Shows / The MOOD Podcast
The MOOD Podcast
The MOOD Podcast is a long-form conversation series exploring photography, creativity, identity, and the inner life of artists. Hosted by Matt Jacob, the show moves beyond technique and trends to examine why people make work, how creative voices are formed, and what it takes to sustain a meaningful artistic life.
Through thoughtful, unhurried conversations with photographers, filmmakers, and creative thinkers from around the world, the podcast explores themes of process, mental health, ethics…
Episodes
The MOOD PodcastFeeling Like a Fraud Doesn’t Make You One, Says Photographer Emiliano Zúñiga Hernández
In this episode I’m joined by Emiliano Zúñiga Hernández, a Costa Rican photographer whose photobook Paraíso, published by Trespasser in 2023, grew out of one…
The MOOD PodcastWhat If a Photographer’s Fear of Failure Isn’t Fear at All? Psychologist Zahra Ciardi Explains
I'm joined again by Zahra Ciardi, a registered psychologist and the founder of Ascendant Bali, for a second conversation about the psychology behind…
The MOOD PodcastQ&A: Why Your Photos Might Feel Stagnant (And How to Fix It) - Moments of Mood, 4.2
This is a Q&A with questions sent in by photographers from my community. I answer whether your audience needs to understand your photography, if a project shot…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Photobooks Will Outlast the Internet - Matthew Genitempo (Part 2)
THIS IS PART 2 OF A 2 PART CONVERSATION WITH MATTHEW GENITEMPO. In Part 2 of my conversation with photographer and publisher Matthew Genitempo, we go deep into…
The MOOD PodcastIf You Still Question Your Photography, You Are Not Alone, So Does Matthew Genitempo (Part 1)
THIS IS PART 1 OF A 2 PART CONVERSATION WITH MATTHEW GENITEMPO. I sat down with photographer Matthew Genitempo, the graphic designer turned photographer and…
The MOOD PodcastAndrea Modica's answer to the question every photographer asks eventually: what's the point? E134
I sat down with Andrea Modica, the ‘Italian Story’ photographer (as well many other books) who has made every photograph since 1980 with an 8x10 view camera…
The MOOD PodcastYour Worst Thoughts Arrive Dressed as Your Best Ideas - Moments of Mood, 4.1
In this week’s Moments of Mood episode, you’ll learn why I believe meditation is the most direct route to a photographic voice that is unmistakably yours, and…
The MOOD PodcastRichard Sharum On 600 Deaths And His New Book 'American Homicide', E132
In this week’s podcast episode you'll learn why the photographs you're most proud of are probably the ones hiding you, and what a documentary photographer who…
The MOOD PodcastWork Does Not Speak For Itself - Moments of Mood, 4.0
In this week’s Moments of Mood episode, you'll learn the 4 questions curators, juries, and publishers silently ask about every photography project, and how to…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Should Anyone Care About Your Photography? Shana Lopes, E130
Learn exactly what an SFMOMA photography curator looks for, what she passes over, and how to get your work seen without an MFA, a gallery, or a 6-paragraph…
The MOOD PodcastStop Explaining Your Photographs - Moments of Mood, 3.9
In this Moments of Mood episode, I get into the question of whether we as photographers should explain our images or let them try and ‘speak for themselves’…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Your Photos Are Boring - Photographer David Chancellor Explains..., E128
On this episode, I sat down with David Chancellor, the award-winning documentary photographer behind ‘Hunters’, ‘Handle Like Eggs’, and the Taylor Wessing…
The MOOD PodcastOne Photograph Is All You Get Now, and Why That's Good News for Photographers - Moments of Mood, 3.8
Attention has collapsed, and every photographer feels it. In this Moments of Mood episode, I make the case that this might be the best thing to happen to…
The MOOD PodcastOdette England Answers Every Photographer's Worst Fear, E126
Odette England makes her photographs and then damages them, and this conversation is about why that is the most honest thing she has ever done with her voice…
The MOOD PodcastHow To Find Your Voice Without Building a Signature Style - Moments of Mood, 3.7
In this Moments of Mood episode I sit with a single photograph from my own archive, one I made by accident in under ten seconds, and use it to unpack an idea…
The MOOD PodcastTrent Davis Bailey: Every Photographer Hits The Wrong Notes Before Finding Their Voice, E124
Trent Davis Bailey spent 7 years photographing a remote farming valley in Colorado, convinced he was making documentary work. He wasn't. The pictures knew…
The MOOD PodcastThe One Skill That Actually Makes Photography Beautiful (It's Not Composition) - Moments of Mood, 3.6
In this episode you'll discover why beauty in photography is made by your attention, not found in your subjects, and how reading your own form reveals the…
The MOOD PodcastThe Inner Voice That Stops You Taking the Photo And Lies to Every Photographer, with Rory King - E122
If you have ever felt technically capable but creatively lost, this conversation shows you how one photographer turned a decade of pictures, and the hardest…
The MOOD PodcastWhat Koudelka's Photos Show Photographers About Finding Their Voice in the Age of AI - Moments of Mood, 3.5
