The time-honored saying "A picture is worth a thousand words" can quickly lose meaning in the intricate tangle of a photographer's lifetime archive. That is unless you take a disciplined approach to organizing your photographs from the start. This essential message is woven throughout this week's podcast with the esteemed photojournalist and filmmaker Ed Kashi.
"You need to look at your archive from early on, even before you think you have any critical mass of material," Ed instructs. "This is your memory, this is your history. This is like the essence… Well, for me, this is like the essence of who I am."
Derek's chat with Ed spans the full arc of his career of nearly 50 years—from his early in-depth stories for legendary magazines to his current work on ambitious creative projects through Talking Eyes Media, the non-profit he co-founded with his wife Julie Winokur.
Their discussion also covers the many implications of the digital revolution, being accountable for the pictures you make, viewing social media as an opportunity to be your own publisher, Ed's natural reflex to anticipate and react to situations, plus his affinity for capturing "Abandoned Moments," where he's not fully in control of the action in front of his lens.
Yet, while photos are vital building blocks, story reigns supreme. "Here's how I want to end," Ed concludes. "Joan Didion has a great quote, 'We humans live for stories.' Simply put, and so true and so wise. And I feel that I live for stories, whether I'm telling them or whether I'm absorbing them."
If you've enjoyed this podcast, please follow us @bhpodcastnetwork and be on the lookout for more inspiring conversations in our new format.
Guest: Ed Kashi
Episode Timeline:
0:00: Ed Kashi: Anticipate & React
3:16: Ed's reflexes to anticipate and react and not be in control of situations he documents.
5:45: Ed's approach to social media: He can be his own publisher.
9:45: Your archive is the essence of who you are as a photographer.
12:31: Ed's switch to digital photography in 2002.
16:30: An early ambition to be a writer rather than a photographer.
21:33: Ed's Aging in America project and his entry to video.
26:58: Collaborating with his wife Julie Winokur on multimedia projects & knowing how to work together with a partner.
33:08: The importance of a support staff to running his business, plus his Talking Eyes Media nonprofit.
39:04: Finding new ways to fund ambitious creative projects and distribute through major media outlets.
45:38: Ed's theory of Abandoned Moments & capturing the in-between moments not in control.
56:32: Being accountable for the pictures you make & not reinforcing stereotypes.
1:05:14: Ed's most difficult story in Iraq & his first panic attack
Guest Bio: Ed Kashi believes in the power of still images to change people's minds. This renowned photojournalist, filmmaker, speaker, and educator has been making images and telling stories for 45 years. As a member of VII Photo, Kashi has been recognized for his complex imagery and its compelling rendering of the human condition. His editorial assignments and personal projects have generated fourteen books and several influential short films, and his award-winning images have been published and exhibited worldwide.
Dedicated to the social and political issues that define our times, Ed's restless creativity has continually placed him at the forefront of new approaches to visual storytelling. His embrace of technology has spawned unique ways to combine photography and filmmaking—from creative social media projects to immersive multimedia projections, and beyond. In 2002, Ed, together with his wife, the writer + filmmaker Julie Winokur, founded Talking Eyes Media as a non-profit company focused on producing short films, exhibitions, books, and multimedia pieces that explore significant social issues.
Stay Connected:
Ed Kashi Website: https://www.edkashi.com
Talking Eyes Media Website: https://talkingeyesmedia.org
The Enigma Room Website: https://www.enigmaroom.me
Ed Kashi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edkashi
Talking Eyes Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingeyesmedia/
B&H Podcast Network Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhpodcastnetwork/
B&H Podcast Network Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BHPodcastNetwork
Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Technical Producer/Video Editor: Peter Maziarz
Executive Producer: Dana Glidden
