The Photowalk is a mailbag-driven podcast where we walk and make pictures together, and meet with special guests along the trail. For anyone who likes to take p...
In this episode, I’m joined by Ian Beesley, the acclaimed social documentary photographer whose work has captured the changing face of the North of England for over four decades. From documenting the decline of heavy industry to the resilience of working-class communities, Ian’s photographs are raw, honest, and deeply human. We talk about memory, place, humour, and the role of photography in giving voice to people and stories often overlooked. It’s a conversation about seeing, really seeing, the world around us and using a camera not just to document but to care. Also on the show, Valérie Jardin returns for the monthly Teach Me Street feature, and there's a reminder of the latest one-word assignment set by the photojournalist Claire Thomas. The mailbag returns next week. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to MPB, Arthelper and LOWA who sponsor this show, plus our Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.
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1:38:45
#474 An art of seeing beyond the surface
Today I visit and walk with British photographer Mark Seymour, who made his name as an award-winning wedding photographer. However, his passion for photography as a medium led him beyond the wedding aisle and onto the streets of the world, where he now documents culture, tradition, and the human experience through travel, documentary photography and workshops. In this episode of The Photowalk, we talk about his transition from weddings to reportage, the power of visual storytelling, and Ronnie’s Story, a deeply personal and important body of work that not only changed Mark as a photographer but also brought vital awareness to dementia. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to MPB who sponsor this show and the Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.
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1:55:50
#473 Today, we are climbing Mount Everest!
What kind of person looks at the world’s tallest mountain, a frozen, oxygen-starved, avalanche-prone giant and thinks, “Yeah, I’ll have a go at that?” Tim Kington, a photographer and adventure seeker with a dream to stand atop the world, took on Everest, facing brutal conditions where the air is too thin to breathe, the temperatures can freeze flesh, and every step is a fight against nature itself. In this episode, I talk to Tim about what it takes to climb Everest, the reality of the so-called Death Zone, and why, despite the dangers, thousands still attempt to reach the summit—some making history, others becoming part of the mountain forever. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to MPB who sponsor this show and the Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.
A magazine feel to the show today as I talk with three guests. The discovery of Ernest Stone's archive reveals a once-hidden visual chronicle of New York from the 1960s to the 1980s, capturing its transformation, counterculture, and politics, cementing his legacy as a multifaceted artist, a legacy that may not have been uncovered without the dedication of his niece Melissa Berman, who is working to Ernie’s last wishes to share his archive, preserving a vital piece of New York's visual history. Extra Miler Lynn Fraser talks about winning the UK’s coveted Amateur Photographer of the Year award, and Rick Davy shares his visually documented look at creative individuals who live and work by the Cornish coast. Also on the show, following last week’s episode featuring the Séance photographer Shannon Taggart, Per Birkhaug shares a strange ghostly encounter from a hotel room, and Bob Demers, AKA Bob of the Desert, has his own inexplicable stories. Plus, a look ahead to three special episodes and an assignment reminder; you’ve got just one more week to take part in our February photo challenge. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to MPB who sponsor this show and the Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.
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1:46:46
#471 How to photograph A GHOST
My guest today is Shannon Taggart, a photographer and author renowned for her exploration of modern Spiritualism, a belief system centred on communicating with the deceased. Her fascination began as a teenager when a medium revealed details about her cousin’s grandfather's death, sparking a two-decade journey documenting Spiritualist communities worldwide. Her acclaimed monograph, SÉANCE, delves into these practices and was named one of TIME Magazine's 'Best Photobooks of 2019'. From the mailbag and also on the show, Bob of the Desert uncovers some curious coincidences at 5,000 feet, Craig Wilson captures the beauty of the Lake District, Niels de Kemp reflects on how ageing shapes mastery of photography, and Gavin Perry talks about colour blindness as a photographer. Plus David Wright reminds us of this month's photo assignment. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to MPB who sponsor this show and the Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.
The Photowalk is a mailbag-driven podcast where we walk and make pictures together, and meet with special guests along the trail. For anyone who likes to take pictures. Available wherever you get your podcasts.
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