Last weekend, the Los Angeles photo community found itself in Santa Monica for 4 days of exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and portfolio reviews at the 2013 photo la exhibition.  It was a place to see old friends and make new ones, a place to see what galleries are featuring, what work resonates with collectors, how work is framed and presented.  This year there were about 70 exhibitors, a number of schools with photo programs and non-profit organizations had booths, there were a variety of installations and exhibitions, and there were galleries from around the globe.  After a few years of economic repositioning, the work represented was more on the traditional spectrum, with few large wow color pieces, but lots of collectible and appealing work to be found.

Photo by Gray Malin

During photo l.a. I was busy teaching a workshop, reviewing portfolios, and seeing old friends, so my reporter skills were dulled, but fortunately, one of those friends, Santiago Vanegas, visiting from Atlanta, did some on-the-fly photography for me.  Muchas gracias Santiago!

images by Santiago Vanegas

Australia’s Queensland Centre for Photography

 

Susan Spiritus doing what she does best….

 Susan Spiritus’ busy booth!

 Fran Forman (with Deborah Parkin’s work behind her)
at the Susan Spiritus Gallery booth

 Works by Hiroshi Watanable at the Susan Spiritus Gallery

 Time Space Gallery, China

 Verner Soler and Tara Bogart at Hous Projects

 Lee Tonks at the LAAA/825 Booth

Isabel Munoz’s fabulous curves at the Duncan Miller Gallery

 Brooke Shaden chatting with a fan at the JoAnne Artman Gallery

Alia Malley’s collected print at the Point of View installation

where collectors shared works they had purchased….

Verge, one of the busiest booths of the show

Verge Booth

Liz Huston’s daguerreotypes sold out at Verge

 Decode Books

 Artist’s Corner Gallery with Bookmaking

 Entrance to the Emerging Focus Exhibition, Clay Lipsky’s Atomic Overlook

 21st Editions