-- Jean-Luc Godard

 

-- W. Eugene Smith

 

In this episode, Antonio and Ward catch up amid packing tape and camping plans. Antonio talks through the experience of unearthing old cameras—including a pair of Olympus XAs he didn’t even realize he owned—while preparing for his move. The conversation wanders through gear talk, fond memories of a long-lost Forscher Polaroid back, and a reflective look at how certain tools and artifacts carry pieces of photographic history. Meanwhile, Ward shares a bit about an upcoming camping trip and a brief hands-on with Fujifilm’s new GFX camera, which prompts a chat about who these high-megapixel cameras are really for.

 

Things shift toward the visual language of photography when Antonio brings up the use of shallow depth of field in shows like The Handmaid’s Tale. That sparks a back-and-forth on the emotional and narrative power of selective focus, both in film and stills—from Sally Mann’s large format portraits to W. Eugene Smith’s documentary work. They round out the episode by poking at the growing trend of chasing a “cinematic look” in photography, discussing whether it’s a meaningful stylistic choice or just another preset to scroll past.