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The MOOD Podcast

Chico Review, part 2 - What a Portfolio Review Taught Me About My Photography (That 10 Years Didn't)

April 10 · 2 hr 50 min · 122.5 MB
0:00-2:50:01

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Listen to part one here
Watch part one here
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In Part 2 of this special Chico Review 2026 episode, Matt continues documenting his week inside one of photography's most respected portfolio review events. Featuring conversations with Odette England, Daniel Arnold, Tim Carpenter, Matthew Genitempo, Jesse Lenz, and Lindokuhle Sobekwa — plus fellow attendees pushing the edges of documentary, photobook, and fine art photography.

Notable topics:

  • What Jesse Lenz actually looks for as a publisher — and why finished work is a turn-off
  • Daniel Arnold on 13 years protecting his creative spark and why he dreads making books
  • Tim Carpenter's review philosophy: never say good picture or bad picture
  • ⁠Odette England on slow processing and what makes her eyes change during a review
  • Matt Genitempo's approach to giving reviews and spotting talent
  • ⁠The broken economic models of editorial, photobooks, and commercial photography
  • "Commercial documentary" as a survival strategy for photojournalists
  • How feedback on "poetry vs narrative" shifted one attendee's entire practice
  • A photographer who enrolled in photojournalism school at 48 after surviving cancer
  • Grief, bookmaking as chemistry lab, and dismantling perfectionism
  • ⁠Closing reflection on ego death, creative identity, and thinking about a project like music
  • Why the shutter is only 10% of the work — and what happens after
  • Practical advice for future Chico attendees: go deep, not wideListen to part one here

Listen to part one here
Watch part one here

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