Folgen
-
In this episode Tim Bingham speaks with documentary photographer Alan Gignoux, curator Jenny Christensson, and long-time collaborator Chloe Juno in a conversation about Homeland Lost — a twenty-year photographic project documenting the lives, memories, and histories of Palestinian refugees displaced from their villages in 1948.
Based in London, Alan began the project while living in Beirut, where everyday encounters with Palestinian refugees revealed a striking reality: despite the scale and significance of their displacement, many of these personal histories remained little understood beyond the region. What began as a photographic exploration evolved into a long-term commitment to preserving stories of loss, resilience, identity, and belonging.
Now, two decades later, Homeland Lost returns in a new form through an exhibition at P21 Gallery in London, running from 2–10 July. The exhibition combines updated testimonies, large-scale photographic works, and an immersive audiovisual installation, creating a deeper and more layered experience of the project's themes and its participants' stories.
Alongside the exhibition, the team are developing a self-published photobook that will bring together every participant photographed throughout the project's twenty-year history. Designed as a complete archive of the work, the publication aims to remain accessible, comprehensive, and faithful to the project's original ethos.
Together, we discuss the responsibilities of long-term documentary practice, the role of photography in preserving collective memory, the complexities of representation, and how images can help connect audiences with histories that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten.
Homeland Lost Project
Alan Gignoux Website
Jenny Christensson
Chloe Juno Website
-
In this episode, Tim Bingham speaks with documentary and portrait photographer Danielle Fitzgerald, whose work offers an intimate, humanising look at strip clubs, people who work in the adult industry, and the private spaces where performance falls away.
Throughout the conversation, Danielle describes how her first major project emerged from a desire to photograph people not in the heightened atmosphere of performance, but in the quieter, more revealing spaces behind the scenes. A central thread in the episode is Danielle’s deeply collaborative and ethically grounded methodology. She incorporates first‑person captions to ensure that the work speaks with the people involved rather than about them.
Danielle’s years in social work shape every aspect of her creative practice. She brings a non‑judgmental mindset, a people‑first philosophy, and a capacity to hold complex disclosures without absorbing emotional weight. These skills allow her to navigate sensitive stories with care and to build trust with individuals who are often misrepresented . She speaks about wanting her work to shift public narratives around sex work by showing the full texture of people’s lives — their routines, their humour, their contradictions, and their humanity.
Danielle Website
Danielle Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
-
Fehlende Folgen?
-
In this episode, Tim Bingham is joined by photographer Amy Horowitz to discuss her remarkable journey into street photography and how creativity transformed her life after moving to New York City.
The conversation explores the pivotal moments that shaped Amy’s photographic practice, from the first time she approached a stranger for a portrait to overcoming fear, rejection and self-doubt. Amy reflects on creating more than 2,000 portraits over the last six years, explaining how repetition, discipline and consistency gradually built her confidence.
What began as a creative challenge evolved into a powerful form of human connection.
Tim and Amy also discuss the unique energy of downtown New York and the young creatives who populate the streets around NYU, Parsons and the surrounding art schools. Amy explains what draws her to people with tattoos, unconventional fashion, colourful hair and distinctive personal styles, while revealing her deeper interest in vulnerability, authenticity and the person behind the appearance.
The episode also explores artistic influence and creative development. Amy talks about learning from cinema, studying contemporary photographers online and the importance of continually evolving creatively.
The discussion moves into social media, photography festivals and the global street photography community, examining both the opportunities and pressures created by platforms like Instagram. Amy shares how daily posting became both a discipline and a creative challenge, helping her connect with photographers around the world.
More personally, the conversation becomes a reflection on reinvention and rediscovering purpose later in life. Amy explains how photography helped her reconnect with the ambitious and creative side of herself that existed long before motherhood and family responsibilities took priority. She describes photography as bringing structure, excitement, community and a renewed sense of identity.
This episode is an honest and thoughtful discussion about street photography, fear, creativity, discipline, self-expression and the emotional connections that can emerge between strangers through photography.
Amy website
Amy Instragram
Talking Frames Instagram
-
This episode of Talking Frames Neil Kramer joins Tim Bingham for a deeply reflective conversation exploring photography, ethics, family, aging, and the evolving realities of street photography in a post-pandemic world.
