The Long Roll - Photography Podcasts

Chris Griffin
  • 5.0 (7)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Long Roll is a photography podcast platform and storytelling hub for anyone who cares about images and the people who make them. Featuring multiple shows—including Bad Photographers—The Long Roll covers the full spectrum of photography and visual storytelling, from photojournalism and documentary photography to commercial work, creative careers, and the evolving media industry. Across our podcasts, we sit down with photographers, editors, filmmakers, and visual storytellers to talk honestly about the craft, the pressure, the ethics, the ambition, and the emotional reality behind the work. These aren’t just career highlight reels—we dig into the process, the doubts, the wins, the failures, and the moments that shape a creative life. Whether you’re a working photographer, an emerging creative, or someone fascinated by how images shape the world, The Long Roll is your home for thoughtful, real conversations about photography, photojournalism, and visual culture—with shows like Bad Photographers leading the way. Follow and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. The Free Photographer: Is Shooting for Free Hurting the Industry?

    MAR 18

    The Free Photographer: Is Shooting for Free Hurting the Industry?

    “Sometimes free work gives you clarity money never could.” There are a few things you don’t bring up at Thanksgiving—religion, politics, and whether photographers should ever shoot for free. In this episode of Bad Photographers, Griff shares a personal story that still hits more than a decade later—when a simple Facebook post about shooting for free turned into a heated debate with photographers he respected. But this isn’t about arguing rates. It’s about something deeper. It’s about intention. Growth. And the difference between generosity and exploitation. From photographing weddings for free to discovering what kind of work wasn’t meant for him, Griff breaks down why “free” isn’t always the problem—and how it can sometimes be the very thing that builds your foundation. If you’ve ever felt judged for your path…If you’ve ever questioned your value…Or if you’re trying to figure out where you stand in this industry… This one’s for you. Follow Bad Photographers on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for more. More stories. More lessons. More of the moments we don’t always talk about. #photography #photographypodcast #creativecareer #freelancephotography #photographybusiness

    7 min
  2. Exposed - AI, Photography, and the Collapse of Trust (Part 2)

    MAR 11

    Exposed - AI, Photography, and the Collapse of Trust (Part 2)

    If Part 1 asked how trust collapsed, Part 2 asks the harder question: how do we prove reality when images can no longer speak for themselves? In Episode 2 of this two-part Bad Photographers series, we move from history into the front lines of verification, forensics, and ethics. We step inside the world of visual investigations, where photographs are treated not as content, but as evidence—cross-checked against metadata, satellite imagery, CCTV footage, weather data, and digital fingerprints. We break down how AI image models actually learn to fake reality, why detection is falling behind generation, and what it means when synthetic images begin training future systems instead of the real world. As deepfakes grow cleaner and harder to trace, truth becomes diagnostic rather than obvious. The episode then turns to the industry’s first serious attempt at rebuilding trust: the Content Provenance and Authenticity Initiative (C2PA). We explain how cryptographic metadata, edit histories, and chain-of-custody systems could allow cameras to embed proof directly into images—and why those same tools raise life-or-death concerns for journalists, whistleblowers, and people documenting abuse. From World Press Photo’s introduction of “Synthetic Narratives,” to evolving legal standards around AI authorship, disclosure, and political manipulation, this episode explores the uneasy future where photography splits into two parallel paths: verification and imagination. As AI becomes normalized as a creative medium, photographers are no longer just image-makers. They are fact-checkers, ethicists, and translators of truth. The question is no longer whether AI belongs in photography—but whether audiences will know what kind of truth an image is asking them to believe. Photography isn’t dying.It’s renegotiating its contract with reality. 00:00 The Last Trusted Image02:14 Photographs as Evidence05:36 How Visual Investigations Verify Reality08:41 How AI Learns to Fake the World12:02 Why Detection Is Falling Behind15:34 C2PA and the Chain of Custody for Images20:18 Provenance vs Privacy24:41 Transparency as the New Truth28:09 The Split Future of Photography33:22 Law, Copyright, and Synthetic Media38:10 The New Role of the Photographer41:56 Rebuilding Trust After the Collapse ChaptersKey Reference List The New York Times — Visual Investigations Team⁠https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/visual-investigations⁠ Dr. Hany Farid (UC Berkeley) — Digital image forensics, deepfakes, and AI detection⁠https://farid.berkeley.edu/⁠ MIT Media Lab Study — False News Spreads Faster Than the Truth⁠https://news.mit.edu/2018/study-twitter-false-news-travels-faster-true-stories-0308⁠ Content Provenance and Authenticity Initiative (C2PA) — Technical framework⁠https://c2pa.org/⁠ Adobe Content Authenticity Initiative — Industry adoption and standards⁠https://contentauthenticity.org/⁠ World Press Photo — Introduction of “Synthetic Narratives”⁠https://www.worldpressphoto.org/⁠ Fred Ritchin — Bending the Frame: Photojournalism, Documentary, and the Citizen⁠https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262026843/bending-the-frame/⁠ Ian Goodfellow — Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs)⁠https://papers.nips.cc/paper/5423-generative-adversarial-nets⁠ Stability AI — Stable Diffusion research papers and documentation⁠https://stability.ai/research⁠ U.S. Copyright Office (2023) — Policy on AI-generated works and authorship⁠https://www.copyright.gov/rulings-filings/review-board/⁠ European Union AI Act — Regulatory framework and disclosure requirements⁠https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/⁠ REAL Political Ads Act (U.S.) — Disclosure requirements for AI-generated political media⁠https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1596

