A Small Voice: Conversations with photographers and filmmakers cover art

A Small Voice: Conversations with photographers and filmmakers

A Small Voice: Conversations with photographers and filmmakers

By: Ben Smith
Listen for free

About this listen

 Fortnightly in-depth interviews featuring a diverse range of talented, innovative, world-class photographers from established, award-winning and internationally exhibited stars to young and emerging talents discussing their lives, work and process with fellow photographer, Ben Smith. The most recent 50 episodes are on this free feed, 200+ more are in the archive! TO ACCESS THE FULL ARCHIVE OF PAST EPISODES + SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, BECOME A MEMBER FOR £5 PER MONTH!© Ben Smith Art
Episodes
  • 280 - Jon McCormack

    280 - Jon McCormack
    Apr 22 2026
    Jon McCormack is - as plainly stated on his Linked-In profile - a Photographer, Nerd, Educator and Conservationist His photographic work is deeply informed by his upbringing in the stark, untamed landscapes of the Australian Outback, where early life among sheep and cattle fostered a profound respect for nature’s rhythms of resilience and fragility. Beginning as a teenager photographing quiet, often-overlooked moments in the bush, he developed a photographic voice rooted in patience, attention, and ecological empathy. Today, his images explore the intricate patterns and emotional textures of wild places, seeking to inspire both wonder and a sense of responsibility, and are widely published and used by global conservation organizations to advocate for the protection of fragile ecosystems. In addition to photography Jon is also actively involved in conservation and social good organizations. He is a member of The Explorer’s Club, a founding board member of Sealegacy, co-founder of his non-profit in Kenya, The Kilgoris Project and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Alongside his creative work, Jon has a day job as a tech nerd. He is Vice President of Camera & Photos Software Engineering at Apple in California, leading the software team responsible for the iPhone camera. His new photobook entitiled Patterns: Art Of The Natural World, is published by Damiani and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Vital Impacts, the non-profit founded in 2021 by photographer Ami Vitale and visual journalist Eileen Mignoni to advance conservation through visual storytelling, community partnership, and strategic investment in local solutions. On episode 280, Jon discusses, among other things: His formative experiences on a remote Australian farm and how that influenced the person he becameDiscovering his love of mathematics… and of nature… and photographyHow his ‘impossible to predict' career in tech began at a conference in Manchester, UKHow is current role with Apple allows him to ‘live photography’ for his day jobA couple of major technical advances in mobile phone photographyHis thoughts on the impact and implications of AIHis new book, Patterns, and how it came from his experience of shooting during CovidThe challenge of trying to resolve the tension between his environmentalism and working in the tech industryHis close connection to Vital Impacts, to whom he is donating 100% of the proceeds from the bookHis level of optimism vs. pessimism re. the chances of environmental armageddon Referenced: Ernst HaasEdwin LandNick BrandtEdward BurtynskyAmi Vitale Website | Instagram Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides. Follow me on Instagram here. Need a new website? I will build you one with Squarespace. Details here.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 21 mins
  • 279 - Dragana Jurišić

    279 - Dragana Jurišić
    Apr 8 2026

    Dragana Jurišić is a photographer, writer and filmmaker. She has exhibited extensively and won numerous awards. Dragana’s work is in several significant collections, including the National Gallery of Ireland, the Arts Council Collection, the Irish State Art Collection (OPW), the Bank of Spain, and others.

    Her first book, YU: The Lost Country, received accolades worldwide. Her second book, Museum, a collaboration with Paula Meehan, was published in July 2019 and is now in its 2nd edition. Her Own, published in December 2022, received outstanding reviews in El País, The Irish Times and RTE Culture. Dragana is currently working on her first feature-length documentary, The Last Balkan Cowboy (working title).

    In episode 279, Dragana discusses, among other things:

    • Her forthcoming debut documentary.
    • How everything she’s done is an attempt at making sense of her experience during the Balkan war
    • Her book YU: The Lost Country
    • The influence of Rebecca West’s book Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia
    • How she would measure the success of the new film
    • Wanting to reach as large an audience as possible
    • The imposter syndrome she felt as a first time film maker
    • Being ‘ergonomic’ about the way she approaches making
    • The story of her Aunt and her book Her Own

    Website | Instagram

    Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.

    Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.

    Follow me on Instagram here.

    Need a new website? I will build you one with Squarespace. Details here.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 10 mins
  • 278 - Nederlands Foto Museum Special

    278 - Nederlands Foto Museum Special
    Mar 25 2026

    Featuring:

    • Sjef van Duin, Librarian
    • Roderick van der Loos, Interim Director
    • Zippora Elders, incoming General & Artistic Director
    • Grace Wong-Si-Kwie, Head of Presentations and Public Outreach
    • Guinevere Ras, Curator of opening exhibition Awakening in Blue
    • Martijn van den Broek, Head of Collections
    • Joop De Jong, Guest Curator of opening exhibition, Rotterdam In Focus

    Website | Instagram

    Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.

    Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.

    Follow me on Instagram here.

    Need a new website? I will build you one with Squarespace. Details here.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
All stars
Most relevant
Been is very good at getting the guests to go through their lives in photography. He obviously does his research and elicits great insights. well worth listening to

a great photography podcast

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.