A Photographic Life

"To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It's a way of life." Henri Cartier-Bresson. Whatever your level of engagement with photography The Photographic Life Podcast explains the realities of working with and learning about the medium. Each week photographer, writer, lecturer, filmmaker, and BBC Radio contributor Dr. Grant Scott reflects on news, discussions, themes and issues surrounding the photographic community. This is a podcast for those who do not want kit reviews, photoshop techniques, marketing babble or camera talk. It is for those who want informed conversation about photography and life. Grant Scott is the founder/curator of www.unitednationsofphotography.com, a Senior Lecturer in Photography at Oxford Brookes University, UK, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained, The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography and New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography.His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay has been screened across the UK, and in Canada and the US. Podcast music: Written and performed by Laura Ritchie.

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Recent Episodes
  • A Photographic Life-370: 'Salgado, Photographs on Walls and Photo Memory'
    Jun 11, 2025 – 00:21:42
  • A Photographic Life-369: The Conversation with Bill Shapiro 'What Is Urban Landscape Photography?'
    Jun 4, 2025 – 00:56:32
  • A Photographic Life-368: 'The Nick Ut/Napalm Girl Controversy and Listeners Letters'
    May 28, 2025 – 00:26:45
  • A Photographic Life-367: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Power and Glory, Gabriel Moses and Photo London'
    May 21, 2025 – 00:44:25
  • A Photographic Life-366: 'Cartier-Bresson Words, One Lens Creativity and Photo Book Titles'
    May 14, 2025 – 00:19:45
  • A Photographic Life-365: The Conversation with Bill Shapiro 'What About Landscape Photography?'
    May 7, 2025 – 00:52:30
  • A Photographic Life-364: 'Walker Evans is the GOAT, Being Liked and AI Prompts'
    Apr 30, 2025 – 00:20:49
  • A Photographic Life-363: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Resistance, Sony WPO Awards and Eileen Perrier'
    Apr 23, 2025 – 00:51:34
  • A Photographic Life-362: 'The Photographer's Studio, Wacky! and What is Landscape Photography?'
    Apr 16, 2025 – 00:20:47
  • A Photographic Life-361: 'Photo Winners, Minor White and Good Trouble!'
    Mar 31, 2025 – 00:18:58
  • A Photographic Life-359: 'Knowledge, Photo Knowledge and Not Getting Paid!'
    Mar 20, 2025 – 00:19:02
  • A Photographic Life-360: The Conversation with Bill Shapiro 'Just Say No!'
    Mar 17, 2025 – 00:50:28
  • A Photographic Life-358: 'See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'The Face at NPG, Ernest Cole and Peter Hujar'
    Mar 15, 2025 – 00:53:08
  • A Photographic Life-357: 'Colm Pierce, Taking Time, and Teaching Photography'
    Mar 3, 2025 – 00:20:02
  • A Photographic Life-356: The Conversation with Bill Shapiro 'Photo Social Media in 2025'
    Feb 25, 2025 – 00:50:27
  • A Photographic Life-355: 'Kirsty Mitchell, Paying for Feedback and Landscape Photography'
    Feb 24, 2025 – 00:19:37
  • A Photographic Life-354: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Linder and The 80s: Photographing Britain'
    Feb 17, 2025 – 00:47:55
  • A Photographic Life-353: 'Photography in the '90s with Jake Chessum, James Dimmock and Chris Floyd'
    Feb 12, 2025 – 00:44:56
  • A Photographic Life Episode-352: The Conversation With Bill Shapiro 'Photobook Text'
    Feb 5, 2025 – 00:50:45
  • A Photographic Life-351: 'Patti Smith, Making Mistakes, and Photographer John Vachon'
    Jan 29, 2025 – 00:19:44
  • A Photographic Life-350: 'A Conversation with Harry Borden on Photographers on Youtube'
    Jan 22, 2025 – 00:51:51
  • A Photographic Life-349: 'The Eye! Digital Archives, Sketchbooks and Feedback'
    Jan 15, 2025 – 00:20:56
  • A Photographic Life-348: 'Berenice Abbott, Fakes, Randoms and Reading'
    Jan 8, 2025 – 00:20:56
  • A Photographic Life-347: 'New Year Special 2025' with Bill Shapiro and Fiona Hayes
    Jan 1, 2025 – 01:09:21
  • A Photographic Life-346: 'Christmas Special' with Peter Fetterman
    Dec 25, 2024 – 00:50:51
  • A Photographic Life-345: 'Is Saul Leiter the GOAT of Photography? and Home Based Exhibitions'
    Dec 18, 2024 – 00:21:18
  • A Photographic Life-344: 'Lee Miller, Say No to Style, and Chasing Light'
    Dec 11, 2024 – 00:19:43
  • A Photographic Life-343: A Conversation with Musician, Photographer and Author Julian Lennon
    Dec 4, 2024 – 00:45:40
  • A Photographic Life-342: 'Paris Photo, Selling Prints, Poetry and Photography'
    Nov 27, 2024 – 00:19:46
  • A Photographic Life-341: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Abi Morocco, As We Rise, Battaglia & Turbeville'
    Nov 20, 2024 – 00:50:10
  • A Photographic Life-340: 'Paul Lowe, Photo Books and Ready Mades'
    Nov 13, 2024 – 00:19:25
