator Podcast, I sit down with applied digital media professor Robert Delgadillo to explore the evolving role of photography in today’s media landscape. Our conversation dives into how photography shapes advertising and influences the way we connect with brands, often blurring the line between identity, aspiration, and consumption. From seeing ourselves reflected in campaigns featuring cultural icons to the subtle ways imagery informs our choices, we unpack how visual media carries powerful messaging.We also explore how photography historically mirrors cultural norms while simultaneously influencing the decisions people make.As the conversation turns to the rise of AI, we discuss the emergence of “frankenphotos” and how synthetic imagery is beginning to shift the field of applied digital media. With AI-generated visuals becoming increasingly convincing, questions around authorship, authenticity, and influence take center stage.This episode offers a thoughtful look at photography not just as a tool for realism, but as a force that constructs meaning, identity, and imagination in a rapidly changing digital world.

In this reflective episode, I sit down with Nicholas, an artist and professor of photography, for a conversation that explores the deeper human power of the photographic image. Together, we unpack how photography captures and challenges diverse identities, giving visibility to stories in a powerful way.Nicholas shares his perspective on photography as a bridge across generations. We can see people from the past who look like us, and recognize something profoundly human in their eyes. In a way that paintings and written history often can’t, photography creates an immediate, emotional connection that transcends time.We also explore one duality of the medium, its ability to reveal both beauty and horror, to document truth, and to preserve moments that shape our understanding of the world. More than just an art form, photography emerges as a powerful tool of documentation. It allows us not just to read history, but to see it, and connect with it.This is a conversation about memory, identity, and the undeniable impact of being seen.

In this introduction to season one of The Elevator Podcast, I introduce the first season’s focus on photography. Photography is an art form that is as personal as it is universal, a reflection on memory, identity, and the human need to capture fleeting moments.