Why the Best Photos Aren't Perfect

Conversation with Pat Graham on polaroids, AI, punk rock & more

Thanks to the newest Patreon subscribers: Sarah and Alexis! 

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Pat Graham has spent decades documenting music, culture and activism through photography—from touring with Modest Mouse and working with Johnny Marr to capturing iconic images of L7, Bikini Kill, Fugazi, and countless others. In this episode Pat joins host Brad Sigal to talk about his long-term passion for photography, his current exhibition ‘Present Imperfection,’ and why imperfect images often resonate more deeply than technically flawless ones.

Pat shares the story behind Present Imperfection, his current exhibition of instant photography. Pat and Brad talk about why people are turning back to imperfect technologies in the era of algorithms, iPhones and AI. The conversation also explores photography's evolving relationship with AI. We also talk about Pat’s recent work with Diane Krauthamer documenting the federal military occupation of DC. Finally, Pat shares the story behind one of his most iconic photos: his 1992 image of Jennifer Finch of the band L7, who recently passed away.

Connect with Pat https://www.instagram.com/instapatgraham/ 

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Groups resisting occupation of DC: 

Free DC Project https://www.instagram.com/freedcproject/ 

DCAARPR https://www.instagram.com/dcaarpr/ 

Pat's iconic 1992 photo of Jennifer Finch of L7 https://www.instagram.com/p/Da-1RPROCEy/ 

Jennifer Finch talking about Pat’s photo being her favorite    https://www.instagram.com/p/Da0_nYZEg_-/?img_index=1 

Intro music: Fresh Flow Fiesta by Oleksii Holubiev: https://pixabay.com/music/beats-fresh-flow-fiesta-160920/

Present Imperfection: A talk with exhibition curator Pat Graham

In this clip, Pat Graham talks with Get the Picture Podcast about his current exhibition running through September 12, 2026 in Washington DC: Present Imperfection.

Present Imperfection is a summer exhibition about instant photography, imperfect memory, DIY culture, and the way photographs keep changing meaning over time.

Curated by photographer and artist Pat Graham with MORENOYCLARA, the exhibition brings together selected international and DC-connected photographers and artists working with Polaroid, instant film, scans, and prints. The project treats instant photography as immediate but never fixed: a small image that can hold friendship, travel, music, place, accident, and time.

The exhibition builds on a 2017 Málaga exhibition Past Perfect: Collective Reflections focused around the Polaroid & Photographic Instant that was curated by Pat Graham and presented by Staf Magazine and MORENOYCLARA. This adapted DC exhibition brings together selected international and DC connected photographers and artists working with Polaroid, instant film, scans, prints, and related photographic materials.

The show includes an opening and closing reception, two instant portrait sessions, a community archive day, and several workshops. In addition, curator Pat Graham will hold ‘live lab’ hours on site on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm as an artist-in-residence. The show is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

Artist List:

Adam Voith, Alberto Polo, Amanda Marsalis, Andrew Paynter, Antonia Tricarico, Atiba Jefferson, Brandon Harman, Clint Woodside, Craig Stecyk, Cynthia Connolly, Dana Wachs, Danny Clinch, Deanna Templeton, Diane Krauthamer, Ed Templeton, J Grant Brittain, James Joiner, Jason Lee, Jim Jocoy, Josh Wildman, Jude Harrison, Justin Borucki, Lely Constantinople, Nolan Hall, Pat Graham, Robin Bell, Scarlet Page, Shawn Brackbill, Sonny Marr, Susanne Melanie Berry, Thomas Campbell, Tim Kerr, Trevor Kampman.

More details: https://friendshipheights.com/events/pavilion-pop-up 

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Intro music: Fresh Flow Fiesta by Oleksii Holubiev: https://pixabay.com/music/beats-fresh-flow-fiesta-160920/

Don't Miss the Eclipse Shot!
How to photograph a solar eclipse with Chris Juhn

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In this episode of Get the Picture, host Brad Sigal talks with Chris Juhn about how to (safely!) get great photos of the solar eclipse that will be visible in many parts of the world on August 12, 2026. Find out what equipment and settings you need, how to find the best location, and ideas for photo compositions so you can get amazing photos of the solar eclipse! Chris speaks from his experience photographing two solar eclipses. 

