Episode 11 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss photographing road trips, including Zach’s photos on the road and in the Florida Keys, plus Joel Sternfeld’s project from the 1970s and 80s, American Prospects.

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Index

0:00 - Intro - Missing a great moment because he ran out of film

0:45 - We loved road trips growing up

3:18 - Road trips were more fun/dangerous in the 80s & 90s

4:43 - Zach’s photos from rest stops and gas stations on the way to Florida 📷

9:22 - A road trip through the Florida Keys 📷

17:16 - Joel Sternfeld’s American Prospects feels like a road trip across the United States.

17:38 - McLean, Virginia, December 1978. 📷

18:01 - Joel Sternfeld’s idea behind American Prospects

20:17 - After a Flash Flood. Rancho Mirage, California. 1979. 📷

20:42 - The Space Shuttle Columbia Lands at Kelly Air Force Base. San Antonio, Texas. March 1979.📷

21:21 - Exhausted Renegade Elephant. Woodland, Washington. June 1979.📷

23:33 - Glen Canyon Dam. Page, Arizona. 1983.📷

24:19 - Wet ’n’ Wild Aquatic Theme Park. Orlando, Florida. 1980.📷

25:05 - Buckingham, Pennsylvania. August 1978.📷

25:43 - Bikini Contest. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. March 1983.📷

27:22 - Near Akron, Ohio. May 1983.📷

28:26 - Portage Glacier, Alaska. August 1984.📷

29:15 - Lake Oswego, Oregon. June 1979.📷

30:38 - Canyon Country, California. June 1983.📷

31:52 - Courtney says this series is a great introduction to the vastness of the United States.

33:32 - This project helped Zach to realize that there’s wild stuff happening everywhere all the time if you’re looking for it.

35:01 - West Aztec Avenue. Gallup, New Mexico. September 1982.📷

35:25 - Great Salt Lake, Utah. August 1979.📷

For links to all the sources for this episode, check out our resources page here...https://blog.zachdobson.com/2025/09/photography-is-nothing-ep11/

Find Zach

Website: https://zachdobson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_

About the Podcast

Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting.

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement

This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.

Episode 10 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss their visit to the Indiana State Fair plus Zach’s project documenting fairs & festivals around the state of Indiana over the last 15 years. They also look at some photography of fairs by some of the all time greats like Danny Lyon, Inge Morath, Garry Winogrand, and others!

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Index0:00 - Zach got scammed.

2:33 - Zach and Courtney visit the Indiana State Fair.

5:33 - How to find the best fair food.

9:55 - How much it cost us at the state fair this year.

12:04 - How to find the best lemon shakeups

13:14 - Zach’s Indiana Fair Project started in 2010. 📷

22:12 - Danny Lyon’s portraits of carnival workers. 📷

23:20 - Bruce Davidson’s photos of Jimmy Armstrong. 📷

23:37 - Diane Arbus photographed outsiders in their personal spaces. 📷

23:54 - Danny Lyon’s photos were the basis of The Bikeriders, a 2023 film starring Austin Butler.

24:30 - René Burri - Fair ride. Zurich, Switzerland. 1980. 📷

26:10 - Inge Morath - Puck Fair, Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland. 1954. 📷

26:48 - Martin Parr - Manorhamilton Sheep Fair, County Leitrim, Ireland. 1981. 📷

27:02 - Gueorgui Pinkhassov - Blackpool, England. 2018. 📷

27:32 - Garry Winogrand - Texas State Fair. 1964. 📷

28:35 - Wolfgang Suschitzky - Hampstead Heath Fair. 1938. 📷

29:06 - Garry Winogrand - World’s Fair. New York City. 1964. 📷

29:34 - Zach will continue to photograph fairs and festivals. 📷

Find Zach

Website: https://zachdobson.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphotoThreads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_

About the Podcast

Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact.

Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement

This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.

Episode 09 - This week Zach & Courtney discuss starting a photography business and a family at the same time and how they work to fully integrate their lives together.

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Notes

Where it says, “Photo stories with the family,” on the screen from 35:31 until the end, what that means is for every one of those images, we were all together as a family, or Zach was out with the kids.

Clearly some of the photos have the kids in them, but many are documentary images of the places we’re visiting. We wanted to show the breadth of work it’s possible for us to do when we’re together.

Courtney mentions a Helena Bonham Carter quote. Here it is…

“I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art.”

Index

0:00 - The parameters are there to help us grow.

1:33 - Who are Zach & Courtney?

2:11 - Meeting at Indiana University and sharing an interest in travel & storytelling.

3:17 - Zach started his photography career in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

5:01 - Courtney moves to Chicago and Zach follows.

6:12 - Zach & Courtney start their photography business in Indianapolis in 2006

15:17 - Working as a documentary commercial photographer

17:52 - Booking our own weddings as a photographer

18:58 - A special visitor to the set

20:12 - Multiple streams of photography income.

21:44 - Courtney solo parenting while Zach works nights.

25:26 - Why we decided to homeschool our kids.

30:00 - Being in charge of our own time.

33:14 - The Personal Legend Project

35:40 - Creating stability at work and home

40:00 - Society wants perfection. The interesting is in the mess.

Find Zach

Website: https://zachdobson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_

About the Podcast

Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting.

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

Fair Use Statement

This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this document for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain express permission from the copyright owner.