FEATURING STREET PHOTOGRAPHER AND MENTOR VALÉRIE JARDIN

Sometimes somebody else has to believe in us before we can quite believe in ourselves. But what happens to that seemingly limitless self-belief we have as children, when we're ready to try something over and over again without worrying about failure or what anybody else thinks? This week, our regular Teach Me Street mentor, Valérie Jardin, joins me for a rather different conversation. We go back to the beginnings of her photographic career, the different avenues she explored, and the moment someone suggested she might make a good street photography teacher. Fifteen years later, she's teaching photographers all over the world. It's a conversation about humble beginnings, trusting your abilities, the importance of encouragement and having a go at something before you're entirely convinced you can do it.

From the mailbag, Corina Person in Seattle writes a remarkably honest letter after last week's show; Jim Farmer shares thoughts on dealing with nerves from his experience ‘teaching’ aircrew; and Matt McDermott and David Lloyd share their photographic 'whys', one of which might require a scientific calculator! Two recordings from our MOMENTS collection also feature: Gary Williams reflecting on nerves and photojournalist Ed Kashi sharing a moment of love.

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MORE ABOUT names, words, THE MUSIC and places FROM TODAY’S SHOW

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Join us in Venice for the Venice ‘26 retreat, photographing a city built on water, light, and ritual as winter settles across the lagoon. Together we’ll wander through early-morning markets, quiet canal edges, hidden monasteries, and the weathered backstreets of Castello and Cannaregio, with time to slow down, take photographs, and build creative confidence in a city that reveals itself gently when the crowds disappear. Places limited.

Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) was an American poet who spent much of her life at her family home in Amherst, Massachusetts. She wrote nearly 1,800 poems, exploring subjects such as nature, death, hope and the human experience, although very few were published during her lifetime. Today, she's considered one of America's greatest poets.

Davina McCall, the British television presenter perhaps best known for hosting Big Brother, launched her podcast Begin Again in 2024. Through candid conversations with guests from all walks of life, she explores reinvention, relationships, health and the opportunities that come with getting older. The programme is built around the idea that it's never too late to change direction and start something new.

Seneca (c. 4 BC–AD 65) was a Roman philosopher, writer and adviser to Emperor Nero, and one of the best-known figures in Stoic philosophy. His writings explore how we deal with adversity, manage our emotions and make better use of our time. In his famous essay On the Shortness of Life, he argues that we have enough time to live well, but waste much of it on things that don't really matter.

Ryan Holiday is an American author who has helped bring the ancient philosophy of Stoicism to a modern audience. His bestselling books include The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy and The Daily Stoic. Through his books, podcast and YouTube channel, he explores how the teachings of philosophers such as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius can help us deal with the challenges of everyday life.

Learn more about Valérie’s 2027 workshops here.

David Loftus is a British photographer best known for his long-standing collaboration with Jamie Oliver. He's photographed more than 100 books, working with chefs including Rachel Khoo, Gennaro Contaldo and Prue Leith. His approach to food photography favours natural light and simple styling, and away from the kitchen, his work also includes portraiture, fashion and travel photography.

MUSIC LINKS: The playout song today is Magnolia Mornings by Gabriel Kelly. Music on the show comes primarily from Artlist and also appears in Michael Brennan’s Spotify playlist, GoFoto. For Apple Music users, follow this playlist.

Kelvin Brown’s Flickr Photowalk-inspired group - join by invitation by clicking on THIS LINK.