On this episode of The PHYS Podcast, Tyson Martin sits down with Los Angeles-based photographer, filmmaker, and creator Caleb Knueven for a conversation about skateboarding, storytelling, filmmaking, film photography, and the unexpected paths that lead us toward a creative life.

Like many creative journeys, Caleb's story began with a skateboard and a camera.

When he was around twelve years old, Caleb was determined to become a skateboarder. But as he watched friends progress faster than he could, he discovered another way to become part of the culture he loved.

He picked up a video camera.

Officially, it was for filming his younger brother's soccer games.

Unofficially, it was for making skate videos.

That simple decision would change the course of his life.

What started as filming friends at skate spots quickly evolved into a fascination with visual storytelling. Caleb became obsessed with the process of creating narratives through moving images, storyboarding ideas, filming edits, and building small worlds through the lens of a camera.

As a teenager, he was already making short films and experimenting with storytelling techniques. His first film stretched to nearly thirty minutes long. Looking back, Caleb is the first to admit it wasn't very good.

But it taught him something important.

The only way to improve is to keep creating.

That curiosity eventually led him to the University of Kansas, where he studied Film and Theatre. While there, he discovered a passion for visual effects and the technical side of filmmaking, opening the door to a professional career in the film industry.

After graduation, Caleb moved to Los Angeles and began working with Stargate Studios, gaining experience in visual effects and working on productions as an On-Set VFX Supervisor.

But alongside the world of digital filmmaking, another creative passion began to emerge.

Film photography.

What started as curiosity quickly became a deep appreciation for analog image-making, vintage cameras, lenses, celluloid, and the slower, more intentional process that film photography encourages.

Today, Caleb shares that passion through his popular YouTube channel, Bad Flashes, where he explores film photography, filmmaking tools, cameras, lenses, creative process, and the stories behind the gear.

His work bridges two worlds.

Cinema and photography.

Digital and analog.

Technology and storytelling.

In this conversation, Tyson and Caleb discuss how skate culture shaped his creativity, the lessons learned from filmmaking, the enduring appeal of film photography, and why the tools we use often influence the stories we tell.

In This Episode:

• Caleb Knueven's journey from skateboarding to filmmaking
• Making skate videos and discovering visual storytelling
• Learning through failure and early creative projects
• Studying Film and Theatre at the University of Kansas
• Working in visual effects and on-set production in Los Angeles
• The transition from filmmaking into film photography
• Why analog photography continues to resonate in a digital world
• Cameras, lenses, and the creative process behind storytelling
• Building the Bad Flashes YouTube channel
• How skate culture continues to influence creative work

Caleb's story is a reminder that creative careers rarely follow a straight line.

Sometimes the things that seem like detours become the path.

A skateboard leads to a camera.

A camera leads to filmmaking.

Filmmaking leads to photography.

And somewhere along the way, a passion becomes a profession.

This conversation is about curiosity, experimentation, persistence, and staying open to where creativity might lead next.

Whether you're a photographer, filmmaker, skateboarder, YouTube creator, or someone trying to find your own creative path, Caleb's journey offers valuable insight into building a life centered around storytelling.

Because sometimes the most important thing you can do is simply pick up a camera and start.

Follow Caleb Knueven
Instagram: @calebknueven
Threads: @calebknueven
Website: www.calebknueven.com
YouTube: @BadFlashes