The Nerdy Photographer Podcast
Host Casey Fatchett brings an often humorous look at the photography industry, offering advice, telling stories, and interviewing working photographers - all while going on adventures with the crew of the starship Fibonacci. He's also sure to include just a little bit of useless information in every episode.
Making Your Portrait Subject Comfortable
The most important piece of gear in portrait photography isn't your lens, your light, or your camera body. It's your ability to make a complete stranger feel safe and unselfconscious in front of you within ten minutes. And almost nobody teaches you how to do that.
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer, we get into the psychology of portraiture — not the artistic side, but the human side. We cover the chameleon effect, a well-documented psychological phenomenon that explains why your energy as a photographer directly determines the energy your subject brings to the frame. We talk ab...
Aphantasia, Travel Photography, and Why Companies Started Stealing Photos
Nico Trinkhaus has congenital aphantasia — he can't picture anything in his mind's eye, not a face, not a place, nothing. It's part of why he became a travel and cityscape photographer in the first place, and it's shaped a signature style built on presence, stillness, and timelessness. In this episode, Casey talks with Nico about his 15-year photography career, his "Europe Rising" project born out of Brexit-era negativity, and his upcoming solo exhibition at Lisbon Airport — before the conversation shifts into the very personal story behind PhotoClaim, the company Nico founded after discovering 120 unauthorized commercial uses of his own phot...
Until It Clicks: An Original Photography Horror Story
It's Halloween on the Nerdy Photographer Podcast, which means it's time for this year's photography horror story. A photographer editing alone in his locked studio keeps hearing a shutter click. But where is it coming from?
Full description:
Our annual Halloween tradition is back. This year's story is "Until It Clicks".
Chance is up against the deadline of his career: a big fashion campaign due in the morning. He's alone in the studio, editing late into the night, when he starts hearing a sound he knows better than any other. The click of...
190 - The Bizarre True History of Spirit Photography: A Halloween Replay
This is a spooky-season re-release. Casey welcomes Dr. Emily Zarka, host of Monstrum on PBS Digital's Storyed channel, for a conversation about monster folklore, spirit photography, and what our desire to document the supernatural says about us.
In this episode:
The Twitter debate that started it all: why (and whether) vampires can be photographed — soul folklore vs. silver folklore Working through the "photographability" of werewolves, mummies, zombies, and ghosts based on soul mythology The history of 1860s spirit photography and the spiritualist movement William Mumler, the photographer who faked ghostly portraits of deceased loved ones — and the...The Only One in the Room: Race, Respect, and Turning Bias into Fuel in Photography
In this episode, Casey Fatchett talks with nature and landscape photographer Vicky Thompson about her journey from a teenage film photographer to a respected voice in her photography community — and about the recurring experience of being underestimated, doubted, or outright told she was in the wrong place because of what she looks like.
In this episode:
Vicky's start in photography at 13, using babysitting money to buy her first film camera How Gordon Parks' civil-rights-era photography shaped her eye and her values The role Instagram played in leveling up her technical skills Being mistaken for a guest — or t...Real Photographers, Real Scary Stories: A Halloween Replay
This is a spooky-season re-release of episode 76. Casey welcomes back photographer Jeremy Harris to react to scary and unexplained stories submitted by photographers around the world — some paranormal, some very much not, all genuinely unsettling.
Stories covered in this episode:
A quiet night shoot on a bridge, and the fatal mugging that happened roughly five minutes after the photographer left Solo exploring the haunted tunnels of Sloss Furnace in Birmingham, Alabama — cold chills, a moving shadow, and a self-professed skeptic who still ran A giggling child's voice coming from an empty graveyard while waiting to shoot the...Turn Off Instagram: Building a Photography Style That's Actually Yours
Street and portrait photographer Tom Hoops joins us to talk about his unplanned path into photography, why he builds his portrait style around rawness instead of polish, and why he founded The Underexposed Community.
In this episode:
Tom's origin story: picking up a camera to shoot reference photos for paintings — and never going back to painting The early Flickr community (including photographers like Jack Davidson and Brett Walker) that shaped his eye Why he tells photographers starting out to avoid Instagram, other photographers' work, and how-to books until they've built their own body of work His ca...Intentional Failure: The Photography Skill No One Teaches
Photography culture treats technical perfection as the goal and any deviation from it as failure. This episode argues that some of the medium's most resonant images come from exactly the opposite — and explores where the line is between a mistake worth fixing and a "failure" worth keeping.