    25 min
  3. Viral Photo Critiques, Hollywood Lies, and Building a Photography Brand | Chad Sanders (GamePhoguns)

    MAR 4

    Viral Photo Critiques, Hollywood Lies, and Building a Photography Brand | Chad Sanders (GamePhoguns)

    Join us as Chad Sanders ( @GamePhoguns ) shares his unconventional journey into photography, his viral critique videos, and insights into building a successful brand through authenticity and engagement. Discover practical tips for navigating the industry, connecting with clients, and leveraging social media algorithms. Join us as we delve into the world of photography, film, and social media critique with Chad Sanders. We explore the nuances of authenticity, the pitfalls of Hollywood's portrayal of military and photography, and the importance of community and continuous learning. Bonus points if you can tell us where you can find these quotes: "It's a Ponzi scheme." "A burning hate fire." "It's time to revolt." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Intentions 01:28 Chad Sanders: The Photographer's Journey 03:24 Critiquing Cinematic Photography 06:13 Audience Engagement and Expectations 07:39 The Viral Moment: Fast and Furious 10:06 Cars and Cinematic Influence 11:21 The Impact of Critiques on Movie Watching 12:31 Navigating the Algorithm and Content Creation 16:09 Chad's Photography Evolution 19:55 The Value of Free Work in Photography 22:09 Finding Your Niche: The Journey to Wedding Photography 24:55 Navigating Stress and Expectations in Wedding Photography 25:52 Building Relationships: The Key to Success 28:34 The Importance of Communication in Corporate Photography 30:47 Creating Comfort: Engaging with Subjects 37:41 Cultural Experiences in Photography: Embracing Diversity 43:04 Experiences at Nigerian Weddings 44:51 The Emotional Toll of Wedding Photography 47:09 Critiquing Photography Scenes 49:00 The Evolution of Critiques 55:04 Decompressing After Intense Critiques 01:07:20 Behind the Scenes of Film Production 01:09:09 The Influence of Celebrity Culture 01:09:56 Photography Techniques and Misconceptions 01:10:57 The Impact of Social Media on Photography 01:19:02 Navigating Trends and Influencer Culture 01:20:56 Finding Inspiration and Motivation 01:30:08 The Qualities of a Successful Photographer resources Chad Photo Website - https://www.clearshutter.photos/ Chad's Instagram Pages - https://www.instagram.com/clearshutter/ https://www.instagram.com/gamephoguns Tiktokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@gamephoguns Bad* Photographers https://www.instagram.com/badphotographers/Bad* Photographers (@bad.photographers) | TikTokkeywords photography, social media, branding, critique, industry tips, viral videos, authenticity, networking, wedding photography, content creation photography, film critique, social media, military uniforms, Hollywood, authenticity, community, learning, critique, entertainment

