f/22 - Photographer Interviews by VSCO

S2.E6 – From Photos to Profit: David Godinez on Pricing, Video, and the Real Work

In this episode of f/22, Greg Lutze sits down with Bay Area photographer and filmmaker David Godinez in San Francisco to talk about the realities of turning photography into a career. David shares how he got started, why photography is just his starting point, and how his work has evolved into video and post-production. The conversation focuses on the often-overlooked side of the craft: business. From pricing your work to shifting your mindset, David breaks down what it actually takes to go from hobbyist to professional. 📌 This episode explores: • The mindset shift from artist to business owner • Why pricing your work is so difficult (and so important) • How to approach the transition into video • When to hire vs. learn new skills • Building a sustainable creative career   Follow David: David Godinez Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidrgoda/ [https://www.instagram.com/davidrgoda/] Website: https://www.davidgodinez.com/ [https://www.davidgodinez.com/] ⸻ Chapters: 00:00 “You’re Not an Artist, You’re a Business” 00:23 Introduction in San Francisco 01:02 How David Got Into Photography 02:13 Why Photography Is Just the Starting Point 02:16 Early Days of Video & YouTube 03:26 The Shift from Photo to Video 04:47 Should Photographers Take on Video? 05:40 Learning by Hiring People Better Than You 06:22 The Hard Transition to Going Pro 06:36 Why Most Photographers Undervalue Their Work 07:07 Artist vs. Business Mindset 08:03 Why Business Skills Aren’t Taught 08:30 Learning Through Community 09:08 The Reality of Pricing & Overhead 09:29 Why Pricing Transparency Matters 10:31 The Problem with Undercutting 10:54 The “Oakland Strong” Documentary 12:17 From Local Project to Film Festival Run 13:21 Where to Find David’s Work ⸻ Hashtags: #PhotographyBusiness #FreelancePhotographer #PhotographyCareer #CreativeEntrepreneur #Videography #F22Series #VSCO #PhotographyCommunity

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

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 exhibition happen, how they narrowed 100+ submissions down to 42 images, and why they chose feeling over technical perfection. They also reflect on collaboration as “jazz,” building something rooted in love for their city, and creating space for Oakland to be seen beyond the headlines. 📌 This episode explores: • How to create your first photography gallery show • Turning a creative idea into a physical exhibition • Curating 100+ submissions down to a cohesive body of work • Pairing photographs with handwritten community stories • Building connection through art and collaboration Follow Pablo & Essi: Pablo Circa Website: https://www.pablocirca.com/ [https://www.pablocirca.com/] Essi Westerman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essiwesterman/ [https://www.instagram.com/essiwesterman/] ———————— Chapters:  00:00 Introducing Street Stories: Oakland in Focus 02:25 The Idea Behind Their First Gallery 05:10 From Injury to Photography 08:54 Building the Concept 12:11 “Follow the Feeling” 15:27 The Open Call & 100+ Submissions 18:02 Curating by Intuition, Not Technical Perfection 22:55 Adding Handwritten Community Stories 29:00 Opening Night in Oakland 34:05 Collaboration as Jazz 36:20 What They’d Do Differently ———————— Hashtags:  #PhotographyExhibition #GalleryShow #Oakland #StreetPhotography #PhotoCommunity #Curation #FirstExhibition #F22Series

S2.E4 – Lauren Marcelle on Large Format Film, Portraiture, and Community

In this episode of f/22, Zach Hodges sits down with film portrait photographer Lauren Marcelle at Bild Expo in New York City. Lauren shares her journey from shooting Polaroid as a kid to working in 4x5 and 8x10 large format film. She talks about why slowing down matters, what it takes to make a single meaningful frame, and why portraiture gives her something street and landscape photography never could: real human connection. They also dive into Cameras & Coffee, the community meetup she helped bring from the Bay Area to NYC, and why “just showing up” might be the most important step any creative can take. 📌 This episode explores: • Falling back in love with film • The discipline of large format photography • Finding your niche after years of experimentation • Creating space for connection through portraiture • Building intentional creative community Follow Lauren: Website: https://www.laurenmarcellephotography.com/ [https://www.laurenmarcellephotography.com/] VSCO: https://vsco.co/laurenmarcellephoto/gallery [https://vsco.co/laurenmarcellephoto/gallery] Chapters: 00:00 Slowing Down with Large Format 00:37 Lauren’s Film Photography Journey 02:12 Cameras & Coffee Origins 03:32 What to Expect at a Meetup 04:20 Overcoming Social Anxiety 05:10 Why Community Matters 06:44 Shooting 8x10 Portraits 08:02 The Magic of One Frame 09:08 Finding Her Focus in Portraiture 11:05 Where to See Lauren’s Work Hashtags: #LargeFormatPhotography #FilmPhotography #PortraitPhotography #8x10 #Polaroid #PhotographyCommunity #CamerasAndCoffee #F22Series

