The Darkroom Podcast

@jessicakobeissi | Creating From Scratch with Jessica Kobeissi

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we got a chance to chat with YouTuber and photographer Jessica Kobeissi in the Epidemic Sound Studio.  Even as a teenager, Jessica was building community and exploring her artistic talents through PaintShop Pro and Neopets. With a massive following on Neopets, Jessica was inspired to build her own website, teaching herself how to code. She began releasing design tutorials and even ran advertising through her website as a 15 year old. Jessica got her first camera soon after, inspired by other artists on Facebook and began shooting portrait work from day 1 in her backyard. Since then, she has amassed over 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube where she helps her viewers grow their skills while bringing the photography community closer.  With a heavy focus on portraiture work, Jessica gives her advice for any artists looking to find their speciality and begin standing out in our saturated world of content. Jessica brings such a unique energy and perspective to any discussion so we're excited to share this episode with you! 

 

@the_life_of_aivax | Building a Family of Storytellers with Vanessa Rivera

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we got the chance to talk with storyteller and photographer Vanessa Rivera. Starting her creative career just two years ago, Vanessa has found an incredibly unique way to tell stories by creating surreal edits of herself, her husband Anthony and their 3 kids. As her career began taking off, we hear how Vanessa shifted into a full-time creative, taking her family all around the world and convincing her husband to leave his job. Inspired by the works of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein, Vanessa begins her creative process by sketching the shot with her husband, leading them down a path to bring that idea to life. Her edits make any artist question their photoshop skills and quickly caught the attention of Adobe. After Vanessa submitted concepts to the Adobe team, she found that her image was chosen as the splash screen for Photoshop 2020. Vanessa lives her life with the same spontaneity that her images exude and we're excited to share her story, enjoy!

 

@BrandonWoelfel | Living Ultraviolet with Photographer Brandon Woelfel

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast, Dane Deaner gets a chance to sit down with New York based photographer Brandon Woelfel. Known for his whimsical and luminescent style, Brandon’s portraiture work could be recognized anywhere. We hear how Brandon steadily grew both his skills in photography and the audience that began surrounding his work. He’s currently focusing most of his energy on shooting for brands and gives his perspective on the ways other creators can monetize. In early 2020 Brandon is releasing his new photobook, Ultraviolet, a compilation of both his photos and the process that went into each shot. We get to hear Brandon’s perspective on the opportunities he sees for the next generation of creators and what platforms like TikTok add to that narrative. Enjoy!

@andrewtkearns | Reset your Perspective with Photographer Andrew Kearns

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we spoke to travel and lifestyle photographer Andrew Kearns. Coming off two workshops with Moment and Alex Strohl, Andrew dives into what it was like to be in front of the camera. We get into Andrew's past before photography and how online poker funded his music aspirations. Just a few years back, Andrew went on a hike that led him down a path to meeting some of his favorite photographers and now friends. We also talk through some of the ups and downs that Andrew has faced and is overcoming as a full-time creator. 

The Life of a Creator in 2020 with Darkroom Co-founders Theo Chapman and Anders Bill

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we did a roundtable with Dane and the Darkroom founders Theo Chapman and Anders Bill. In a world where seeking attention is often pursued more than paying attention, we run through the risks that poses to the creative process and the trappings of that desire. We also dive into what we think the life of a creator will be in 2020 with platforms like TikTok and the technological promises of Augmented Reality. TikTok has opened up new frontiers of content creation and we argue that it is one of the most creative social media platforms. From industry news out of Adobe and Instagram to personal goals we’ve set for ourselves, we’re excited to share the beginning of a new chapter in The Darkroom Podcast. Enjoy!

Stories from the Edges of Earth with Photojournalist Christopher Michel

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we spoke with legendary photojournalist and entrepreneur Christopher Michel. Chris has a knack for the extreme, traveling and documenting places like the North & South Poles, Everest, and even the edge of space. We get to the root of how Chris views motivation, pushing to motivate himself and others through purpose rather than financial incentives. After 7 years of active duty in the Navy and 16 years of service, Chris developed a deep understanding of the problems facing many of our service members. This lead him to found Affinity Labs and Military.com, which aim to provide social and financial benefits to groups like firefighters, nurses, policemen and those in the military. After not picking up a camera until after his military career, Chris is making up for lost time and believes that memories are the true currency of our lives. His most recent project called New Heroes, in partnership with Leica, highlights 30 scientists in emerging fields. By telling the stories of these scientists who have dedicated their lives to solving the incredibly difficult challenges that threaten our existence, Chris is changing the narrative on who we define as our heroes. From traveling 70,000 feet above the Earth in a U2 spy plane to bringing back stories from the edge of Earth, this episode is for anyone with a thirst for adventure.