  • A Photographic Life-339: The Conversation With Bill Shapiro 'Politics and Photography'
    Nov 6, 2024 – 00:49:49
  • A Photographic Life-338: A Conversation with Curator, Writer, Editor, and Educator David Campany
    Oct 30, 2024 – 00:51:07
  • A Photographic Life-337: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Tina Barney, Yasuhiro Ishimoto and Alice Mann'
    Oct 23, 2024 – 00:41:17
  • A Photographic Life-336: 'Good Ideas, Workshops and Trent Parke'
    Oct 16, 2024 – 00:19:19
  • A Photographic Life-335: 'Penn, Hands, Cigarettes and Money'
    Oct 9, 2024 – 00:20:26
  • A Photographic Life-334: The Conversation with Bill Shapiro 'Nostalgia and Street Photography'
    Sep 30, 2024 – 00:42:42
  • A Photographic Life-333: 'Sylvia Plachy, Is Theory Dead? And Good Advice'
    Sep 25, 2024 – 00:20:01
  • A Photographic Life-332: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Fragile Beauty, Billy Name, W J Kennedy'
    Sep 18, 2024 – 00:44:52
  • A Photographic Life-331: 'Jean Loup Sieff, Fred Herzog, Making Friends and Keeping Diaries'
    Sep 11, 2024 – 00:20:21
  • A Photographic Life - 330: A Photographic Conversation With Bill Shapiro 'Sports Photography'
    Sep 4, 2024 – 00:53:26
  • A Photographic Life - 329: 'Bruce Gilden, Street Photography, Empathy and Getting Work'
    Aug 28, 2024 – 00:19:01
  • A Photographic Life - 328: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Tim Hetherington, Naomi Hobson, Roger Mayne'
    Aug 21, 2024 – 00:51:19
  • A Photographic Life - 327: 'Man Ray, What Is Real? Sports and Subject Matter'
    Aug 14, 2024 – 00:19:35
  • A Photographic Life - 326: A Photographic Conversation With Bill Shapiro 'How To Tell a Photo Story'
    Aug 7, 2024 – 00:46:50
  • A Photographic Life - 325: 'Karsh, Coffee, Photo Bears and Holidays'
    Jul 31, 2024 – 00:19:25
  • A Photographic Life - 324: See/Saw with Fiona Hayes 'Okamura, Ernest Cole, Beyond Fashion...'
    Jul 24, 2024 – 00:44:04
  • A Photographic Life 323: 'Harry Borden, Photofairs, Photo Ethics and Photo Talk'
    Jul 17, 2024 – 00:19:34
  • A Photographic Life 322: 'The Leica Look, Finding a Story, Big Macs and The Fear of Narrative'
    Jul 10, 2024 – 00:19:36
  • A Photographic Life - 321: A Photographic Conversation With Bill Shapiro 'Teaching Photography'
    Jul 3, 2024 – 00:42:05
Recent Reviews
  • Romijaxson
    Bravo!
    Great show!
  • TsTraveler
    The best photography podcast out there. Period.
    There is minimal gear discussion; the content is centered on what photography means to individual photographers and discussions on the industry as a whole. Here, guest photographers and commentators discuss topics historic and current, and everything in between. Excellent information on do’s and don’ts of portfolio compilation and industry secrets from those in the know. Grant’s continuing series with Bill Shapiro are especially informative to the aspiring photographer wanting to get their work seen. I don’t miss a podcast.
  • DiligentPodcaster
    Informative and engaging
    A great podcast highlighting current , notable photographers and their experiences learning the craft. A ‘must’ hear show for those who love photography. Congratulations and thanks for sharing valuable insights.
  • Just Breathe *
    An excellent podcast
    This is one of my absolute favorite photography podcasts. Scott talks about photography itself, what it means, where it's situated in the world - not about cameras or technique. He thinks deeply and is clearly receptive to a range of opinions and perspectives, which encourages the listener to expand their own thinking about the medium. Each episode also includes a photographer responding, in their own voice, to the question, "What does photography mean to you?" Highly receommended!
  • Koeknyc
    A must for photographers
    Scott gives every week a short episode. With some food for thought regarding working as a photogapher or any subject matter related such as the art education / is digital medium, photography?/ the pa-to-contest market / the loss of analog archives etcetera. The great thing is that Scott comes from the wonderful golden age of the money making analog world. He knows what it takes to be a professional photographer. With the current digital world and fall of the analog empire he seems well aware of the difficulties to try to make a descent living. The catch 22 that a steady job will mean not being able to do commissioned work. Scott has a meaning but he never forces it upon me. I can form my own. Plus he lets a photographer every week answer the question "what does photography means to you?" which makes me always think: "interesting that is so not how I see it...or yep thats spot on!" He seems like a chap I would just love to have living next door to me. To pop by every now and then and philosophize about the wonderful world of visual story telling. He's British so I guess that would be over a cup of tea... ;-)
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.