In this episode of the Foto Podcast, we sit down with Maine-based photojournalist and documentary photographer Greta Rybus, whose work blends deep observation, human empathy, and a reverence for nature. Greta shares her journey from growing up in Idaho to working as a full-time freelancer in Maine, covering everything from environmental stories to the opioid crisis to long-term projects rooted in land and community.
We talk about her approach to photographing complex issues with compassion, the emotional challenge of pairing photography with writing, and why she believes slowness, curiosity, and presence are more important than ever in storytelling. Greta opens up about her personal project documenting Nash Island’s wild sheep and the people who care for them, and how that work reflects her larger values around sustainability, collaboration, and finding other ways to live.
This episode is a calm, reflective deep dive into what it means to build a photographic life around care—for people, for place, and for story.
🔗 Resources & Links:
* 📸 Greta’s Work: gretarybus.com
* 📷 Follow Greta on Foto: @gretarybus
* 🖼️ Instagram: @gretarybus
* 🗞️ Read about her New York Times piece: “Meth Comes for Maine”
* 🐑 Learn about Nash Island
* 🫧 Check out her “Hot Springs” Book
* ✍️ Substack newsletter: The Photosynthesist
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