S2.E3 – Brandon Ruffin on Technology, Emotion, and Crafting Images in a Computational Era

In this episode of f/22, VSCO co-founder Greg Lutze http://vsco.co/greg/gallery [http://vsco.co/greg/gallery] sits down with Bay Area photographer, filmmaker, and Google computational research creative Brandon Ruffin http://vsco.co/ruffdraft/gallery [http://vsco.co/ruffdraft/gallery] to explore how identity, narrative, and technology intersect in modern image-making. Known for his powerful storytelling and community work through Cameras & Coffee Club, Brandon opens up about the emotional core of photography, how our lived experiences shape what we see, and why every photograph carries a point of view. From his Leica M11-D campaign to his upcoming book Migration Patterns, Brandon shares thoughtful insights on personal projects, creative identity, AI’s role in artistry, and the ways photography can connect us to our family histories, our communities, and ourselves. Whether you’re a new photographer or deep into your creative journey, this conversation offers a grounded, inspiring look at what it means to create with intention in an era shaped by both humanity and computation. Chapters 00:00 — Storytelling, POV, and the artist’s role 01:16 — Brandon’s background, identity, and approach to photography 06:49 — Inside the Leica M11-D campaign & emotional image-making 13:14 — Migration Patterns: family history, memory, and personal projects 26:15 — Social media, “the banger shot,” and rediscovering play in photography 31:18 — Photobooks, sequencing, and trusting the editing process 36:18 — Photography as poetry: narrative, symbolism, and emotional truth 38:00 — AI, creativity, and human-centered tools for artists 41:05 — Hot takes & advice for emerging photographers 47:36 — Building community, collaboration, and sustaining a creative life #vscocam #photography #photographer #photographytips #portraitphotography #storytelling #filmphotography #artandtechnology #computationalphotography #creativecommunity #photographypodcast #vsco

S2.E2 – Karna Roa on a Viral Wedding Photo and 17 Years of Photography Lessons

With nearly two decades of experience behind the camera, Karna Roa has photographed weddings around the world — from the vineyards of California to ceremonies in Tokyo and Morocco. In this episode of f/22, she shares how shooting weddings taught her every aspect of photography, how education through PPA (Professional Photographers of America) shaped her growth, and what she learned from the viral wildfire photo that briefly put her in the spotlight. 📌 In this interview you’ll learn: * Why weddings are the best training ground for any photographer * How to build a sustainable career in a demanding industry * What it’s like to have a photo go viral overnight * The importance of lighting, preparation, and adaptability * How community, education, and mentorship can elevate your craft Chapters: 00:00 – Why weddings make you a better photographer 00:18 – Meet Karna Roa, award-winning wedding photographer 01:03 – Getting started at age 15 02:29 – Building a full-time career and traveling the world 03:23 – Highlights from 17 years of weddings 04:17 – The wildfire wedding and viral photo moment 10:35 – Lessons in lighting and storytelling 11:18 – Staying passionate and emotionally connected 12:36 – Making a long-term creative career sustainable 13:00 – What is PPA and why it matters 16:33 – Earning degrees and recognition through PPA 18:28 – Growth through education and mentorship 19:00 – Leading the Wine Country chapter of PPA 20:09 – Advice for new and aspiring wedding photographers 21:33 – The power of networking and relationships 22:06 – Closing thoughts and where to find Karna’s work #VSCO #VSCOcam #streetphotography #Photography #ProfessionalPhotographer #PhotographyTips #weddingphotography #weddingphotographer