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 repeating yourself, balancing creativity with consistency, the current state of film photography online, and the difference between people who genuinely want to improve and people just trying to look the part.

If you’re into photography, filmmaking, creative process, or just hearing an honest conversation about making things and trying not to stagnate creatively, this one is a good one.

Follow Caleb / Bad Flashes here:

Website: www.calebknueven.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/c/BadFlashesInstagram: www.instagram.com/calebknueven

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

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 the process, the line between education and selling, and whether the “film look” has become more about aesthetics than substance.

It’s an honest conversation about nostalgia, authenticity, and what survives when you strip away the gear, the trends, and the algorithm.

If you shoot film, think about shooting film, or just enjoy watching grown adults argue over grain structure, Brian is the guy for you.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/blazer.brian

Check out Photo Opp!

https://www.thephotoopp.org

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

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.com/okayfoto

Leave Dan and Hanz a voicemail for their podcast CameraPhone: https://www.speakpipe.com/cameraphone

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 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 landscape, and how the places we build might be quietly driving all of us a little insane.

It all circles back to storytelling and what makes an image say something, what makes it fall flat, and how much of that is intentional versus something you only realize later.

Just a conversation about trying to make photos that actually mean something.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/chugwaterite

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

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 everything online feels fast and disposable.

It’s just a real conversation about making things and figuring it out as you go.

Follow Jean!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kevertai

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamjeanblack?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeanBlackk

As a reminder, I will be out of town for the photo event the next week, so no episode will be out, but come join me in Joshua Tree!

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

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 if you’re interested in getting one, my good buddy Ulices Del Toro has an affiliate code to help you out!)

Instagram: www.instagram.com/vintagevisual.eu

Website: https://www.vintagevisual.eu

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

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: Due to a memory card failure, only Porsche’s video will be included in this week’s episode. No idea what happened, but my Sony Tough let me down again.

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

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 the way, a few conspiracy theories are invented, purely for educational purposes, of course. It’s a conversation about craft, curiosity, and resisting the idea that everything old should be replaced.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/aokcamera

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aokcamera

Website: https://aokcamera.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aokcamera

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

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 strange, uncomfortable places might be the most honest thing you can do as an artist.

Website: https://www.katehook.com/Instagram: @kateh00k TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kateh00k

Subscribe on Youtube/Spotify/Apple Podcasts/Substack for more episodes!

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