In this solo episode of Moments of Mood, you'll learn why the flood of AI images is about to make real, human photography more valuable, not less, and how to…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Photographer Ridwan Didot Asks Every Artist "What's Wrong With You?", E120
In this episode you'll learn how to tell whether your photography is actually art, why chasing technical perfection is holding your work back, and how to…
The MOOD PodcastYour Body Decides the Photograph Before You Do - Photographer Tim Carpenter, E119
Matt sits down with photographer, writer, and educator Tim Carpenter, author of 'To Photograph Is to Learn How to Die' and photobooks such as 'Local Objects'…
The MOOD PodcastZahra Ciardi - The True Self, Limiting Beliefs & Why Photographers Crave Validation, E118
Matt talks with psychologist Zahra Ciardi, founder of Ascendant Bali, to explore the inner life of the creative person: why so many photographers feel their…
The MOOD PodcastCristina Mittermeier Explains Why Being A Good Photographer Isn't Enough Anymore, E117
Cristina Mittermeier is a National Geographic photographer, co-founder of SeaLegacy, and author of "Hope." Her work has been featured in National Geographic's…
The MOOD PodcastThe One Question That Helped Rich-Joseph Facun Find His Photographic Voice, E116
In this episode, Matt sits down with Rich-Joseph Facun, a celebrated American documentary photographer, former photojournalist of 15 years, and founder of the…
The MOOD PodcastPricing, Prestige & The Business Of Photography - Miriam Schulman, E115
In this episode, Matt sits down with Miriam Schulman, professional artist, art business coach, host of the Inspiration Place podcast, and bestselling author of…
The MOOD PodcastThe Psychological Trap Quietly Destroying Your Photography - Moments of Mood 3.4
In this Moments of Mood episode of The MOOD Podcast, Matt returns after a road accident left him physically immobilised for several weeks, unable to…
The MOOD PodcastMark Power - 14 Years Photographing America, The Democracy of Photography & Why Stillness Matters More Than The Decisive Moment, E114
In this episode, Matt sits down with Magnum photographer Mark Power for a wide-ranging conversation about long-term documentary photography, creative process…
The MOOD PodcastChico Review, part 2 - What a Portfolio Review Taught Me About My Photography (That 10 Years Didn't)
Listen to part one here Watch part one here ________________________ In Part 2 of this special Chico Review 2026 episode, Matt continues documenting his week…
The MOOD PodcastChico Review 2026 - part 1: Why Feedback Beats 10,000 Followers
The Chico Review destroyed my confidence. Then built it back... THIS IS PART 1 OF A 2 PART FEATURE ON CHICO REVIEW 2026 - SEE PART 2 NEXT WEEK. I arrived at…
The MOOD PodcastEvery Photo Is a Crime Scene - Brad Zellar on How He Reads Photography and Inspects an Image, E111
In this episode of The MOOD Podcast, I sit down with writer Brad Zellar, whose deep relationship to photography, photo books, storytelling, and visual culture…
The MOOD PodcastBefore You Improve Your Photography, Read Yourself First - Moments of Mood, 3.3
In this episode of Moments of Mood, I explore why self-awareness is the missing foundation behind meaningful photography. After spending a few days at a silent…
The MOOD Podcast“25 Years With National Geographic” Joe McNally on What Photography Lost (And What It Gained) - E110
Joe McNally, legendary professional photographer best known for his work with National Geographic, Life, and major commercial clients, and for his mastery of…
The MOOD PodcastThe Mindset of a Hasselblad Master Photographer - Tina Signesdottir, E109
Tina Signesdottir is a Norwegian fine art portrait photographer and Hasselblad Master, known for natural light portraits with rare emotional intimacy. In her…
The MOOD PodcastYour Story Isn’t Needed - Pie Aerts Finds Meaning Within The Pressure Machine Of Photography, E108
In this episode, I sit down with photographer Pie Aerts to unpack the philosophies, struggles, and decisions that have shaped his work over the last decade…
The MOOD PodcastFinding Contentment, Craft, And Community In Photography - Answering Your Questions! Moments of Mood, 3.2
What if your best work starts with a quiet cup and a clear mind? We kick off the year with an honest, unscripted 'Ask Me Anything' episode that explores how…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Most Photographers Never Begin - Wesley Verhoeve, E107
In this episode of The MOOD Podcast, I sit down with photographer, writer, and mentor Wesley Verhoeve for a grounded conversation about photography process…
The MOOD PodcastThe Best Bits of 2025 - Moments of Mood, 3.1
The year didn’t teach us to shoot faster. It taught us to go deeper. We close out 2025 by stitching together the most resonant moments from a season of hard…
The MOOD PodcastWhy The Only Reason You Should Be a Photographer is Obsession - Jesse Lenz: E106
In this episode - the last guest episode of 2025 - I sit down with photographer, publisher, and curator Jesse Lenz for one of the most expansive and honest…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Nobody Cares About Your Photography
Nobody cares about your photography. We don’t need more of 'any old' photographers. Yet survival as culture and society with soul is completely dependent on…
