135. James PopsysWhat if the goal isn't to make photography easy - what if the difficulty is the whole point?Guest: James Popsys. Photographer, YouTuber and author based in Snowdonia, North Wales · jamespopsys.com · YouTube and Instagram: search "James Popsys" (P-O-P-S-Y-S)In this episodeJames has been on my list of dream guests for ages, so I was thrilled to finally sit down with him. We start, as these things do, with lawnmowers and film scanners, before getting into the real story: a marketing job in London, weekend photo walks, a conceptual composite of the London Eye as a bicycle wheel, and a move to Sydney that somehow led to a YouTube channel he started almost by accident in New Zealand. James talks about guarding his own individuality by deliberately not watching other photographers' videos, connecting the dots backwards to find the worldview running through his work, and what it took to commit thousands of prints to paper for his book Human Nature. We get into his one-lens, one-body philosophy, why he thinks difficulty is a feature of photography rather than a bug, and why he'd still rather be surprised by an ordinary place than get the photo 3,000 other people already have. He's off to East Greenland in a few days to experiment with a more hybrid, video-forward workflow, and this conversation is a lovely primer for anyone who wants to know how he got there.Highlights[Opening] Film scanners, darkroom chemistry, and a cold open about finding surprise in unremarkable places[Opening] A very serious digression into battery-powered lawnmowers[First third] The London Eye as a bicycle wheel, and the Sydney-to-YouTube origin story[First third] "You can't connect the dots going forward" - finding the worldview that was there all along[Middle] Making Human Nature: watching the zeroes stack up on a 15-metre printer[Middle] The horses-through-the-window print, and why James is a "one body, one lens" traveller[Middle] A Leica SL3's peeling grip, and 21-year-old Leica R8 and R9 bodies that still work[Second half] Guarding individuality by not watching other people's videos[Second half] AI, disclosure scandals, and why nobody's asking for more of it[Late] Street photography, Britt Bradley's Gen-AI-vs-wet-plate test, and heading to East GreenlandChaptersPositions are approximate. The transcript has no timestamps.Opening Cold open: finding surprise in unremarkable placesOpening Film scanning setups and darkroom chemistryOpening Kit Young's 400-roll film habitOpening North Wales weather and the lawnmower tangentFirst third James's origin story: London, Sydney, and an accidental YouTube channelFirst third Connecting the dots backwards to find a worldviewFirst third Guarding individuality; avoiding other photographers' and podcasters' workFirst third Human Nature: starting the book, and the RISD-style question of what comes after book oneMiddle Printing day: watching thousands of pounds turn into inkMiddle The horses-through-the-window print and limited-run printsMiddle A 140kg Canon PRO-2600 printer in the houseMiddle Exhibitions, introversion, and whether James should "try anything once"Middle Why a photo feels finished when it's printedSecond half The New York school-bus photo, 40mm, and shooting at "imperfect" times of daySecond half Not doing YouTube gurning thumbnailsSecond half Dabbling in filmmaking and switching to DaVinci ResolveSecond half One body, one lens, and heading to East Greenland with Jeroen Van NieuwenhoveSecond half Gear rules, a Leica SL3's peeling grip, and the Leica R8/R9Late AI disclosure scandals and the Ricoh promotional-material controversyLate Britt Bradley's Gen-AI vs wet-plate testLate Running a business to sustain people, not to maximise returnsClose Where to find James, and lawnmowers revisitedMentioned in this episodePeopleThomas Heaton - landscape photographer and one of the first photography YouTubers James watched early on · YouTube · [First third]Joe Allam - travel and street photographer and YouTuber James cites as an early influence · joeallam.co.uk · [First third]Nigel Danson - landscape photographer and friend who reassured James his printer inks would last for years · nigeldanson.com · [Middle]Ed Smith - photographer local to me, mentioned for his exhibition work · [Second half]Josh Edgoose - London street photographer known for finding humour in the everyday, featured in a video with Sean Tucker that stuck with me · Fujifilm profile · [Second half]Sean Tucker - photographer and YouTuber who filmed the Josh Edgoose video I mentioned · [Second half]Jack Lodge - former guest and South Coast photographer known for returning to the same spot across every season · [Second half]Cal Henderson - former guest whose film street photography I mentioned · [Second half]Britt Bradley (Nitrate Fox) - former guest and wet-plate collodion artist who posted a Gen-AI-vs-real comparison that fooled me completely · Lens Culture profile · [Late]Kit Young - former guest, film photographer who buys film in 400-roll packs and views his work exclusively as prints · [Opening]Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove - landscape photographer and workshop leader James is running an East Greenland trip with · jvn.photo · [Second half]BooksHuman Nature by James Popsys - his first photo book, self-published in 2024, exploring the relationship between man-made structures and nature · [First third]Tools and productsValoi Easy120 - the film scanning rig Iain is using and James is considering · Valoi · [Opening]Ilford XP2 Super - the black-and-white film James shoots that develops in a standard colour C-41 process · Ilford · [Opening]Kodak Portra - the colour film Iain is buying more of · [Opening]Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-2600 - James's 140kg, 24-inch-wide print studio-in-a-house · Canon · [Middle]Leica SL3 - the camera James used briefly before its grip started peeling · Leica · [Middle]Leica R8 / R9 - Iain's 21-year-old film SLRs, one fitted with a 10-megapixel digital back · [Middle]Panasonic Lumix GX1 - a small Micro Four Thirds camera James recently rediscovered with an added viewfinder · [Second half]DJI Osmo Pocket - the compact camera both James and Iain use for lightweight, all-in-one shooting · DJI · [Second half]Peak Design sling - the camera bag both James and Iain independently landed on · Peak Design · [Second half]DaVinci Resolve - the video editor James switched to after leaving Adobe's subscription model · Blackmagic Design · [Second half]Ricoh GR - the viewfinder-less compact camera at the centre of a promotional-material AI controversy · Ricoh · [Late]Places and eventsAmmassalik / Tasiilaq, East Greenland - where James is headed days after this recording, to experiment with a hybrid stills-and-video workflow · jvn.photo workshop listing · [Second half]New Zealand - where James shot his first, unplanned videos before starting his YouTube channel · [First third]Chinatown, London - setting for the Josh Jackson/Josh Edgoose street photography video James remembered · [Second half]QuotesI found most joy in getting something that I think is really interesting in a place that isn't particularly interesting.James Popsys, [Opening]The idea of one day can quite easily slip away, can't it?James Popsys, [Second half]What if we just ran the business to sustain the people that work there and that's it, and we didn't worry about maximising returns?Iain Farrell, [Late]Mentioned but not linked"The name of the car is a little bit." [Close] - the transcript's final line is garbled and I couldn't reconstruct it. Please check the audio.Rico / Ricoh promotional-material story [Late] - James says he "heard" about this but didn't know the details; I couldn't independently verify which campaign is meant.The Hasselblad competition "coke bottle" story [Late] - referenced in passing; I couldn't confirm the specific competition or year.GoPro disclosure controversy [Late] - mentioned without a name attached, so I couldn't research or link it.CreditsHosted and produced by Iain Farrell.Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Patreon

What do you do when the best trip of your life makes every photo after it feel smaller?Guest: Daria Zlobinski. London-based photographer, macro and nature obsessive, never without a Leica · Instagram: @dariazlb (main) and @d.zlobinski (photography)In this episodeDaria messaged me a while back to say she was burned out and worried she was falling out of love with photography, and would I like to talk about it. That sounded like exactly the right kind of Prime Lenses conversation. We start at the beginning: windsurfing holidays, her dad's cameras, a Tumblr surf blog, and a RISD summer workshop where everyone else photographed people and she found a plant house. Then the harder part: how an Antarctica trip set a bar she isn't sure she can reach again, what Instagram rewards versus what she actually loves, and the small, silly challenges that got her shooting again, from an iPhone walk in Regent's Park to Sunday mornings at a farmer's market. Along the way: a Leica Q3 that got rained on, a salt-crusted Canon 5D Mark II with a black strip across the sensor, the sound of a Leica R9 shutter, and a pop-up show she'd love to hold in the Barbican Conservatory before it closes. And yes, we carried on talking after I said we'd finished.