The Contact Sheet

We're back! It's been a while. Check out the last episode if you missed it as I went in-depth with an update—talking about where I've been, and what's in store for the future.  With that being said, I wanted to kick things off with this interview that I did with Wesley Verhoeve. We actually recorded this last year, and I feel terrible that it's taken this long for me to post it up, but I didn't want it to launch in the middle of the break I took from the show.  So, here it is, and I'm excited to share it.  If you're not familiar with Wesley, he's a very talented photographer and curator, who has just released his first monograph titled 'Notice'. In this interview, we talk about his early career in the music industry, how he discovered photography, and then we spend the majority of time talking about how his latest book project came to be.  This is a really interesting one as Wesley first started this work while he was in lockdown in Vancouver during the early stages of the pandemic. Things we touch on include: The importance of taking action and small steps forward Why printed work is so important Making things happen rather than waiting for them to come to you And many more!     Definitely take some time to check out Wesley's work. I put links below to his website, and Instagram, as well as a link to his book 'Notice'. He still has some copies available if you're interested in ordering!  Thanks for listening! ————————- Wesley's IG  Wesley's Website  Check out his book 'Notice' 

Hey everyone, for today's solo episode, I want to focus on something that was inspired by a recent Q&A that I did on my Instagram—and that is talking about extremes. One of the most common answers, when I asked people what their biggest challenge is with their photography, was that they suffer from things like imposter syndrome, lack of satisfaction, comparison, and lack of energy. IMO, these are things that are often caused by us living in the extremes—where we pick apart every little thing we do and label it as amazing or a total failure. And that also applies to how we view ourselves when it comes to things like our capabilities, worth, talent, and so on.  Anyways, just a quick episode today, but I hope it helps you in one way or another! Also, if you're interested in signing up for my 'Field Notes'—which is a bi-weekly email series that touches on more topics like this one—you can do that here: http://eepurl.com/hfQ9jz.  As always, I'd love to hear from you, so shoot me some feedback or suggestions for episodes moving forward.  Cheers!  --------------------------------  Find out more at www.contactsheetpodcast.com Follow the show on Instagram: @contactsheetpodcast  Follow Kyle on Instagram: @kyle__mcdougall 

Hey everyone, for today's solo episode, I wanted to talk about what I think is one of the most important skills you can have as a photographer—that is patience. Nowadays, more than ever, it can be easy to feel the need to constantly be creating and sharing work, but in doing so, you can easily miss out on ideas and opportunities that present themselves when you take a slower approach. Recently, I spent the last month making a bunch of duds... basically creating images that either didn't live up to my expectations or were just plain out bad. But those 'outtakes' are important, and they're often where you find little hints that lead you in new directions. It was a great reminder to me about how important it is to stay curious, and not beat yourself up if you're not always creating 'winners'. I figured it'd be a great topic to discuss for today's episode. I hope you enjoy it and that it gets some ideas rolling. Also, if you're interested in signing up for my 'Field Notes'—which is a bi-weekly email series that touches on more topics like this one—you can do that here: http://eepurl.com/hfQ9jz.  As always, I'd love to hear from you, so shoot me some feedback or suggestions for episodes moving forward.  Cheers!  --------------------------------  Find out more at www.contactsheetpodcast.com Follow the show on Instagram: @contactsheetpodcast  Follow Kyle on Instagram:

In this conversation, Tadas Kazakevicius, a Lithuanian documentary photographer known for his impactful work and books, shares insights into his artistic journey. He discusses the creative spark that different camera formats bring and the significance of slow travel in shaping his narratives. Tadas emphasizes the importance of passion over trends, especially in an era dominated by social media. He also reveals his techniques for approaching strangers to capture authentic portraits and offers a sneak peek into his latest projects, including themes of faith and resilience.

Explore how ego stifles creativity and holds photographers back from growth. Hear personal anecdotes revealing the pitfalls of self-importance and validation on social media. Discover the importance of embracing imperfection, overcoming fear of judgment, and taking action. Learn to shift focus from self-promotion to community-building, and redefine art to include mentorship and support. Ultimately, let go of ego to foster meaningful artistic progress and connection.