The MOOD PodcastThe Photographer Who Puts Humanity on Trial: Nick Brandt on Sentience, Power, and Responsibility, E105
British photographer and environmental storyteller Nick Brandt joins the show for a raw, expansive conversation on art, climate collapse, sentience, and the…
The MOOD PodcastThe Collapse of the American Dream - Photography as Witness: Bryan Schutmaat, E104
Bryan Schutmaat is a photographer, publisher, and quiet poet of the American West. Known for books such as Grays the Mountain Sends, Good Goddamn, and Sons of…
The MOOD PodcastWhat Can We Trust About The Past And Why It Still Shapes Our Work: Kent Andreasen, EP103
Kent Andreasen, a Cape Town-based photographer and filmmaker, joins me to talk about his new photobook Memory Bank (published by Witty Books), which tells the…
The MOOD PodcastHow Photography Helped Him Survive Not Belonging Anywhere: Marshall To, EO102
”What if the stories that shape us are the ones we can't remember?" Marshall To, a photographer whose photobook 'Blank Notes' explores ancestry, memory, and…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Photography Works Better When You Stop Faking It - Phil Sharp, E101
Phil Sharp, an award winning British portrait photographer, talks about the human core of portrait photography and why music, language, and time can turn…
The MOOD PodcastDo you need a massive following to build a sustainable creative career? Moments of Mood 3.0
Welcome to another episode of Moments of Mood, this time about how to monetise - even just a little bit - the wonderful parts of us that are creative. Turning…
The MOOD PodcastIs Creativity Enough? Chris Do's advice for creatives, content, and The Futur - E100
“If you don’t value yourself, why should anyone else?” Chris Do is an Emmy-award-winning designer, founder of The Futur, and one of the most sought-after…
The MOOD PodcastHow to Stay Relevant as a Photographer in the Age of AI , Moments of Mood 2.9
What happens when the world is flooded with AI images, tools, and “perfect” feeds? In this episode of Moments of MOOD, I sit down to talk about what it really…
The MOOD PodcastAmi Vitale's Vision to Use Photography for Real-World Impact, E099
Step into the world of Ami Vitale, National Geographic photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Vital Impacts, as she shares her journey from covering conflict…
The MOOD PodcastThe Secret Behind Joel Grimes’ Iconic Photography Style, E098
Joel Grimes doesn’t just take photographs, he creates illusions that make the impossible feel real. In this episode, we dive deep into the mind of a true…
The MOOD PodcastThe Reality of Finding Your Voice as a Photographer - Ed Sykes, E097
Ed Sykes has lived many chapters through photography — from the chaos of war zones and the rush of front-page news to the polished world of fashion editorials…
The MOOD PodcastAsk Me Anything: Everything You Wanted to Know About Life & Photography - Moments of Mood, 2.8
I’m answering your questions about photography, creativity, and what keeps me motivated in this AMA. We dive into the real stuff. What inspires me, the…
The MOOD PodcastThe Truth About Building a Career in Photography - Vanessa Joy E096
She’s built a photography business that spans decades, continents, and platforms — but behind the portfolio is a deeper story. In this episode of The MOOD…
The MOOD PodcastWhy Most Creatives Burn Out While Building a Business - Shane Vitaly, E095
If you're building something and wondering how to do it without losing yourself, or if you're a creative caught between vision and survival, this one is for…
The MOOD PodcastWhat Happens When Architecture Meets the Camera? - Stephen Karlisch, E094
"My photographs don't grow up dreaming of being pixels." What does it mean to make timeless work in a digital world obsessed with speed, algorithms, and…
The MOOD PodcastThe Performance Trap and Creative Amnesia - Moments of Mood, 2.7
That familiar question we all dread - "So, what do you do?" - is more than small talk. It's a sorting mechanism that triggers our instinct to perform rather…
The MOOD PodcastSearching for Lost Color: Jake Paul White, E093
"I was one of those kids who really struggled at school... creativity was my saviour." Jake Paul White is a British painter whose earthy, soulful work explores…
The MOOD PodcastHow I’d Learn Photography in 2025 (If I Were Starting from Scratch) - Moments of Mood, 2.6
Welcome back to another episode of Moments of Mood, and this week I break down how I would actually learn photography if I were starting over today. Not from…
The MOOD PodcastIf You Feel Blocked Creatively, This Might Be Why: Ryan Moresby-White, EO92
"If you're not waking up excited about your path, it might be time to ask different questions." Ryan Moresby-White explores how unresolved childhood wounds…
The MOOD PodcastThe number one reason you can't find your voice as an artist, and how I found mine - Moments of Mood, 2.5
In this special episode of Moments of Mood, I’m sharing my keynote speech from the Global Possibilities Summit, where I spoke on a topic close to my heart: How…
The MOOD PodcastThink You’re Not Ready? This Photographer Says Start Anyway - Mitchell Kanashkevich, E091
"Sometimes the photo is the excuse - the real gift is the connection." ___________ Mitchell Kanashkevich is a travel and documentary photographer best known…