Talking Frames

Tim Bingham

Welcome to Talking Frames, the podcast where photography comes to life through the stories, inspiration, and creative journeys of photographers from around the world. In every episode, host Tim Bingham sits down for honest, in-depth conversations that explore the people behind the photographs. Together, they discuss the experiences, techniques, influences, and passions that shape their work, offering a unique insight into their creative process and the stories behind the images they create. Follow Tim on Instagram at @timbingham and @talkingframes_podcast to keep up with the latest episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and upcoming guests.

  1. 2d ago

    44 James Clifford Kent: Documentary Photography, Cuba, the NHS, and the Art of Human Connection

    Tim Bingham is joined by photographer James Clifford Kent, whose thoughtful and compassionate approach to documentary photography has seen him spend more than two decades exploring identity, memory, community, healthcare, and social change. Based in London, James blends documentary reportage, portraiture, and socially engaged photography to create work rooted in empathy, curiosity, and genuine human connection. In this episode, James explains why he resists being confined by labels such as street photographer, instead embracing a reactive, people-centred approach to making photographs. He discusses the influence of Diane Arbus, Don McCullin, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, and reflects on why the most powerful images come from emotional engagement rather than simply recording events. A significant part of the conversation focuses on James's long-term work in Cuba, a project that began while teaching English in Havana and has evolved over more than twenty years into an important body of documentary photography. He shares the stories behind the project and discusses his forthcoming photobook, Yuma, due for publication in 2026, exploring the relationships, trust, and cultural understanding developed over decades of returning to the island. James also talks about his acclaimed work documenting the NHS, photographing operating theatres, maternity wards, midwives, and healthcare professionals. His photographs have been published by The Guardian, The Times, BBC News, British Journal of Photography, and The Lancet. His NHS-supported project Maternity won The Lancet Photography Prize and was selected for both Portrait of Britain and Portrait of Humanity, highlighting his commitment to portraying people with honesty, dignity, and respect. The conversation explores James's wider achievements within contemporary photography. His Cuba project NHMN – "No hay más na'!" was selected for both the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery. Earlier work from Cuba featured in the Discovery section at Photo London, curated by Charlotte Jansen. His photographs have been exhibited throughout the UK and Cuba, and in 2022 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS). His work has also been recognised by the Refocus Awards, reflecting a career built on thoughtful documentary practice and authentic storytelling. James reflects on his journey from academia—where he completed a PhD in Visual Culture and spent a decade lecturing—to becoming a full-time photographer. He discusses balancing creative ambition with authenticity, and how his background in research continues to shape the way he approaches photography today. He also shares his passion for analogue photography, the importance of slowing down, and why carrying printed photographs continues to create meaningful conversations with the people he photographs. Tim and James also discuss James's work documenting Arsenal supporters, exploring the connections between football culture, community, collective identity, and documentary storytelling. The episode concludes with a conversation about photobooks, zines, independent publishing, and the creative communities that continue to inspire his work. Whether you're interested in documentary photography, street photography, visual storytelling, portraiture, or developing a more authentic photographic voice, this episode is filled with thoughtful insights into creating photographs that connect with people and endure over time. From revolutionary Cuba to NHS maternity wards and the terraces of Arsenal Football Club, James Clifford Kent's work is united by one defining principle: a deep commitment to empathy, authenticity, and the human experience. People mentioned in the episode  Laura Pannack @laurapannack David Campany @davidcampany Corinne Day @corinnedayofficial Tom Seymour @mrtomseymour Charlotte Jansen @omfgnoway Gem Fletcher @gemfletcher Dexter Kane @dexterkane_ldn

  2. Jul 1

    43 Amin Yousefi: Photography, Memory, and Archives

    In this episode of Talking Frames, Tim is joined by London-based Iranian photographer, researcher and visual artist Amin Yousefi. Originally trained as a documentary photographer in Iran, Amin's practice has evolved into a research-led exploration of photography, memory, history and archival practice. Amin  has rapidly gained significant international recognition as one of the most exciting emerging voices in contemporary photography. His work has been exhibited widely across Europe and beyond, he was named a Foam Talent 2024–25, received the Royal Photographic Society's Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography (Under 30), and his first monograph, Eyes Dazzle, is published by Luhx Press with an essay by renowned photography writer and curator David Campany. Growing up in Abadan, a city profoundly shaped by the Iran-Iraq War and the country's oil industry, Amin developed an acute awareness of how landscapes, personal histories and political events become embedded in collective memory. These formative experiences continue to influence his work, which examines the ways photographs preserve, conceal and transform history, inviting viewers to look beyond the obvious and reconsider familiar narratives. The conversation centres on Amin's acclaimed project Eyes Dazzle, which began with a simple but remarkable discovery. While closely examining published photographs from the 1979 Iranian Revolution with a magnifying loupe, he noticed individuals within the crowds looking directly back at the photographer rather than at the unfolding events. Those overlooked gazes became the foundation of a project that reactivates archival photographs, revealing stories and relationships that had remained hidden in plain sight. Rather than altering the original images, Amin isolates these moments to encourage a new way of seeing history and the people who lived through it. Tim and Amin discuss the ethical questions surrounding the use of archival photographs, with Amin explaining why he considers his work to be a collaboration with the original photographers rather than an act of appropriation. They explore how historical photographs can be continually reinterpreted while respecting their original context, and why archives remain living spaces capable of generating new meanings decades after images were first made. The conversation also examines the realities of being an Iranian artist working internationally. Amin speaks candidly about the challenges of representing Iranian culture in Western institutions, the expectations often placed on artists from politically complex regions, and his desire for discussions to remain focused on photography, artistic practice and visual culture rather than reducing artists to political commentators. Along the way, they discuss documentary photography, vernacular archives, the power of close observation, the role of memory in photographic practice and the importance of slowing down to truly look at images. Amin also shares insights into his forthcoming monograph Eyes Dazzle and introduces his latest project, Defensive Readiness, which combines archival research with emerging technologies including 3D scanning. This is a thoughtful and deeply engaging conversation about photography's unique ability not simply to document history, but to continually reshape how we understand it Eyes Dazzle Luhz Press  Amin Website Amin Instagram Talking Frames Instagram