In this episode:
The wedding reception story: a dead flash transmitter, a dozen unusable frames, and the one accidental low-light portrait that became a favorite Why photography's fear of technical failure is a holdover from the film era's real economic costs — and why that instinct outlived its original reason How...Tintypes, Roller Derby, and Rewriting Photography's Power Dynamics
Host Casey Fatchett talks with alternative process photographer Britt Bradley, known professionally as Nitrate Fox, about wet plate collodion photography, the history and politics baked into a 170-year-old medium, and Bradley's self-published photo book Jamnesia, which documents the roller derby community in tintype.
In this episode:
Why Bradley chose a non-gender-specific artist name — and how it changed their exhibition acceptance rate Collodion's history as "a perpetual representation of the white male gaze," and how seating, standing, and exposure time shaped who was centered in 19th-century photographs How collodion's UV sensitivity affects the rendering of different skin to...Is Burst Mode Ruining Your Photography?
In this nerdlet, Casey makes the case for deliberately slowing down — and why the unlimited frame rates of modern cameras and phones may be quietly working against better photography.
In this episode:
Why cheap, abundant frames change the psychology of shooting: when a missed shot costs nothing, the incentive to study each one disappears How high-volume shooting shifts the real creative decision from the moment of capture to the moment of culling Where burst shooting genuinely earns its place (sports, wildlife) versus where it works against you Henri Cartier-Bresson's The Decisive Moment (1952) and what "proactive" attention to...Serendipity, Trust, and the Humanity Behind Every Photograph
In this episode, Casey Fatchett sits down with award-winning photographer Ari Espay, who splits his time between New York City and Santiago, Chile. Ari discusses his decade producing and teaching at National Geographic's photography workshops alongside legends like David Alan Harvey, Ed Kashi, Bob Sacha, Ira Block, and Maggie Steber; his approach to street photography and portraiture with subjects ranging from presidents to Broadway performers; his long-term humanitarian project documenting the EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa) community; and his nonprofit Statement Arts, which has run photography workshops and donated more than 100 cameras to young and at-risk photographers in Myanmar and Laos...
The Comparison Trap in the Instagram Age
You finish editing a photo you're proud of. You post it. Then you scroll — and within thirty seconds you feel like giving up. This episode explains exactly why that happens, and what to do about it.
What you'll learn:
Social comparison isn't a character flaw — it's a documented psychological mechanism first described by Leon Festinger in 1954. Human beings evaluate their own abilities by comparing themselves to others, which was a useful system for most of human history. Social media broke it by replacing your actual peer group with a globally curated highlight reel, filtered and ampl...
Why Every Photographer Needs a Vision
What do you do when you've had two successful careers — and neither of them is the one you actually love?
For David Hendley, the answer was waking up at 4:30 in the morning to drive to the California coast before work, camera in hand, teaching himself to shoot seascapes in changing light until photography stopped feeling like a hobby and started feeling like a calling.
In this episode, David traces his journey from the NFL to the corporate boardroom to documenting the natural world — and we spend most of our time on the question that sits at t...
Backup or Bust – Building a Digital Safety Net
Every single hard drive you own will eventually fail. Not might fail — will fail. It is just a matter of time. The photographers who lose irreplaceable work aren't the ones who didn't care. They're the ones who meant to get a better system in place and hadn't gotten around to it yet. This episode makes sure you're not one of them.
What you'll learn:
The industry standard for data protection is the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one copy stored off-site. Each component protects against a...
How to Create Portraits That Feel Raw, Honest, and Powerful
In this episode, I sit down with portrait photographer Betina LaPlante to explore the philosophy and practice behind her visceral, intimate portraiture.
Topics covered:
Why Betina puts the camera down before she ever starts shooting — and how building rapport before a session transforms the images she gets The difference between directing a subject and witnessing one — and why she almost always chooses to witness Her work photographing actors like Charles Dance and Christopher Lloyd, and what it means to reveal the person behind the persona How shooting tethered (something she rarely does) became the right call for...The 10-Minute SEO Audit for Photographers
You can be an exceptional photographer and still be completely invisible to the clients actively searching for someone like you. Not because your work isn't good enough, but because Google doesn't know you exist. Don't worry, though! This episode is going to make that problem go away.