- Episode Sponsorship - BestPodcasts.co.uk is a free podcast player that works in your browser on any device. You can listen to episodes from your favourite hosts. You do not need an account, an app, or to download anything to listen to the best free podcasts.ChaptersPositions are approximate. The transcript has no timestamps.Opening Cold open: the iPhone challengeOpening Intro and why Daria is hereFirst third Windsurfing, her dad's cameras, Tumblr, and a Canon 60DFirst third RISD workshop, the plant house, Henry HorensteinFirst third London, consent, and carrying a Leica everywhereFirst third Travelling as a different version of yourselfMiddle Q3 vs D-Lux 8 in IcelandMiddle My kitchen, a Spider-Man web made of wool, and Day OneMiddle 200,000 photos, iCloud panic, and stock photographyMiddle Prints, books, and making something just for youMiddle Slop reels, likes, and doing it for yourselfMiddle Postcards, cyanotypes, and slow mailSecond half Burnout, comparison, and the self-criticism cycleSecond half Photo walks, small challenges, and Sunday farmer's marketsSecond half Scotland trip talk, spontaneity, and projects that assemble themselvesSecond half Photographers who shaped her, and Dolly PartonSecond half The pop-up dream and the Barbican ConservatoryLate The 5D Mark II storyLate The R9 and its shutter, favourite cameras, retro lenses, and Osmo Pocket videoClose Where to find Daria, and the customary extra ten minutesMentioned in this episodePeopleHenry Horenstein - photographer, RISD professor, and author of Animalia, the book that clicked for Daria · Wikipedia · [First third]Stephen K. Schuster - New York photographer behind City Kids, a years-long project photographing teenagers · Tribeca Citizen on the exhibition · [Middle, second half]Mike Chudley - photographer and YouTuber who made a book just for himself after his China trip · Episode 124 · [Middle]Anthony Prince Leslie (AP) - photographer and filmmaker I'd spoken to the day before · Episode 133 · [Middle]Books and readingAnimalia by Henry Horenstein - close, abstract photographs of animals taken out of context (Pond Press, 2008) · UMass Dartmouth exhibition page · [First third]City Kids by Stephen K. Schuster - the self-published book of the project (2025) · Le Grand J · [Second half]Tools and productsLeica Q3 - the full-frame compact Daria carries and that got rained on in Iceland · Leica · [Middle]Leica D-Lux 8 - the small zoom compact that became her Iceland camera · Leica press release · [Middle]Canon EOS 5D Mark II - her dad's well-travelled camera, used in Antarctica and Iceland · Canon USA launch release · [Late]Leica R9 with Digital-Modul-R - a film SLR turned 10-megapixel digital camera, my recent madness · DPReview on the announcement · [Late]DJI Osmo Pocket 3 - what I use for all my video · Launch coverage · [Late]Day One - the journal app I use for its "On This Day" memories · dayoneapp.com · [Middle]Foto - the photo-sharing app behind the global Foto Walks · fotoapp.co · [Second half]Companies and institutionsRISD (Rhode Island School of Design) - where Daria took her first academic photography workshop · RISD Photography · [First third]Places and eventsBarbican Conservatory - Daria's dream place to show her work; it closes at the end of 2026 for a multi-year restoration · Barbican · The Guardian on the plant cutting giveaway · [Second half]Foto Walks - the worldwide day of free photo walks; I host the Inverness one · Walks info · My chat with Michael Howard of Foto · [Second half]Week of Walks - my own week of listener photo walks in July · Day one · [Second half]Park Hyatt Tokyo - the Lost in Translation hotel, reopened after a 19-month renovation · TravelMole · [Second half]QuotesIt's okay to stand out from other people.Daria Zlobinski, [First third]It has 3 million views. And for the past couple of months, it just garnered me like 300 followers or whatever.Daria Zlobinski, [Middle]If I make a plan, 99% it won't work out. So that's why I'm very spontaneous.Daria Zlobinski, [Second half]Mentioned but not linkedDaria's Instagram accounts [Close] - @dariazlb (main) and @d.zlobinski (photography). Spoken in the episode; I couldn't verify the profile URLs by search, so add the links by hand.Brett Henriksen [First third] - Daria's RISD professor who introduced her to Horenstein; the spelling is unconfirmed."Lucas" [Middle] - former guest who has worked with scientists drilling ice cores; surname not given."Richard" [Middle] - former guest, Dutch, based in New York, who sends postcards through a small Patreon; surname not given."Torsten" [Late] - someone I talked to about the R9 with digital back; surname not given."Philip Reinhardt" [Late] - former guest who shot the Winter Olympics with a borrowed R9 and digital back; the spelling needs checking."The Carrier Print Club" [Middle] - my print club starting next month; the name in the transcript looks garbled."LSA" [First third] - the group Daria reached out to for event photography; possibly LSE."Kodak channel" [Middle] - the Antarctic spot Daria says she left a piece of her heart; possibly the Lemaire Channel.Grandma's old "IXUS" camera [Late] - a 7-megapixel compact; probably a Canon IXUS.Support the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