  3. Jun 17

    42 Homeland Lost Photography, Memory and Palestinian Refugees

    In this episode  Tim Bingham speaks with documentary photographer Alan Gignoux, curator Jenny Christensson, and long-time collaborator Chloe Juno in a conversation about Homeland Lost — a twenty-year photographic project documenting the lives, memories, and histories of Palestinian refugees displaced from their villages in 1948. Based in London, Alan began the project while living in Beirut, where everyday encounters with Palestinian refugees revealed a striking reality: despite the scale and significance of their displacement, many of these personal histories remained little understood beyond the region. What began as a photographic exploration evolved into a long-term commitment to preserving stories of loss, resilience, identity, and belonging. Now, two decades later, Homeland Lost returns in a new form through an exhibition at P21 Gallery in London, running from 2–10 July. The exhibition combines updated testimonies, large-scale photographic works, and an immersive audiovisual installation, creating a deeper and more layered experience of the project's themes and its participants' stories. Alongside the exhibition, the team are developing a self-published photobook that will bring together every participant photographed throughout the project's twenty-year history. Designed as a complete archive of the work, the publication aims to remain accessible, comprehensive, and faithful to the project's original ethos. Together, we discuss the responsibilities of long-term documentary practice, the role of photography in preserving collective memory, the complexities of representation, and how images can help connect audiences with histories that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. Homeland Lost Project Alan Gignoux Website Jenny Christensson Chloe Juno Website

  4. May 27

    40 Amy Horowitz Street Portrait Photography, New York & Human Connection

    In this episode, Tim Bingham is joined by photographer Amy Horowitz to discuss her remarkable journey into street photography and how creativity transformed her life after moving to New York City.   The conversation explores the pivotal moments that shaped Amy’s photographic practice, from the first time she approached a stranger for a portrait to overcoming fear, rejection and self-doubt. Amy reflects on creating more than 2,000 portraits over the last six years, explaining how repetition, discipline and consistency gradually built her confidence.  What began as a creative challenge evolved into a powerful form of human connection.       Tim and Amy also discuss the unique energy of downtown New York and the young creatives who populate the streets around NYU, Parsons and the surrounding art schools. Amy explains what draws her to people with tattoos, unconventional fashion, colourful hair and distinctive personal styles, while revealing her deeper interest in vulnerability, authenticity and the person behind the appearance. The episode also explores artistic influence and creative development. Amy talks about learning from cinema, studying contemporary photographers online and the importance of continually evolving creatively.   The discussion moves into social media, photography festivals and the global street photography community, examining both the opportunities and pressures created by platforms like Instagram. Amy shares how daily posting became both a discipline and a creative challenge, helping her connect with photographers around the world. More personally, the conversation becomes a reflection on reinvention and rediscovering purpose later in life. Amy explains how photography helped her reconnect with the ambitious and creative side of herself that existed long before motherhood and family responsibilities took priority. She describes photography as bringing structure, excitement, community and a renewed sense of identity. This episode is an honest and thoughtful discussion about street photography, fear, creativity, discipline, self-expression and the emotional connections that can emerge between strangers through photography. Amy website Amy Instragram Talking Frames Instagram