SEO for photographers isn't dark magic. For a local photography business, roughly 90% of what moves the needle comes down to three things: your H1 tag, your image alt-text, and your site speed.
Your H1 is the main headline on your webpage and one of...
Old Palaces and Glass Towers: Street Photography in Modern Seoul
In this episode, Casey speaks with photographer, filmmaker, and DePaul University professor James Choi, who returned to Seoul after 46 years away and came back with the images that became Seoul Days and Nights, a new photo book from Trope. They dig into what it means to photograph a city holding ancient tradition and radical modernity in the same frame, the slow disappearance of the small family-run food shops that give neighborhoods their character, and how the Korean social concept of nunchi - the unspoken ability to read a room - shapes James's entire approach to working on the street.<...
Bit Depth Demystified: The Math of Color
You've probably been told you should shoot RAW. And I'm sure you've also thought - WHY? I'm just delivering a JPEG file anyway. What's inside a RAW file that makes it worth the storage space?
This episode gets into the numbers, and once you see them, the case for RAW becomes impossible to argue with. Yes, I knew it was your understanding that there would be no math, but, unfortunately, there's actually a lot of math behind what you see in digital photos.
Bit depth is exponential, not additive. A standard JPEG is 8-bit, giving y...
Art Comes From the Soul: Analog, AI, and Authentic Portraits
Portrait photographer Craig Fleming has spent decades navigating the space between film and digital, celebrity commissions and working-class subjects, polish and truth. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, Craig joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about his process, his philosophy, and two ongoing personal projects — Quiet Men and Circus — that are reshaping how he thinks about legacy and the purpose of his work.
We get into what it really means to balance film and digital photography, why Craig thinks returning to medium format gave him integrity back as a photographer — and made him better at digita...
The "Why" Behind Your Aperture – Beyond the Bokeh
Many photographers learn aperture in two steps: wide for blur, narrow for sharpness. It's a reasonable starting point, but it skips the physics that actually determines how sharp your images are, and it leads to a habit that's quietly costing you image quality. And if you know anything about me at this point, you know I'm down for a physics discussion.
We start with diffraction — the optical phenomenon that makes f/22 softer than f/8, even though everything is technically "in focus." When light is forced through a tiny aperture opening, it bends and spreads rather than travelling cl...
Building What Didn't Exist: Creating Space for Black Women in Nature Photography
Nature photography is often associated with solitude, exploration, and connection to the outdoors. But for many photographers, especially Black women, entering those spaces hasn't always been welcoming - or safe.
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, I sit down with wildlife and nature photographer Angela Ledyard to discuss the importance of representation in outdoor photography, building community, and creating spaces where more Black women feel encouraged to explore nature photography.
We also talk about Angela's own photographic journey, the evolution of her work, and the long solo...
The Power of Black & White: Your Photo Archive Through the Monochrome Lens
Most photographers have thousands, or even tens of thousands, of forgotten images sitting on hard drives.
But what if some of your best work is already there, waiting to be rediscovered?
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, I sit down with photographer Ian Plant to discuss the process of revisiting a massive photographic archive and selecting images to convert into black and white.
What begins as a conversation about monochrome photography quickly becomes something deeper: a discussion about how changing the way you see an image can completely transform the way...
Colorizing an Icon - The Danziger Gallery's Moonrise Controversy
Some stories in the art world land with a quiet thud and then just keep reverberating louder and louder. The decision by Danziger Gallery to display, and sell, an AI-colorized version of Ansel Adams' Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico at this year's AIPAD Photography Show in New York is one of those stories. It touches something raw about authorship, consent, the art market's relationship with living artists, and the particular discomfort of watching a technology reshape the legacy of someone who can no longer speak for themselves.
I sat down with Helen Stoilas — former Contributing Editor at The Ar...
Why Imperfection Is Becoming the Most Powerful Style in Photography
In a time when photography is more accessible, and more polished, than ever, something unexpected is happening: imperfection is making a comeback.
