Black Diamonds seamlessly blends typographic, street photography, portraiture, and pictorial landscapes into a lyrical composition honoring the people and places of the misrepresented coal mining communities of Appalachia. Facun celebrates the strength of this diverse community in 63 square color images within a beautifully muted palette. 

In this conversation, Rich-Joseph Facun discusses, among other things:

Photographing for oneself

Photo as play and therapy

The fire that is punctum

Starting a project is like falling in love

Shooting at the edges of your real life

Instagram as an editing tool

Finding your voice in an edit

Accidental beginnings

The wisdom of taking the long way home

Finding trusting collaborators

Aligning vision and intent

Referenced in the episode

Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council

Prodigal Summer: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver 

Little Oak Press

In a pandemic, there’s no place I’d rather be than here in Appalachia by Alison Stine 

Book Review by Odette England in the Strange Fire Collective 

What is The Future of Black Appalachia - The New York Times 

Anna & Elizabeth 

Rich-Joseph Facun Website | Instagram

Engage with J. Sybylla Smith  https://www.jsybyllasmith.com Instagram @jsybylla and Facebook @j.sybylla.smith

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