My guest this week is Anthony Prince Leslie, a photographer and filmmaker from Brooklyn. He has made a name for himself shooting behind the scenes footage for films like The Drama and Spider-Man Brand New Day. I wanted to speak to him to learn all about shooting behind the scenes on a modern movie set, and on film. This conversation involves some fairly hard-core cameras of the stills and moving picture variety and an impromptu fit check so you might want to watch this one on YouTube.Mentioned in this episodePeopleZendaya — connected AP to The Drama and later to Spider-Man: Brand New Day · WikipediaLaw Roach — celebrity stylist AP worked with on the Bringing It Forward series, including a Tommy Hilfiger campaign · WikipediaTom Holland — star of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, who told AP he loved the sound of his camera on set · WikipediaSadie Sink — mentioned as the subject of new images AP is preparing to release · WikipediaDestin Daniel Cretton — director of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, credited by AP for giving him access on set · WikipediaGreg Williams — behind-the-scenes photographer known for his work on the James Bond films, cited for a Matt Damon film image printed in Hollywood Authentic · gregwilliams.comFilms and projectsSpider-Man: Brand New Day — the film AP shot special unit stills for; his medium-format and Bolex images from set are the reason Iain invited him on · WikipediaThe Drama — A24 film starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, directed by Kristoffer Borgli, that first connected AP to feature productions · WikipediaSugar Honey Iced Tea — AP's own feature film in development, about gentrification in Brooklyn, which he now plans to shoot on filmBringing It Forward — AP's editorial series with Law Roach, including the Tommy Hilfiger campaign that helped lead to his film workGear and toolsMamiya RB67 — AP's favourite stills camera, prized for its square format · WikipediaBolex H16 — his hand-cranked 16mm film camera, used to steal moments between takes on set · WikipediaFujifilm GFX 100 — his discreet, medium-format digital go-to for campaigns and editorials · fujifilm-x.comLeica M11 — his everyday carry camera, paired with a Zeiss 35mm lens · leica-camera.comLeica R9 with digital back — a film-era body converted to a 10-megapixel digital camera, which AP recently discovered · WikipediaARRI 416 — the Super-16 camera AP calls his "graduation" from the Bolex, used briefly on the Spider-Man set · WikipediaAlexa LF — the large-format digital cinema camera at the top of AP's wish list · arri.comCanon IXUS 75 — his low-key point-and-shoot for staying discreet on set · WikipediaCompanies and institutionsEquator Studio — AP's creative studio and full-service production company · equator.studioRapid Eye Dark Rooms — the London film lab AP trusts for colour development and scanning · rapideye.uk.comKodak London — Kodak's UK film processing lab, credited for fast, high-quality 16mm and 8mm turnaroundPanavision — camera rental house that supplied and serviced AP's cameras on setHollywood Authentic — the large-format film photography magazine that printed Greg Williams' Matt Damon image · hollywoodauthentic.comMusic"Interrogation (Skit)" by A$AP Rocky, from the album Don't Be Dumb — the source of the episode's title line · WikipediaSupport the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

