The Perceptive Photographer

Are great photographers the ones who finish their work?

What makes something great in our work? As I sit in the studio getting ready to record this podcast, I am finding the irony of the topic to really have a stinging bite to

Your better at sales than you think

The Sales Pitch I was recently talking with a friend of mine who is an absolutely incredible salesperson. You can walk into his studio to bring him a cup of coffee, and w

The way we see: Attention

The Way We See: Topic Two is Attention This week we dig into part two of our mini-series with a focus (pun intended) on attention. As photographers, we often find ourselv

Revisiting what makes a photograph good?

Asking a simple question I’ve been pondering a deceptively simple question: What makes a photograph good as part of my book club this month? But, before diving into that,

What are we really asking for when we make a photograph?

Welcome to episode 595 of the Perceptive Photographer. This week, we are exploring the importance of asking questions about our work—not questions related to critique or

Finding Your Audience Without Losing Your Voice

In this episode of The Perceptive Photographer (number 594), I return back to dig a little deeper into one of the most common pieces of creative advice: know your audienc

Outside your genre and growing through seeing

Just got back from several weeks on the road. the studio is a mess. the dog has to get a tooth pulled that she broke on the road trip, but it was great to see family. All

The Way We See: Silence

Starting a new mini-podcast within a podcast this month on the way we see. Episode one is focused on silence. I mean, really, what does silence look like? Can we photogra

Creative Plateaus: The Good, the Bad, and Why They Matter

I am out on the road this week so just a quick note on the podcast. I hope you enjoy it. I have been driving across Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota so seeing lots of pl

Trusting Your Instincts When You Can’t Explain Why

Have you ever looked at two versions of a photograph where one is technically clean and the other one a little rough around the edges. For some reason, you feel something

In the Creative Practice, Nothing Is Ever Wasted

In episode 589 of the Perceptive Photographer, we discuss how nothing is ever wasted in the creative process. Every effort, whether successful or not, contributes to grow

Why people photograph at all

Photography is something many of us do every day, yet we rarely stop to ask why. In the week's episode 588, we dig into some of the reasons and motivations for why we mak

Hesitation in your work is costing you

This week we share in the sadness and impact of Jeff Schewe’s passing, a major loss to photography. We offer up some congrats to Makeda Best, new photo curator at MOMA! F

The misunderstanding of intention in your work

Photographers often hear that they should "shoot with intention," and I mostly agree. But for today’s episode of The Perceptive Photographer (episode #586), I wanted to d

Interrupting that darn autopilot

In this episode of the podcast, 585, I talk about something that has come up in conversations several times over the past few weeks with different friends and colleagues:

Connections and relationships in our images

In Episode 584 of The Perceptive Photographer, I explore how photography is fundamentally about creating connection. Photographs connect twice: first visually through com

What Your Edits Say About You

On this week’s episode of The Perceptive Photographer, I explore how editing reveals the photographer behind the image. From cropping and contrast to color and mood, our

May the 4th be with you

May the Fourth be with you. It's Star Wars day and there is a lot of of overlap between photography and Star Wars I often say the camera doesn’t create meaning. We do. y

From Contact Sheets to Yes And

Welcome to episode 581 of the Perceptive Photographer. This week, I am sharing what I hope are five insightful suggestions to help you think differently about your work i

Rethinking Your Photographic Approach

In this episode, I reflect on how easy it is to get lost in the technical side and why it’s so important to shift our focus back to what truly matters: our voice, our vis