Ready for Mistakes

Jeff Smudde

Conversations with photographers on their work. This series of interviews is entirely self-produced and self-funded, and would not be possible without the generosity of guests’ time and willingness to participate. If you’d like to support the show, I won’t take your money, instead I ask you to subscribe and follow on our various profiles and of course, share with your friends.

  1. Kelly Burgess - Root Rot

    5h ago

    Kelly Burgess - Root Rot

    Kelly Burgess is a project-based and editorial photographer based in rural Vermont. Emotional narratives and personal experiences form the thematic core of her photographic work. She specializes in portrait and road trip photography. Kelly is a regular editorial contributor to several publications worldwide, including Architectural Digest, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Wildsam Magazine, and more. Her project, Sing Me Back Home, has been exhibited internationally, more recently at the Arctic Arts Festival in Norway, MassArt Museum, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. In addition to her personal and editorial work, Kelly is the Executive Director for the Too Tired Project, a photography initiative committed to helping those struggling with their mental health by offering a place for collective creative expression. Follow Kelly's work: https://www.kelly-burgess.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kelburgess/ Follow Too Tired Project: https://tootiredproject.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tootiredproject/ Introduction/outro song produced by yours truly. This series of interviews is entirely self-produced and self-funded, and would not be possible without the generosity of guests’ time and willingness to participate. If you’d like to support the show, I won’t take your money, instead I ask you to subscribe and follow on our various profiles and of course, share with your friends. Do you want to come on the show to discuss your work? Submit to the form below to put your name in the hat. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchuT6Qb9e315cWyD-IMf1istYgMdx2Q1n-QDSJrGptwxk7JQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114407871888460742790

    52 min
  2. Vann Thomas Powell - On Contentious Ground

    May 15

    Vann Thomas Powell - On Contentious Ground

    Vann Thomas Powell (MFA, Duke University) is a documentary artist whose visual practice incorporates an array of photographic mediums in concert with historical and philosophical research to investigate how past, place, and memory construct identity with particular focus on American identities. He is increasingly interested in investigating subjects related to foundation narratives, myths, tall tales, folklore, and seldom told histories. Vann’s work has been exhibited across the United States at venues such as The International Center of Photography (New York, NY), SlowExposures Festival (Zebulon, GA), PAL Gallery (Provo, UT), City Art Space - Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY) and The Fredric Jameson Gallery (Durham, NC). His work has appeared in domestic and international publications including The Independent (UK), Glitterati Editions (New York, NY), and Subjectively Objective (Detroit, MI). He has self-published and published artist books in collaboration with Benschop Books (Denver, CO). His books and works can be found in private and public collections including the Rubenstein Rare Books and Manuscripts Library (Duke University) and the Museum of Fine Art Special Collections (Tufts University). Vann is a 2023 Photolucida Critical Mass finalist. Follow Vann's work: www.vannthomaspowell.com instagram.com/vann_t_powell Follow Disparate Projects: www.disparateprojects.com https://press.disparateprojects.com/ https://www.instagram.com/disparate_projects/ Introduction/outro song produced by yours truly. This series of interviews is entirely self-produced and self-funded, and would not be possible without the generosity of guests’ time and willingness to participate. If you’d like to support the show, I won’t take your money, instead I ask you to subscribe and follow on our various profiles and of course, share with your friends. Do you want to come on the show to discuss your work? Submit to the form below to put your name in the hat. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchuT6Qb9e315cWyD-IMf1istYgMdx2Q1n-QDSJrGptwxk7JQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114407871888460742790

