#27: The Art of Photography, Vision, Rejection & Timeless Storytelling

Before becoming the photographer trusted by the world’s biggest icons, Squint built his path on discipline, creativity, and a lifelong commitment to mastering storytelling. Raised in Palo Alto and shaped by years inside a TV studio before he turned 18, he grew from a kid with a camera into a filmmaker and cinematographer behind iconic portraits of Nas, Michael B. Jordan, Dave Chappelle, Draymond Green, and Steph Curry. As co-creator of the New York Times bestselling book Shot Ready, his black-and-white, emotionally driven style reflects a belief that great photography comes from patience, intention, and truly seeing people.

In this conversation, he breaks down the ingredients of a powerful photograph, motion, eyes, framing, intimacy, and explains why rejection became his greatest superpower. He shares how he wrote a list of dream subjects at age 12 and photographed every name on it, how fatherhood reshaped his purpose, and why staying in the Bay Area defined his career more than any move to LA or New York. Squint reflects on rediscovering black-and-white photography after losing his father and earning Steph Curry’s trust through consistency, humility, and discipline.

A grounded masterclass in photography, vision, resilience, and legacy, showing what it takes to create work that endures. This episode is a reminder that great art is built on love, discipline, and showing up, especially when the world tells you no.

Follow Squint - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsquint
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction & how Squint became a visual storyteller
3:48 First camera at age five
5:17 Running a TV studio at eight
6:44 Deciding at ten to do this forever
8:09 The list he wrote at age 12
9:46 Shooting Nas for the first time
12:12 How he processes rejection
13:46 The Killers story
16:30 Identity vs his work
18:47 What makes a great picture
20:31 Reading emotion through the eyes
22:37 Atmosphere vs the subject
26:13 Black and white vs color
28:41 Training his eye
32:59 Mastering relationships in the industry
35:32 Showing people how he sees them
48:53 Steph Curry’s discipline & ego
50:20 Losing his father & rebuilding
56:01 What makes a great dad

Follow Divot:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Divotpod
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg

Hashtags:
#PhotographyMasterclass #VisualStorytelling #BlackAndWhitePhotography #CinematicPortraits #ShotReady #StephCurry #CreativeDiscipline #IconicImages #ArtOfSeeing #LegacyAndPurpose #CreatorsJourney