Neil discusses his unconventional journey into photography, initially resisting the medium despite growing up around cameras through his father before eventually discovering photography through the accessibility of the iPhone and the streets of New York City. Drawing from his background in English literature and film school, he reflects on how narrative, framing, light, and emotional storytelling continue to shape his photographic approach.
A major focus of the conversation centres on how dramatically street photography has changed over the last decade. Neil reflects on how smartphones and social media transformed photography from a largely observational practice into something far more public, performative, and ethically complicated. Questions surrounding privacy, consent, representation, race, immigration, and audience perception now sit at the centre of photographing strangers in public spaces.
Neil speaks candidly about the emotional complexity of photographing family members and the difficult negotiations surrounding vulnerability, authorship, and consent when the people closest to you become artistic subjects.
The conversation also examines the growing influence of social media on photographic practice. Neil openly discusses the tension between making photographs instinctively and subconsciously anticipating audience reaction online. He reflects on the discomfort of strangers publicly commenting on his family life and explains why he declined interest from the Daily Mail, fearing the work would be reduced to sensationalism rather than understood as nuanced personal documentary storytelling.
They further explore broader questions surrounding authenticity, interpretation, and artistic control. They discuss the balance between allowing photographs to speak independently versus guiding viewers through captions and narrative context, especially when deeply personal work becomes publicly consumed and frequently misunderstood.
Neil Kramer Website
Neil Kramer Instagram
Photoville Exhibition
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
-
Photo London 2026 marks a new chapter for one of the world’s most important photography fairs. Running from 14 to 17 May, this year’s edition brings together leading galleries from across Europe, the US, Asia, and Latin America but what really defines Photo London is the way it balances the commercial energy of an art fair with a genuinely thoughtful curatorial vision.
After a decade at Somerset House, the fair has now moved to Olympia London. That shift isn’t just logistical; it changes the entire experience. The new venue offers a more open, unified layout, making the fair easier to navigate and expanding what’s possible in terms of programming, presentation, and scale.
In this episode, I’m joined by Sophie Parker, Director of Photo London 2026, to talk about why this feels like a turning point. We explore the shape of this year’s programme — from curated exhibitions and solo presentations to an expanded talks series focused on collecting, and a new screening room dedicated to artist films.
There are standout moments too: early work by Stephen Meisel, a strong mix of emerging and established artists, and a major presentation from Autograph. And we look at the broader trends shaping the fair right now — including a renewed interest in craft, process‑driven work, and documentary photography.
Overall, this episode offers a clear insight into how Photo London is evolving in scale, in ambition, and in direction and what that evolution tells us about photography today.
More information can be found Photolondon.org
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
-
Niamh Barry who is based in Dublin is a photographer and visual storyteller whose work focuses on intimate, emotionally honest portrayals of queer life in Ireland. Her images are grounded in trust, tenderness and a commitment to representing people and communities whose stories are often overlooked. Niamhs work has been exhibited widely, including at the RHA Annual Exhibition, Photo Museum Ireland’s Talents programme, Irish Design Week and the Galway Arts Centre. She has been nominated for FUTURES, featured in the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity, and supported by multiple Arts Council Agility Awards.
Her photography has appeared in publications such as VICE UK, Billboard, CLASH Magazine and Totally Dublin, reflecting her growing presence across both art and editorial contexts.
In this episode, Tim Bingham speaks with Niamh fresh from winning an award at the Manchester Film Festival, Niamh reflects on her path from studying at Trinity College Dublin into a career shaped by instinct, collaboration, and lived experience.
The conversation traces her early development through projects like No Queer Apologies, a defining body of work that expanded her visual language and led to a sold-out photobook supported by the Arts Council Ireland. It also explores her more recent project Now & Forever, Interpersonally Queer, which focuses on intimacy, chosen family, and a slower, more collaborative way of working.
A central focus is her documentary Something in the Air, inspired by the work of Nan Goldin and developed through an unexpected connection with a transgender storm chaser in Oklahoma. Niamh discusses the shift from still photography to film, the challenges of working with a small crew, and how storytelling changes when moving from image to motion.