See Chris’s work https://www.facebook.com/chris.juhn 

My previous episode with Chris Juhn on how to get great photos of the Northern Lights https://youtu.be/9bhMk7Rl-_8  

To avoid damage to your camera’s sensor or lens, you need an ISO 12312-2 Certified solar filter at all times during the eclipse except during the couple minutes of totality. If you’re seeing the eclipse where totality will not be visible, you need to keep the solar filter on your camera and eclipse glasses on the whole time of the eclipse. It’s likely those filters will get bought up quickly so you should try to buy yours soon if you don’t have one!

Some recommendations for camera settings for shooting the solar eclipse:

• Use the longest lens you can get (highest mm possible)
• Shutter speed as fast as you need to avoid camera shake (so if you have a 600mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/640)
• Aperture as narrow as you can get it (the highest number possible on your lens)
• ISO as low as you can get it for the period before totality, but then be ready to crank up your ISO when totality hits because it will suddenly be a lot darker. Know how high you can set your ISO on your camera without noise making the photo unusable. On most modern cameras with denoising in post, you should be able to safely shoot at 6400 or maybe even 12,800 ISO.
• You should be able to use autofocus, especially once totality hits

See some of Chris’s photos for MPR News in 2017 of the solar eclipse and the people gathered to watch it https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/08/21/photos-its-an-eclipse 

PhotoPills app to see where the sun will be in the sky during the eclipse so you can plan where you want to be to get the picture you want https://www.photopills.com/ 

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Music: Fresh Flow Fiesta by Oleksii Holubiev: https://pixabay.com/music/beats-fresh-flow-fiesta-160920/

How to Photograph Strangers

Lessons from Vijay Britto's 100 Strangers Projects

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In this episode of Get the Picture, host Brad Sigal talks with Vijay Britto, a portrait photographer in Maryland who has photographed more than 250 strangers, improving his photography and leading to paid work doing portraits and weddings. He talks about what a 100 Strangers Project is and how doing the project helped improve his photography, build his confidence, and make lasting connections. He makes a compelling case for why a 100 Strangers Project might be just what you need to take your photography to the next level.

See Vijay’s work: website | flickr | Instagram

100 Strangers group on Flickr

365 Project website

Get the Picture episode on Intentional Camera Movement photography with Daniela Bell 

Humans of New York 

Humans of Bombay 

David Guerrero (@dgphotoholic on Instagram) is one example of a stranger portrait photographer that posts video of his interactions. He has 1.5 million followers and a ton of engagement. 

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Intro & outro music: Fresh Flow Fiesta by Oleksii Holubiev

Support Get the Picture podcast!

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In this episode of Get the Picture, host Brad Sigal talks with product photographer John Von Pamer. John has many years of experience as a professional editorial / advertising photographer and art director, including shooting amazing and creative images of beauty products, food for high end restaurants and cookbooks, and much more. He shares his journey, his approach to product photography along with equipment & techniques, thoughts on how AI may impact the industry, and tips for people interested in getting into product photography.

See John’s work online:

johnvonpamer.com

https://www.instagram.com/vonpamerphotography/ 

John also makes records under the name JOHN 21:26. New record coming out in Fall.

Some people and things mentioned in this episode:

Franny’s: Simple Seasonal Italian cookbook

High Vibrational Beauty: Recipes & Rituals for Radical Self Care

Victoria Granhof

Irving Penn Foundation 

Kinfolk Magazine

Kimtech Science Delicate Task Wipes

Edward Steichen 

Michael Mandel

Larry Sultan 

Mike Mandel’s book ‘Zone Eleven’  

Moon Juice Cookbook

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Music: Fresh Flow Fiesta

PORTUGUESE EPISODE!

Neste episódio do Get the Picture, Brad Sigal conversa com Larissa Ribeiro, fotógrafa de arquitetura, viagens e ruas do Porto. A primeira exposição solo de Larissa, Cartografias da Liberdade, foi inaugurada recentemente na região do Porto. Ela inclui 21 imagens de duas grandes manifestações de rua: a marcha do Dia Internacional da Mulher e a marcha anual do Dia da Liberdade. Larissa fala sobre sua história com a fotografia, como surgiu a ideia da exposição, dá conselhos para fotógrafos interessados ​​em fazer uma exposição, fala de como decidiu quais imagens incluir e os fotógrafos que a inspiram.

