Explore every episode of the podcast The Focus Trap
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 106: The Trap of Perfection | 18 juin 2026 | 00:42:39 | |
What if perfectionism isnât actually about making better photos, but about trying not to look stupid while learning?
They also talk about:
Along the way, there are conversations about hummingbirds, fuzzy snow pants, workshop frustration, and the realization that âIâm a perfectionistâ might be less of a personality trait and more of a very socially acceptable hiding place.
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| 105: The Trap of Editing | 11 juin 2026 | 00:49:35 | |
What if âfixing it in postâ is just doing the same job twice? In this episode of The Focus Trap, Amy and Casey talk about editing. Not the fun, creative side of editing, but the kind that happens because something went wrong in the field and now youâre trying to rescue it later on the computer. They also talk about:
Along the way, there are conversations about black dogs, AI editing tools, crooked horizons, agility trials, kayak bird photography, and the realization that your body mechanics might be the reason all your photos are crooked.
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| 104: The Trap of Creativity | 04 juin 2026 | 00:53:05 | |
What if the photographers who seem ânaturally creativeâ just took way more bad photos than everybody else? In this episode of The Focus Trap, Amy and Casey talk about creativity, natural talent, and why so many people decide they âarenât artisticâ long before theyâve actually given themselves enough reps to learn. They also talk about:
Along the way, there are conversations about theater lighting design, weightlifting, Michael Phelps, house finches, disposable cameras, potato days, angry woodworking, Baby Beethoven, and why âgo take more fucking picturesâ might genuinely be the best photography advice most beginners never hear. 00:00 Are Some People Just Naturally Creative? 13:59 Reps, Pattern Recognition, and Learning Photography 20:57 Nobody Shows the Throwaway Photos 30:17 Potato Days, Burnout, and Intentional Rest 42:40 The Gear Question: Teleconverters and Trade-Offs ------------------- đ¸ Find Amy and learn more about her photography coaching: www.greatdanephotoadventures.com đ§ Find Casey and learn more about what she's up to: www.caseyjourdan.com And follow The Focus Trap @thefocustrap on Instagram and TikTok | |||
| 103: The Origin of Focus Trap | 28 mai 2026 | 00:53:52 | |
What if two people from completely different worlds were actually talking about the same thing all along? In this episode of The Focus Trap, Amy and Casey talk about where they came from, how they each ended up teaching in completely different fields, and how a conversation about email somehow turned into a photography podcast. Amy shares how she went from math and physics teacher to photographing dog sports professionally, building a custom system to sort thousands of dog photos, and accidentally creating a business around solving problems nobody else was paying attention to yet. Casey talks about being wounded in Iraq at 19, navigating life with PTSD and a brain injury, and eventually building a coaching practice around helping other people untangle the same kinds of overwhelm and identity shifts she had to figure out herself.
Along the way, there are stories about floppy disk cameras, dog shows, CrossFit coaching, TikTok algorithms, bird photography workshops, and the realization that maybe the email was never actually about the email. 00:00 Welcome 00:37 How Did This Partnership Even Happen? 08:04 Film Cameras, Dog Shows, and Building a Photography Business 22:48 It Was Never About the Email 25:22 PTSD, ADHD, and Learning Yourself the Hard Way 44:35 Photography, Nervous Systems, and Learning to Be Curious 51:17 Why the Show Exists ------------------- đ¸ Find Amy and learn more about her photography coaching: www.greatdanephotoadventures.com đ§ Find Casey and learn more about what she's up to: www.caseyjourdan.com And follow The Focus Trap @thefocustrap on Instagram and TikTok | |||
| 102: The Trap of Gear | 28 mai 2026 | 00:31:41 | |
What if the thing standing between you and better photos isnât your camera? In this episode of The Focus Trap, Amy and Casey talk about gear. Why photographers get obsessed with it, when it actually matters, and when itâs just a very expensive attempt to quiet your nervous system. Amy explains why she chooses gear based on photographing fast dogs in terrible light, why megapixels are wildly overhyped, and why she cares more about ISO than almost any other camera spec. Casey talks about recently upgrading from a 20-year-old DSLR to a mirrorless camera, the dopamine hit of shiny new gear, and realizing that some problems are solved by equipment while others are still just fundamentals. They also talk about:
Along the way, there are conversations about horse arenas with terrible lighting, disposable cameras, heat haze, Amazon wishlists, and why âjust buy a new cameraâ is usually not the full answer.
------------------- đ¸ Find Amy and learn more about her photography coaching: www.greatdanephotoadventures.com đ§ Find Casey and learn more about what she's up to: www.caseyjourdan.com And follow The Focus Trap @thefocustrap on Instagram and TikTok | |||
| 101: The Trap of Getting It Right | 28 mai 2026 | 00:40:19 | |
What if the question "am I doing this right?" is the thing actually getting in your way? In this first episode of The Focus Trap, Amy and Casey talk about the pressure to âget it right,â why that question tends to shut down curiosity instead of helping people learn, and why Amy starts photo critiques with a different question entirely. They also talk about:
Along the way, there are stories about vultures, hunting, Great Danes, blurry dog photos, adrenaline spikes, photo contests, and the deeply important question: âBut did you die?â If youâve ever picked up a camera and immediately worried about whether you were doing it correctly, this episode is for you. 00:00 Welcome to The Focus Trap 05:19 Why âRight or Wrongâ Shuts Down Creativity 07:23 So whoâs the boss? 21:14 Vultures, Bad Photos, and Nervous Systems 36:13 Ask Better Questions ------------------- | |||
| Trailer | 15 mai 2026 | 00:01:58 | |
About the hosts: Amy Johnson is a professional dog sports photographer and the founder of Great Dane Photo Adventures (GDPA), where she teaches photographers at all levels. She has been the official photographer for events including the AKC National Agility Championship and is known for teaching photographers to make better decisionsânot follow better rules. [Click here to see more of Amy's work] Casey Jourdan is a former nervous system coach, beginner photographer, and someone who thinks deeply about how the brain and nervous system function during learning and creativity. [See more about Casey] | |||