n this episode, I’m joined by Seattle-based fine art photographer Jenny Hansen Das for a conversation about exceptions in photography and working with galleries. Jenny’s work blends analog and digital processes, with a focus on everyday moments presented in unexpected ways. She experiments with alternative techniques like cyanotypes and image transfers, creating handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces. She’s also the founder of The Seattle Light Room, a community darkroom and gallery in Seattle’s Seward Park neighborhood. Explore her portfolio at jennyhansendas.com, find her community darkroom at theseattlelightroom.com, and follow her on Instagram at @jennyhansendas and @theseattlelightroom.
In this episode, join me and my guest Rachel Demi as we talk about the idea of the periphery in photography. Not only what’s just outside the frame, both visually and emotionally, but what else sits in our periphery. Rachel shares how her experiences, including night walks and struggles with addiction, shaped her work and her view on intuition, imperfection, and creative pauses. We discuss how meaning often comes from the edges, not just the center, and how embracing uncertainty and receptivity can lead to deeper artistic connections. It’s a conversation about seeing, feeling, and trusting what’s not always in focus.
In this episode, Ken and I return to a conversation we had in the past about Roland Barthes’ famous essay Death of the Author. This is an essay that can really have you rethink what you know about intention and who decides what a piece of art is really about. Barthes argues that once a work is created, the author’s intentions no longer control its meaning, but rather that it is left in the hands of the viewer.
Using this as our springboard into intention, titles, purpose and what it might mean for us photographers, Ken and I wax on about whether letting go of the “author” intention frees us to create with more openness, does it change the way we connect with our work or signify something else.
If you’ve ever wondered who owns the meaning of a photograph and why some images resonate in ways their creators never expected, this conversation is for you.
In this episode, I talk with Ken Carlson about photographic composition. We move past the usual rules—like lines and shapes—and focus on how composition can express deeper meaning and intention. We share our frustrations with formulaic approaches often taught online, and discuss how real impact comes from understanding why we compose a certain way. We both share some of our teaching experiences and reflect on how personal connection and context shape our choices. We agree that composition is more than technique; it’s about communicating emotion and meaning through our photographs.
In this episode, I talk with Ken Carlson, a longtime friend and photographer, about his decision to pursue an MFA in photography at age 78. Ken shares how his background as a veterinarian and his life experiences shape his art. We discuss the challenges and rewards of being a non-traditional student, the value of mentorship, and how curiosity drives creative growth. Ken reflects on learning to listen, embracing new perspectives, and the importance of continually evolving as an artist. It’s an honest conversation about lifelong learning and finding your voice in photography.