How can we work at the boundaries of the landscape as well as our perceptions? How can we work across multi-media within the context of still image-based projects? How do our projects mobilize a certain poetics?

In this conversation, Brian O'Neill and Jeff Smudde discuss paths through higher education like MFA programs, as well as the importance of the mentors one can meet along the way. They also cover questions about work-life balance and how to navigate the seemingly ever-present desire to be pushing one’s work forward.

Jeff discusses his background in design and music and how he got into being a photographer, and the connections and disconnections between fine art photography and journalism worlds regarding concerns about what documentary photography is and can be, more broadly. The conversation also covers the challenges and skillsets involved in making portraits and photographing in a variety of scenarios, as well as how to construct larger bodies of work and the levels of planning/degrees of premeditation that can be involved. Throughout, the conversation explores the use of multiple methods of working within the same project, like sound recording and text alongside still images, all with an underlying theme of zine and bookmaking.

Printed Matter LA – May 15-18, 2025

Jason Reblando - https://www.jasonreblando.com/CV

Jin Lee - https://jinleephotography.net

Juha Suonpää, The Forest is on the Move - https://www.morainebooks.com/pages/books/2258/juha-suonpaa/metsa-liikkuu-the-forest-is-on-the-move-skogen-ror-sig-der-wald-bewegt-sich-signed

Vanessa Winship, Snow - https://deadbeatclubpress.com/products/vanessa-winship-snow?srsltid=AfmBOopsHBmxvcq-pLILCRoRDsReaAqmcUnWl29c3SdpExPJc-A0OFen

Christian Patterson, Bottom of the Lake - http://www.christianpatterson.com/bottom-of-the-lake-book/

Kristine Potter, Dark Waters - https://www.kristinepotter.com/dark-waters

Jordan Weitzman, Magic Hour Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magic-hour/id1122201914

Tycho - https://tycho.bandcamp.com

Jeff Smudde - https://www.jeffsmudde.com/perennial

Ready for Mistakes, Jeff Smudde’s Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-for-mistakes/id1477842413

Brian O’Neill - https://www.brianfoneill.net

Immaterial Books - https://www.immaterialbooks.com

Explicit rating: low-level profanity