    1h 29m
  4. Exposed - AI, Photography, and the Collapse of Trust (Part 1)

    FEB 26

    Exposed - AI, Photography, and the Collapse of Trust (Part 1)

    “A single AI image of the Pope in a designer puffer jacket didn’t just go viral — it revealed something worse…” A single AI image of the Pope in a designer puffer jacket didn’t just go viral — it exposed how quickly authenticity can collapse when the internet is flooded with convincing fakes. In the age of AI photography, “seeing” isn’t believing anymore. It’s step one of verification. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Bad Photographers traces the long history of image manipulation — from spirit photography and staged “fairies,” to propaganda erasures and Photoshop — and explains why today’s synthetic media is fundamentally different. This isn’t only editing reality. It’s manufacturing photo, video, and audio from scratch, at scale — powering deepfakes, identity hijacking, and misinformation / disinformation that can outrun corrections. We break down what this means for photojournalism, public trust, and the role of images as credibility / evidence — because when audiences assume everything could be fake, the real danger isn’t that we can’t spot the lie. It’s that we stop trusting the truth. Part 2 explores what comes next: provenance, standards, and the tools (and ethics) required to rebuild trust after the collapse. Chapters 00:00 The Evolution of Photography and Trust 04:24 Historical Deceptions in Photography 06:06 The Impact of AI on Visual Truth 07:57 The Consequences of Misinformation 10:13 The Collapse of Trust in Imagery 11:13 The Future of Visual Media 15:59 The Ethical Dilemmas of AI 18:14 The Role of Photography in Society 20:02 The Fight for Authenticity 21:54 The Personal Impact of Manipulated Images 23:18 The Call to Action for Change Key Reference Links Durham, M. G. “‘Napalm Girl’ at 50: The story of the Vietnam War’s defining photo.” 2023. URL:⁠⁠ https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/download/20175/4204 IJOC⁠⁠ “The Terror of War (Napalm Girl) Photographed by Nick Ut.” Yale University Press. 2021. URL:⁠⁠ https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2021/09/20/napalm-girl/ Yale University Press⁠⁠ Maizland, L. “Photographers’ Moral Responsibility to Document Injustice in … (Kevin Carter case).” 2022. URL:⁠⁠ https://edspace.american.edu/atrium/wp-content/uploads/sites/1901/2022/05/Maizland-Lindsay.pdf EdSpace⁠⁠ “The Vulture and the Little Girl” (Kevin Carter photograph). Wikipedia entry. URL:⁠⁠ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vulture_and_the_Little_Girl Wikipedia⁠⁠ Al-Jazeera Institute. “Ethical Dilemmas of Photo Editing in Media.” March 26, 2024. URL:⁠⁠ https://institute.aljazeera.net/en/ajr/article/2614 Al Jazeera Institute⁠⁠ Reuters. “Reuters toughens rules after altered photo affair.” August 9 2007. URL:⁠⁠ https://www.reuters.com/article/economy/reuters-toughens-rules-after-altered-photo-affair-idUSL18678707/ Reuters⁠⁠ Adobe Blog. “Insights from Reuters on Capturing Images People Can Trust.” June 23 2017. URL: https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2017/06/23/insights-from-reuters-on-capturing-images-people-can-trust.html⁠⁠ Adobe Blog⁠⁠ Quill Magazine. “Photo Unrealism: Doctoring pics is becoming easier — and harder to detect.” June 20 2024. URL:⁠⁠ https://www.quillmag.com/2024/06/20/photo-unrealism-doctoring-pics-is-becoming-easier-and-harder-to-detect/ Quill⁠⁠ Faculty at Georgia Tech. “Photo Tampering Throughout History.” URL:⁠⁠ https://faculty.cc.gatech.edu/~beki/cs4001/history.pdf Georgia Tech Faculty⁠⁠ Aesthetic Investigations. “The Atrocity of Representing Atrocity: Watching Kevin Carter’s Photograph.” 2015. URL:⁠⁠ https://aestheticinvestigations.eu/article/download/12001/13563 Aesthetic Investigations⁠⁠ Arielle Lorre calls out AI-generated fake beauty ad:⁠⁠ https://www.indy100.com/tiktok/ai-video-trending-arielle-lore-skincare-skaind-lawsuit⁠⁠ WIRED: “Companies Are Stealing Influencers’ Faces”:⁠⁠ https://www.wired.com/story/youtube-instagram-influencers-stolen-faces/⁠⁠

