In this episode, we talk with Diane Smyth, editor at the British Journal of Photography and an established writer and lecturer based in London. Alongside her role at BJP, Diane contributes to major publications such as The Guardian, FT Weekend Magazine, Aperture, Foam, and Apollo. She also collaborates with Photoworks, where she has contributed as an editor and writer. Diane teaches history and theory of photography at the London College of Communication and has curated exhibitions for The Photographers’ Gallery and the Lianzhou Foto Festival.
With Diane, we discuss her career path, her editorial practice, and how she approaches working with photographers. She also shares her thoughts on the shifts in photography over the past fifteen years, and offers advice for photographers, writers, and editors who want to better understand the editorial world.
Enjoy the episode!
01:30 – Diane Smyth’s academic background: from literature to photography
05:45 – Joining the British Journal of Photography
11:10 – What it means to be an editor: working with photographers and shaping stories
15:40 – Collaborating with Photoworks: editing projects and contributing as a writer
17:20 – Writing across formats: magazines, catalogues, and books
22:50 – Editing at BJP today: curating issues and defining editorial directions
28:15 – Teaching at London College of Communication: guiding new generations of photographers
34:00 – How photography has shifted in the last 10–15 years
44:30 – Balancing roles: editor, writer, lecturer
49:50 – Advice for aspiring editors, writers, and photographers
British Journal of Photography's website: https://www.1854.photography/
Diane's Intagram account: https://www.instagram.com/dismy/?hl=fr
Link to my questionnaire to help you reflect on your artistic career: https://bit.ly/carriereartistique
Lien vers mon questionnaire pour vous aider à faire un point sur votre projet de livre : https://bit.ly/LVDLPlivrephoto
My website: https://marinelefort.fr/
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Les Voix de la Photo is a podcast produced and hosted by Marine Lefort.
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