They also dive into the realities of sustaining an artistic career — from the importance (and fragility) of funding and her residency at Photo Museum Ireland, to navigating freelance life, creative control, and representation within the Irish photography scene.
Alongside her personal work, Niamh reflects on photographing musicians like boygenius and Chappell Roan, and how commercial work provides a separate creative outlet.
At its core, the episode is about building a practice without a roadmap — balancing uncertainty with purpose, and using photography as both a personal and political act.
Niamh Website
Niamh instagram
Talking Frames instagram
-
Reuben Radding, a New York based street and documentary photographer whose work has become a distinctive voice within contemporary urban photography. Reuban has spent more than a decade walking the city with a camera, creating images that feel less like observations and more like encounters
His photographs have appeared in exhibitions and publications since the early 2010s, and his first photobook, Heavenly Arms, published by Red Hook Editions, has already earned international recognition, including a 2nd Place Prize in the 2025 International Photography Awards. The book distills ten years of wandering, witnessing, and wrestling with the idea of human interconnectedness.
In this episode Tim Bingham speaks with Reuban exploring how his artistic background shapes his approach to street photography. A central theme of the discussion is how photography became a form of personal healing. Reuben describes previously feeling separate from others, like an observer on the outside of life. Through photographing on the streets of New York, he began to feel part of the city’s flow—less detached and more connected. This shift not only changed his relationship to photography but also deepened his sense of belonging and engagement with people.
Ultimately, Reuben frames photography as a tool for understanding both himself and others. The practice has taught him to see people as complex and multifaceted, moving beyond simple judgments. Through this ongoing process, he recognises a shared human experience that connects everyone, making photography not just an artistic pursuit, but a way of engaging more deeply with the world.
Reuben Website
Reuben Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
-
David Cossini is a documentary and street photographer whose work is grounded in immersion, connection, and honesty. Rather than chasing quick images, he invests time in the people and communities he photographs, building trust and creating images that feel raw, human, and deeply personal. His approach prioritises emotion and atmosphere over technical perfection, drawing viewers into the scene rather than positioning them as distant observers.
His work has been recognised through a number of photography awards and competitions, reflecting both his strength as a storyteller and his commitment to long-term, meaningful projects. He is also a member of the Revoke Photo Collective, a group dedicated to pushing the boundaries of contemporary street and documentary photography. Alongside his practice, David is an active voice within the photography community, speaking openly about process, ethics, and what it truly means to document people with respect.
In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Tim Bingham sits down with David to explore not just his photography, but the experiences and philosophy that shape it. David shares his non-linear journey into photography and explains why he rejects conventional, surface-level assignments in favour of long-term, immersive work. His focus often centres on people living on the margins, those navigating addiction, identity, and social exclusion by approaching these stories with a desire to understand rather than simply observe.
A recurring theme throughout the conversation is the importance of proximity. David places himself within the story, allowing relationships to develop over time and shape the narrative organically. Some of his most powerful work is rooted in personal experience, including reconnecting with his father after a 20-year estrangement, using the camera as both a bridge and a tool for understanding.
The discussion also explores his ongoing work with punk communities and individuals struggling with addiction, highlighting the ethical balance between honesty and dignity, the role of consent, and the emotional weight of sustained engagement with difficult realities. His commitment to these communities is long-term and non-transactional.
At the core of David’s perspective is a strong personal ethos. He draws a distinction between empathy and compassion, arguing that while bias is inevitable, compassion allows for a more honest and sustainable relationship with subjects. Forgiveness—particularly in relation to his father—emerges as a powerful theme, framed not as something done for others, but as a way of finding personal freedom.
Ultimately, this conversation reveals that for David, photography is not just a career but a way of living—one built on presence, patience, and emotional investment. Whether working in Uganda, Newcastle, or within subcultures closer to home, his focus remains the same: to tell stories with integrity and remain loyal to the people at the heart of them.
David Cossini Website
David Cossina Instagram
Revoke Photo Collective
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
-
John Boaz is a portrait photographer whose work explores faith, community, culture, and place.
