In this inaugural studio-based episode of Season 2, Dan Higginson, Paul Bence, and Mark transition into a more permanent creative space to discuss the evolution of the Idle Hands Society. The conversation kicks off with a visceral and unfiltered travel story from Tanzania before settling into a deep exploration of Mark's ongoing documentary project in the Scottish Slate Islands. The trio examines the tactile pleasure of physical bookmaking, specifically the use of accordion-style binding and textured papers to elicit sensory responses. A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the philosophy of the "staged documentary," sparked by the work of Doug Dubois, as they debate where the line of authenticity is drawn when a photographer begins to direct the scene.

In this episode, we sit down with the acclaimed documentary photographer and filmmaker Barry Lewis to explore a career spanning over four decades of visual storytelling. From his early days transitioning from a chemistry teacher to a Royal College of Art scholar, Barry discusses the founding of the influential Network Photographers agency and his visceral experiences capturing history, including his World Press Award-winning work in post-revolutionary Romania. The conversation delves into the importance of maintaining a "fresh eye," the transition from stills to documentary film, and the necessity of artistic collaboration to keep one's creative practice evolving.

Dan and Paul talk to New York photographer, Jason Little. This conversation has been a long time coming as we’ve been talking about Jason’s work since the start of the podcast. We discuss Jason’s documentation of the Black Lives Matter movement, the power of documentary photography, how Jason started in photography, we drag Jason into our ongoing film versus digital debate, moving to a big city, working in New York, guns in America, and feeling uninspired.