  5. May 13

    39 Neil Kramer From Street Photography to Personal Documentary and Quarantine in Queens

    This episode of Talking Frames Neil Kramer joins Tim Bingham for a deeply reflective conversation exploring photography, ethics, family, aging, and the evolving realities of street photography in a post-pandemic world. Neil discusses his unconventional journey into photography, initially resisting the medium despite growing up around cameras through his father before eventually discovering photography through the accessibility of the iPhone and the streets of New York City. Drawing from his background in English literature and film school, he reflects on how narrative, framing, light, and emotional storytelling continue to shape his photographic approach. A major focus of the conversation centres on how dramatically street photography has changed over the last decade. Neil reflects on how smartphones and social media transformed photography from a largely observational practice into something far more public, performative, and ethically complicated. Questions surrounding privacy, consent, representation, race, immigration, and audience perception now sit at the centre of photographing strangers in public spaces. Neil speaks candidly about the emotional complexity of photographing family members and the difficult negotiations surrounding vulnerability, authorship, and consent when the people closest to you become artistic subjects. The conversation also examines the growing influence of social media on photographic practice. Neil openly discusses the tension between making photographs instinctively and subconsciously anticipating audience reaction online. He reflects on the discomfort of strangers publicly commenting on his family life and explains why he declined interest from the Daily Mail, fearing the work would be reduced to sensationalism rather than understood as nuanced personal documentary storytelling. They further explore broader questions surrounding authenticity, interpretation, and artistic control. They  discuss the balance between allowing photographs to speak independently versus guiding viewers through captions and narrative context, especially when deeply personal work becomes publicly consumed and frequently misunderstood. Neil Kramer Website Neil Kramer Instagram Photoville Exhibition Talking Frames Instagram             Song: Drip Music by: CreatorMix.com

  6. May 6

    38 Photo London 2026 Inside the New Venue, Programme & Photography Trends

    Photo London 2026 marks a new chapter for one of the world’s most important photography fairs. Running from 14 to 17 May, this year’s edition brings together leading galleries from across Europe, the US, Asia, and Latin America but what really defines Photo London is the way it balances the commercial energy of an art fair with a genuinely thoughtful curatorial vision. After a decade at Somerset House, the fair has now moved to Olympia London. That shift isn’t just logistical; it changes the entire experience. The new venue offers a more open, unified layout, making the fair easier to navigate and expanding what’s possible in terms of programming, presentation, and scale. In this episode, I’m joined by Sophie Parker, Director of Photo London 2026, to talk about why this feels like a turning point. We explore the shape of this year’s programme — from curated exhibitions and solo presentations to an expanded talks series focused on collecting, and a new screening room dedicated to artist films. There are standout moments too: early work by Stephen Meisel, a strong mix of emerging and established artists, and a major presentation from Autograph. And we look at the broader trends shaping the fair right now — including a renewed interest in craft, process‑driven work, and documentary photography.  Overall, this episode offers a clear insight into how Photo London is evolving in scale, in ambition, and in direction and what that evolution tells us about photography today.   More information can be found Photolondon.org               Song: Drip Music by: CreatorMix.com

  7. Apr 28

    37 Niamh Barry Capturing Identity Through Photography & Film

    Niamh Barry who is based in Dublin  is a photographer  and visual storyteller whose work focuses on intimate, emotionally honest portrayals of queer life in Ireland. Her images are grounded in trust, tenderness and a commitment to representing people and communities whose stories are often overlooked. Niamhs work has been exhibited widely, including at the RHA Annual Exhibition, Photo Museum Ireland’s Talents programme, Irish Design Week and the Galway Arts Centre. She has been nominated for FUTURES, featured in the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity, and supported by multiple Arts Council Agility Awards. Her photography has appeared in publications such as VICE UK, Billboard, CLASH Magazine and Totally Dublin, reflecting her growing presence across both art and editorial contexts.   In this episode, Tim Bingham speaks with Niamh fresh from winning an award at the Manchester Film Festival, Niamh reflects on her path from studying at Trinity College Dublin into a career shaped by instinct, collaboration, and lived experience. The conversation traces her early development through projects like No Queer Apologies, a defining body of work that expanded her visual language and led to a sold-out photobook supported by the Arts Council Ireland. It also explores her more recent project Now & Forever, Interpersonally Queer, which focuses on intimacy, chosen family, and a slower, more collaborative way of working. A central focus is her documentary Something in the Air, inspired by the work of Nan Goldin and developed through an unexpected connection with a transgender storm chaser in Oklahoma. Niamh discusses the shift from still photography to film, the challenges of working with a small crew, and how storytelling changes when moving from image to motion. They also dive into the realities of sustaining an artistic career — from the importance (and fragility) of funding and her residency at Photo Museum Ireland, to navigating freelance life, creative control, and representation within the Irish photography scene. Alongside her personal work, Niamh reflects on photographing musicians like boygenius and Chappell Roan, and how commercial work provides a separate creative outlet. At its core, the episode is about building a practice without a roadmap — balancing uncertainty with purpose, and using photography as both a personal and political act.   Niamh Website Niamh instagram Talking Frames instagram

About

Welcome to Talking Frames, the podcast where photography comes to life through the stories, inspiration, and creative journeys of photographers from around the world. In every episode, host Tim Bingham sits down for honest, in-depth conversations that explore the people behind the photographs. Together, they discuss the experiences, techniques, influences, and passions that shape their work, offering a unique insight into their creative process and the stories behind the images they create. Follow Tim on Instagram at @timbingham and @talkingframes_podcast to keep up with the latest episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and upcoming guests.

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