He has been recognized multiple times in the Portrait of Britain awards, and his work has been exhibited at respected venues such as the Saatchi Gallery in London. His editorial photography has appeared in major publications including The Telegraph Magazine, Financial Times, New Statesman, Le Monde, and Der Spiegel.
In this conversation with Tim Bingham, he discusses his journey into photography, his slow and deliberate working process, and the ethical responsibility he feels toward the people he photographs.
John’s early relationship with art began in childhood when his mother regularly took him to museums and galleries. There he developed a deep appreciation for classical painters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer, whose use of light and quiet human presence continues to influence his photographic style. While studying, he discovered the work of photographers including Alys Tomlinson, Laura Pannack, and Alex Soth. Encountering their work shifted his understanding of photography from simple image-making toward storytelling and visual communication.
Much of John’s work focuses on long-term observational and portrait projects. His ongoing series Rivers of Living Water documents Christian faith communities across Britain while Our Father explores monastic life. Another deeply personal project, Hope in New Beginnings, turns the camera toward his own parents. Across these bodies of work, John emphasizes patience and relationship-building, often spending long periods with people and communities before making photographs.
His portrait practice is grounded in trust and authenticity. John prefers to photograph people in their own environments using natural light. This approach reflects his belief that portrait photography should celebrate and honour the people being photographed.
Photographers mentioned
Laura Pannack
Alys Tomlinson
John Boaz Website
John Boaz Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
-
Marcin Kornacki is a photojournalist and documentary photographer whose work focuses on places and communities shaped by conflict, social inequality, and historical memory. He is based in London and studied photojournalism and documentary photography at the University of the Arts London. His practice is grounded in long-term projects and spending extended time with the people he photographs, combining visual storytelling with personal testimony.
In this episode, Tim speaks with Marcin about his artistic development, working practice, and the ethical complexities of photographing communities affected by conflict and social marginalisation. The conversation traces Marcin’s journey from early inspiration through to his current, more contemplative approach to image-making.
His professional work has taken him to Haiti, Bolivia, Lebanon, Jamaica and Nepal, with Haiti becoming one of his most significant long-term projects. There he documented gang violence, displacement and political upheaval, including direct engagement with gang leader Jimmy Chérizier. Marcin reflected on working in Port-au-Prince during a period when gang control, humanitarian crisis and political collapse converged, describing both the risks and responsibilities that come with photographing conflict.
A major turning point in Marcin’s career was his year-long mentorship with acclaimed photographer Laura Pannack. This mentorship was described as profoundly transformative. Under Laura’s guidance, Marcin shifted from fast, reactive photojournalism toward a slower, more intentional way of working.
This slower, more reflective approach to image-making became visible in his exhibition “Outer Land”, which explored liminal spaces and transition. Preparing the exhibition highlighted the difficulty of editing one’s own work and reinforced the value of collaboration with trusted editors and curators — a lesson strengthened through Laura Pannack’s mentorship.
The episode also explored the realities of contemporary documentary photography, including self-promotion, audience connection, and the challenge of balancing artistic expression with journalistic responsibility. Marcin’s evolving practice points toward slower, more nuanced and collaborative storytelling, profoundly shaped by mentorship, field experience and ethical reflection.
Marcin Kornacki Website
Marcin Kornanki Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
-
Meryl Meisler is an American photographer born in the South Bronx and raised on Long Island, New York, whose work offers a vivid, human-centred portrait of New York from the 1970s onward. She started taking photographs as a young student, influenced by photographers like Diane Arbus and Jacques Henri Lartigue.
In recent years a resurgence of interest in her archive has brought Meryl's work wider recognition. Exhibitions and books of her work present these photographic archives as cultural time capsules – “love letters” to New York’s chaotic energy, its people, and the fleeting, spontaneous moments that define community and identity. Her photography blends documentary grit with warmth, humour, and empathy, making her a significant voice in American street and social documentary photography.
This episode is a conversation about the long arc of an artistic life — about identity, joy, survival, and what it really means to stay with the work.Meryl shares how photography was never something she “discovered” — it was woven into her childhood. Growing up surrounded by her father’s printing business, typography, and her grandfather’s constant photographing, image-making felt as natural as breathing. That early immersion shaped a visual language that would later find formal ignition.
