The Camera Life
Two Australian camera strap makers host a live, interactive show on the craft, gear, and business of photography.
A casual, long-form talk show for photographers, hosted by two industry insiders who make and sell camera gear. The show splits its time between deep-dive interviews with Australian photographers and a more relaxed news-and-community format. The connection to their strap company is transparent, with discussions often stemming from practical problems like the frustrations of carrying a camera, which directly informs their product design.
“The show's most distinctive feature is its direct link to the hosts' own business, Lucky Camera Straps, allowing them to use audience feedback on gear problems as direct market research. The dual-format structure—a formal interview show and a casual news/critique show—also sets it apart.”
Who hosts this show
The Camera Life is a live weekly podcast from Melbourne, Australia, hosted by photographers Greg Cromie and Justin Castles, who are also the owners of Lucky Camera Straps. The show features two distinct formats: a Thursday long-form interview with working photographers and a Monday "Random Photography Show" covering news, gear, and community image reviews. A key feature is the heavy integration of the live YouTube audience chat into the conversation.
Credentials & credits
- Justin Castles: Founder of Lucky Camera Straps
- Justin Castles: Professional adventure sports and wedding photographer
- Greg Cromie: Street and travel photographer
- Greg Cromie: Writer for photography publications like ShotKit
Other ventures
- Lucky Camera Straps (Hosts' own company)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01From Headshots to NASA Features: Andrew Campbell's Photography Journey (EP194)Jun 25, 2026 · 2h 56m
- 02Buying and Selling Used Camera Gear - The Random Photography ShowJun 23, 2026 · 1h 59m
- 03How Art Therapy Transformed a Family Photography Business | Katie Phillips (EP192)Jun 18, 2026 · 2h 23m
- 04Are We Sick of Big Cameras? with Denis Smith - The Random Photography ShowJun 15, 2026 · 2h 40m
- 05What do you HATE about carrying your camera? (EP190)Jun 11, 2026 · 1h 39m
- 06What's Your Favourite Camera Bag? The Random Photography Show (EP189)Jun 8, 2026 · 1h 47m
- 07A conversation with Marcus Bell (EP188)Jun 4, 2026 · 2h 49m
- 08Never Go Back? The Random Photography Show (EP187)Jun 1, 2026 · 1h 53m
Notable episodes
- 01From Headshots to NASA Features: Andrew Campbell's Photography Journey (EP194)
A deep dive into the career of a photographer who successfully balances two disparate niches: corporate headshots and NASA-featured astrophotography.
- 02How Art Therapy Transformed a Family Photography Business | Katie Phillips (EP192)
Explores the unique intersection of photography, mental health, and inclusivity, showing how a background in art therapy directly shapes a photography business.
- 03What do you HATE about carrying your camera? (EP190)
A perfect example of the show's format, where a last-minute guest cancellation turns into a productive, community-driven discussion that also serves as market research for the hosts' strap company.
What you'll be asked on this show
The interview format is conversational and guided by on-screen visuals of the guest's portfolio. The hosts, primarily Greg, often open with broad, philosophical questions about a guest's core values before delving into their origin story and craft. [DB9WSwhPD7g] They allow guests ample time for long, uninterrupted anecdotes and build rapport by sharing their own experiences. [OZ0oupzXq8k] Questions from the live YouTube audience are frequently woven into the discussion, while Justin typically manages the technical production and chat moderation. [OZ0oupzXq8k, DB9WSwhPD7g]
The show is broadcast live with two main hosts, Justin Castles and Greg Cromie. Thursday episodes are guest interviews, while Monday's 'Random Photography Show' is a more casual chat about news and viewer photos. They actively read and respond to the YouTube live chat, making it a core part of the show. Production is informal, with occasional technical glitches. [NvziP0zduo0]
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
mindset
1- Q.01
“How do you manifest your core values, like inclusivity or authenticity, into your craft?”
A common opening question that immediately gets to the 'why' behind the guest's work.
origin
3- Q.01
“How did a formative experience, like boarding school, shape you as a creative?”
