Aflevering #257 English - Paul Moakley On Photography, Storytelling, The New Yorker And What We’Re Not Seeing

In this episode of the De Donkere Kamer Podcast, I sit down with Paul Moakley, executive producer at The New Yorker and former editor at large at Time Magazine. We talk about photography as a way of recording history, and about that thin line between documenting and interpreting the world. Paul shares how he approached portrait commissions at Time, what makes an image carry weight over time, and why the still image remains at the core of everything visual, even in film. We move into his current work in video and short documentaries, and how storytelling shifts across formats, yet always comes back to the same question: what are we actually showing, and what are we leaving out? We also talk about trust, working with photographers, the role of history in your development, and why clarity matters more than noise in a saturated visual landscape. This is a conversation about seeing, choosing, and staying sharp in how you tell stories. If you want to go deeper into how strong photographers think, work and build their voice, join one of the monthly De Donkere Kamer masterclasses. Each session is led by an international photographer who shares their process, decisions, and the reality behind their work. You can join live, ask your questions, and take it straight into your own practice. Check who’s up next and book your spot.