Meryl chose to photograph joy, resilience, and pride — a decision rooted not in denial, but in survival. Decades later, those images would bring her international recognition.
At its heart, this is a conversation about patience, community, and staying with the work. Recognition came late. The images lived quietly for decades before the world caught up. Meryl’s story is a powerful reminder that an artistic life is sustained not by speed or spectacle, but by attention, connection, and endurance.
Meryl Meisler Website
Meryl Meisler Instagram
Video Meryl Meisler & Lisette Model
Dublin Street Photography Festival
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
-
Simon King began his photographic career in the world of fashion, focusing particularly on backstage photography. While this commercial work provided valuable experience, it was through documentary photography that Simon discovered his true calling. This evolution signified a shift towards authentic storytelling, where meaningful engagement with subjects took precedence over commercial interests.
A distinctive feature of Simon's approach lies in his clear separation between street photography and documentary work. He regards street photography as providing contextual imagery and B-roll material, serving to support the broader narrative. In contrast, documentary photography delivers the hero shots and A-roll content, encapsulating the central storyline of each project. This distinction allows Simon to maintain clarity and focus, ensuring that each project is grounded in the stories he wishes to convey.
As a teacher, Simon’s emphasis moves away from gear and toward self-understanding. He encourages photographers to examine their relationship with the world before worrying about cameras. Why you photograph, how you approach people, and what you bring into a space matters more than technical mastery. For Simon, photography becomes both purpose and permission — an excuse to enter communities, listen, and participate with care.
The New Exit collective embodies this same spirit of collaboration. Rather than privileging individual authorship, the group prioritises shared purpose when the work demands it. It becomes a support structure where photographers grow together, challenge each other ethically and creatively, and commit to projects that carry social and cultural weight.
Simon and Tim delve into the ethical responsibilities of documentary photographers, especially when working in enclosed or sensitive settings. Simon recounts his experience photographing inside a temple, where building trust and participating in the community were crucial. They question the notion of photographers as detached observers, with Simon advocating against simply "bruising the scene" and leaving. Instead, he emphasises the role of photographers as engaged participants, stressing the importance of representation, respect, and cultivating long-term relationships, which become as significant as the images themselves.
Simon Instagram
Blog
Publications
Talking Frames Instagram
-
Rich Gilligan is an acclaimed Irish photographer whose creative practice bridges Dublin and New York. His evocative images focus on skateboarders, subcultures, urban landscapes, and leading figures from art and music. His work has been internationally recognised, with publications including T Magazine from The New York Times and i-D Magazine.
His photography is rooted in real environments and real relationships. While skateboarding appears frequently in his pictures, his real interest lies in the culture that surrounds it: friendship, DIY creativity, community, rebellion, and the way skaters reimagine city space. Many of his images capture quieter reflective moments — empty spots after a session, fragments of conversation, or the textures and atmospheres of the urban landscape.
In this conversation, Rich paints a vivid picture of 1990s Dublin before gentrification, discovering the city through skate culture, and working with Bruce Kelleher on their DIY zine “Killing Time.” He discusses his philosophy of “shoot what you know,” his preference for natural light, and why authenticity matters more than technical perfection.
We also talk about “The First Draft,” his 20-year retrospective at Draíocht Gallery, the accompanying book, community workshops, and the importance of revisiting the places that shaped him. Throughout the episode, Rich reflects on photography as a way to process experience, build relationships, and balance commercial assignments with personal projects, including a growing interest in moving-image work.
A core thread in his practice is the exploration of place and mood. He often photographs peripheral or overlooked spaces — industrial edges, abandoned sites, coastlines, and transitional landscapes. These images move beyond straightforward documentation, evoking youth, identity, and belonging, with light and weather giving the work a cinematic, contemplative quality.
Rich Gilligan Website
Rich Gilligan Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: DripMusic by: CreatorMix.com -
Ekaterina Kutikova Bgantseva is a contemporary photographer working primarily in street photography, based in the Mediterranean city of Alicante, Spain.
