Street Photography Magazine Podcast

Street Photography Magazine Podcast
  • 4.5 (66)
  • Visual Arts
  • Biweekly

The Official Journal of Street and Documentary Photography

  1. Oct 23

    Mark J. Davidson: The Joy of Making Photographs (Even When They Don't Work Out)

    Watch on YouTube One of the things I appreciate most about interviewing photographers is getting to hear what motivates them to keep going. Everyone has their own reasons for picking up a camera. That’s what makes it interesting. Melbourne-based street photographer Mark J. Davidson, has his own reasons for shooting, and personally I found it pretty inspiring to hear. If you look at Mark’s work, you’ll find some pretty striking images. He uses film, harsh light, off-camera flash, and experimental techniques that result in photographs that feel energetic, sometimes disorienting, and refreshingly unique. He’s also a member of the REVOKE photography collective and co-hosts a street photography podcast Street Life, where he’s interviewed some impressive names, including Martin Parr. But talking to Mark, one thing you notice straightaway is just how down to earth he is about all of it. When I asked him how he developed his style, he didn’t offer some elaborate explanation about artistic vision. His answer was essentially that he’d taken a lot of bad photographs. And apparently, still does. Mark was refreshingly candid about how much film he goes through without producing anything he’s particularly happy with. He admitted that sometimes he wonders whether he should abandon his experimental approach and return to more traditional street photography. He even confessed that, despite being well into the year, he didn’t feel he’d made many photographs worth keeping. Having already been thoroughly impressed by his work, his answers surprised me. And they comforted me a bit too. (Maybe there’s a chance I’ll create something worthwhile yet!) But I had to ask whether that ever gets discouraging. His answer was one of my favorite parts of the conversation: “I’d still do it even if I got nothing for the rest of my life, I think.” For Mark, photography provides a welcome counterbalance to his demanding job in radio. Getting out on the streets of Melbourne gives him time to himself, a chance to clear his head and enjoy being present. Even when the photographs don’t work out, the experience itself is worthwhile. I think there’s something worth remembering in that, especially when it’s so easy to measure our creative efforts by what we have to show for them. We also talked about the pressure to share work on social media, the challenges of putting together a photo book, and how difficult it can be to recognize the strongest photographs in your own archive. Mark admitted that he’s not particularly organized, either. His negatives are sitting in boxes, his digital files need attention, and he’s not entirely sure when his ongoing Melbourne project will be finished. I found all of that rather reassuring. There’s a tendency to imagine that photographers producing interesting work must have some carefully developed system behind it. Their projects are mapped out, their archives are organized, and they know exactly where they’re headed. Mark doesn’t pretend to have everything figured out. He’s experimenting, making mistakes, learning from other photographers, and following his curiosity. And he’s producing some wonderful work along the way. Bob and I had a great time talking shop with him, from film and flash techniques to AI, artist statements, and the future of street photography. I hope you’ll enjoy the conversation as much as we did. Links from the show Mark’s website Mark’s Instagram Street Life Podcast Revoke Collective FLASH n.01 The Rocketgirl Chronicles Neil Kramer’s COVID project

  2. Oct 9

    The Long Game: Ryan Faer on Learning Street Photography

    Watch on YouTube Ryan Faer spends his working days studying human performance. As a sports scientist for the Cleveland Guardians, he helps athletes develop, improve and reach their potential. Outside of baseball, however, he’s found another pursuit that has become just as important to him: street photography. In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine Podcast, Bob Patterson sits down with Ryan to talk about how photography came to be a part of his life, the discipline he brings to learning the craft and why connecting with strangers has become one of his favorite parts of the experience. Ryan lives in Arizona but frequently travels to Cleveland for work, giving him opportunities to photograph two very different environments. He and Bob, who knows Cleveland well, have plenty to discuss about photographing the city, working with different kinds of light and finding interesting people and places when time is limited. They also explore Ryan’s approach to improving as a photographer. Coming from a background in athletics and coaching, Ryan believes in consistent practice, studying the work of other photographers and making small improvements over time. But he’s also learning that photography doesn’t always have to be about getting better. Sometimes, it’s enough to enjoy being out with a camera. The conversation touches on his preference for black-and-white photography, his growing interest in documentary storytelling, the relationships he’s built through photography and how sharing his process on Substack has opened unexpected doors. One of those doors led to five of his photographs being selected for an exhibition, which runs until October 18th, at the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington, D.C., part of a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. For anyone who’s relatively new to street photography, struggling to find time to shoot or wondering how to develop their own approach, Ryan’s experience offers plenty to think about. Links from the show Ryan’s Website Street Photography // Field Notes (Ryan’s Substack) Bob’s guide to shooting in Cleveland Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to the Street Photography Magazine Podcast wherever you listen, and consider leaving us a review. It helps other photographers discover the show.

