Negative Influence Podcast Podcast

Award-winning photographer, educator, museum collections professional, and wet plate artist Britt Bradley , better known as Nitrate Fox , joins Negative Influence for a conversation about photography, creativity, and the craft behind one of the oldest photographic processes still practiced today. We talk about her journey into photography, preserving historic techniques, building community, and wh...

This week on Negative Influence, we’re joined by Dave Faulkner, founder of Alfie Cameras. We talk about what it takes to build a camera company in today’s film photography landscape, the challenges of bringing new products to market, and the philosophy behind creating photographic tools that prioritize experience over convention. We also dive into Alfie’s latest project, the BOXX, a handcrafted ph...

Today I’m joined by Trev Lee from The Darkroom , one of the biggest film labs helping keep analog photography alive right now. We talk about the current state of film photography, social media trends, photography education, beginner mistakes, the pressure of algorithms, and what it’s like seeing millions of images come through a lab while helping shape the culture around film online. Trev also tal...

This week on Negative Influence , I’m joined by Caleb Knueven , better known as Bad Flashes . We get into the reality of trying to grow as a photographer while also making content around it, developing a recognizable style without getting trapped by it, creative plateaus, YouTube pressure, and the youth of today stealing our style and music from the 2000s. We talked about the frustration of repeat...

On this episode of Negative Influence , I sit down with Brian Blazer to talk about the current state, and uncertain future, of film photography. We get into the influencer fueled resurgence of analog, whether social media is preserving the craft or turning it into performance, and how hype, scarcity, and rising prices are reshaping the community. We also talk about YouTube’s role in romanticizing...

My buddy Reid stopped by the podcast to talk about getting love from Kodak, the struggle of deciding when to monetize your photography, and theres a dog. Instagram: www.instagram.com/Reiders_Digest_ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit negativeinfluencepodcast.substack.com

This week, my dude Dan Helle ( okayfoto ) hops on the podcast and we get into the weird reality of having genuine friendships with people you’ve never actually met in person and how it somehow leads to planning a theoretical Canada trip like it’s completely normal. Also, how to start photo walks and film clubs without overthinking it into oblivion like I’m prone to doing. Instagram: www.instagram....

This week on Negative Influence , I sit down with Joshua Hopkins (@Chugwaterite) and we go a little deeper than just “going out and taking photos.” We talk about what it actually means to look into your work instead of just at it, and figuring out what you’re trying to say, even when you’re not totally sure yet. Somewhere along the way, we get into city planning, the slow creep of the modern lands...

On this episode of Negative Influence , I’m joined by Jean Black . We talk about creativity. Not in a motivational way, just honestly, like where ideas actually come from, why making work can feel heavy sometimes, and what happens when photography turns into “content.” We get into the pressure to post, the weird space between creating and sharing, and trying to stay grounded yet memorable when eve...

We sit down with Arno Peever of Vintage Visual to unpack the ideas behind AGO , the tension between automation and craft, and the responsibility that comes with building tools for analog photography. A grounded conversation about design, restraint, and why faster isn’t always better. I don’t even have an affiliate code to advertise this one, I’m doing it out of absolute love for the company! (But...

On this week’s episode of Negative Influence, there’s a first! My real life friend Porsche Aremia stopped by the podcast to talk about the industry and all of it’s pitfalls, trying to make friends in the cold state of Michigan, and the realities of working in the photo/video world. Make sure to check it out! Instagram: www.instagram.com/shotgirlporsche Website: https://www.fullsendstudios.com Note...

Martin from AOK Camera joins the podcast to talk about how he got started in camera repair, why the industry desperately needs a new generation of techs, and what it actually means to keep aging cameras alive in a disposable digital world. We get into AI’s growing role in the digital age, where it helps, where it doesn’t, and where it might be quietly replacing more than we think. Somewhere along...

