S2.E5 – Pablo Circa & Essi Westerman on Creating Their First Gallery Show

f/22 - Photographer Interviews by VSCO · Feb 26, 2026 · 30m

In this episode of f/22, Zach Hodges sits down with Oakland photographers Pablo Circa and Essi Westerman at VSCO headquarters to talk about creating their very first gallery exhibition: Street Stories: Oakland in Focus.

What started as an idea during a lonely season turned into a community-powered show featuring 42 photographers and dozens of handwritten “written portraits” collected from people across Oakland. Pablo and Essi break down the full journey—from concept and open call to curation, printing, framing, and opening night overwhelm.

They share what it actually takes to make a group…