Siga Larissa: https://www.instagram.com/larissa.ribeiro.photography/ 

A exposição Cartografias de Liberdade está aberta às sextas-feiras das 21h às 24h e aos sábados das 15h às 24h no Grupo Mérito Dramático Avintense, Rua 14 de Mayo 65, Vila Nova de Gaia, 29 maio - 26 julho.

A exposição Mulheres e Trabalho fez parte do Porto Femme International Film Festival 2026. https://www.instagram.com/p/DW17T5UDkJO/

Vivian Meier Anthology https://www.terraesplendida.com/vivian-maier-porto/ 

Geraldo Vieira 

• Larissa's article: https://anais.docomomobrasil.com/brasil/sdbr11/sdbr11-004/
• Larissa’s thesis: https://repositorio.ufu.br/handle/123456789/18319

Henri Carter Bresson https://www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/henri-cartier-bresson/ 

Martine Frank https://www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/martine-franck/ 

Sebastiāo Salgado https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/sebasti%C3%A3o-salgado

Peter Scheier https://ims.com.br/titular-colecao/peter-scheier/ 

Marcel Gautherot https://ims.com.br/titular-colecao/marcel-gautherot/ 

Mario Fontenelle https://www.instagram.com/p/DTRFeGcjtYd/?img_index=1 

Lucien Hervé http://lucienherve.com/lh_corb.html 

Julius Shulman https://juliusshulman.org/ 

Antonio Meneres https://www.sulinformacao.pt/2018/11/memorias-do-tempo-e-do-patrimonio-construido-de-antonio-meneres-expoem-se-em-faro/ 

Support Get the Picture!

In this episode Brad Sigal talks with Larissa Ribeiro, an architectural, travel, and street photographer in Porto. Larissa’s first solo exhibition, Cartographies of Freedom, recently began in the Porto area. It includes 21 images from the International Women’s Day march on March 8 and the annual April 25 Freedom Day march, marking the end of Portugal’s dictatorship. Larissa talks about her photography history, her exhibition, advice for photographers interested in doing an exhibition, how she decided what images to include, and photographers that inspire her.

Follow Larissa: https://www.instagram.com/larissa.ribeiro.photography/ 

Larissa’s exhibition, Cartografias de Liberdade, is open Fridays 9:00pm-12:00am and Saturdays 3:00pm - 12:00am at Grupo Mérito Dramático Avintense, Rua 14 de Mayo 65, Vila Nova de Gaia, May 29 - July 26.

Women and Work exhibition: https://www.instagram.com/p/DW17T5UDkJO/

Vivian Meier Anthology https://www.terraesplendida.com/vivian-maier-porto/ 

Photographers Larissa mentioned:

Geraldo Vieira 

• Larissa's article: https://anais.docomomobrasil.com/brasil/sdbr11/sdbr11-004/
• Larissa thesis: https://repositorio.ufu.br/handle/123456789/18319

Henri Carter Bresson https://www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/henri-cartier-bresson/ 

Martine Frank https://www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/martine-franck/ 

Sebastiāo Salgado https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/sebasti%C3%A3o-salgado

Peter Scheier https://ims.com.br/titular-colecao/peter-scheier/ 

Marcel Gautherot https://ims.com.br/titular-colecao/marcel-gautherot/ 

Mario Fontenelle https://www.instagram.com/p/DTRFeGcjtYd/?img_index=1 

Lucien Hervé http://lucienherve.com/lh_corb.html 

Julius Shulman https://juliusshulman.org/ 

Antonio Meneres https://www.sulinformacao.pt/2018/11/memorias-do-tempo-e-do-patrimonio-construido-de-antonio-meneres-expoem-se-em-faro/ 

Support Get the Picture podcast!

• Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/getthepicturepodcast
• Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/getthepicturepodcast 

In this episode of Get the Picture, host Brad Sigal talks with movement photographer Brooke Anderson about a recent article she wrote: Photojournalists documenting Trump’s deportation forces play critical role, but face increasing state violence. In the article, Anderson details alarming incidents around the country in which photojournalists have faced state repression for doing photojournalism covering immigration enforcement operations. She also shares the overwhelming sentiment from the photojournalists she interviewed about the importance of continuing to do the work despite facing repression, as well as suggestions on how to stay as safe as possible under extremely trying conditions.

