Negative Influence Podcast Podcast

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

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://www.youtube.com/@deltorophoto

Instagram: www.instagram.com/boundbybeauty

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, 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 being just “pretty.” It’s an honest conversation about purpose, belonging, and building meaningful work over time.

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@BraeHunziker

Instagram: www.instagram.com/braehunziker

Website: www.braehunziker.com

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, 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 conversation about patience, conviction, and making photographs that last beyond the moment they’re posted.

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

Instagram: www.instagram.com/daveherring

Website: https://dave.online

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 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.

Insta: www.instagram.com/france_the_artist

Website: www.brycefrance.com

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