Foto Podcast

In this episode of the Foto Podcast, we’re joined by photographer and longform journalist Elliot Ross, whose thoughtful work bridges storytelling, ecology, culture, and human rights across the American West. From growing up on a remote farm in Colorado to assisting legends like Annie Leibovitz and Mark Seliger in New York, Elliot’s journey has taken him from the fashion world to remote caves, wheat harvests, indigenous communities, and ecological restoration zones. We discuss his powerful projects, such as A Question of Balance and Geography of Hope, which explore issues of water access, climate change, and the cultural histories intertwined with land and community. Elliot opens up about what it means to live a photographic life, how his camera connects him to people and place, and why he believes photography still matters in a world full of noise. This episode is a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation on photography, advocacy, and the quiet richness that comes from paying close attention to the world around us. Connect with Elliot Web - elliotstudio.com [https://elliotstudio.com/] Instagram - instagram.com/elliotstudio [https://www.instagram.com/elliotstudio] Foto - @elliotstudio [https://the.fotoapp.co/elliotstudio] Thanks to our Sponsors! State Film Lab [https://statefilmlab.com/] and MUSEA [https://musealab.com]. Get full access to Foto at fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe [https://fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In this episode of the Foto Podcast, we’re joined by New York photographer Angela Cappetta. A lifelong documentarian, Angela Cappetta's work captures the depth and nuance of everyday life with bold honesty and vibrant storytelling. Angela shares the journey from her earliest photos as a child to her years working under icons like Mary Ellen Mark and Arthur Elgort to her celebrated long-term project documenting a family on the Lower East Side. We discuss her first book, her love for flash photography, and why editing is one of the most emotional and essential parts of the creative process. Angela also opens up about the hustle of life as an artist, the grind of grant writing, what she’s learned from the publishing world, and how weddings became one of the richest visual playgrounds in her career. This conversation is packed with wisdom, humor, and truth bombs about photography, storytelling, and the reality of being an artist for the long haul. 🔗 Resources & Links: * 📸 See Angela’s Work: angelacappetta.com [https://www.angelacappetta.com] * 📷 Follow Angela on Foto: @angelacappetta * 📬 Follow Angela on Substack: Angela Cappetta [https://open.substack.com/pub/throughalensdarkly] * 📷 Instagram: @angelacappetta_ [https://www.instagram.com/angelacappetta_] * 📚 Buy her book: Glendalis [https://www.angelacappetta.com/store/p/signed-monograph-pre-order-from-artist] * 📥 Download Foto now on the App Store [https://apps.apple.com/app/id6453682910] or Google Play [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.fotoapp.foto] – no ads, no videos, no crop, and a chronological feed that celebrates real photography. Get full access to Foto at fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe [https://fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In this episode of the Foto Podcast, we sit down with Michael Wriston, a Baltimore-based street portrait and long-exposure photographer whose work captures the soul of the city—one person, one building, one streetlight at a time. Michael shares how photography became a grounding force in his life during military night shifts and how it evolved into a way of deeply connecting with the world around him. We talk about the energy of late-night wandering, what it means to photograph lived-in neighborhoods, and the stories told by forgotten buildings and hand-painted signs. Michael’s work is all about seeing the beauty in what others overlook—and documenting it with empathy, curiosity, and respect. Whether photographing strangers on their stoops or exploring alleys at 2 a.m., Michael brings a calm, authentic presence to his work that shines through in every frame. 🔗 Resources & Links: • 📸 See Michael’s Work: michaelwriston.com [https://www.michaelwriston.com/] • 🖼️ Follow Michael on Foto: @mwriston [https://the.fotoapp.co/wriston] • 📷 Follow Michael on Substack: Ten Minute Exposure [https://open.substack.com/pub/michaelwriston] • 📚 Mentioned in the episode: Wide Angle Youth Media [https://www.wideanglemedia.org/], Baltimore Photo Space [https://baltimorephotospace.com/] ➡️ Download Foto on the App Store [https://apps.apple.com/app/id6453682910] or Google Play [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.fotoapp.foto] — no ads, no videos, no crop, and a real chronological feed. Foto is photography how it should be—focused, intentional, and built around community. Get full access to Foto at fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe [https://fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In this episode of the Foto Podcast, documentary photojournalist Justin Hamel shares the incredible stories behind his work on the U.S.–Mexico border. From his early days exploring abandoned buildings in Pennsylvania to documenting the realities of migration, law enforcement, and energy production in Texas, Justin’s photography is grounded in empathy, persistence, and a commitment to truth. We talk about everything from how a devastating spinal cord injury reshaped his life and, work to the human cost of border policies, the rise in migrant deaths in the desert, and his long-term projects like Almost America, Camino de los Muertos, and Post Office Murals. It’s an honest, moving conversation about storytelling, advocacy, and the power of showing up with a camera. Resources & Links: • justinmhamel.com [https://www.justinmhamel.com] • Buy Prints [https://client.fronterastudio.com/fotoprintsale/] • Follow Justin on Foto [https://the.fotoapp.co/justinhamel] • Follow Justin on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jmhamel/] The Foto Substack and Podcast is a community-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Foto at fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe [https://fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In this episode, we sit down with Nick Gervin, a documentary photographer from Portland, Maine, whose raw and unfiltered work captures the unseen side of city life. Nick shares his journey from overcoming two traumatic brain injuries to using photography as a tool for recovery and self-expression. We dive deep into his decade-long project, Portlanders, his thoughts on documentary photography, the role of flash in his work, and how skateboarding shaped his visual style. Plus, we talk about his latest project, Mainers, where he’s expanding his lens beyond the city to capture the essence of his home state. If you love honest, compelling storytelling through photography, this episode is for you. Resources & Links: 📸 Follow Nick Gervin: NickGervin.com [https://www.nickgervin.com] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nick_gervin/] | Foto - nick_gervin [http://the.fotoapp.co/nick_gervin] 📖 Check out his book: Portlanders 📷 Try Foto! Download Foto now on the Apple [https://apps.apple.com/app/id6453682910] https://apps.apple.com/app/id6453682910App Store [https://apps.apple.com/app/id6453682910] and Google Play [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.fotoapp.foto] – no ads, no cropping, and a chronological feed that puts photography first! 🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow photographers! Foto is a community-supported organization. To receive new posts and podcast episodes and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Foto at fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe [https://fotoapp.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]