Used to dig into the guest's origin story beyond just their photography career.
- Q.02
“What were some of your earlier influences to become a photographer?”
A classic question they use to establish the guest's backstory and inspirations.
- Q.03
“Do you remember what your first professional photoshoot was?”
This question seeks a specific anecdote about the guest's transition from amateur to pro.
advice
3- Q.01
“What were the key lessons you took away from your early years working as an assistant?”
Aimed at guests with long careers to extract advice from their formative experiences.
- Q.02
“Do you think it's still a good strategy for photographers to specialize and master one thing?”
This question seeks the guest's opinion on a common business strategy debate.
- Q.03
“If you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be?”
A signature closing question to elicit reflective, personal advice.
industry
1- Q.01
“What are the core differences between landing a job back then versus what new photographers face today?”
This question is posed to veteran photographers to compare industry changes over time.
process
1- Q.01
“In simple terms, what is [your niche profession, e.g., art therapy]?”
The hosts ask this to ensure the audience gets a clear definition of a guest's specialized field.
craft
2- Q.01
“How do you handle challenging emotions or create comfort during a shoot?”
This question explores the guest's client management and interpersonal skills.
- Q.02
“What gear do you have left in your kit?”
A common question near the end of the interview to talk about the guest's essential tools.
money
1- Q.01
“What's the business breakdown between your different types of work, like weddings or commercial?”
A direct question to understand the guest's business model and revenue streams.
Signature segments
- · The Random Photography Show
- · Your Images (viewer photo critique segment)
- · Live chat shout-outs and interaction
- · Live call-ins
- · Discount codes named after the hosts
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically Australian working photographers with a distinct specialization, from astrophotography and art therapy to long-established wedding and commercial photographers. The show books guests who can speak candidly about their creative process, business strategies, and personal journey.
- Andrew Campbellon From Headshots to NASA Features: Andrew Campbell's Photography Journey (EP194)
- Katie Phillipson How Art Therapy Transformed a Family Photography Business | Katie Phillips (EP192)
- Denis Smithon Are We Sick of Big Cameras? with Denis Smith - The Random Photography Show
- Marcus Bellon A conversation with Marcus Bell (EP188)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The primary sponsor is Lucky Camera Straps, the hosts' own company, making the podcast a central pillar of their content marketing. Other sponsors are typically direct-to-consumer brands selling photography accessories. The hosts offer discount codes named after themselves, like "GREG" or "JUSTIN". [12, DB9WSwhPD7g]
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
People also ask
- Who are the hosts?
- The primary hosts are Greg Cromie and Justin Castles. Justin is the founder of Lucky Camera Straps and a professional photographer, while Greg is a street photographer and writer. Jim Aldersey was a previous host.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the podcast is active and produces two live episodes per week as of mid-2026.
- What are the different show formats?
- They have two weekly shows: a long-form interview with a guest photographer on Thursdays, and 'The Random Photography Show' on Mondays, which covers news, gear talk, and viewer image critiques.
- How can I get my photos featured?
- Viewers can submit their photos to be featured and discussed during 'The Random Photography Show'. The hosts typically provide instructions on how to submit during the episodes.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is streamed live on their YouTube channel, "The Camera Life", and is also available on audio platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- What is the connection to Lucky Camera Straps?
- The podcast is hosted by the owners of Lucky Camera Straps, an Australian company that makes leather camera straps. The show is an extension of their brand and they often discuss topics related to carrying cameras.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]The Camera Life Podcast - Lucky Camera Strapsluckystraps.com
- [02]The Camera Life - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [03]Greg Cromie Photography Bloggregcromie.blog
- [04]Who's Justin - Justin and Jim Photographersjustinandjim.com.au
- [05]The Camera Life - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [06]Inside My Camera Bag | Greg Cromie - Shotkitshotkit.com
- [07]Australian company launches new 'game changing' quick release camera strap - Australian Photographyaustralianphotography.com
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