What if photography isn't about finding answers, but learning how to live with the questions?
On this episode of The P.H.Y.S Podcast, I sit down with Reuben Radding, a New York City-based photographer whose work exists at the intersection of street photography, personal documentary, and human connection.
For Reuben, photography is an improvisation.
A conversation with the world unfolding in real time.
Armed with a camera and guided by instinct, he spends countless hours wandering the streets of New York City searching for moments that reveal something deeper about the human experience. His photographs capture fleeting gestures, chance encounters, and emotional currents that often exist just beneath the surface of everyday life.
Working primarily in black and white, Reuben creates images filled with mystery, ambiguity, and emotional resonance. Rather than providing easy answers, his photographs invite viewers into moments that raise questions, about connection, loneliness, vulnerability, identity, and what it means to be human.
But for Reuben, photography is more than an artistic practice.
It is a form of healing.
A way to navigate feelings of separation while searching for belonging.
A process of discovering himself through the people he encounters and photographs.
In This Episode:
• Reuben's approach to street photography as improvisation
• Wandering New York City in search of human stories
• The role of instinct and intuition in photography
• Why mystery can make photographs more powerful
• Working in black and white to explore emotion and connection
• Photography as a path toward self-discovery and healing
• The relationship between separation, belonging, and creativity
• Finding meaning in everyday interactions
• Why unanswered questions often create the strongest images
Whether you're a street photographer, artist, storyteller, or someone exploring your own creative journey, Reuben's perspective offers a thoughtful reminder that photography can be both a mirror and a bridge—helping us better understand ourselves and one another.
Image by: Nicole Reed
Visit Reuben:
Instagram: @reuben_radding
Web: www.reubenradding.com
Substack: Reuben Radding's Writing Depository
Buy Reuben's Book: Heavenly Arms
Reuben's Workshops: Experiences
Visit The Show:
Instagram: @PHYS_Podcast
Threads: @PHYS_Podcast
YouTube: @phys_podcast
Web: www.physpodcast.ca
Show Partner:
Fotophase.org
Dedicated to revealing the transformational nature of photography and the arts through NeuroArts, helping people connect, reflect, and discover new stories about themselves, their communities, and the world around them.
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