@AtticusPoetry | Behind the Mask with Atticus

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we spoke with New York Times bestselling author and anonymous poet Atticus. Known for his short form poetry, Atticus has been writing under his pseudonym while capturing the hearts and minds of his over 1 million followers. His third book, The Truth About Magic, is set to release on September 10th and is the final chapter in his trilogy. Atticus first began writing after a serendipitous run in with notorious actor Michael Manson in France and was inspired by his openness to share his love of poetry. Behind the mask, Atticus feels like he can write freely and vulnerably without the baggage that comes along with fame. Atticus has grown his work to expand into new fields, launching his own red wine called Lost Poet with the founders of wine subscription company Winc and a short form podcast coming out September 1st. Atticus now travels the world reading his poetry to his thousands of fans and continues to write as inspiration comes.

@ScottBelsky | Maximizing Your Creativity with Adobe CPO Scott Belsky

On this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we chatted with entrepreneur, seed investor and CPO of Adobe, Scott Belsky. As the former founder and CEO of Behance, Belsky built one of the largest platforms for showcasing creative work and has spent most of his career building tools to empower content creators.  Before being acquired by Adobe in 2012, we hear how Belksy and his team navigated and ultimately organized the once messy world of design.  We dive deep into Belsky’s vision for the future of design and how Adobe will usher in the era of augmented reality with imaginative initiatives like Project Aero, a powerful AR authoring tool for designers to make immersive content.  Building the tools that will define the roles of designers and creators of the future is a heavy task but one that Belsky thoughtfully embraces and seems to deeply enjoy. In a time when we are all inundated with screens and notifications, Belsky believes that disconnecting can be a real advantage and one that he practices regularly.  As an early investor in Uber, Warby Parker, Pinterest, Sweetgreen and Periscope, Belsky has an eye for transformative technologies and businesses that will lead us into the future. We’re excited to share this episode and recommend it for anyone looking to maximize their creative output.

@RAWArtists | Showcasing the Creative Community with RAW Artists CEO Heidi Luerra

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we spoke to Heidi Luerra, CEO and Founder of RAW Artists, the largest indie arts organization in the world. For the last 10 years RAW has brought the creative community together by organizing showcases in 70+ cities, helping 200,000 artists in fashion, music, and the visual arts gain exposure. As an artist herself, Heidi felt the personal struggle of getting her work out to the world. After trying to build momentum behind her fashion line in the early 2000’s, Heidi decided to throw an event to showcase not only her work but of other artists in LA. Nearly 750 people showed up to Heidi’s first event and the idea for RAW was born. We get to hear how Heidi thinks through her creative process and how she has built a team to support a global network of showcases thrown every week. Heidi is coming off her first book, The Work of Art, A No-Nonsense Field Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs, where she highlights what it takes for artists to turn their creative work into a thriving business. Head to https://rawartists.org/ to see if there is a RAW event near you and https://www.heidiluerra.com/preorder/pre-order to find Heidi’s book!

@Hipcamp | Getting People Outside with Hipcamp CEO Alyssa Ravasio

In this episode of The Darkroom Podcast we spoke to the CEO of Hipcamp Alyssa Ravasio. Having founded the company in 2013, Alyssa and her team set out to make camping easier and more accessible. With over 40 employees, Alyssa has grown Hipcamp to over 300,000 camping spots, vineyards, parks and more. We get to hear about Alyssa’s experience as a female founder and how she leads her team with emotional openness and transparency. On a mission to get more people outside, Hipcamp believes that connecting people with nature makes better, happier humans.  We get to hear from Alyssa how creating Hipcamp has been a pressure cooker for human development, pushing herself and team to face their own flaws and insecurities. Self-care is a core value at Hipcamp and their incredible work has pushed thousands of people to get outside and do the same. Join the movement and get outside with Hipcamp!