The Chaos and the Calm in Photography | Mali Davies

Episode 489 of F-Stop Collaborate and Listen features Mali Davies, a photographer, podcaster, and educator from Northwest England, newly transitioned from a decades-long graphic design career to full-time photography. Host Matt Payne and Mali Davies explore the motivations behind leaving the corporate world, with Mali Davies explaining how his daughter’s autism and mental health journey became a catalyst for reevaluating his priorities and embracing a more present, flexible lifestyle. The discussion moves beyond technical aspects, addressing how personal experience, mood, and family relationships deeply inform artistic work, and highlighting the transformative power of nature, especially woodlands, in Mali Davies's creative process. They also discuss the importance of mindset and practice over rigid compositional rules, emphasizing that enthusiasm, attitude, and personal connection drive photographic growth more than gear or formula. Mali Davies shares how his workshops and mentoring programs focus on empowering photographers to build self-belief and find their own voice, often providing what participants truly need rather than what they assume. The episode concludes with a thoughtful exchange about community, vulnerability, and the lifelong process of learning and creative development. Links and Resources: Muench Workshops Giveaway Mali Davies Photography Let's Create Let's Talk Podcast Mali Davies YouTube Channel Support Mali Davies on Patreon Brendan van Son Beth Moon Christina Wilson Photography Mark Adams Support the show on Patreon