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, I sit down with wedding photographer Inbal Sivan to talk about the growing appeal of the imperfect aesthetic, and why what feels like a "trend" is actually a return to something much deeper and more human.
But this conversation goes far beyond style. It's about voice, influence, and how photographers can create meaningful work in a world flooded with images.
...From the Midwest to NYC With No Degree: A Self-Taught Photographer's Journey
What does it take to completely reinvent yourself as a photographer?
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, I sit down with photographer Steve Vaccariello to explore a career path that's anything but conventional. Steve's journey spans from the highly technical world of medical photography and the storytelling demands of photojournalism in Ohio to the fast-paced, creative landscape of portrait, fashion, beauty, and dance photography in New York City.
This conversation dives into what it really means to be self-taught; and how curiosity, persistence, and adaptability can shape a long-term creative career.
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Scrolling Ourselves Numb: Photography, Identity, and Social Media Addiction
Social media has completely reshaped what it means to be a visual storyteller. Images travel faster, reach wider audiences, and generate instant feedback, but at a cost many photographers are only beginning to understand.
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, we unpack the complex relationship photographers have with social media today. From chasing algorithms to questioning the value of our work through likes and shares, this conversation examines how storytelling has changed, and how social media addiction quietly creeps into the creative process.
Being a visual storyteller...
Photographing What's Real: Film, Trust, and Truth
In an industry often driven by trends, shot lists, and repeatable formulas, wedding photographer John Dolan has built a career by doing the opposite: showing up with an open mind, a few film cameras, and a deep respect for what actually unfolds on a wedding day.
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, John and I dig into what it really means to be "true" to a couple's experience. Rather than manufacturing moments or chasing perfection, John approaches weddings as a blank slate, allowing the day to reveal itself organically. That philosophy...
Is Photography Still a Viable Career? The Shifting State of the Industry
The photography industry isn't "dying."
But it is changing, and it is doing so QUICKLY.
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, we talk with industry icon, Joe McNally, and take an honest look at the seismic shifts happening in photography right now: technology, AI, oversaturation, social media economics, shifting client expectations, and what it actually takes to get started today.
The industry isn't collapsing. It's restructuring.
Episode Promos Adorama...Casting Light and Shadow: Photography as a Modern Form of Magic
Is photography a form of magic? In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer, we explore how art transforms the unseen into something tangible. From photographing witch-centric and paranormal businesses to using intuition, ritual, and atmosphere in the creative process, this conversation dives deep into the mystical side of photography.
If you believe art is more than just technique, this episode is for you.
Why This Conversation MattersAt a time when photography is often reduced to trends, algorithms, and performance metrics, this episode is a reminder that art still has the power to be mysterious...
Wired Differently: Building a Freelance Photography Career While Neurodivergent
What does it really mean to be a neurodivergent freelancer in photography? In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer, we talk openly about ADHD, autism, burnout, structure, creativity, and building a freelance career that works with your brain - not against it.
If traditional advice has never worked for you, this conversation might finally make sense.
What We Talk About in This Episode
This interview covers the real-world realities of neurodivergent freelancing, including:
Managing energy, attention, and overwhelm Creating structure without rigidity Navigating client communication and expectations Redefining...
Beyond Hot Takes: Rethinking Dialogue and Discourse in the Photo Industry
The photography world is louder than ever - but are we actually listening? In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer, we explore why thoughtful conversation matters, how hot takes hurt creativity, and what the future of meaningful dialogue in photography should look like.
If you care about photography as an art form, not just content, this conversation is essential.
Slow down the noise Think deeper about images Elevate the conversation Thoughtful Conversations Shape Better WorkMeaningful dialogue allows photographers to:
Develop stronger visual literacy
Understand historical and cultural context
...
The Art of Light and Melanin: Photographing Black Subjects Beautifully
Lighting Black skin isn't complicated - but it is often taught wrong. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer, we break down how to photograph darker skin tones beautifully, accurately, and intentionally. From highlights and contrast to common lighting mistakes photographers make, this is a must-listen conversation for anyone serious about portrait photography.
Learn better lighting Create stronger images Photograph people more honestlyFor decades, photography education, film stock, and digital camera technology have been built around a narrow definition of "correct" exposure - one that often fails Black and darker-skinned subjects. The result? Images...