    1h 7m
  3. Katelynn M Rogers - Covered in Snow

    May 1

    Katelynn M Rogers - Covered in Snow

    CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains conversations about miscarriage and death, listener discretion is advised. Katelynn M. Rogers was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. Her photographs explore the crossroads of maternal loss, mental illness, and environmental decay. Inspired by the women and trees of her life, Rogers’ haunting images formulate mythologies around oral storytelling. Roger’s work interweaves somatic gesture alongside raw documentations of the Ohio landscape. She received her BA in Fine Art Photography at Columbia College Chicago in 2022, and completed her MFA in Photography at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2025. During her time at RISD, Rogers was awarded the prestigious Henry Wolf Scholarship and the Graduate Commons Grant. View Katelynn's work: www.acinematicdisaster.com instagram.com/acinematicdisaster Introduction/outro song produced by yours truly. This series of interviews is entirely self-produced and self-funded, and would not be possible without the generosity of guests’ time and willingness to participate. If you’d like to support the show, I won’t take your money, instead I ask you to subscribe and follow on our various profiles and of course, share with your friends. Do you want to come on the show to discuss your work? Submit to the form below to put your name in the hat. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchuT6Qb9e315cWyD-IMf1istYgMdx2Q1n-QDSJrGptwxk7JQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114407871888460742790

    1h 3m
  4. Micah McCoy - Minor Prophet

    Apr 17

    Micah McCoy - Minor Prophet

    Micah McCoy is a photographer, curator, and poet based in Northwest Arkansas and currently teaches at The University of Arkansas. He received his MFA in Photography from Columbia College Chicago (2022) and has exhibited work in solo and group exhibitions both in the United States and abroad. His work explores issues of religiosity, anxiety, and social detachment. Micah’s editorial photography has been featured in publications including NBC News, The New York Post, and others. He is a co-founder of Disparate Projects, a platform for photographic curation, theory, and publishing, including Disparate Press, which focuses on producing books and zines that showcase innovative photography and collaborative work. View Micah's work: https://www.micahmccoy.com/ instagram.com/micahmccoy Follow Disparate Projects: www.disparateprojects.com https://press.disparateprojects.com/ https://www.instagram.com/disparate_projects/ Introduction/outro song produced by yours truly. This series of interviews is entirely self-produced and self-funded, and would not be possible without the generosity of guests’ time and willingness to participate. If you’d like to support the show, I won’t take your money, instead I ask you to subscribe and follow on our various profiles and of course, share with your friends. Do you want to come on the show to discuss your work? Submit to the form below to put your name in the hat. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchuT6Qb9e315cWyD-IMf1istYgMdx2Q1n-QDSJrGptwxk7JQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114407871888460742790

    1h 16m
  5. Lewis Ableidinger - Driving Through Flyover Country

    Apr 3

    Lewis Ableidinger - Driving Through Flyover Country

    It's been 84 years... Welcome back after a far-too-long hiatus from the show. Today's conversation was actually recorded in 2024, and was intended to be released after the conversation with Lindsay Godin (go give it a listen, it was a great chat!). Alas, better late than never! About Lewis: Lewis Ableidinger (b. 1983) is from the small town of Kensal (pop. 163), located in the east-central part of North Dakota. Early on he developed an appreciation for the subtleties of a region most people dismiss as "boring." In 1998 he picked up a camera for the purpose of photographing old elevators. This led to day trips to find ghost towns with old elevators and eventually he started pointing his camera at other subjects. Soon it became a nearly obsessive passion to visit every corner and every town in the state, just to see what's there. Lewis graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2007 with a BS in Graphic Communictaions and a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance. Though photography was never his primary focus of study at MSUM he continued shooting and was able to take a few classes that helped broaden his photographic horizons. Since 2008 Lewis has had a "day" job as a locomotive engineer but continues to pursue photographic subjects. Lewis currently resides in Harvey, ND. View Lewis' work: https://www.lewisableidinger.com/ instagram.com/l.ableidinger Introduction/outro song produce by yours truly. This series of interviews is entirely self-produced and self-funded, and would not be possible without the generosity of guests’ time and willingness to participate. If you’d like to support the show, I won’t take your money, instead I ask you to subscribe and follow on our various profiles and of course, share with your friends. Do you want to come on the show to discuss your work? Submit to the form below to put your name in the hat. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchuT6Qb9e315cWyD-IMf1istYgMdx2Q1n-QDSJrGptwxk7JQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=114407871888460742790

    1h 7m

About

Conversations with photographers on their work. This series of interviews is entirely self-produced and self-funded, and would not be possible without the generosity of guests’ time and willingness to participate. If you’d like to support the show, I won’t take your money, instead I ask you to subscribe and follow on our various profiles and of course, share with your friends.

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