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The MOOD Podcast
The MOOD Podcast is a long-form conversation series exploring photography, creativity, identity, and the inner life of artists. Hosted by Matt Jacob, the show moves beyond technique and trends to examine why people make work, how creative voices are formed, and what it takes to sustain a meaningful artistic life.
Through thoughtful, unhurried conversations with photographers, filmmakers, and creative thinkers from around the world, the podcast explores themes of process, mental health, ethics, purpose, legacy, and the tension between art and industry. Episodes are grounded, reflective, and often philosophical, offering listeners provocation of thought rather than formulaic answers to copy.
The MOOD Podcast is less about instruction and more about understanding, aimed at emerging and established creatives who care not just about what they make, but why they make it.
At its core, The MOOD Podcast is the art of conversation, one frame at a time.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattyj_ay
Instagram: @the_moodpodcast /@mattyj_ay
Website: https://themoodpodcast.com.
Episodes
143 episodes
Pricing, Prestige & The Business Of Photography - Miriam Schulman, E115
In this episode, Matt sits down with Miriam Schulman, professional artist, art business coach, host of the Inspiration Place podcast, and bestselling author of Artpreneur (HarperCollins). Miriam left Wall Street after 9...
The Psychological Trap Quietly Destroying Your Photography - Moments of Mood 3.4
In this Moments of Mood episode of The MOOD Podcast, Matt returns after a road accident left him physically immobilised for several weeks, unable to photograph, travel, or work, and uses that enforced stillness to examine one of the qu...
Mark Power - 14 Years Photographing America, The Democracy of Photography & Why Stillness Matters More Than The Decisive Moment, E114
In this episode, Matt sits down with Magnum photographer Mark Power for a wide-ranging conversation about long-term documentary photography, creative process, and what it means to spend 14 years photographing America as a foreig...
Chico Review, part 2 - What a Portfolio Review Taught Me About My Photography (That 10 Years Didn't)
Listen to part one hereWatch part one here...
Chico Review 2026 - part 1: Why Feedback Beats 10,000 Followers
The Chico Review destroyed my confidence. Then built it back...THIS IS PART 1 OF A 2 PART FEATURE ON CHICO REVIEW 2026 - SEE PART 2 NEXT WEEK.I arrived at the Chico Review 2026 thinking my work was ready. 10 form...
Every Photo Is a Crime Scene - Brad Zellar on How He Reads Photography and Inspects an Image, E111
In this episode of The MOOD Podcast, I sit down with writer Brad Zellar, whose deep relationship to photography, photo books, storytelling, and visual culture makes this one of the most thought-provoking conversations I’ve had on the show. We t...
Before You Improve Your Photography, Read Yourself First - Moments of Mood, 3.3
In this episode of Moments of Mood, I explore why self-awareness is the missing foundation behind meaningful photography. After spending a few days at a silent retreat in Bali, I began reflecting on something I’ve seen repeatedly in my own work...
“25 Years With National Geographic” Joe McNally on What Photography Lost (And What It Gained) - E110
Joe McNally, legendary professional photographer best known for his work with National Geographic, Life, and major commercial clients, and for his mastery of lighting and flash, joins me on the show to discuss an array of topics. We...
The Mindset of a Hasselblad Master Photographer - Tina Signesdottir, E109
Tina Signesdottir is a Norwegian fine art portrait photographer and Hasselblad Master, known for natural light portraits with rare emotional intimacy. In her first ever podcast appearance, Tina speaks candidly about the origins of her wo...
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Your Story Isn’t Needed - Pie Aerts Finds Meaning Within The Pressure Machine Of Photography, E108
In this episode, I sit down with photographer Pie Aerts to unpack the philosophies, struggles, and decisions that have shaped his work over the last decade. Pie is a documentary and wildlife photographer whose practice sits at t...