  3. Sep 25

    Nathaniel Paolinelli: Lowriders, Zines & the Places Photography Takes You

    Watch on YouTube Photographer Nathaniel Paolinelli has a knack for ending up in interesting places. He’s photographed lowrider culture in his hometown of Albuquerque and halfway around the world in Thailand. He’s spent time with cowboys, bikers and people living along the U.S.-Mexico border. He’s been welcomed into homes for family holidays, photographed a motorcycle club funeral and, somewhere along the way, even managed to reunite a man fresh out of prison with his high school girlfriend after taking his portrait. Which is funny, because photography wasn’t even part of the original plan. Nathaniel picked up a camera in his 30s. It was an office Nikon, which accompanied Nathaniel (along with its instruction manual) on a trip to Mexico. From there, photography gradually became a much bigger part of his life. In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine Podcast, Bob and I talk with Nathaniel about where that camera has taken him since. A big part of the conversation centers on documentary and street photography in Albuquerque, the city Nathaniel has called home his entire life. Early on, he thought interesting photographs required traveling somewhere else. Eventually, he realized how much there was to explore right where he lived. That realization led him deep into Albuquerque’s lowrider community. What began with showing up, talking to people and making photographs slowly became something more. Today, Nathaniel says he doesn’t really feel like an outsider documenting the community anymore. He has become part of it in his own way. That experience also led Nathaniel to an unexpected book deal. On a whim, he spent three days making a small lowrider zine called Seventh and Central. Somehow, a copy found its way to the University of New Mexico Press. A phone call followed, then a meeting, then a publishing contract. This March, Seventh and Central: Lowiders became a full-length book about New Mexico lowrider culture. “The power of a zine,” as we decided during the conversation. We also get into Nathaniel’s trip to Thailand, where he sought out the country’s lowrider scene and discovered that a shared culture could bridge a pretty substantial language barrier. With translation apps, hand gestures and a camera, he found himself welcomed into a community thousands of miles from Albuquerque. There are plenty of other detours along the way in this conversation, some of which it would have been nice to spend a little more time on: getting caught in an earthquake, being confronted by the military while photographing near Juárez, whether social media is worth the effort, why (if?) Nathaniel owns too many cameras, and the Leica Q2 that got its sensor damaged by a laser. RIP. More than anything, though, this is a conversation with someone who genuinely enjoys going places, meeting people and seeing what happens next. A Selection of Nathaniel’s Photos Links from the show Nathaniel’s Website Nathaniel on Instagram Seventh & Central: Lowriders

  4. Sep 11

    Andrew Baer on Discovering His Father’s Lost Photo Archive

    What happens when you discover thousands of photographs your father made decades ago, including images you never knew existed? In this episode, Ashley Riffo and Bob Patterson talk with Andrew Baer about the remarkable story behind the work of his father, photographer John Baer. Andrew shares how four boxes of prints and negatives sat with him for 27 years before he and his wife, Megan, began uncovering what was inside. We talk about the years of scanning, research and detective work that followed, the extraordinary team that helped bring John’s photographs into book form, and what Andrew learned about his father along the way. We also hear about the creation of the John Baer Archive and Andrew’s hope that these photographs will continue to inspire new stories, art and interpretations for years to come. Learn more about the book and the John Baer Archive: https://johnbaerarchive.com/ Read our full feature on John Baer in Street Photography Magazine: https://streetphotographymagazine.com/article/john-baer-what-we-leave-behind/ ABOUT STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE Street Photography Magazine is the official journal of street and documentary photography. SPM is dedicated to sharing the stories, work and experiences of street and documentary photographers from around the world. Subscribe for more conversations with photographers, monthly features and stories from the street. https://streetphotographymagazine.com/subscribe/ ▶ HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH A PHOTO BOOK Andrew had the opportunity to work with an incredible team to bring his father’s archive to life. But you don’t need a publisher or an industry connection to turn your own photography into a book. Our self-publishing course walks you through the process, from shaping your idea and editing your photographs to design, printing and getting the finished book into your hands. Learn more: https://streetphotographymagazine.com/learn/ Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: HFVSIOPRJJ1D1HGW

  5. Aug 28

    Photographing Resistance: Wayne Campbell and Wayne Crichlow on Carnival of Resistance

    Photographers Wayne Campbell and Wayne Crichlow join Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo to talk about their new collaborative photo book, Carnival of Resistance, documenting the culture, history, joy and defiance of London's Notting Hill Carnival.

