Blog

In April of 2017, I participated in Photo Lucida, a five-day speed dating style critique session for photographers. You get a 20-minute window to present a portfolio of your artwork to industry professionals. This event happens in Portland, Oregon, every other year.   Several other photography centers also organize similar events around the country.  It is exhilarating to be a part of, and I highly suggest anyone who is thinking about selling or publishing their photography go to one of these events to learn what exceptionalism looks like.  It is also exhausting, besides meeting so many of the top deciders in the professional imaging world. Everyone in attendance is an exceptional photographer; and has pre juried for a spot at the event. 
The critiques start out polite and get more brutal as the days go on. You are there to catch a break for your art, and the reviewers are there to help you become a better artist and clearer advocate for your artwork.  These two agendas will clash at some point in the long weekend. Those more challenging critiques can be hard to take in, let alone sit through.  But the focus on your work and intense discussions will make a tremendous impact on you and your art. The new contacts you will meet will keep you busy, moving your work and your words about it forward for the next two to three years, resulting in a better understanding of the photography world and where you want to go with your artwork from there. 
for a reviewers perspective on this event, I suggest reading this blog post on lenscratch by Aline Smithson http://lenscratch.com/2017/05/photolucida-2/