Prime Lenses

In this special extra episode I speak to Christelle Enquist of The RAW Society about their upcoming festival on the island of Menorca from the 7th - 10th May this year. You can find out more on their website, but hurry, the island is filling up fast!More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Alex Harrison Magrath and I had a brief introduction at an event we both attended at the end of last year. Thank you to Mari and the Leica family for that. Alex has come to photography by way of other visual art forms and as you’ll hear is interesting not only because of his gorgeous work, but also because he doesn’t feel like he needs to commit himself solely to this form medium. He’s open and honest about his confidence in his work in a way that I think we an all relate to. I really enjoyed talking to him for the show and hope you do too. More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

This week in an extra episode, Mark Seymour joins me to talk about his travel to India, the zines and books he’s made and some folks he’s met along the way.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Lukasz Larsson Warzecha is a contributor to National Geographic magazine and an award-winning documentary photographer, cinematographer and TEDx speaker. For over 16 years he has travelled the world telling scientific stories with his camera. Most recently he was featured in National Geographic.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Hamish Gill is a photographer, entrepreneur and founder. For over a decade he has run 35mmc, a website about film photography started, as you’ll hear, because of a 35mm compact camera that inspired him. Hamish loves image making shooting digital, film and tons of vintage lenses so was an ideal Prime Lenses guest.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Ed Smith is an athlete turned award winning photographer based in Scotland. I was introduced to Ed through a mutual friend and we got together to discuss the ways he’s documenting life on and around the river Spey in the Highlands. This is the project of a lifetime and hearing Ed speak so passionately about it was a real treat.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Ben Fraternale returns in a midweek episode this week to talk about his new documentary about film photography in China. You can watch the film here.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Gajan Balan is a photographer and director who has made a name for himself producing films for clients around the world as well as regular viewers like us on YouTube. In this episode he returns for our second on mic chat to discuss image making, where he wants to take his career in 2026 and beyond, and of course, three more lenses!More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Iain Farrell makes a weekly podcast series called Prime Lenses. In this special episode he is interviewed by his son, Lewis. They discuss the show, Iain’s initial inspiration for it and where he’d like to take it next. More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.

Julia Coddington is an Australian photographer and artist. She shoots remarkable street photos, leads workshops and is leaning into being a Grandmother. I met her partner Gerry on a photowalk earlier this year and he suggested I look up her work. Look it up I did and a plan to talk we did make. We talk about the way she found photography, her love of travel and the little dogs in their family even get a look in. I think this is the perfect episode for this time of year and I hope you enjoy this episode with Julia.More about this show:A camera is just a tool but spend enough time with photographers and you’ll see them go misty eyed when they talk about their first camera or a small fast prime that they had in their youth. Prime Lenses is a series of interviews with photographers talking about their photography by way of three lenses that mean a lot to them. These can be interchangeable, attached to a camera, integrated into a gadget, I’m interested in the sometimes complex relationship we have with the tools we choose, why they can mean so much and how they make us feel.