FRAMES Photography Podcast with Joshua Herman

In today’s episode, W. Scott Olsen speaks with Joshua Herman, Editorial Director and driving force behind Act One: A Century in the Making, an ambitious publication that pairs photography with original essays to explore the first 25 years of the 21st century.

You can listen to this interview using our podcast player below, but we strongly encourage you to subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app so you don’t miss future episodes.

Joshua Herman is the Editorial Director and the person behind the original idea for Act One: A Century in the Making, an ambitious photography book that takes a close look at the first 25 years of the 21st century. He envisioned bringing together photography and thoughtful writing to explore how our world has changed, what has shaped it, and what these changes might mean for the future.

The project is impressive in both its scale and its scope. Across 704 pages, Act One brings together more than 600 photographs by over 100 internationally recognized photographers, including Eugene Richards, Martin Schoeller, Nick Brandt, Platon, and many others. Their work covers a remarkable range of subjects, from climate change and armed conflict to technology, human rights, public health, and the changing nature of modern society.

Herman’s role goes well beyond simply overseeing the publication. He developed the book’s editorial structure, organized its themes, and worked closely with contributing scholars and writers to create a meaningful connection between the photographs and the accompanying essays. He also wrote and edited photographic texts himself. Working alongside Creative and Visual Director Marc Asnin and designer Edwin van Gelder, he has helped turn an enormous collection of individual perspectives into one coherent story about our times.

What makes Act One particularly interesting is its attempt to do more than document historical events. By bringing together different photographic approaches and voices, the book invites us to consider the connections between seemingly unrelated developments and to reflect on the world we have collectively created. Published by the New York nonprofit Other Side Editions, the project also extends beyond the printed page, with an exhibition opening in New York in October 2026 and plans for further exhibitions. It is an ambitious reminder of photography’s ability not only to record history, but also to help us understand it.