Built to Last: Photography Business Moves That Build Longevity
Want to build a long, healthy, and profitable photography career? Wedding photography legend Ryan Brenizer reveals exactly how he's stayed at the top for years.
In this episode, we dive into:
How to scale your photography business without burning out
Staying physically healthy in a demanding, gear-heavy profession
Adapting to trends while maintaining your personal style
The mindset shifts required for long-term creative success
How to stay relevant in a constantly changing industry
Whether you're a new photographer or a seasoned pro, this episode is...
Dust, Downbursts, and Drama: Storm Chasing in the American Southwest
The American Southwest monsoon season is one of the most dramatic weather events on Earth, and landscape photographer Jake Case is right in the heart of it. In this episode, we dive into storm chasing, lightning photography, and what it takes to safely capture explosive desert weather.
What you can expect:
Insider tips on photographing monsoon storms
How Jake got involved with storm chasing
What you must know before embarking on storm chasing
Gear, safety, apps, and the art of reading the sky
Wild stories from the...
End of Year Reflections: Gratitude, Growth, and Goals
It's been a record-breaking year for The Nerdy Photographer Podcast! In this special episode, I take a moment to reflect on the incredible growth we've experienced—and to thank all of you who made it possible.
This year brought some huge milestones:
Featured on five different photography podcasts
Quoted in more than a dozen articles across the industry
Podcast downloads up over 75% from last year, our biggest year yet - not including record number of streams on YouTube
YouTube subscribers up 50% and growing fast
A stronger, more act...
Clout vs. Craft: How Online Negativity Stunts Photography Growth
Tired of seeing photographers bash others online just to gain clout? In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, we tackle the trend of newer photographers criticizing more experienced pros, and explore how to spend your energy more productively.
We cover:
Why rage-baiting backfires – the short-term attention versus long-term impact.
Learning from experience – how respecting seasoned photographers can accelerate your growth.
Building your voice authentically – growing your presence without negativity.
The value of collaboration – how mentorship and community foster success.
Investing in yourself – using time and energy on project...
Heart Versus Hardware: Keeping Humanity in Photography's Future
As AI and automation transform photography, one question keeps coming up: how do we keep the humanity in our images? In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, I talk with photographer and tech innovator Sam Hurd about finding balance between embracing technology and preserving the emotional, human side of photography.
We explore:
Art vs. automation – using tech to amplify creativity, not replace it.
AI with intention – treating AI tools as collaborators, not shortcuts.
The emotional core – why empathy, connection, and storytelling still matter most.
The beauty of imperfection – how flaw...
Purpose, Not Purchase: Surviving the Holiday Marketing Blitz
Every year, as the holidays approach, photographers are bombarded with ads promising that the next lens, light, or gadget will finally take their work to the next level. The deals are tempting, the pressure is real—and it's easy to believe that "better gear" equals "better photographer."
In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, we dive into how to survive the holiday marketing frenzy and refocus your energy on growth that actually matters. Instead of chasing discounts, this conversation is about investing in yourself: your creativity, your craft, and your purpose.
We explore how to...
The Big Pivot: Rebranding Your Photography Career for New Opportunities
Thinking about pivoting your photography business? Rebranding can feel risky, but it may be the key to unlocking new opportunities. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, I sit down with photographer Justin Haugen, who successfully transitioned from being a wedding photographer to building a thriving commercial photography brand.
We discuss:
Knowing when to pivot – signs your current niche isn't serving your long-term goals.
Rebranding strategies – reshaping your portfolio, website, and marketing to reach new clients.
Leveraging past experience – how skills from one genre can build credibility in another.
Com...
Beyond Trends: Building a Genuine Presence as a Photographer
Tired of feeling like you have to follow every social media trend to get noticed? Authenticity wins. In this episode of The Nerdy Photographer Podcast, we talk with California photographer Linda Alida about how photographers can build a genuine presence, both online and in person, without compromising their voice or values.
We dive into:
Authenticity online – how to share real work and personality instead of copying trends.
Meaningful connections in person – building trust with clients, collaborators, and peers.
Balancing visibility and integrity – growing your reach while staying true to your vision.
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