Brooke’s article

https://prismreports.org/2026/02/18/photojournalists-ice-raids-movement-journalism/

Brooke Anderson

• movementphotographer.com 
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/movementphotographer/ 

Crisis Ready Media application for free PPE for freelance journalists https://www.crisisreadymedia.org/Form-PPE-Request

Guild Freelancers CWA Local 39521 https://www.guildfreelancers.org/ 

New Law Aims to Protect Journalists Covering Civil Disturbances
https://www.guildfreelancers.org/news/2021/12/27/new-law-aims-to-protest-journalists-covering-civil-disturbances 

‘The World Needs To See It’: The Moment A Photographer Saved A Camera From ICE

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/john-abernathy-photos-ice-minnesota_n_696c2c6ce4b043a364235a53 

When your local reporter needs the same protection as a war correspondent by Michelle Zenarosa

https://lapublicpress.org/2025/11/reporting-on-immigration/ 

The Intercept: The Farcical Case Against Don Lemon and Georgia Fort for Protest Reporting

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Music: Fresh Flow Fiesta by Oleksii Holubiev: https://pixabay.com/music/beats-fresh-flow-fiesta-160920/

Publish Your Own DIY Photo Zine
Adam Tanner on self-publishing his live music photography 

Support Get the Picture podcast!

• Donate at Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/getthepicturepodcast
• Support on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/getthepicturepodcast 

In this episode of Get the Picture podcast, host Brad Sigal talks with Adam Tanner. Adam is a Boston-based photographer specializing in concert, travel, and event photography. He started photographing his friends playing in hardcore bands in the late 1980s, and decades later he’s still going strong! In this conversation, Adam talks about the whys and hows of self-publishing your own photo zine, as he did with a collection of his 2025 concert photography, End of a Year 2025. Adam also shares many thoughts and experiences from his decades of photography.

See Adam’s work:

• https://www.instagram.com/adamtannerphoto/ 
• AdamTanner.com

Order Adam’s photo zine: https://www.adamtanner.com/store/p/end-of-a-year-photo-zine-2025 

Adam used Mixam to print his photo zine: https://mixam.com 

Photographers Adam mentions:

• Charles Peterson https://www.charlespeterson.net/#1 
• Chris Toliver https://antimatter.substack.com/p/how-much-art-can-you-take 
• Mark Beemer https://jadetree.com/features2/2016/1/18/photo-gallery-with-mark-beemer 
• BJ Papas https://www.bjpapas.com/ 

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Music: Fresh Flow Fiesta by Oleksii Holubiev: https://pixabay.com/music/beats-fresh-flow-fiesta-160920/

How to Photograph Abandoned Places
Urban Exploration Photography Tips and Stories with Phil Ward

Support Get the Picture podcast!

• Donate at Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/getthepicturepodcast
• Support on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/getthepicturepodcast 

DISCLAIMER: This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed in this podcast should be interpreted as encouraging trespassing, breaking laws, or engaging in unsafe activity while photographing abandoned places or exploring locations. Always follow all applicable laws and regulations, respect private property, obtain permission when required, and prioritize your safety and the safety of others. Always use good judgment and never enter locations that are structurally unsafe or legally restricted.

In this episode of Get the Picture podcast, host Brad Sigal talks with Phil Ward about one of the riskier types of photography -- abandoned photography. What’s that? It involves urban exploration through often hard-to-access and dangerous places like abandoned buildings, tunnels, silos, caves, amusement parks, and more. But unlike much urban exploration you see online, the focus of abandoned photography is on making amazing images more so than creating videos documenting an exploration journey.

Phil talks about what piqued his interest in abandoned photography, the equipment and settings he uses for long-exposure night photography, as well as the serious risks involved in doing abandoned photography - both legal and physical.

Follow Phil Ward

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philwardphoto/ 

Website philwardphoto.com 

Some things mentioned in this episode

Get the Picture #1 on the Exposure Triangle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT6_gdfjvkE 

How-To’s

Light painting https://youtu.be/UZc46HUsZZw?si=2WF4NM1cRRrkpb2Q 

Focus stacking https://youtu.be/5H3QoxQijdk?si=wmY_UVcqwW2r44Js 

Exposure bracketing https://youtu.be/KYXOyxstYSo?si=rUDse9ehXlqd9idD 

Urban explorer Jason Lanier https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLanierPhotography 

Jason Lanier’s Six Flags New Orleans video https://youtu.be/3UektPtuK4Q?si=O04N-PoWuQs56mBA 

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Music: Fresh Flow Fiesta by Oleksii Holubiev: https://pixabay.com/music/beats-fresh-flow-fiesta-160920/