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Our conversation on this week\u2019s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast is with the fabulous and innovative Duane Michals. Of the many comments he made about his photography practice, a practice that has been commercially and artistically successful for almost sixty years, one that stood out was his aside that \u201cphotography has failed [him] as an art form.\u201d The comment comes late in our conversation but refers to the idea that his goal of pure expression is not accommodated by photography alone, he needs to turn to sequential narrative, to writing on photo prints, even to painting on photos to get to the expression that he wants to convey.

For anyone looking for how-tos or technique tips, you\u2019ve come to the wrong episode, but to light the path to a true artistic self-expression, Michals\u2019 words hold much promise. We spoke with him about a range of subjects, from how a constant curiosity combined with good work habits fueled his work and success. We talk about his working-class upbringing, his youthful adventures to Texas and later, to the U.S.S.R. during the Cold War, where he first took photos in earnest. About specific images, we asked about his \u201cDeath Comes to an Old Lady,\u201d and he also related a story about photographing Warren Beatty in a New York hotel room. We even spoke about Canon cameras and the references he draws upon for his work, from Walt Whitman and William Blake to Pierre Bonnard and Robert Frank, but mostly we discuss his creative instincts and process, which seem to start and end with the idea, \u201cif you already know what you\u2019re going to do, then you\u2019re not being creative.\u201d Join us for this insightful conversation with a true photographic innovator.

Guest: Duane Michals

Photograph \xa9 Duane Michals, Courtesy DC Moore Gallery, New York

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