    26 min
  5. BTS: Jon Cherry on Photographing January 6th and Living With the Aftermath

    FEB 19

    BTS: Jon Cherry on Photographing January 6th and Living With the Aftermath

    Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist Jon Cherry joins Bad Photographers for an unfiltered, long-form conversation about documenting the January 6th Capitol Riot and living with the images that followed. Cherry takes us inside the chaos of that day, reflecting on what it meant to photograph history as it unfolded, the weight of responsibility that comes with bearing witness, and the emotional toll of covering political violence. He opens up about freelancing under pressure, the long road to healing after trauma, and how his career and personal life, were reshaped in the aftermath. This 2-hour episode goes beyond the headlines, pairing deep reflection with visual context from the day itself, to explore what happens after the photographs are made — when the cameras are down, the adrenaline fades, and photographers are left to process what they’ve seen. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:22 The Impact of January 6th 04:45 Finding a Voice in Photojournalism 08:47 Reflections on Personal Connections 09:41 The Journey to January 6th 12:58 The Build-Up to the Capitol Riot 16:30 The Day of the Capitol Riot 21:40 Experiences at the Capitol 24:58 Documenting the Unfolding Events 26:42 Confrontation and Tension at the Riot 30:46 Preparation and Equipment Challenges 38:31 The March Towards the Capitol 42:50 Chaos at the Inaugural Platform 49:04 Moments of Acceptance and Fear 49:59 Breaking Windows and Capturing Chaos 52:58 The Aftermath of January 6th 55:52 Navigating the Challenges of Freelancing 59:57 The Pulitzer Prize and Personal Reflection 01:05:59 The Sticky Pulitzer and Community Support 01:09:57 Processing Trauma and Building Resilience 01:21:08 The Weight of Experience 01:24:49 Healing Through Reflection 01:30:02 The Journey of Self-Discovery 01:35:35 The Role of a Photographer 01:41:45 Curiosity and Responsibility in Photography Jon's Website: ⁠https://jonpcherry.com⁠ Jon's Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/jonpcherry/⁠ Bad Photographers Website: ⁠https://bad-photographers.com⁠ Keywords Elements In This Episode John Cherry, January 6th, Capitol Riot, photojournalism, documentary photography, storytelling, emotions, chaos, experience, insights, January 6th, Capitol Riot, Pulitzer Prize, photojournalism, trauma, community support, personal growth, freelance photography, emotional processing, storytelling

