The Camera Cafe Show

Move Your Photography
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

Brewing up inspiration for your photography journey! Love photography? So do we! The Camera Café Show is your go-to podcast for deep-dive chats with incredible photographers from around the world, packed with creative insights, real-world stories, and plenty of laughs. Hosted by photographer Tom Jacob and an amazing team, we explore everything from mastering your craft to the stories behind the shots. No boring lectures—just honest conversations, fresh ideas, and the kind of inspiration that keeps you reaching for your camera. So, grab your favorite drink, hit play, and let’s talk photography!

  1. 1d ago

    Bruce Dale: Planning for the Unplanned (Part 2)

    What happens when you strap a camera to the tail of a jumbo jet?😅📸 In Part Two of my conversation with former National Geographic photographer Bruce Dale, we continue our conversation by uncovering the stories behind some of his most iconic National Geographic photographs. It turns out getting the shot was only half the story. Long before the shutter clicked, Bruce was designing, building, testing, and refining entirely new ways to make seemingly impossible images possible. We talk about the incredible journey of one of Bruce's photographs, now quietly travelling through space aboard the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, more than 15 billion miles from Earth; strapping a camera to the tail of a jumbo jet in flight; shooting laser beams through glass globes; and, above all, the creativity and freedom that made National Geographic such a remarkable place to work during those years. But this is The Camera Café Show, so we also wander into a rather unusual bear massage, an obscure and long-forgotten Kodak film printing process, and how old film projectors found a surprising new purpose in the digital age. That's Bruce Dale: part photographer, part inventor, part storyteller—and never quite predictable. Grab a coffee, fasten your seatbelt, and join us for this wonderful Part 2 conversation with Bruce Dale. ***** 📸 See more of Bruce's work: https://brucedale.com/ ***** 🎙️ Enjoyed this episode? Follow, maybe leave us a review, or share it! You know the drill 😉🎧 ***** 🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Bruce Dale: Planning for the Unplanned (Part 2)

  2. Jul 19

    Bruce Dale: Planning for the Unplanned (Part 1)

    Did you read National Geographic magazine as a kid in your bedroom, dreaming about all those faraway places? The only difference is that some end up spending thirty years travelling the world and photographing those very places—all because they never stopped exploring 🌍📸 In this first part of my conversation with former National Geographic staff photographer Bruce Dale, we travel back to his childhood in Ohio and follow the unexpected road that took him from riding freight trains and newspaper photography into the platinum years of National Geographic—a time when photographers had the freedom, resources, and support to turn even the wildest ideas into remarkable pictures…and if the equipment needed to take a photograph didn’t exist... they simply built it. Of course, you’ll also hear already some amazing stories behind Bruce’s most memorable photographs in this first part—from bathing in the Ozarks to a heart transplant or freezing a bullet in mid-air. And we are only getting started. Next week, Bruce returns with more behind-the-scenes stories, wild encounters, unusual inventions, and a photograph that has travelled more than 15 billion miles from Earth... and counting. 🚀 More than anything, this is a conversation about curiosity, good ideas, and how a childhood dream can take you much further than you ever planned. ☕ Grab a coffee, open your world map, and enjoy Part One of my conversation with the amazing Bruce Dale. ***** 📸 See more of Bruce’s work: https://brucedale.com/ ***** 🎙️  Enjoyed this episode? Follow, maybe leave us a review, or share it! You know the drill 😉🎧 ***** 🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Bruce Dale: Planning for the Unplanned (Part 1)