In this episode, I sit down with Kate Hook to talk about chaos, control, and creating work that refuses to apologize. We dive into souped film, embracing “mistakes” as artistic intent, and what it means to make bold photography in a boys club industry that still struggles to take women seriously. We also unpack the endless noise of social media, dealing with hate, and why pushing your work into st...

Ulices Del Toro and I talk about the photography gifts we got for Christmas, our ongoing mission to convince our neighbors to shoot film, and some half-serious scheming about where Negative Influence is headed next. Emmy winner, Time contributor and none of that really matters here because I made him shoot an Argus C44 and he’s mad about it. Just two friends talking photography. YouTube: https://w...

In this episode, Brae Hunziker and I talk about intent in photography and why it matters more than style or location. We get into the need for community, how many photographers are finding it online, and the tension between making work for yourself versus making it in public. We also dig into whether still landscape photographs can tell real stories, and what it takes for an image to move beyond b...

In this episode, Dave Herring and I spend the evening talking about storytelling in photography, how it’s shaped over time, tested by doubt, and often misunderstood online. We get into social media, internet trolls, and the strange pressure to perform rather than observe, alongside the quieter responsibility of documenting history and creating work that actually means something. It’s a grounded co...

In this episode of Negative Influence , I’m joined by France for a conversation about portraits, long-term ideas, and what it means to stay with the work. We talk about ongoing projects, mental health and ADHD, and the slow process of figuring out style without forcing originality. It’s a reflective discussion about patience, creative honesty, and learning how to trust your instincts over time. In...

Kea Nacolatabua from @keashootsfilm stops by to chat about film photography, staying sane on the internet, and figuring out your look without turning into a tortured artist stereotype. Good laughs, good insights, good episode. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keashootsfilm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...

Paul Maven⁠, former punk rocker and longtime photographer, and my good friend in debauchery returns to film while reflecting on the digital camera revolution and the democratization of photography. In this episode, we explore his journey from film to digital and back again, the creative freedom that comes with a lifetime behind the lens, and the curious culture of negativity that some photographer...

Chris from “Land of the Lonesome” joins the podcast to talk about the real side of making film photography work in today’s world. We dive into the struggles of social media, the grind behind creative projects, and what it really takes to turn your goals into reality. No shortcuts, just persistence, passion, and a lot of film (also debt, probably). Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landofthelone...

On this episode of Negative Influence , we sit down with Eric J. Meow of Conspiracy of Cartographers ! He’s a film photographer, history lover, and deep thinker wandering America’s back roads. Watch us bumble our way through memory, mortality and creativity. We dive into his thought process, his approach to analog photography, and the unexpected benefits of not having to plan your own funeral and...

Giulia Hepburn stopped by to talk about film, freelancing, and the creative chaos that comes with both. We get into her eBay addiction, why she keeps shooting even when it’s easier not to, and how Substack has become her space to share work without all the noise. It’s a laidback chat about community, creativity, and the weird balance of making things for a living while still keeping it fun. Instag...

In this episode we sit down with film photographer Angela Marlaud of FantastikPlastic, based in the Bay Area, to dive into her vibrant world of photography. From her love of double exposures to the rituals of analog film processing, Angela shares her journey into film, her inspirations for capturing everyday life and abandoned spaces, and how she finds beauty in the ordinary through a film lens. W...

In this episode, I sit down with Ben Carlton ,better known as Moonbeam Ben , to talk about film photography, kindness, and finding joy in simple moments. Ben’s work feels like a deep breath in a noisy world, and his outlook on creativity is as refreshing as it is grounding. If you’ve ever felt burnt out or lost in the algorithm, this one’s a reminder of why we pick up a camera in the first place....

In this episode of Negative Influence , we sit down with Keaton O’Neill , better known online as MetalFingers . A photographer and filmmaker who’s built a following around his honest approach to shooting, storytelling, and staying creative in the algorithm age, while keeping us updated on all the breaking film photography news. We talk about the intersection of film photography and YouTube , how c...