    1h 28m
  6. Maddie Meyer - Chief Photographer for Getty Images Sport

    09/08/2025

    Maddie Meyer - Chief Photographer for Getty Images Sport

    On this episode of The Long Roll, we sit down with Maddie Meyer, Chief Photographer for Getty Images Sport. Based in Boston since 2015, Maddie has covered everything from the US Open and World Swim Championships to the NBA Finals and the Paris Olympic Games. Her favorite assignments are the ones that bring her shoulder-to-shoulder with her Getty colleagues from around the world, working as a team to capture the story of sport at its highest level. An alum of the Eddie Adams Workshop (Class of 2013), Maddie is now coming full circle as she returns as a Team Leader for this year’s workshop. If you’re passionate about photography, sports, the Olympics, or visual storytelling, this conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look into how world-class sports imagery is made. Her website: https://www.maddiemeyerphoto.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddiemeyer2

    55 min
  7. Alessia Glaviano - Head of Global PhotoVogue & Redefining Fashion Photography’s Narrative

    08/13/2025

    Alessia Glaviano - Head of Global PhotoVogue & Redefining Fashion Photography’s Narrative

    In this episode of The Long Roll, we sit down with Alessia Glaviano — Head of Global PhotoVogue and Director of the Photo Vogue Festival — to trace her remarkable journey through the worlds of photography and fashion media. From launching PhotoVogue in 2011 to building it into a global platform with over 300,000 photographers, Alessia has reshaped the conversation around ethics, diversity, and visual literacy in image-making. We talk about how she navigated the industry to get where she is today, the impact of PhotoVogue’s open calls in launching careers, and why she believes curatorial guidance matters in a world flooded with images. Alessia also shares her stance on artificial intelligence in photography, offering candid thoughts on how technology might influence creativity in the years ahead. Whether you’re a photographer, a visual storyteller, or just curious about the intersection of art, ethics, and innovation, this conversation is a must-listen. Visit PhotoVogue: vogue.com/photovogueInstagram: voguemagazineAlessia Glaviano Instagram: alessiaglaviano

    51 min
  8. Ricky Shoebio - Creative Director, From Nike to the Grammys, the vision behind the brands

    07/31/2025

    Ricky Shoebio - Creative Director, From Nike to the Grammys, the vision behind the brands

    Brand Consultant, Content Creator, Executive Editor, and Creative Director Ricky Shoebio has made himself a fixture in the Lifestyle, Footwear, and Style worlds. Through creating visuals, content, segments, rollouts, and shown to be a budding creative in the industry. Working along side Nike, Foot Locker, Revolt, AT&T, Converse, PacSun, Adidas, Jordan Brand, Popsugar, Roc Nation, Red Bull, FIBA, Ewing Athletics, Eastbay, NCAA, Sony Music, Comic Con, Jack Daniel's, Under Armour, Reebok, Mountain Dew, Oakley, BMW, Tesla, Google, The NBA, The Recording Academy (Grammys), HBO, and many others he continues to establish himself as a true visionary and asset.His work with Don C, Damien Lillard, Elton John, Eddie Huang, Ryan Penagos, and Visual artist King Saladeen; have garnered him a well respected reputation in a short time. Helping SOCIAL Magazine and SOCIAL TV grow to a 50,000+ print subscription with a 500,000+ UMV, and 255,000+ subscribers with over 100,000,000+ in only two years; Shoebio has made a phenomenal following for himself and the people and organizations he has supported. Know Your Dopem. 347.871.2102IG: ricky.shoebio

    1h 35m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Long Roll is a photography podcast platform and storytelling hub for anyone who cares about images and the people who make them. Featuring multiple shows—including Bad Photographers—The Long Roll covers the full spectrum of photography and visual storytelling, from photojournalism and documentary photography to commercial work, creative careers, and the evolving media industry. Across our podcasts, we sit down with photographers, editors, filmmakers, and visual storytellers to talk honestly about the craft, the pressure, the ethics, the ambition, and the emotional reality behind the work. These aren’t just career highlight reels—we dig into the process, the doubts, the wins, the failures, and the moments that shape a creative life. Whether you’re a working photographer, an emerging creative, or someone fascinated by how images shape the world, The Long Roll is your home for thoughtful, real conversations about photography, photojournalism, and visual culture—with shows like Bad Photographers leading the way. Follow and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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