Award-winning fine art photographer Susan Burnstine joins this episode to discuss her journey from Hollywood film production to becoming a full-time artist whose haunting dreamlike photographs are created with cameras she built herself.
In this conversation, Susan shares how childhood night terrors and her mother’s artistic guidance shaped her creative process. She reflects on her years working in the film industry, the turning point that brought her back to photography, and the moment she first captured the aesthetic she had been searching for.
The discussion explores her approach to symbolism, intuition, and dream imagery in photography, the experience of building her own cameras, and the importance of creating from the heart rather than technical perfection. Susan also talks about mentoring artists, teaching creativity, and how her definition of success has changed over time.

Website: http://www.susanburnstine.com/

*Shownotes*
Growing up in Chicago and studying photography in high school

Being inspired by films shot at her school and developing an interest in visual storytelling

Early experience working for a professional photographer

Choosing filmmaking and moving to Hollywood

A personal tragedy that shifted her perspective and led her back to photography

Childhood night terrors and using art to cope with fear

Recreating dreams through photography as a form of healing

Discovering toy cameras like the Holga and learning to photograph intuitively

The challenge from her father that led her to build her own cameras

Developing a prototype camera and capturing the first successful image

Using dream imagery, symbols, and metaphor in photography

Creating photographs that allow viewers to form their own interpretation

Teaching photography and helping artists discover their own creative voice

Working with students online around the world

Building a career as a full-time artist for over twenty years

Publishing monographs and exhibiting work internationally

Embracing imperfection as an essential part of creativity

The influence of impressionism and pictorialism on her photography

Defining success through self-expression and living life on her own terms

*Memorable Quotes*
“Toy cameras teach you to shoot differently — to shoot from your heart, not your head.”

“When you’re looking through a view camera, you’re not seeing what you’re really shooting, so you have to go with your instinct.”

“I wanted to recreate the dream world in a positive light rather than the negative night terrors.”

“Imperfection is perfection to me.”

“Life is so messy. Life is so imperfect.”

“Once I put the image out in the world, it should be your own experience.”

“Sometimes when I hit the shutter, I just know.”

“I teach what you know. I help people discover what is unique about them.”

“The essence of creativity just happened in front of me.”

“Success is about achieving self-expression on my own terms.”

“I’ll leave this life and say I lived the life I wanted to live.”