  3. Jul 12

    Ian Berry: The Boy Who Wanted To See The World

    As a teenager, Ian Berry left England to see the world. A few years later, he had joined Magnum Photos and would go on to spend more than six decades documenting people, places, and some of history's defining moments with his Leica. Together we travel across continents and through more than sixty years of photography, talking about his encounters with Henri Cartier-Bresson, joining Magnum, Ian's books, the people he met along the way, and the lessons he learned from a lifetime behind the camera. Along the way, you'll also discover why a decent hotel matters more than you might think, how one of his photographs found its way onto a Bob Dylan album, and why luck and curiosity remain a photographer's greatest companions. More than anything, this is a conversation about saying yes to adventure, and how one simple decision can lead you to a lifetime of extraordinary stories. ☕ Grab a coffee and enjoy my conversation with the amazing Ian Berry. ***** 📸 See more of Ian Berry's work: https://www.ianberrymagnum.com ***** 🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Ian Berry: The Boy Who Wanted To See The World

  4. Jul 5

    Meryl Meisler: Street Photography and Boogie Nights (Part 2)

    Retirement usually means less work, fewer surprises, and a cleaner attic. Unless, of course, you're a photographer with a lifetime of negatives waiting upstairs. And that's exactly where we continue our conversation today 😊 In Part 2 of my conversation with photographer Meryl Meisler, we move beyond the disco dance floors and into the remarkable second chapter of her life. After spending more than thirty years as an art teacher, Meryl found herself rediscovering decades of photographs that would eventually become books, exhibitions, and an international audience she never expected. We talk about life in Bushwick, the first exhibitions, old friendships, teaching, street photography or the often unpredictable journey of a photographic life. Enjoy New York hotdogs, terrible singing voices, and the simple joy of letting a good conversation wander wherever it wants to go. More than anything, this episode is a reminder that photography is not always about immediate success. Sometimes the pictures we make need a little time. And sometimes, the greatest adventure begins only after opening a few dusty boxes in the attic. ☕ Grab a coffee and enjoy Part 2 of my wonderful conversation with Meryl Meisler. ***** 📸 See more of Meryl's work: https://www.merylmeisler.com/ ***** 🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Meryl Meisler: Street Photography and Boogie Nights (Part 2)

  5. Jun 28

    Meryl Meisler: Street Photography and Boogie Nights (Part 1)

    Remember the wild hairstyles, the fancy dance moves, and the nights when Studio 54 ruled New York? Well, today's guest was there... camera in hand, and thankfully she kept the negatives! In this first part of my conversation with Meryl Meisler, we travel back to the beginning of a remarkable photographic journey. Best known today for her street photography and photographs of the '70s disco era, Meryl spent decades documenting the people around her, never imagining that these everyday moments would one day find their way into books, galleries, and museum walls. We talk about growing up on Long Island, receiving her first camera, the importance of family, discovering photography, and finding herself in the middle of New York's legendary nightlife scene. From Studio 54 and Paradise Garage to family gatherings and neighborhood streets, this may begin as a conversation about street photography, but it quickly becomes a story about family, friendship, New York, and a life lived with a camera always close at hand.  Grab a coffee, settle in, and join us for this wonderful conversation with Meryl Meisler. ***** 📸 See more of Meryl's work: https://www.merylmeisler.com/ ***** 🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Meryl Meisler: Street Photography and Boogie Nights (Part 1)

  6. Jun 21

    Pedaling the Whooper Highway: Mike Forsberg & Andy Caven

    Most people look at bird migrations on maps. A photographer and a biologist decided to follow one on bicycles...for 2,500 miles! When I first reached out to Mike Forsberg, the plan was to talk about his remarkable photography career and decades of conservation storytelling. Then I discovered that Mike and his friend Andy Caven were about to set off on a bicycle journey from the Texas Gulf Coast to central Saskatchewan, following the migration route of the endangered whooping crane. Suddenly, that conversation had to wait. Recorded during a rest day roughly halfway through their journey, this episode follows conservation photographer Mike Forsberg and conservation biologist Andy Caven as they pedal their way along one of North America's great migratory flyways. Along the way, we talk about whooping cranes, conservation, friendship, small-town encounters, life on the road, and what happens when you choose to experience migration at the speed of a bicycle. Most of all, this is a story about curiosity, connection, and slowing down long enough to truly experience the landscapes, people, and wildlife that make this migration possible. And don't worry—after the summer, Mike will return to The Camera Cafe Show for a much deeper conversation about his photography career, conservation storytelling, and the projects that have made him one of North America's most respected conservation photographers. So grab a coffee, hop on your bike, and join us for a few miles along the Whooper Highway with Mike Forsberg and Andy Caven. ***** 🚲 Learn more about the Whooper Highway project: https://whoopingcranechronicles.com/bike/ ***** 📸 Mike Forsberg: https://www.michaelforsberg.com/ ***** 🦩 International Crane Foundation: https://savingcranes.org/ ***** 🎧 Your Weekly Dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Pedaling the Whooper Highway: Mike Forsberg & Andy Caven