She has received numerous awards and recognitions in international photography contests. These include winning the FUJIFILM “Día Mundial de la Fotografía 2025” award, several LensCulture Street Photography Awards Editor’s Picks, being named a top street photographer in the 35AWARDS, plaudits in the Paris International Street Photo Awards, and medals in the Black & White International Photo Awards.
Her work has appeared in various photography publications — including editions of Tokyo Streets and volumes of Photographize — and has been exhibited internationally, with shows such as Tokyo Streets in Tokyo and Calentamiento Global in Alicante.
Founder of the Street Lens Society collective, she reinforces the importance of street photography as an art form and is dedicated to showcasing the best artists in the field.
In this episode Tim and Ekaterina explored Ekaterina’s creative evolution as a photographer, tracing her shift from early conceptual and black-and-white work to her current cinematic approach to street photography. Today, her images focus on people’s emotions and inner worlds, often carrying a sense of mystery shaped through careful post-processing. Ekaterina shared how her artistic family background – a father in music, a mother working in theatre costume design, and a grandfather involved in documentary filmmaking – continues to influence her visual storytelling and drive for constant improvement.
The conversation also touched on authenticity in urban photography. Rather than confining herself to a single genre, Ekaterina enjoys experimentation, and a book by Joshua Jackson helped reignite her passion for photography in her twenties. She prefers spontaneous, unstaged city moments, believing they better capture the magic and unpredictability of urban life.
Tim and Ekaterina discussed photographing different cities, including Rome and her home city of Alicante. She noted how images from the same location can change completely depending on mood, time, and light. While fine art projects often require detailed planning, she finds that street photography thrives on walking, observing, and responding to the environment in real time.
Finally, they discussed inspiration. Ekaterina finds ideas through direct experience of life rather than staying at home, drawing from cinema, Renaissance art, and other photographers. Photography, she said, feels like “second nature” and a form of meditation that changes how she sees the world. While Instagram remains a powerful platform for sharing work, she also values exhibitions, networking, and book publishing as ways for photographers to build an audience.
Ekaterina Kutikova website
Ekaterina Kutikova instagram
Talking frames instagram
-
Laurence Bouchard is a street and urban photographer based in Tokyo, best known for his high-contrast black-and-white images that emphasise geometry, shadow, and silhouette. His work is characterised by strong structural compositions, often reducing complex city scenes into minimalist arrangements of lines, shapes, and negative space. Rather than focusing on overt narrative moments, Laurence’s photographs explore visual order, balance, and rhythm within the urban environment.
Overall, Laurence Bouchard’s photography is less about documenting events and more about seeing the city as a system of shapes, light, and movement. His images invite viewers to pause, slow down, and notice the quiet moments of order that exist within one of the world’s busiest urban environments.
In this episode Laurence explores his long-term photographic relationship with Tokyo—a city he has called home for over 16 years. Known for his striking monochrome images, Laurence’s work focuses on geometry, shadows, silhouettes, and minimalism, seeking moments of calm and structure within one of the world’s most visually chaotic cities.
Laurence also shares practical insights into his street photography techniques, from using elevated poles to gain unusual perspectives to the psychological side of working in public spaces—reading body language, anticipating movement, and knowing when to wait. Photography, he explains, can feel like both an adrenaline-driven pursuit and a meditative practice, often influenced by music that mirrors the atmosphere of the streets he’s photographing.
The episode also explores the Tokyo street photography community, including the Tokyo Streets collective, which supports photographers through exhibitions, publishing, and collaborative projects. Laurence reflects on how rare negative encounters have been during his years shooting on the streets and how community has helped foster confidence and creative growth.
Photographers mentioned
Lee Chapman
Michael Kistler
Laurence Bouchard Website
Laurence Instagram
-
Wei Jian Chan is a Singapore-born photographer based in London, best known for his thoughtful black-and-white street photography and his exploration of migration, identity, and belonging. He moved from Singapore to the UK in 2012, and that experience of relocation has become a central thread running through his work.
His photography has been exhibited in various locations in the UK and Europe, and has been acquired to form part of the permanent collection of the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Art. His work has also been featured by numerous outlets, including The Guardian, Deutsche Welle, National Geographic, Amateur Photographer, and Leica Camera.