A little mid-week episode to let you all know about some photo walks taking place this week in conjunction with Foto, the photo sharing app. You can join one of the many walks this weekend, 26th September, taking place all over the world. To find out more head over to their website or listen to my conversation with Michael from Foto.Support the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Mentioned in this episodePeopleHelmut Newton — fashion photographer Geoff cites as having briefly worked in the Singapore press before his career took off · WikipediaSteve Jobs — referenced as an example of the "human factor" books Geoff reads about how people become exceptional · WikipediaBooks and readingInside the Mind of a Photographer by Geoff Ang — his book distilling 20 years of workshop material into a guide to the psychological and business side of commercial photography · insidethemindofaphotographer.comTools and productsPhase One digital backs — the medium format system Geoff bought into in the late '90s and still shoots today · phaseone.comSinar 4x5 cameras — the large-format studio camera system he used for high-resolution transparencies · WikipediaDicomed — the dedicated digital retouching system used before Photoshop matured · WikipediaLeica SL3 — his current mirrorless body; Geoff has been a Leica ambassador since the first SL · leica-camera.comFujifilm GFX — his second current system, chosen for faster autofocus at high resolution than his Phase One · fujifilm-x.comApple Vision Pro — discussed as a new, if "selfish," way of viewing photography · apple.comSony Alpha 7R VI — mentioned by Iain as a recent loaner, notable for combining high resolution with strong video specs · Sony product pageGodox — budget lighting-stand brand Geoff cites as part of the barrier-to-entry drop after 2010 · godox.comCompanies and institutionsGeoffStudio — Geoff Ang's studio and portfolio site · geoffang.comProfoto — lighting brand Geoff has been a longtime workshop ambassador for · profoto.comLeica Gallery Singapore — hosted his recent exhibition to launch his book · leica-camera.comPlaces and eventsSingapore — Geoff's home base for his entire career · WikipediaBali — where Geoff lived semi-retired during COVID and wrote much of his book · WikipediaSupport the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Mentioned in this episodePeopleColin Prior — cited as one of the landscape photographers whose 1990s work first caught Graham's eye, before that kind of image became common in the social media era · colinprior.co.ukJocelyn Bain Hogg — London-based documentary photographer known for his books on British organised crime, The Firm and The Family · theviifoundation.orgMartin Parr — referenced as one of the few photographers who can "get away with" a heavy, unflattering flash aesthetic on his subjects · martinparr.comJames Popsys — landscape photographer and YouTuber based in Snowdonia, Wales, cited for his discipline of carrying a bag deliberately too small to fit his camera; a future guest on the show · jamespopsys.comPlacesNethy Bridge — the Cairngorms village where both Graham and Iain live, and home to Graham's Arbor Gallery · WikipediaTorridon / Liathach — the mountain and viewpoint (seen from Beinn Alligin) behind Graham's punishing winter hike story · Liathach — WikipediaThe Cuillins — the Skye mountain range referenced both as a backdrop and in Graham's composited "Madeira and Cuillin" image · WikipediaCoire an t-Sneachda — a corrie on the Cairngorm Plateau where Graham photographed wind-whipped snow and a reindeer herd · WikipediaSt Kilda, including Boreray — the remote Scottish archipelago where Graham shot his well-known black-and-white sea cliff image from a boat · St Kilda — Wikipedia · Boreray — WikipediaThe Buachaille (Buachaille Etive Mòr) — mentioned in relation to one of Graham's early-morning mountain shots · WikipediaAviemore — mentioned in passing as the location of Graham's five-a-side football game · WikipediaGear and toolsOlympus OM-1 — Graham's first camera, already 30 years old when he acquired it in the early 2000s · WikipediaLeica M (digital back on a film body) — one of two bodies Graham colour/black-and-white "loads" like film stock · leica-camera.comNikon — Graham's current system, chosen, by his own account, essentially by coin flip · nikon.comDJI Osmo Pocket — his go-to for casual video, bought secondhand · dji.comRicoh GR — referenced as the classic "glove box camera" for always-with-you shooting · WikipediaCompanies and institutionsNiven Photography / Arbor Gallery — Graham's studio and the small gallery he and his wife run on Dell Road, Nethy Bridge · nivenphotography.comMonocle — cited as the magazine that adopted a flash-heavy portrait style for its diplomat and official portraits, to mixed effect · monocle.comSupport the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Support the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Natasa Leoni is a photographer based in the UK who in addition to commercial work photographs causes she cares about in relation to climate and social change. Support the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Rachael Talibart is a photographer of coast and sea based in the UK.Support the show on Patreon.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.