  6. Aug 14

    John Rosenmiller on Cuba, Self-Editing and Becoming a Better Photographer

    John Rosenmiller didn't set out to become a photographer. In fact, it wasn't until later in life that he realized something was missing: he'd done a lot of things, but he'd never done anything purely creative. Photography changed that. And Cuba gave him a place to explore it. In this conversation, John joins Street Photography Magazine's Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo to talk about the many trips that have taken him deep into Cuban life and eventually led to his striking Carboneros de Cuba series. When John first arrived in Havana, its chaos, characters and raw energy reminded him of the New York he knew in the 1970s and '80s. He kept going back, building relationships, following his curiosity and learning photography along the way. Upon seeing his photos one photographer wrote in to tell us, “This is more than good, this is a labor of love.” John is refreshingly candid about that learning process. He talks about the years it took him to feel comfortable calling himself a photographer, why realizing his early work wasn't very good actually helped him improve, and why photographers should be ruthless about what they choose to show. We also dig into how he creates his nighttime portraits with surprisingly simple lighting, the value of honest criticism, photographing people without turning them into a performance, and the personal rules he follows when deciding whether a photograph should be made at all. But some of the most interesting parts of this conversation aren't really about photography. John talks about what years of returning to Cuba have taught him about people, generosity and community, and how a search for creative fulfillment became something much bigger than he expected.

  7. Jul 31

    What Street Photographers Can Learn from an Independent Filmmaker | James Choi

    What can street photographers learn from an independent filmmaker? Quite a lot, it turns out. In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine Podcast, we sit down with filmmaker and professor James Choi, whose recent return to South Korea after nearly five decades inspired both a feature film and a striking body of street photography. Discovered through Trope Publishing, James brings a unique perspective to photography, one shaped by years of visual storytelling through cinema. We talked about how filmmaking and street photography overlap, why simplicity often leads to stronger work (and why keeping things simple can be a challenge), and how creative limitations can become your greatest advantage. Along the way, James shares thoughtful insights on: • Returning to his birthplace after 46 years • Photographing the feeling of a place rather than simply documenting it • Why authentic art requires vulnerability • How simplifying your gear and your process can help you grow faster • Lessons filmmakers and photographers can learn from one another • Independent film recommendations that every visual storyteller should see

  8. Jul 17

    Kantaya New on Balancing Street & Conceptual Photography

    Watch on YouTube This month’s podcast guest might surprise you. Most street photographers thrive on unpredictability. They head out with a camera, trust their instincts, and let the world unfold in front of them. Kantaya New does that. She also spends days, sometimes weeks, carefully planning conceptual photographs where every element is intentional. On paper, those two approaches couldn’t be more different. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, each one has made her better at the other. Kantaya, who is also a newly minted X-Creator with Fujifilm, joins Bob Patterson and me to talk about balancing street photography with conceptual work, using humor to explore serious subjects, and why some of her most personal projects have resonated with complete strangers. One of my favorite moments is hearing how her husband became the reluctant star of her ongoing series A Modern Day Affair, and the lengths she has to go to keep him motivated during shoots. If you’re looking for a conversation about creativity, curiosity, and finding your own voice as a photographer, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. A Selection of Kantaya’s Photos Outdoor Closet Backstage (2025) Long Wait (2021) From the series “Dare to Be You” Where to Find Kantaya Website Instagram Current & Upcoming Exhibits 7th Annual FujiFanBoys Best of Show Touring Exhibition — Hong Kong,15 July to 14 August 2026, Fujifilm House of Photography Ecos Cardinales Vol. V — San Luis Potosí, Mexico, 6 August 2026, Galería Germán Gedovius RPL26 — Streets of the World, RomePhotoLab Festival, 2 to 4 October 2026, Villa Altieri Museum Complex, Rome

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4.5
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About

The Official Journal of Street and Documentary Photography

Information

  • Creator
    Street Photography Magazine Podcast
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    240
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Street Photography Magazine
  • Show Website
    Street Photography Magazine Podcast

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