photolucida

"Every other spring an international set of photographers and reviewers gather in Portland Oregon for a week-long celebration of photography. Our mission: an increased understanding of the world through photography.

By promoting in-depth, informed, and supportive dialog between photographers, gallery owners, publishers and pundits of various sorts, Photolucida promotes the culture of photography.

An intensive four-day portfolio review lies at the heart of the festival. Reviewers are selected for their experience, involvement, and commitment to advancing the work of emerging and mid-career artists. The majority represent small, mid-sized, and major venues or publishers devoted to photography as an artistic medium. Over the years many participants have made contacts that led directly to exhibitions, publications, and the sale of their work, in addition to receiving useful critiques leading to professional refinement."

I will be on my way to Portland in a week to participate in Photolucida, whose mission statement is above. This will only be my second time there, though I have attended similar events in Houston and Santa Fe over the years. The list of reviewers (60 in all) is impressive, as is the group of accomplished photographers who are planning to attend and show their work.

What I like about these things is, obviously, the opportunity to show my work to many important people in the industry - the experience of showing and talking about my own photographs always leads me to a greater understanding of what I'm doing and why, and the feedback I get is extremely helpful. (In the past, I have been pretty lucky. I've sold work, gotten on a couple of short lists for shows, placed some work in museum collections and sold an image to Random House for a book cover).

The other really good thing that comes out of these portfolio reviews is the chance to meet lots of other photographers, look at their work, share experiences, establish new friendships and contacts. Often I feel like I am working in a vacuum. It's helpful to have other photographers with whom to commiserate, celebrate, question, etc. I have several long distance photo pals (I've met them at conferences like this and at photography workshops I've attended) with whom I share ideas, resources, publishing and exhibition info, etc. When I go to Portland, I'll look forward to seeing some of them there - and to making some new friends, too.

I am taking two bodies of work with me: Uganda and The Shredding Project. It will be an exhausting four days. Showing one's work over and over again leads to exhilaration, humiliation and everything in between. It is not for the weak at heart! Depending on whom you talk to, you can leave the review feeling like the finest photographer in the land or wishing you were never born. It's a roller coaster of emotions.

I'll keep you updated while I'm on the ride!