Wei Jian talked about moving from Singapore to the UK in 2012 and how that migration experience became central to his work. Adjusting to a new culture, language style, and pace of life created feelings of uncertainty and displacement. Photography became a way to process those emotions, helping him make sense of belonging and identity in a place that initially felt unfamiliar.
Much of the conversation focused on his street photography practice in London. Wei Jian primarily works in black and white, drawn to how light, shadow, and architectural structure shape the city. He shoots mostly with a 35mm lens and spoke about balancing instinctive reactions on the street with careful pre-visualisation. He also noted that photographers often return to the same areas over time, mentioning places like the West End, South Bank, and Shoreditch.
The interview explored the making of his photobook Journey to the West, a four-year project published by Satanta Books. The book uses street photography as a metaphor for migration, uncertainty, and adaptation. Wei Jian described the intense editing process, reducing tens of thousands of images into a tightly sequenced narrative, and emphasised the importance of the physical book, from paper choice to black pages and spot lamination.
Some Photographers mentioned
Joshua K Jackson
Andrew Blowers
Simon King
Thoms English
Journey to the West book
Wei Jian Website
Wei Jian Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
-
Zula Rabikowska is a London-based documentary photographer, specialising in community-based portraiture and documentary storytelling. She focuses on themes of migration, Eastern Europe, and the LGBTQI+ communities, drawing inspiration from her Polish heritage and upbringing. Through her photography, Zula aims to amplify voices often overlooked, using an intentional approach to explore the complexity of identity and the power of human connection.
She works closely with communities to create intimate portraiture that reflects their stories and experiences. Whether through multimedia, film, digital, or analogue photography, her projects prioritise authenticity and emotional depth. Zula’s collaborative approach to portraiture fosters authentic, empowering representations, using photographic storytelling to amplify diverse human experiences.
Her work has been exhibited internationally and published in prominent outlets. Zula’s accolades include the AOP Talent Award, PDN Award, and the Getty Images Grant. As a recipient of the MEAD Fellowship, she has focused on documenting gender identity in Eastern Europe, bringing attention to often marginalised communities in the region. She has also received the Centre for British Photography Grant and won the Earth Photo Moving Image Award.
In this episode Zula’ shares how her life and work are deeply shaped by her migration from Poland to the UK at age ten. Growing up between two countries and cultures created a sense of rupture and constant negotiation of identity, reflected in her unusual accent and experiences of stereotyping at school. This dual existence became central to her artistic practice, informing her exploration of belonging, displacement, and identity through photography and multimedia work.
Zula’s major projects include Nothing But a Curtain, which explored gender identity across Eastern Europe and is now being published as a sculptural book; her documentation of the Vietnamese diaspora in Poland, tracing historical ties between the two countries; and I Thought You’d Be Gayer, a performance-based exploration of gender identity. Her ethical approach emphasizes trust, consent, and transparency, particularly when working with vulnerable communities. Despite challenges such as difficult travel and the emotional toll of participants’ stories, she continues to push the boundaries of documentary photography, believing that human storytelling will remain vital even in the digital age.
Book Launch 4th December 2025
Photographers and artists mentioned
Laura Pannack
Gem Fletcher
Carolyn Mendelssohn
Marina Abramovich
Madeline Yale Preston
Zula Rabikowska website
Zula Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
-
Knox Bertie is a photographer who is drawn to film for its tactile and aesthetic qualities, he continued using it even as digital photography became mainstream. Though often labelled a street photographer, Knox prefers a more introspective and deliberate approach, blending experimental and portrait styles. His background as a chemistry teacher informs his methodical darkroom work, balancing technical precision with artistic expression.
His early Sydney work remains his most cherished, created without external pressures. International experiences in England, Dubai, and Malaysia shaped his style, but his visual signature—marked by thoughtful composition and use of light—remained consistent.
Knox’s work often captures quiet, reflective moments and has evolved from standalone images to narrative-driven series like “Anika,” which explores themes of impermanence. He documents Sydney’s transformation over two decades, focusing on commuter fatigue and urban density. Writing is integral to his creative process, with daily journaling helping him refine his vision.
