The Photowalk

• #481 An ever changing canvas

  The mailbag returns today alongside my guest Mark Fearnley, a London-based street photographer known for his minimalist, fine art approach to urban storytelling, where lines, light, and shadow play leading roles. With a background rooted in the arts, his shift to photography felt like a natural extension of how he sees the world. In this episode, Mark shares the story of how he found his visual voice, why the city of London in particular remains his ever-changing canvas, and how his work challenges the traditional idea of what street photography should look like. Alongside creating striking, often cinematic imagery, he also spends time guiding others, not just in technique, but in learning to observe with intent.  Also, in the monthly feature Teach Me Street, Valérie Jardin answers what ‘makes an image,’ and unpicks how photographers can recognise that they have captured something really quite special. Plus, Extra Miler Dennis Linden sets a new assignment for the month. From the mailbag two Chris’s, Articulate and Parsons celebrate the sights and sounds of our Indian special, Charles Mason reminds us of the power of hands, and how much hands say about us in a portrait, plus Lin Gregory has important and special thoughts about safety for women photographers on the paths we tread. Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, who sponsor this show, plus our Extra Milers, without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.

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• #480 A GRAND INDIA ADVENTURE SPECIAL

  This week, The Photowalk steps into another world. I’ve swapped the familiar footpaths of my English home for the rich tapestry of India, a country that stirs something profound in you from the moment you arrive. The air feels heavier with story, the colours seem to hum, and every turn in the road holds a scene you’ve not experienced before. India doesn’t just invite you in, it wraps itself around you. In this special episode, I travel with nine curious photographers through Delhi and Jodhpur, cameras at the ready, to witness many scenes, including the festival of colour, Holi, where colourful powders of the Spring celebration hang in the air, and the streets come alive.  Alongside co-leader Jason Florio and our Indian guides Shivam and Arvind, I talk photography, travel, and the way India overwhelms every sense: the smell of spice and diesel, the sounds of laughter and rickshaws, the heat, the rhythm, the way that everyday life plays out with a sense of theatre, spontaneous, heartfelt, and unforgettable. Part postcard, part diary, this is your personal invitation to join me and become the Other Traveller. Because next year, we’re doing it again. Photographers often talk about seeing with fresh eyes, but India doesn’t just give you that. It wonderfully demands it. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, 3 Legged Thing and LOWA who sponsor this show, plus our Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.

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• #479 The passage of time: A love letter to photography

  In this special extended episode, I spend the day with my good friend, documentary photographer Giles Penfound, once the head of photography for the British Army, now a passionate ambassador for the slower, more intentional world of film photography. We’re in the darkroom together, where Giles takes the film I shot recently in India and brings it to life. If you’ve ever wondered what really goes on in that red-lit sanctuary, or what it means to wait, to watch, and to witness an image slowly emerge from nothing, this one’s for you. Even if you’ve never stepped into a darkroom, there’s something in this about patience, process, and friendship that I hope might just land with you. It’s part workshop, part fireside chat, and at times it gets deeply personal. Over a cooked breakfast in a feature I call In the Fryer, I ask Giles some tougher questions, the kind you only ask a friend you trust, and the kind that lead to answers you don’t always expect. This is a story about time and about why film photography, with all its waiting and wonder, still has something powerful to teach us in a world that wants everything now. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to Arthelper and LOWA who sponsor this show, plus our Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.

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• #478 What is your TRUE measure of success?

  In this holiday archive special, I’m joined by two remarkable photographers whose work has shaped how we see the world: Joel Meyerowitz and Ed Kashi. Both share how they found their craft, revealing personal stories and the ethos that guides their creative lives. I think, this will stand as one of the most inspirational editions I have edited for the Photowalk show. Joel reflects further upon his time documenting Ground Zero in the Aftermath project of 9/11. As the only photographer granted unrestricted access, he created a comprehensive archive that stands as a testament to resilience and remembrance to this day. He shares how this experience reshaped his perspective on photography and its role in chronicling history. ​ Ed talks with me about ’The Sandwich Generation,’ a deeply personal project where he and his wife, filmmaker Julie Winokur, documented their journey of moving cross-country to care for Julie's ageing father, Herb, who suffered from dementia. Through this intimate lens, Ed discusses the emotional complexities of caregiving and challenges the common misconceptions about photojournalism, emphasising its capacity to tell profound personal stories beyond the headlines. This episode is about the narratives that shape our understanding of humanity and the measures of success that go beyond accolades. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to Arthelper and LOWA who sponsor this show, plus our Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.

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• #477 Finding Mountain Therapy

  Canadian landscape photographer Lee Nordbye hikes climbs, and skates with a camera in hand, embracing what he calls mountain therapy to navigate life and mental health. In this episode, Lee shares how time in the Rockies helped him following an unexpected career change and a battle with depression. He's now giving back by teaching, guiding, and using his lens to inspire a connection with nature. This is a wonderful conversational meander where we talk about healing, creativity, and the quiet power of the wild. Also, on the show from the mailbag, Paul Friday’s trying to coax us into photographing underwater, but after hearing what’s coming up, I’m not sure I’ll even risk a paddle in the bath. Chris Smith’s found his own kind of mountain therapy in the Lake District, Chris Hale is getting wistful about a hiking trip with his wife, and Myles Barfield is discovering a quiet comfort wrapped in the morning mist. Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to MPB, Arthelper and LOWA who sponsor this show, plus our Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week. WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.

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