In this episode, I'm talking with Chiara Zonca—a fine art photographer originally from Italy, now based out of Western Canada. I've been a big fan of Chiara's work for a while now, and I'm sure many of you listening to this are probably familiar with her images. I've always been fascinated by the look and unique quality of her photographs, so it was cool to be able to learn more about her journey and approach.  Chiara's images documenting the landscape have a surreal dreamlike feel to them, and they also showcase a unique personal connection—something that we dive into in this interview.  Other topics we touch on include:  The importance of discovery and letting go Photography and mental health The necessity of following your passion Pursuing projects and how they evolve And many other things.  If you're not familiar with Chiara's work, definitely take some time to check it out at the links below. You can also find a link to her book 'Desert Portraits'. I hope you enjoy the talk! ————————- Chiara’s WebsiteChiara’s InstagramBuy ‘Desert Portraits’ You can find out more about the Contact Sheet Podcast on our Website and Instagram 

Discover key insights from Alec Soth's 'Photographic Storytelling' course! Learn the importance of patience in evolving your work, as illustrated by Soth's journey with 'From Here to There' into 'Sleeping by the Mississippi.' Dive into the art of book-making with his creative maquettes and iterative design process. Finally, explore the necessity of embracing change in your projects, highlighted by the transformation seen in 'Broken Manual.' Perfect for photographers and storytellers alike!

In this episode, I’m talking with Tim Franco—a French-Polish photographer who is currently living in South Korea. Tim does a wide range of work, including editorial and commercial, but it was his personal projects that first grabbed my attention, including his first book ‘Metamorpolis’, as well as his soon-to-be-released project ‘Unperson’, which documents the stories of North Korean defectors.  I was immediately fascinated not only by the subject matter with this project, but also the creative approach that Tim took—combining portraits that were created using large format pack film with landscapes of various border crossings and stories from the defectors themselves.  Tim’s willingness to experiment, as well as his dedication and patience, are very apparent as you browse through his work, and it was great to have a chance to learn more about his process and history with his craft.  If you’re not familiar with his work, I definitely recommend checking it out at the links below, and if you’re a photobook collector, hop over to his website and pick up a copy of ‘Unperson’. It looks like it will be an amazing addition to any collection. Enjoy! ————————- Tim’s WebsiteTim’s InstagramBuy Tim’s book ‘Unperson’

Hey everyone! Happy new year... I'm a bit late with this one, but I wanted to get up this episode giving you all a bit of an update, as well as talking about some of the photography rules I'll live by in 2021. It's been a busy past few months, but I'm currently working away in the background on some new interviews and solo episodes, and am planning to get back on track here in the near future with weekly releases. Also, if you're interested in signing up to my 'Field Notes', which I talked about in the episode, you can do that here: http://eepurl.com/hfQ9jz. Hope you all enjoy this one, and as always, shoot me some feedback or suggestions for episodes moving forward. Cheers! -------------------------------- Contact Sheet Website: https://www.contactsheetpodcast.com/Contact Sheet IG Page: https://www.instagram.com/contactsheetpodcast

I've always been interested in learning more about how other photographers approach their craft. I find that being able to relate to an artists's process and way of working can be extremely encouraging, especially if it's someone who you look up to.  I recently started reading a book called 'Photo Work', which was put together by Aperture (https://amzn.to/2LNSF8x). It's a great little publication that includes interviews with forty different photographers, asking them all the exact same questions about the process.  I've found the answers to be incredibly insightful, touching on topics like how a project is started—intuition vs concept, photographic style, knowing when a project is complete, and some other great ones. As I dive deeper into putting together my first photo book, I've become really interested in learning as much as possible about projects and direction, and I found this book to be a wealth of knowledge. So, in today's episode, I wanted to share a few answers that I really connected with and have a chat about projects, in hopes that it provides you with some value, and helps you in your journey.  Hope you all enjoy this one, and as always, shoot me some feedback or suggestions for episodes moving forward. Cheers! -------------------------------- Contact Sheet Website: https://www.contactsheetpodcast.com/Contact Sheet IG Page: https://www.instagram.com/contactsheetpodcast