I was driving home the other day and the closeness of hitting PUBLISH on this thing was sinking in. Mixed emotions: excitement + also fear of judgement in releasing this piece of my heart here in the photography community.

I think my non & new photographer listeners will feel enlightened + empowered with what they *can* do with their camera, but I have a pit in my stomach how seasoned photographers will hear some of these eps. Note I said hear, not react. 

It feels like, with experience, we create belief systems that easily make everyone else “wrong.” It’s not truth, it’s just that we see what we choose to see and it makes it harder to be open to OTHER ways of seeing.

• Sort of like the heated convo of mixing documentary with lifestyle
• Using questionnaires
• That using the camera for memory preservation makes for “diluted stories and crap imagery” (yep, was told that once)

(I’ve been bullied online more than once for my opinions) 

There’s about a dozen reasons why I want to host this podcast, but one of the top: to provide a space for {mostly} documentary photographers + people who like having pictures to share what lights them up and why / how they’re using photography in the way they do. 

So far, having recorded 8+ convos with other photographers, it’s incredible the subtle differences between us.

It’s BEAUTIFUL.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my photography journey is that each of us photographers values different things inside photography.

It’s easy to lose sight of that when there are lots of synchronicities between us too. There’s lots of overlap, but there’s lots of differences – which is a wonderful thing.

In thinking of how YOU’LL experience The Intentional Documentary™ Podcast, I thought about what I enjoy / dislike in listening to podcasts and how I want you to feel on the other side of listening to an ep.

I hope it’s feelings of energizing + warmth.

I hope it feels like home.

Even if I have different opinions (or my guests) than yours (inevitable at times), I want your opinions to feel validated + important too, not dismissed. I want you to listen to the eps and reflect, not feel like you have to shift your path BECAUSE of what you hear, that may not be truth for YOU.

(I’ve been down that road and am more conscious because of it – i.e. making props in my early days, because I thought I had to be like that to be a family photographer. This was not my truth.)

You’re not being told what to do, you’re being shown what other people do.

I hope this helps all of us improve our ability to listen.

It starts with awareness of other perspectives – teaching us what we may not have thought of as we listen to the stories – so that we see beyond the black + white “rules” and limiting beliefs WE EACH CREATE so easily when we make meanings from our experiences.

(such as a comment someone else said that has the power to shift our entire path because of the meaning we made it make)

More compassion, less “threatened.”

More reading / hearing a bit softer and open, less jumping to conclusions and reacting.

A difference of opinion is (often) just that: a difference of opinion, not “You’re wrong!@%#!%!!!!”

We can do better and be better for each other if only we choose to hear individual voices, which is why I’m excited to dissect this big, documentary photography umbrella

The only right way to approach your photography is through your lens, your way.

#photographfreely

So, in reflecting on the experience, I thought of all these nuggets, collectively I call:

My Podcast Promise

Just a few things in the forefront of my mind to help me be a better podcast host for you.

1. I will not waste your time with pauses + breaks to promote something. Instead, I’ll invite you in the conversation when it makes sense and only after real value has been given.
2. I will never boast about money earned or achieved as a way to prove authority or as a suggestion jab that my influence has merit because of revenue. Instead, I’ll earn your trust the good ol’ fashioned way – through honesty, connection, value, and making an impact.
3. I won’t tease on a topic. Instead, I’ll give you my best. I won’t hold back on everything I know on that topic, to the best of my ability, on the platform.
4. I’ll do my best to talk with you, not at you. I’ll stay in check to remember my stories are only my experience and perspective.
5. I will not tell you what to think – or belittle you for thinking different than I. Instead, I’ll ask questions and challenge your way of thinking, so you can form your own opinion or potentially a renewed vision.
6. I’ll never call myself a “guru.” I’m just over here keeping the conversation going and adding my stories + lessons into the wisdom MIX.
7. I’ll be inclusive with guest invitations from all backgrounds, because refuse to seek out a guest for any reason other than they inspire the hell out of me. I’ll branch out beyond my own circle of friends to help us learn other ways of seeing.
8. I’ll be mindful of education overload. I’ll work to balance heavy education that inspires brain swirling, action-mode with easy-to-consume, inspiring convos that inspire contentment + validation.

So, that’s what I’ve come up with so far.

I’m human, not perfect. But, it all starts with setting the intention, right?

Comment below + tell me what you LOVE in a podcast and what drives you crazy. Help me make this an enriching experience for both of us 🙂

Hey Storyteller... Pick one and pass this onto a friend: