In this first of a series of three progress reports on qualitative methods we scope recent qualitative research in human geography through the prism of the interview. Across diverse subfields the interview persists as the dominant means of understanding, though increasingly supplemented or complemented by other means such as diaries and autobiography. Capturing social life as it happens is emerging in response to theoretical developments that encourage new methodological thinking, and includes cities and buildings being thought of as methodological resources as well as sites. These point to concerns with the materiality and inventiveness of method that will be explored in subsequent reports.