I’ve had the great fortune of having some really amazing friends over my 52 years. For a guy who tends to lean toward introversion, I’m not driven to seek out friends, but I have also tended to be around some truly fascinating people, so it’s inevitable that I bond with a person from time to time.
I’ve also led a mildly nomadic life, so I’ve had the opportunity to live amongst different communities and therefore I have my Alaska friends, my Wisconsin friends, my Washington friends and my Oregon friends. Throw in my Lady Washington friends who defy geographic attachment and my Facebook friends list spans many time zones and contains some real characters, (you know who you are).
Now that I’m firmly planted in Oregon with a loving family, a busy home and laundry to fold, I’ve begun to look back over the distance that separates me from many of the people I love and I miss the long conversations, adventures and connections that have brought me joy. Of course, enduring a protracted pandemic has only made me that much more reminiscent about my friends.
Over the past few years I have turned to a particular friend many times for long Zoom chats and occasional in-person collaborations. Jeff Carlson was a close acquaintance in college, way back in The Day, and we worked together on the college newspaper, but we didn’t forge what I’d consider a deep and lasting friendship then. Perhaps the best way to think of it was that we planted a seed and then forgot about it for a couple of decades.
When Jeff emailed me several years ago asking to register for my first independent photography workshop, I was really flattered. We’d stayed in marginal touch via Facebook, like many of us do with so many people, and I had watched from afar as Jeff built a life filled with things that appeal to me: books, coffee, family and eventually photography. When he arrived to the workshop we hadn’t seen each other in person in over 20 years, but he felt familiar. Talking with him seemed like something I never stopped doing. We bonded over great coffee and photography and that seed we planted years before germinated, sprouted and shot up into a vibrant friendship that I treasure.
Jeff and I have co-lead several workshops together now, and even co-wrote an article for DPReview.com. He’s evolved his long career as a technology author to include more photography books, and we’ve both engaged in educational projects centered on the photographic process. Throughout this time, we’ve talked often about collaborating on something bigger, but repeatedly other commitments intruded. Until now.
Jeff and I from our college days. Look at those kids!
I enjoy listening to podcasts. I walk for an hour each morning, so I’ve become accustomed to piping select podcasts into my ears while I walk. The early-morning walks are my meditation, and the voices I’ve invited along bring the world into focus for me. I listen to several podcasts on a regular basis, and I’ve definitely developed a discerning ear for people who present information with authenticity and sincerity. When it comes to photography podcasts, I’ve not found many that keep me listening. Most are overly bombastic shells empty of meaningful information that leave me wondering why they bothered.
For me, a podcast that brings engaging conversation that follows a defined arc will do the trick. I don’t need insecure humble brags, insincere sales pitches, pointless banter and listless verbal meanderings. I have kids for that stuff, (kidding, kids!)
So when Jeff and I decided the time was right to develop a meaningful photography podcast that would allow us to share our love of photography and education, I knew it would be something great. Over the past several weeks we’ve had long conversations about our collective vision for the podcast. We’ve brainstormed topics, wish-listed guests, and sent hundreds of texts back and forth searching for a title that would capture the ethos of what we hope to achieve.
Both of us have made our professions the practice of making the complex manageable. Jeff has penned over 80 books that serve as guides through tangles of complex technology while I’ve developed numerous education programs to lead people to better skills and knowledge. Our mutual disdain for discombobulation is our North Star, and our common passion for photography is our map. With Photocombobulate (isn’t that fun to say?), we will take on the often-confusing world of photography with a unique approach.
I think the secret sauce in our podcast is our enduring friendship. I think it’s enjoyable listening to people who like and respect each other. I think you’ll find listening to us like joining us for a workshop. It’ll be fun, informative, unpretentious, and meaningful.
That’s not really Jeff and I standing next to the lighthouse at Lime Kiln Point on San Juan Island, but he was standing next to me when I took this photo.
As we launch this podcast, I hope you’ll come along by subscribing to it on whichever podcast service you prefer. As a supporter of my work, I hope you will find it worth your time. If you do enjoy it, could you do me a favor and leave a review? Also, feel free to pass along any ideas you have for the show.
Now, let’s go photocombobulate!