In this episode, we explore the idea that every choice a photographer makes—from their lens to their editing style—is actually a form of game design. By adopting specific constraints, photographers are “sculpting” their own creative agency, essentially choosing who they want to be in the moment of creation.
Key Takeaways
- Agency as Art: Games aren’t just about puzzles; they are a medium for human agency. As a photographer, your constraints (like using a fixed prime lens) define the “version” of yourself that interacts with the world.
- Striving vs. Achievement: “Achievement play” focuses on the win (the final photo), while “striving play” finds value in the struggle and the process itself.
- The Trap of Value Capture: When complex artistic values are replaced by simple metrics—like Instagram likes or follower counts—our creative agency is often “captured” by an external system.
- The Library of Agency: To maintain creative health, photographers should treat different genres and techniques as a “library” of selves they can inhabit, rather than sticking to one rigid style.
The “Library of Agency” Games
The episode suggests rotating through different “games” to prevent creative stagnation:
| Game | Constraints | Agency Sculpted |
| The Hunter | Fast autofocus, 30fps, reactive shooting. | High reflexes, split-second decision-making. |
| The Builder | Tripod, slow shutter, manual focus. | Patience, methodical construction, precision. |
| The Collaborator | Street photography, no setup, “shooting from the hip.” | Intuition, acceptance of chaos and imperfection. |
| The God | Studio still life, total control over every photon. | Responsibility, intentionality, absolute control. |
| The Playful Rebel | Pin-hole or toy cameras, objectively “bad” quality. | Focus on composition/light over technical perfection. |
Reading List
If you want to dive deeper into the philosophical frameworks mentioned in this episode, here are the core texts:
- “Games: Agency as Art” by C. Thi Nguyen (2020): This is the foundational text for the episode, exploring how games allow us to “check out” different agencies and why that is a unique form of art.
- “The Score: How to Stop Playing Someone Else’s Game” by C. Thi Nguyen (2026): His newest work, which explores how metrics and gamification can hijack our personal values.
