A Photographic Life

A Photographic Life

"To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It's a way of life." Henri Cartier-Bresson. Whatever your level of engagement with photography The Photographic Life Podcast explains the realities of working with and learning about the medium. Each week photographer, writer, lecturer, filmmaker, and BBC Radio contributor Dr. Grant Scott reflects on news, discussions, themes and issues surrounding the photographic community. This is a podcast for those who do not want kit reviews, photoshop techniques, marketing babble or camera talk. It is for those who want informed conversation about photography and life. Grant Scott is the founder/curator of www.unitednationsofphotography.com, a Senior Lecturer in Photography at Oxford Brookes University, UK, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained, The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography and New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay has been screened across the UK, and in Canada and the US. Podcast music: Written and performed by Laura Ritchie.

Episodes

June 23, 2026 35 mins
In this week’s episode photographer, filmmaker and artist Roger Ballen takes on our ‘Proust Photo Quiz’… The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions answered by the French writer Marcel Proust. Proust answered the questionnaire in a confession album, a form of parlour game popular at the end of the 1890s. The album, titled An Album to Record Thoughts, Feelings, et...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with art director, lecturer and creative director Fiona Hayes. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Fiona comment on the photographic environment as they see it through the exhibitions, magazines, talks and events that Fiona has seen over the previous weeks. Mentioned in this episode: www.japanhouselondon.uk/whats-on/ www.michaelhoppengallery.com/exhibitions/2...
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In episode 422 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is reflecting on the big and small things that impact on the everyday engagement we all have with photography. Mentioned in this episode: Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd47549knOU Minimata www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzQv5nVH85o Funny Face www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs6ASCq9YtY Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus www.youtube.com/watch?v=SODv...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with editor, writer and curator of photography Bill Shapiro. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Bill comment on the photographic environment as they see it. This month Bill and Grant take on the process and the reality of selling photographic prints. Bill Shapiro Bill Shapiro served as the Editor-in-Chief of LIFE, the legendary photo magazine; LIFE...
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In this week’s episode documentary photographer and photo editor Cengiz Yar takes on our ‘Proust Photo Quiz’. The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions answered by the French writer Marcel Proust. Proust answered the questionnaire in a confession album, a form of parlour game popular at the end of the 1890s. The album, titled An Album to Record Thoughts, Feel...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with art director, lecturer and creative director Fiona Hayes. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Fiona comment on the photographic environment as they see it through the exhibitions, magazines, talks and events that Fiona has seen over the previous weeks. Mentioned in this episode: https://photolondon.org www.peckham24.com https://tomwoodarchive.com www.the...
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In episode 418 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is reflecting on the big and small things that impact on the everyday engagement we all have with photography. Mentioned in this episode: David Sylvian 'Red Guitar' www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tTX49CjAgo Dr.Grant Scott After fifteen years art directing photography books and magazines such as Elle and Tatler, Scott began to work as a photographer for a number of advert...
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In this special episode of The Conversation series Grant Scott speaks with award winning graphic designer Mike Dempsey. In an informal conversation they discuss the importance of understanding design, what is successful design and how this can be applied to photobooks. Mike Dempsey From the late 1960s, Dempsey worked in British book publishing houses. He has created stamps for the Royal Mail, the brand identity for Engli...
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In episode 416 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is reflecting on the big and small things that impact on the everyday engagement we all have with photography. Mentioned in this episode: Cengiz Yar www.cengizyar.com Sayuri Ichida www.sayuriichida.com Angine de Poitrine - Full Performance (Live on KEXP) https://youtu.be/0Ssi-9wS1so?si=6ThZCxvnFibNcu0j Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica [Full Album] https:...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with art director, lecturer and creative director Fiona Hayes. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Fiona comment on the photographic environment as they see it through the exhibitions, magazines, talks and events that Fiona has seen over the previous weeks. Mentioned in this episode: https://nederlandsfotomuseum.nl/en/ www.edvanderelsken.nl www.vivianesassen....
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In this week’s episode photographer Lynn Goldsmith takes on our ‘Proust Photo Quiz’… Lynn Goldsmith’s photography has appeared on and between the covers of Life, Newsweek, Time, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, National Geographic Traveler, People, Elle, Interview, and the The New Yorker amongst many others. Her subjects have varied from entertainment personalities to sports stars...
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In episode 413 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is reflecting on the big and small things that impact on the everyday engagement we all have with photography. Mentioned in this episode: https://fwo3.com www.mattmahurin.com Dr.Grant Scott After fifteen years art directing photography books and magazines such as Elle and Tatler, Scott began to work as a photographer for a number of advertising and editorial client...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with editor, writer and curator of photography Bill Shapiro. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Bill comment on the photographic environment as they see it. This month Bill and Grant take on the photo competition. Bill Shapiro Bill Shapiro served as the Editor-in-Chief of LIFE, the legendary photo magazine; LIFE’s relaunch in 2004 was the lar...
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In this week's episode photographer Perry Ogden takes on our 'Proust Photo Quiz'. The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions answered by the French writer Marcel Proust. Proust answered the questionnaire in a confession album, a form of parlour game popular at the end of the 1890s. The album, titled An Album to Record Thoughts, Feelings, etc. was found in 1924 and published in the French literary ...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with art director, lecturer and creative director Fiona Hayes. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Fiona comment on the photographic environment as they see it through the exhibitions, magazines, talks and events that Fiona has seen over the previous weeks. Mentioned in this episode: Don Mcullin https://holburne.org/opening-in-january-don-mccullin-broken-beau...
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In episode 409 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is reflecting on the big and small things that impact on the everyday engagement we all have with photography. Mentioned in this episode: W. Eugene Smith: Shadow and Substance - The Life and Work of an American Photographer: Jim Hughes, 1989. Gene Smith's Sink: A Wide-Angle View - Sam Stephenson, 2017. Minamata (2020) theatrical trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOXN6zgNwfk ...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with editor, writer and curator of photography Bill Shapiro. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Bill comment on the photographic environment as they see it. This month Bill and Grant rigorously respond to listeners questions and comments concerning Instagram for photographers. Mentioned in this episode: Ezra Klein podcast https://overcast.fm/+AAoiPULZ3V...
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In this week's episode photographer Pete Souza takes on our 'Proust Photo Quiz'... The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions answered by the French writer Marcel Proust. Proust answered the questionnaire in a confession album, a form of parlour game popular at the end of the 1890s. The album, titled An Album to Record Thoughts, Feelings, etc. was found in 1924 and published in the French literary...
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In this monthly conversation series Grant Scott speaks with art director, lecturer and creative director Fiona Hayes. In an informal conversation each month Grant and Fiona comment on the photographic environment as they see it through the exhibitions, magazines, talks and events that Fiona has seen over the previous weeks. Mentioned in this episode: https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2026/nan-goldin-the-ballad-of-sexual-depend...
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In episode 405 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is reflecting on the big and small things that impact on the everyday engagement we all have with photography. Dr.Grant Scott After fifteen years art directing photography books and magazines such as Elle and Tatler, Scott began to work as a photographer for a number of advertising and editorial clients in 2000. Alongside his photographic career Scott has art directe...
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