So much happening in Washington DC starting Saturday and it’s not all political.  Fotoweek DC is an incredible celebration of all things photography, with a heaping feast of exhibitions, education, lectures, portfolio reviews, and a city that is joining in the experience.

Among a large selection of exhibitions, Feature Shoot editor Alison Zavos and Amanda Gorence are presenting Come Together, a group photography exhibition featuring 18 photographers that is a mash-up of contemporary imagery that visually alludes to song titles by the Beatles. The experience of viewing the show can be likened to a Beatles-themed game of charades, but using photos to invoke an interactive element, even if the challenge is only going on inside the mind. Accessible and lighthearted, the exhibition offers a unique perspective on one of the most popular bands of all time. While some connections will be easier to make than others, the images will cross all genres, allowing viewers of different generations to find a meaningful relationship between the photos.

I’m thrilled to be teaching the seminar:

STRATEGY & CREATION – SUNDAY, Nov. 11^th
Industry Knowledge For Beginning and Emerging Photographers – Aline Smithson & PDN’s 30 Strategies for Young Working Photographers  REGISTER NOW
10am – 2pm, Goethe Institut*
Aline Smithson – The Broad View: Fine Art Portfolios from Context, to Creation, to Completion
The most important tool that a photographer can bring to their work is knowledge and insight.  Many photographers spend much of their education on learning the bells and whistles of cameras and changing technology, and don’t consider what is equally as important: Creating a voice, having ideas, producing stellar prints, and knowing where the work they create fits into the contemporary art market.  Ultimately, what is most rewarding and most important is The Work.
This three-hour workshop is geared to beginning and emerging photographers.  During the session, we will explore how to develop ideas for projects by examining the fine art market and by exploring the context of award winning or meaningful portfolios.  Portfolios will be presented to also help explain contemporary genres of photography, touching on categories that are often offered in competitions or magazines, and we will look at what kinds of work fits into what kind of market.
In the workshop, we will also not only discuss how to create a portfolio but in addition, how to present a body of work to the fine art market, focusing on your ability to articulate your work and produce quality photographs.  The details that surround the work you make are important to establishing yourself as a professional.

There are lots of terrific seminars to attend: