Photography is Nothing

Zach & Courtney interview Christopher Morris, a documentary photographer who has covered war, politics, and fashion since 1981.

In this interview, Morris talks about being mistaken for a CIA agent, living with the consequences of witnessing atrocities firsthand, working to make sure his vast archive lives on, and more.

Christopher Morris got his start with the Black Star agency covering conflicts in the Philippines, Panama, the Persian Gulf War, Yugoslavia, Chechnya, Yemen, Iraq, and more. 

Largely leaving war photography behind in the early 2000s, Morris covered the Bush and Obama administrations for Time Magazine. He left Black Star in 2001 and was one of the founding members of VII Photo Agency.

In recent years, Morris has photographed for fashion magazines & brands, worked as the personal photographer for Princess Charlene of Monaco, and continued to take breaking news & editorial assignments around the world.

Index
0:00 - Interview with Christopher Morris
3:50 - TIME said stop photographing Republicans in black & white
7:25 - Going through 40 years of photo archives
16:47 - Chris was hired by the Princess of Monaco
18:40 - Keeping your copyright 
22:30 - Stephen Shore as an influence
25:58 - 1981 on the New York Subway
28:22 - What he learned from Susan Meiselas
30:50 - Don’t stay in hotels as a documentary photographer
33:09 - Taking photos behind the handler’s back in Saudi Arabia
37:56 - Are photojournalists capitalizing on suffering?
44:16 - Winning awards for war photography
47:49 - The toll it takes on the family of a war photographer
58:05 - Taking portraits & maintaining journalistic integrity
1:03:14 - The influence of W. Eugene Smith’s Country Doctor
1:23:22 - How does a conflict photographer get to the front lines?
1:37:27 - Getting the best seat in the house without a pass
1:42:04 - How Morris got to the front lines in Iraq
1:47:14 - When photographing the government means you’re one of them
 1:57:30 - PTSD: No one asked if he needed help
2:02:18 - Israel has killed over 200 journalists in Gaza
2:04:50 - Planning a visit to see the archives in person

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Find Zach
Website: https://zachdobson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/
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Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happylifelessons/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

About the Podcast
Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. 

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement
This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.

Christopher Morris is a documentary photographer who has covered wars, politics, and fashion since 1981. In this episode, Courtney & Zach introduce Morris’s photography ahead of next week’s interview with the photographer.

Christopher Morris got his start with the Black Star agency covering conflicts in the Philippines, Panama, the Persian Gulf War, Yugoslavia, Chechnya, Yemen, Iraq, and more. 

Largely leaving war photography behind in the early 2000s, Morris covered the Bush and Obama administrations for Time Magazine. He left Black Star in 2001 and was one of the founding members of VII Photo Agency.

In recent years, Morris has photographed for fashion magazines & brands, worked as the personal photographer for Princess Charlene of Monaco, and continued to take breaking news & editorial assignments around the world.

Index
0:31 - The Photography Christopher Morris
6:36 - How Christopher Morris got started in photography
10:35 - Photographing the conflict in Chechnya - 1990s
18:25 - Documenting American politics in the early 2000s
23:15 - Books by Christopher Morris: My America and Americans
29:24 - Archiving decades of film photos
32:00 - Moscow in the 1990s
34:01 - Fashion photography paired with war and politics
40:00 - New York City subway in 1981
41:31 - How Christopher Morris’s photos have influenced Zach
43:25 - How do you decide to be a war photographer

Buy, Sell or Trade with MPB:
https://shorturl.at/Szqs2

Find Zach
Website: https://zachdobson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happylifelessons/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

About the Podcast
Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. 

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement
This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.

Episode 45 • Kiliii Yüyan
Zach & Courtney interview Kiliii Yüyan, National Geographic photographer, Explorer, and speaker. Kiliii’s work focuses on indigenous communities around the world with special attention to environmental issues.

Indigenous Photography
Kiliii is himself of Chinese and Nanai/Hèzhé descent and speaks often of how his own background informs his photography with Indigenous people of the world. He spends extended periods with each group of people that he photographs, building relationships and serving as an active member of the communities.

Kiliii has photographed Indigenous communities and environments across the globe, such as Mongolia, Palau, and the Navajo Nation. His immersive approach is apparent in all aspects of his work, from the unusual scenes he's able to capture, to the descriptions he writes for each photograph. Kiliii is clearly well versed in the cultures he's documenting.

Backstory
Yüyan took up photography only in his 30's, when as a traditional kayak builder he began photographing his work. As a visual artist, photography came naturally, and he was photographing for National Geographic in just about 3 years.

An award winning photographer, Killiii has also earned 3 covers for National Geographic and his work has also been featured in TIME, Vogue, and WIRED. Yüyan is a keynote speaker through Changemaker Talent with appearances at TEDx, and NatGeo Live, among others.

Current Work
In February 2026, Kiliii published a new book: Guardians of Life: Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Science, and Restoring the Planet. Guardians of Life features a decade of of his photos and includes contributions from two dozen Indigenous authors.

Yüyan is currently working on project in the arctic, photographing Greenland sharks under the ice. He's famously known for his encounters with polar bears, sharks, and other wildlife where he captures stunning images under intense pressure.

Index
0:00 - Intro: Indigenous communities are the best conservationists
0:52 - Introducing photographer Kiliii Yüyan
3:41 - Three years to becoming a National Geographic photographer
5:28 - Combining aesthetics and storytelling
9:03 - Becoming a part of the community you’re photographing
11:24 - How Kiliii finds the stories he tells
17:44 - The business of documentary photography: grants, speaking engagements, and more
32:35 - Bringing indigenous heritage to documentary photography
39:50 - A natural skill for storytelling
42:59 - Pushing past your discomfort to find success
46:12 - New book: Guardians of Life
53:22 - Indigenous conservation: Treating land as a museum vs a home 
59:05 - Kiliii explains “solutions journalism”
1:06:20 - Book publisher Braided River’s unique approach
1:10:26 - Documentary photography is for kids, too

Buy, Sell or Trade with MPB:
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Find Zach
Website: https://zachdobson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happylifelessons/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

About the Podcast
Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. 

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement
This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.

Zach & Courtney introduce you to the work of Kiliii Yüyan, National Geographic photographer. Kiliii’s work focuses on indigenous communities around the world with special attention to environmental issues.

This week we talk about Kiliii’s background and some of his best known work so you’ll be familiar with his photography and approach before our next episode, an in-depth interview with Yüyan.

In February 2026, Kiliii published a new book: Guardians of Life: Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Science, and Restoring the Planet. 

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson 

Index
0:00 - Making the cover of National Geographic
0:48 - Meet Kiliii Yüyan
6:04 - The impartial observer is a myth
8:46 - Project: People of the Whale
30:05 - Project: We are Here
40:42 - Guardians of Life book

Buy, Sell or Trade with MPB:
https://shorturl.at/Szqs2

Find Zach
Website: https://zachdobson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happylifelessons/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Zach & Courtney talk about supporting their kids taking photos. Zach has always been open to letting kids use his professional cameras, even if it made him nervous at first. 

ICYMI, Zach & Courtney ARE married! They have 5 kids together, who have free rein with cameras whenever they ask. 

In this episode, Zach & Courtney talk about how they work to support their kids’ creativity and individual styles without putting their own personal preferences and aesthetics onto the kids’ photography.

Episode 43

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson 

Index
0:00 - Intro: Keeping opinions to yourself.
1:09 - We’re married
5:23 - All 5 of our kids like to take photos (sometimes)
9:05 - Letting kids use professional cameras
12:32 - The kids like to use the smaller, mirrorless camera
14:06 - Zach doesn’t teach photography lessons (unless asked)
17:05 - How I set up cameras for kids
18:31 - Take photos of whatever you think is interesting
23:56 - Louisa takes headshots for the cast of her play
28:42 - Kids learn from what they see me do
35:05 - Helping kids feel comfortable being themselves
40:31 - Zach & Courtney’s viral video: kids using Instax cameras
45:01 - Courtney’s view on “high art”
51:44 - Street photography photo contest

Buy, Sell or Trade with MPB:
https://shorturl.at/Szqs2

Find Zach
Website: https://zachdobson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happylifelessons/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

About the Podcast
Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. 

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement
This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.