This episode marks the beginning of a new chapter.

After years of conversations under The Life of PHYS, the show evolves into The PHYS Podcast, a space dedicated to photographers, filmmakers, artists, athletes, and storytellers who are shaping the creative world through images, ideas, and human connection.

PHYS stands for Photography Heals Your Soul.

It's a belief that photography is more than a craft.

More than a profession.

More than a camera.

It's a tool for connection, creativity, healing, and community.

And there is no better guest to launch this new era than someone who has spent his life helping photographers connect with all of those things.

On this episode, Tyson Martin sits down with Dan Tamarkin, owner of Tamarkin Camera and the Rangefinder Gallery in Chicago, one of the most respected Leica-focused galleries and camera showrooms in the world.

For Dan, photography isn't simply a business.

It's a family legacy.

His father, Stan Tamarkin, founded Tamarkin Camera in 1971 from the family home in New Haven, Connecticut, building what would become one of the most respected names in Leica photography worldwide.

When Dan took over the business in 2010, he brought that legacy to Chicago, where Tamarkin Camera and the Rangefinder Gallery have become destinations for photographers, collectors, artists, and Leica enthusiasts from around the globe.

But Dan's story reaches far beyond cameras.

Before stepping fully into the family business, he studied writing and linguistic ethnography at the University of Illinois Chicago. He also worked as a theatrical lighting designer, educator, performer, and storyteller.

Those experiences shaped the way he understands photography.

Not as equipment.

Not as technology.

But as a language.

A way of seeing.

A way of communicating.

A way of understanding light, shadow, and the stories that live between them.

As both a photographer and collector, Dan remains deeply connected to the practice itself. Whether working with a Leica M7 loaded with film, a Leica M Monochrom, or one of the many historic Leica cameras that pass through his gallery, his passion remains rooted in the experience of making photographs.

Not simply owning cameras.

Using them.

Living with them.

Creating with them.

In this conversation, Tyson and Dan explore Leica history, photography culture, collecting, community, storytelling, and why physical spaces dedicated to photography matter more than ever in an increasingly digital world.

In This Episode:

• The launch of The PHYS Podcast and the meaning behind Photography Heals Your Soul
• Dan Tamarkin's journey into the family camera business
• The history and legacy of Tamarkin Camera
• Growing up surrounded by Leica cameras and photography culture
• The difference between collecting cameras and making photographs
• Why Leica continues to inspire photographers around the world
• The importance of physical galleries and community spaces
• Building the Rangefinder Gallery in Chicago
• Photography as storytelling, language, and human connection
• Why cameras continue to bring people together across generations

Dan's perspective reminds us that photography has always been about more than equipment.

Behind every camera is a person.

Behind every photograph is a story.

And behind every creative community are the people who create spaces for those stories to be shared.

This conversation is a deep dive into Leica history, photography culture, visual storytelling, collecting, craftsmanship, and the enduring power of creative community.

Whether you're a lifelong Leica photographer, a film enthusiast, a collector, or someone who simply believes in the power of images to connect people, this episode offers insight into one of the most influential corners of the photography world.

And as The PHYS Podcast begins this new chapter, it serves as a reminder of the belief that started it all:

Photography Heals Your Soul.

Follow Dan Tamarkin
Instagram: @tamarkin_camera
Threads: @tamarkin_camera
Website: www.tamarkin.com
YouTube: @TamarkinCamera