Listening to Bethany Jacobson talk about NYC in the 80s in our last episode was absolutely fascinating, but it was an unfamiliar world for me. This week, we relived a little 90s nostalgia with Kai Diaz, and I have to say, it took me back to my own teenage years, albeit an East Coast version.

Kai grew up on MTV, skate videos, and surf magazines and it was that kind of visual culture that shaped the way he sees, even now. As a kid, he became the unofficial documentarian of his friend group, filming skate sessions and documenting life on film. To this day, friends call him looking for old memories, and he’s usually got the photos stowed away, ready to scan and send. So, you can add archivist to the list of Kai’s abilities too.

He said, “I just wanted to remember everything…that’s kind of how I got into photography.” And while he started shooting so he wouldn’t forget (Peter Pan syndrome, he calls it), over time, he’s honed his craft into something much deeper. These days, observation, storytelling and curiosity are at the heart of what he creates. “It’s just in me to document stuff,” he says.

With just a few exceptions, Kai has stayed true to film photography over the years, both for the benefits that come from a slower process, and for the quality of work film produces. Film pushes him to get it right in-camera instead of fixing things later. Plus, he argues that there’s something about film that’s hard to explain but immediately noticeable, a quality that digital (even with filters) doesn’t quite replicate.

And when you look at his work, you can see it. His photos feel cinematic, which is a product of his approach, but also his early visual training, one that came from all those classic 90s films. Kai was (and still is, sounds like) obsessed by films from directors like Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, and Stanley Kubrick. “They don’t have to explain anything… they just show it to you and you feel it,” he says. That same philosophy carries into his own photography: no over-explanation, no forced narrative, just images that make you feel something, and scenes that make you curious.

We dove into the creation of Kai’s upcoming book too, “Echoes of the Unseen,” which promises to be an incredible collection of work, and Kai talked candidly about the challenges that come with book-making.

At the end of the day, Kai isn’t just making photographs, he’s leaving behind a record. Whether it’s a box of old prints, a future photo book, or an image hanging in someone’s home, it all serves the same purpose: to make sure something lasts.

And there’s something pretty powerful about that.

• Website
• Instagram
• Kai Diaz: Living Forever (SPM Feature)

In this episode of the Street Photography Magazine podcast, Bob Patterson and Ashley Riffo sit down with photographer, filmmaker, and educator Bethany Eden Jacobson for a conversation that was part time capsule and part behind-the-scenes look at a creative life.

Bethany takes us back to the gritty, electric energy of 1980s downtown New York, which was an era where art, music, and rebellion collided. From photographing icons like Iggy Pop to documenting the underground scene shaped by figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat, her work captures a moment that was raw and unfiltered, and though she didn’t realize it at the time, transformative for the art world in general.

But it wasn’t just the nostalgia that made this conversation interesting. We also talk about what it means to revisit your archive decades later, how filmmaking influences photographic storytelling, and why editing—whether for film or a photo book—is where the real work begins. Bethany also shares her thoughts on creative identity, resisting the pressure to “niche down,” and embracing a multidisciplinary approach in a world that often demands labels. It’s a great conversation for anyone out there in the wild navigating their own creative path right now.

• Bethany’s Website
• Kickstarter for “Another Time, Another Place” – LAUNCHING APRIL 14TH

Several months ago, after an editorial meeting with Bob, which was packed with beautiful and meaningful projects, I admitted that I often feel like I don’t know what I want to say with my camera.

I did not share this with Jorge Delgado-Ureña, photographer, writer, educator, and co-founder of The Raw Society, but it goes without saying that our conversation hit home for me personally.

In this episode, Jorge and I talked, among other things, about intention in photography. Why it’s so hard to nail down, and why it matters more than we might like to admit.

Jorge shares his perspective on storytelling, responsibility, and the difference between simply taking photos and actually saying something with them. Plus, you’ll hear about how The Raw Society came to be, what a fantastic community it’s turned into, and what’s in store for the upcoming inaugural Raw Photo Fest. I loved hearing about a festival that will showcase photography in a way that is accessible to anyone and everyone, including kids, locals, and non-photographers.

“Raw Photo Fest is more than a festival. It is an invitation to slow down and connect — with photography, with stories, and with Menorca itself.” – Christelle Enquist, Co-founder of The Raw Society and Festival Director

This episode has plenty of food for thought, and it might just challenge the way you’ve been shooting. I know it gave me a little something to wrestle with.

• The Raw Society
• The Photographer’s Journal (Jorge’s Substack)
• Raw Photo Fest

Watch this episode on YouTube