We conclude our incredible conversation with Sarah Leen, former Director of Photography at National Geographic, by diving into her current work as an editor, educator, and mentor.
In this Part 2, Sarah discusses the liberation of leaving management behind to refocus on the creative "puzzle" of photography. She takes us behind the scenes of her process as a master photo book editor, explaining how she works with photographers to find the narrative thread in a sea of images.
A major theme of today’s talk is giving back. Sarah is widely regarded as one of the industry's most supportive mentors. We talk about her role in founding the Visual Thinking Collective—a community for independent women creatives—and her experiences teaching at prestigious workshops like the Eddy Adams, Missouri Photo Workshops, Santa Fe, or Maine Media.
Sarah also shares her personal "maker" philosophy, from the tactical joy of physical notebooks to the quiet satisfaction of a well-tended garden. It’s a deep dive into why "the edit" is where the story truly comes to life. Don't miss this inspiring look at life after the magazine and the art of lifting the next generation of visual storytellers!
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📸 See more of Sarah's work:
https://www.sarahleen.com/
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Thanks for listening and look out for our next episode! 🚀