An Ode to Podcasting

I have been obsessed with podcasting since I started my photo country podcast. It has brought me great joy and I look forward to talking to someone every week. What is it that made me fall in love with this medium?

It is the simple joy of connecting with another human who shares the same passion for photography that is really the key I think. It all started when I had a short-lived radio show based on photography on a community station in Avondale. I really have to credit Riccardo Ball , who really encouraged me to convert this into a podcast once the lockdown started. And that’s how my love affair with podcasting began. All thanks to the pandemic! ?

Before I started podcasting, I didn’t really have a clue about the medium. But man, it’s such a powerful, immersive medium. It’s a great medium to tell stories, connect with people and generally express yourself creatively. Today, podcasting is extremely popular and it is a billion-dollar industry in the US.

What could be the reasons for this?

1.???Convenience: Podcasts can be enjoyed on the go, making them a convenient way to learn or be entertained while commuting, exercising, or doing household chores.

2.???Variety: There are podcasts on virtually any topic, providing a wide range of options for listeners to choose from. This allows people to explore new interests or dive deeper into subjects they already enjoy.

3.???Connection: Podcasts can create a sense of connection and intimacy between the host and the listener. Through storytelling and personal anecdotes, hosts can make listeners feel like they are part of a community.

4.???Learning: Podcasts can be a great way to learn about a new subject or stay up to date on current events. They often feature experts or thought leaders sharing their knowledge and insights in an accessible way.

5.???Flexibility: Podcasting is a flexible medium that can be produced by anyone with a microphone and an internet connection. This allows for a wide range of voices and perspectives to be heard, providing a diverse array of content.

From convenience and learning to build an audience for your brand, podcasting has found its way into everyone’s listening habits.

One of the reasons, I podcast is it is just a great way to connect with fellow artists and photographers. It is just amazing that sitting at the bottom of the planet, I have been able to connect with image-makers from every corner of the globe. And generally, people just love to talk about their passions. And that is just a great way to share something with the world!

Currently, my podcast; Photo Country with Rajeev, has morphed into a newsletter/podcast through Substack. This allows me to write a bit about the artist that I am talking to. This adds a visual dimension to an otherwise audio-only medium.?

The advent of AI-based editing tools:

Initially, I was using Zoom to record and Spotify’s online podcasting tools to edit. It used to drive me nuts while editing audio to cut out all the umms, and aahs ~ You know, the filler words! I had to literally scrub back and forth to cut these out. It used to take me hours to do this.

Descript changed all of that. Now I can’t think of podcasting without Descript! With just the snap of a finger, I can cut out all of that. Plus, its studio sound feature is a lifesaver. I can make all recordings, whether done on the phone or online, sound so much more professional. My Descript workflow needs a separate article by itself! With its new video capabilities, it is my go-to tool to create social media videos today.

Looking back, I can’t believe that my photography podcast is now 34 episodes old, with 3 on the way. When I started out, I had this lofty goal to reach 100 episodes. I did try doing one every week. But that was grueling! So, now it’s a more manageable two a month. :-)

My next objective is to restart my issue-based podcast – Politics, Ecology & Everything in-between, where I chat with my friend DJ on topics relating to Political Ecology, Environment, and Politics. Today, everything is connected. And this is my attempt to understand the world that I am living in.

Finally, to close off this ode to podcasting, here are my favorite podcasts, not in any specific order.

-??????Choicology

-??????TGIM

-??????Home.made

-??????Teamistry

-??????Audience

What next?

I would love to do a narrative-style podcast for sure. That is something that I want to try my hands on. It’s the ultimate format for story-telling through this medium. And I want to keep creating content that tells people’s stories and the issues that surround me.

Closing Thoughts:

I saw a beautiful social media post on some Japanese concepts that jumped out at me. Two concepts really stood out for me:

Shikita Ga Nai – which literally means “Nothing can be done” ~ about the circumstances that you find yourself in that you have no control over. But what you can do is focus on the things that you can change. That is I continue to create content.

Kaizen – which means “improvement” ~ continually try to refine every aspect of your life. Even small changes can make a big impact over time.

All potential podcast topics if you ask me! So, which podcast is your favorite? Share it with me in the comments. I would love to add them to my playlist.

Ways you can connect with me:

On Instagram – follow me on @rajeevnz

On Substack – photocountry.substack.com

?or send me a message on Linkedin!