Finding Contentment, Craft, And Community In Photography - Answering Your Questions! Moments of Mood, 3.2
What if your best work starts with a quiet cup and a clear mind? We kick off the year with an honest, unscripted 'Ask Me Anything' episode that explores how small rituals, sharper definitions, and a steadier inner compass can change both your a...
Why Most Photographers Never Begin - Wesley Verhoeve, E107
In this episode of The MOOD Podcast, I sit down with photographer, writer, and mentor Wesley Verhoeve for a grounded conversation about photography process, confidence, and learning how to make meaningful work without waiting for permission.&nb...
The Best Bits of 2025 - Moments of Mood, 3.1
The year didn’t teach us to shoot faster. It taught us to go deeper. We close out 2025 by stitching together the most resonant moments from a season of hard questions and honest answers: why “quick fix” education fails creatives, how pricing fo...
Why The Only Reason You Should Be a Photographer is Obsession - Jesse Lenz: E106
In this episode - the last guest episode of 2025 - I sit down with photographer, publisher, and curator Jesse Lenz for one of the most expansive and honest conversations I’ve had on the show - fitting to end the year with such a nice gift-wrapp...
Why Nobody Cares About Your Photography
Nobody cares about your photography. We don’t need more of 'any old' photographers. Yet survival as culture and society with soul is completely dependent on work that matters.In this episode of Moments of Mood, I explore ...
The Photographer Who Puts Humanity on Trial: Nick Brandt on Sentience, Power, and Responsibility, E105
British photographer and environmental storyteller Nick Brandt joins the show for a raw, expansive conversation on art, climate collapse, sentience, and the role of photography in an age defined by distraction and decline. Acros...
The Collapse of the American Dream - Photography as Witness: Bryan Schutmaat, E104
Bryan Schutmaat is a photographer, publisher, and quiet poet of the American West. Known for books such as Grays the Mountain Sends, Good Goddamn, and Sons of the Living, Bryan’s work explores the uneasy ...
What Can We Trust About The Past And Why It Still Shapes Our Work: Kent Andreasen, EP103
Kent Andreasen, a Cape Town-based photographer and filmmaker, joins me to talk about his new photobook Memory Bank (published by Witty Books), which tells the story over a de...
How Photography Helped Him Survive Not Belonging Anywhere: Marshall To, EO102
”What if the stories that shape us are the ones we can't remember?"Marshall To, a photographer whose photobook 'Blank Notes' explores ancestry, memory, and identity through a deeply personal lens, grew up in rural ...
Why Photography Works Better When You Stop Faking It - Phil Sharp, E101
Phil Sharp, an award winning British portrait photographer, talks about the human core of portrait photography and why music, language, and time can turn performance into truth. We challenge received wisdom about headshots, expl...
Do you need a massive following to build a sustainable creative career? Moments of Mood 3.0
Welcome to another episode of Moments of Mood, this time about how to monetise - even just a little bit - the wonderful parts of us that are creative. Turning your creative passion into a sustainable career possible, it's probable i...
Is Creativity Enough? Chris Do's advice for creatives, content, and The Futur - E100
“If you don’t value yourself, why should anyone else?”Chris Do is an Emmy-award-winning designer, founder of The Futur, and one of the most sought-after creative educators on the planet. With his huge audience and decades...
How to Stay Relevant as a Photographer in the Age of AI , Moments of Mood 2.9
What happens when the world is flooded with AI images, tools, and “perfect” feeds?In this episode of Moments of MOOD, I sit down to talk about what it really means to stay human in your work — and why your voice, your presence, and your...
Ami Vitale's Vision to Use Photography for Real-World Impact, E099
Step into the world of Ami Vitale, National Geographic photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Vital Impacts, as she shares her journey from covering conflict zones to telling the most urgent conservation stories of our time.In this con...
The Secret Behind Joel Grimes’ Iconic Photography Style, E098
Joel Grimes doesn’t just take photographs, he creates illusions that make the impossible feel real. In this episode, we dive deep into the mind of a true master, exploring how he uses light, shadow, and imagination to redefine what phot...
