The Photowalk

Latest Episodes:

#497 Eagles and Witchcraft Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

Former guest, photojournalist Claire Thomas, joins me to talk about her first monograph, Altai: Hunters and Herders of Mongolia. Her book captures life in the remote mountains of western Mongolia, where Kazakh families train golden eagles, herd animals across vast plains, and balance centuries-old traditions with the realities of modern change. Then, in a complete change of direction for the second part of our chat, Claire speaks about her documentary and advocacy work in northern Ghana, documenting women accused of witchcraft who are forced into bleak camps, and her fundraiser to provide mattresses for those who currently sleep on bare ground.

From the mailbag today, Adriano Henney writes about publishing your work and why it matters, Bob of the desert dodges those jumping cholla in Arizona while sending in one of the most honest letters I've read in a long while, and Gavin Perry heads for Complaints Corner, or at least he would, if we hadn't effectively cancelled his flight. All will be revealed.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

Reflections: The art of travel photography Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

REFLECTIONS is a short-form feature within The Photowalk podcast, offering thoughtful observations on a creative life and the themes that we so often talk about on Fridays: perfectionism, impostor syndrome, comparison, confidence and more. It's a pause at the start of the week to recalibrate, recorded in the studio between the walks.

Each Monday, you'll find Reflections on The Photowalk podcast feed, like a creative reset to start the week, and from Tuesday to Friday, it continues exclusively on our member-supported channel, The Extra Mile, for those who walk a little further with us.

Today, travelling light with your kit: one camera, one notepad and a sound recorder thingie.

All links will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

#496 Photographers with open hearts Aug 15, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I revisit conversations with two remarkable photographers whose work and generosity have left lasting impressions. Steve Shipman, who we lost in 2018, built a career capturing portraits for newspapers, magazines, and leading corporate clients, later turning his lens toward weddings, social photography, street photography and legacy family projects. His archive reads like an A-to-Z of notable figures, with some of his portraits now held in the National Portrait Gallery's archive in London.

Charlie Waite has spent decades shaping how we see the British and international landscape, his work marked by a painter's eye for light, form, and balance. Through books, exhibitions, and teaching, he has encouraged countless photographers to truly observe. Charlie's warmth and openness have made him a guiding presence for many in the photographic community, with an influence that goes well beyond his own work.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

Reflections: Chernobyl isn't an amusement park Aug 11, 2025

Show notes

Today, I reflect upon those places I'd like to photograph, one in particular, that is certainly off the menu.

All links will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

#495 Treedom Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I walk with woodland and street photographer Mali Davies through the winding paths of Savernake Forest, a place steeped in centuries of history. Beneath the canopy of ancient oaks and beeches, we talk about the role forests have played in Britain's story, and why their protection has never been more important.

Mali shares the practical kit he relies on for photographing in woodland, his thoughts on composition, and the small details that bring these vast, living spaces to life in an image. It's a conversation about history, craft, and the quiet beauty of trees that have stood watch for hundreds of years. We also talk about the importance of family, a special pilgrimage to the top of a mountain fell in the Lake District and how street photography is becoming an important outlet to him too.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

Reflections: Look Up! Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

Today, I reflect upon advice given by the late portrait and social photographer, Steve Shipman. Further thoughts on the subject from Paul Hutson.

All links will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

#494 The walk that saved my life! Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

I was walking along a stretch of my favourite canal path about a month ago with the barking machine and my good friend, documentary photographer Giles Penfound, when we encountered Dale Thomas running toward us. Usually, runners are reasonably head-down and on a mission, except Dale wasn't.

He wore a running top promoting the Ollie Young Foundation and was happy to stop briefly to talk about the cause. What came from our ten-minute chat convinced me that he had several human stories to share. And while he's not a photographer, Dale is certainly an encounter, and I'm always championing encounters as those magic, serendipitous moments where we connect, maybe make a portrait, and talk about life.

So, Dale is today's guest, with a story about community, a race across the desert that, in many ways, saved his life, and an outlook shaped not by medals or miles, but by a belief that life is for living, fully, curiously, and with your family never far from your heart.

Also from the mailbag, Johann van der Walt, artisan camera bag maker and, frankly, my new best friend, and like London buses, another Johan appears! Johan Rispling is here to ask whether photographers are secretly moonlighting as painters, poets, or pianists, and Andrew Scriven checks in from Andalusia via Covent Garden.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

#493 A candid life in sound and light Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

Today's Photowalk show guest is Ibarionex Perello, a photographer, writer, educator, and the long-standing host of The Candid Frame podcast, one of the most respected and enduring shows in photography. With over 25 years in the photographic industry and more than 600 episodes under his belt, he's interviewed legends like Jay Maisel, Mary Ellen Mark, and Joel Meyerowitz.

In this conversation, we talk about his thoughtful approach to podcasting, what he listens for in a guest, and why the best conversations don't follow scripts. We also discuss life after loss, as he reflects on the devastating LA fires that destroyed his family's home and studio. And, of course, we talk photography, the way he sees, the way he teaches, and the very personal reasons he still makes pictures.

Also on the show and from the mailbag, Matthies Wesche is about to dangle precariously from his seat, photographing people who believe it's more fun to jump out of aeroplanes than sit back and enjoy the complimentary wine and molten-hot Thermo Lasagne Surprise, and Chris Articulate returns with thoughts on one YouTube channel, Sony cameras, and this podcast!

We've got news about a rustic workshop, so brush off your tents, shake out the spiders, and mark some dates in your diary, plus Gary Ramage invites you to take part in the One Word Assignment.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

#492 Vulnerability Jul 18, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, recorded in London, I meet up with friend and photojournalist Marissa Roth, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer whose career spans decades of visual storytelling. We talk about what might be a photographer's greatest superpower: vulnerability.

From her early days at the LA Times to her long-form global project One Person Crying: Women and War, Marissa shares how empathy, courage, and an open heart have shaped her work in conflict zones and beyond. Now building a new life in Europe, she reflects on what it means to start again, to carry stories across borders, and to stay true to the deeper reasons we pick up a camera in the first place.

Also, today, Gary Ramage invites you to take part in the One Word Assignment for July.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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.

#491 The Paris Street Photography Special Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

In this special edition of The Photowalk, we're in Paris, exploring the city through the eyes of celebrated street photographer and regular contributor to the show Valérie Jardin. With her as our guide, we visit places that hold a special photographic charm, not just some of the landmarks, but the quieter, less-travelled streets and corners. It's a street photography walking workshop, and we learn not just how to make better pictures, but how to truly see opportunities and moments. Along the way, we'll meet others on the same path, fellow photographers from around the world, brought together by a shared curiosity and the joy of photographing life as it happens.

Valérie shares her deep knowledge of the city, its history and visual language, offering practical guidance and insight, plus there are some surprises as we walk. Whether you're carrying a camera or simply walking with your ears, this episode invites you to pause, notice, and feel part of something creative in one of the World's most vibrant photographic cities.

Also, today, Gary Ramage invites you to take part in the One Word Assignment for July.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 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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