  7. Jun 14

    Ukraine: Living Inside the Story — Oksana Parafeniuk & Iva Sidash (Part 2)

    War doesn't end when the photograph is taken. For many people, that's where the story begins. In Part 2 of this special two-part conversation, I once again sit down with Ukrainian photojournalists Oksana Parafeniuk and Iva Sidash. While Part 1 focused on home, and their personal journeys in photography, this second conversation moves deeper into the lasting impact of war on individuals, families, and communities. Together, we talk about what happens long after the headlines fade and the cameras move on. We explore the emotional weight of documenting difficult stories, the experiences of children growing up during war, and the responsibility of telling stories that continue long after a photograph has been made. Along the way, there are also moments of hope, humor, and humanity that remind us why these stories matter in the first place. Grab a coffee, settle in, and enjoy Part 2 of my wonderful conversation with Oksana Parafeniuk and Iva Sidash. 📸 See more of Oksana and Iva's work: https://oksanaparafeniuk.com/ https://www.ivasidash.com/ 🎙️ Listen to my first conversation with Iva Sidash, recorded in May 2023: https://thecameracafeshow.com/ivasidash 🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Ukraine: Living Inside the Story — Oksana Parafeniuk & Iva Sidash (Part 2)

  8. Jun 7

    Ukraine: Living Inside the Story — Oksana Parafeniuk & Iva Sidash (Part 1)

    For most photojournalists, war is something they travel to. For others, it's the reality of the place they call home.  In Part 1 of this special two-part conversation, I sit down with Ukrainian photojournalists Oksana Parafeniuk and Iva Sidash. Iva was on our show in 2023, one year after the Russian invasion, but since then her photography journey has taken her further, studying at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. Oksana, meanwhile, has gone from being a fixer to becoming both a mother and an internationally published photographer in just a few years. Together, we talk about what it means to photograph the country you grew up in while living through many of the same realities yourself on a daily basis. We talk about finding their way into photography, the importance of home, and how war can shape both the stories in front of the camera and the people behind it. Next week, we continue the conversation with a deeper look at the realities of war, its impact on children and families, and the emotional cost of documenting it.  Grab a coffee, settle in, and enjoy Part 1 of my conversation with Oksana Parafeniuk and Iva Sidash.  ***** 📸 See more of Oksana and Iva's work: https://oksanaparafeniuk.com/ https://www.ivasidash.com/ ***** 🎙️ Listen to our first conversation with Iva Sidash (May 2023): https://thecameracafeshow.com/ivasidash *****  🎧 Your Weekly dose of Photography Inspiration: https://www.thecameracafeshow.com

    Ukraine: Living Inside the Story — Oksana Parafeniuk & Iva Sidash (Part 1)
See All (81)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Brewing up inspiration for your photography journey! Love photography? So do we! The Camera Café Show is your go-to podcast for deep-dive chats with incredible photographers from around the world, packed with creative insights, real-world stories, and plenty of laughs. Hosted by photographer Tom Jacob and an amazing team, we explore everything from mastering your craft to the stories behind the shots. No boring lectures—just honest conversations, fresh ideas, and the kind of inspiration that keeps you reaching for your camera. So, grab your favorite drink, hit play, and let’s talk photography!

Information

  • Creator
    Move Your Photography
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    81
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Camera Cafe Show

You Might Also Like