Shoot Wisely the Creators Podcast with Amir Ebrahimi
Hosted by photographer and documentarian Amir Ebrahimi, the Shoot Wisely Podcast explores the creative process through honest conversations with artists, filmmakers, photographers, designers, writers, and other inspiring creators.
With more than 20 years of production experience, Amir has traveled the world documenting a wide range of stories, from covering the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, to producing social issue campaigns for the Ethiopian Health Ministry, to extensive NBA coverage on and off the court, and documenting life inside Cambodian orphanages.
Each episode dives into the journey behind the work: the experiences, struggles, inspirations, and moments that shaped each guest’s creative path. While the show has a strong focus on photographers, cinematographers, and visual storytellers, the conversations remain open to creators from every discipline who are driven by curiosity and the need to make something meaningful.
Shoot Wisely is less about rigid interviews and more about authentic dialogue exploring the who, what, where, and why behind creativity, with occasional insight into the tools and techniques each artist uses along the way.
At its core, the podcast exists to inspire people to create fearlessly, think deeply, and ultimately, shoot wisely.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review and share it with someone who loves the creative process.
Shoot Wisely the Creators Podcast with Amir Ebrahimi
06 - Jake Ricker, Golden Gate Bridge Street Film Photographer
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Episode 06 — Jake Ricker (Documenting the Golden Gate Bridge on film)
In Episode 06 of the Shoot Wisely podcast, I sit down with photographer Jake Ricker to discuss his multi-year project documenting the Golden Gate Bridge entirely on film — and the book that emerged from it.
Jake shares what drew him to photograph one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, and why he chose to approach it with patience, repetition, and analog discipline. We talk about the challenges of committing to a long-term project, the realities of shooting film in changing light and weather conditions, and how the bridge became a study of mood, atmosphere, and time.
The conversation also explores the process of turning years of work into a cohesive book — editing, sequencing, and honoring the emotional throughline of the project.
This episode is about dedication, restraint, and the power of returning to the same subject again and again until it reveals something deeper.
In This Episode
- The origin of the Golden Gate Bridge project
- Why he chose to shoot the entire series on film
- Working through changing light, fog, and weather
- The discipline of long-term photographic projects
- Editing and sequencing for a book
- Lessons learned from photographing a single subject over years
About the Guest
Jake Ricker is a photographer known for his thoughtful, film-based practice and long-form projects. His work reflects patience, technical precision, and a deep commitment to craft, culminating in a book centered on the Golden Gate Bridge.