Ep 103 - Dan Tamarkin On Leica History, Collecting Cameras, and the Culture of Photography

This episode marks the beginning of a new chapter.After the last few years of conversations under The Life of PHYS, the show has evolved into The PHYS Podcast, a space dedicated to the photographers, filmmakers, artists, athletes and storytellers shaping the creative world through images and ideas.PHYS stands for Photography Heals Your Soul, and that philosophy continues to guide every conversation.To kick off this new era, host Tyson Martin sits down with Dan Tamarkin, owner of Tamarkin Camera and the Rangefinder Gallery in Chicago, one of the most respected Leica-focused galleries and camera showrooms in the world.Dan grew up surrounded by cameras. His father, Stan Tamarkin, founded Tamarkin Camera in 1971 in their family home in New Haven, Connecticut. After taking over the family business in 2010, Dan moved it to Chicago and opened Tamarkin Cameras and the Rangefinder Gallery, creating a hub for photographers, collectors, and Leica enthusiasts from around the world.But Dan’s story extends far beyond cameras.Trained as a writer and linguistic ethnographer at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Dan has worked as a theatrical lighting designer, teacher, performer, and storyteller, experiences that shaped his lifelong fascination with light, shadow, and visual storytelling.A passionate photographer and collector, Dan shoots both film and digital, often using a Leica M7 or Leica M Monochrom paired with a 50mm lens. He is also deeply passionate about vintage Leica cameras, particularly classics like the Leica M2 and Leica Standard.In this conversation, Tyson and Dan explore:• Growing up inside one of the most respected Leica camera businesses• The history and culture of Leica cameras• Collecting versus shooting cameras• The importance of physical galleries in a digital world• Building community around photography• Why photography continues to connect people across generationsIf you love Leica cameras, photography history, visual storytelling, or the culture that surrounds photography, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.Welcome to The PHYS Podcast.Because Photography Heals Your Soul.Support The Photography Heals Your Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Help Us Reach Our 30K Goal Visit Dan:Instagram: @tamarkin_cameraThreads: @tamarkin_cameraWeb: www.tamarkin.comYouTube: @TamarkinCameraVisit The Show: Instagram: @PHYS_Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads: @PHYS_Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: @phys_podcastWeb: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thelifeofphys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support The Show:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Affiliate Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