As a Leica ambassador, Knox appreciates the brand’s support for creative freedom and the distinctiveness of Australian light. Influenced by George Orwell’s writings, especially during the pandemic, Knox resonates with themes of memory, change, and acceptance as these are ideas that echo throughout his photography.
Knox Bertie Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
-
Laura Pannack is an award-winning British photographer known for her intimate portraiture. Her work explores themes of youth, vulnerability, and connection, blending fine art and psychology to create intimate visual stories. Recognised by Leica Society International , the Sony World Photography Awards, World Press Photo, and the British Journal of Photography, Laura’s long-term projects, including The Journey Home from School and Separation, reveal her unique ability to capture trust and authenticity through the camera.
In this episode Laura shares her journey into photography She reflects on early lessons learned while assisting other photographers Her interest in psychology drew her to portraiture where she could explore empathy, trust, and human connection in a more personal way.
The conversation dives into the meditative process behind Laura’s portraits from creating safe, cocoon-like spaces with her subjects to using silence, stillness, and sound to cultivate authentic emotion. Tim and Laura discuss the power of natural light, vulnerability, and long-term collaboration, and how curators, editors, and awards shape the public reception of photographic work.
Laura also talks about her Sony Award-winning “the journey home from school ” project, exploring childhood memory, nostalgia, and everyday resilience, and her recent transition into mixed-media and sound-based practice. Together, they reflect on self-doubt, resilience, and the ongoing balance between artistic growth and emotional openness.
Some of the photographers mentioned in this episode are
Mark Power @marktpower
Pippa Healy @pippahello
Simon Roberts @simoncroberts
Hannah Watson @ tjboulting
Stuart Pilkington @pilkington
Monica Allende @monica.allende
Carolyn Mendelshon carolynmendelsohn
Alys Tomlinson @ alystomlinson
Laura Pannack Website
Laura Pannack Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: DripMusic by: CreatorMix.com
-
Chris Harrison, a talented photographer and designer based in Brighton, UK. Chris's creative practice seamlessly bridges the realms of street photography, visual storytelling
Chris’s street work often focuses on Brighton’s seafront and off-season atmosphere, capturing moments of absurdity, solitude, and human quirkiness. His philosophy is rooted in patience and observation: waiting for a scene to unfold rather than chasing it. He has described his process as “finding interest in the ordinary,” photographing everything from crowded promenades to his own kitchen sink — guided by the belief that everything is interesting if seen with attention and curiosity.
His design background strongly influences his photography. The clean lines, colour harmony, and attention to visual rhythm in his images reflect a designer’s eye for structure and simplicity. He often talks about the crossover between the two disciplines, describing how principles of layout, typography, and visual hierarchy inform how he frames a shot or sequences images in a series.
In 2024, Chris self-published his first photobook, Sideshow, an eight-year project documenting Brighton beyond its tourist veneer — particularly during quieter, off-season periods. The book received widespread praise, quickly sold out, and reached collectors around the world. He has since become an active presence in the UK street photography community, running workshops, speaking at events, and serving as a competition judge.
Chris's work is characterised by its clarity, humour, and human warmth. Through a combination of patience, design sensibility, and curiosity, he invites viewers to see the familiar with fresh eyes — reminding us that even the most ordinary moments can hold unexpected visual poetry.
The conversation in this episode provides insight into the disciplined and honest approach of Chris. Through his dual sensibility as a designer and photographer, he demonstrates how embracing creative limitations, practising patience, and striving for visual clarity can result in genuinely original and impactful work.
The conversation also addresses broader themes in contemporary photography, including the role of artificial intelligence, the importance of authenticity, and the ways in which social media is reshaping the photographic landscape. Chris discusses the balance between his commercial design work and personal creative projects, offering practical advice to emerging photographers: stay patient, trust your instincts, and focus on developing a unique visual voice rather than following fleeting trends.
Chris Harrison website
Chris Harrison Instagram
Tim Bingham ( Host ) Instagram
Talking Frames Instagram
Song: Drip
Music by: CreatorMix.com
- Mehr anzeigen
