Critical Revue PDX!

One of the toughest things for a photographer to do is evaluate their own work. It’s too easy to fall in love with your own images for the wrong reasons (“You won’t believe how hard it was to get that shot” or “I got to photograph someone really famous!”), or to be overly critical (“I wish the subjects foot were pointed 5° more to the left” or “That would be so much better if the catch-lights were square instead of round”).

Critical revue is your opportunity to get open, honest feedback from people who know what they’re talking about. (It’s also a good excuse to meet/socialize with your fellow photographers!)

It’s all happening Wednesday April 25, at studio 304 in SE Portland (537 SE Ash St., 3rd floor). Doors open at 6:30, and the show starts at 7.

Sponsors

We are grateful for the support of our sponsors: Plywerk, the coolest, eco-friendliest way to mount and display your work, and Pro Photo Supply, the best camera store in Portland, period. Support your local photo industry!

How will it work?

The idea is based on something Zack Arias did in Atlanta. Basically, you bring a portfolio or body of work, show up at the studio with a chair and beverage, and listen and learn as the panel of experts critiques the work. The work will be projected for everyone to see, and the whole audience will hear what the critics have to say.
Zack’s rules apply:

1. You can’t take it personally. Even if the panel laughs at your photos. They are there first and foremost to help and that means they aren’t going to just hand out pats on the back and pump up your self esteem. Honest critique is needed by all of us in order to grow. It is the goal to point out strengths and weakness. We all have to grow. None of us have this all figured out. Just remember that.
2. You can’t explain your work until after the critique. You could show a mediocre photograph and then tell us the saddest story in the world about the photograph and suddenly we want to like the photograph. A picture stands on its own or it doesn’t. Let your work speak for itself. We can have a discussion about your work after the panel has had its say first.
3. You aren’t guaranteed a critique. We have no idea how many folks are going to show up. That’s why it is a bring-your-own-chair sort of event. If 6 people show up then we’ll get to all of you. If 100 people show up, well, you know that would be impossible. Sitting in on the critique is always a good learning experience though. You don’t have to put something in the box to attend. You can rubberneck if you want.
4. Bring a chair, bring a beverage. Our floor is hard so you might want to grab a folding chair from home. And if you think you might get thirsty, bring something you like.

The panel

The work will be reviewed by renowned editorial/commercial photographer Daniel Root and internationally-recognized fashion/lifestyle photographer Quavondo, and living legend Bruce Forster. The panelists’ opinions are their own, of course, but they’ve been around the block and their experience covers a wide cross-section of the image creation business.

The details

We need your work! If you want to submit work to be considered by our panel here’s what you should do:

• Put together a portfolio or body of work of no more than 20 pictures. It doesn’t have to be “your very bestest work ever,” just something of presentable quality that you want some feedback on. Any subject is ok (except porn), but keep in mind that our panel will review the work based on their own background.
• Optimize the pictures for projection at 1024 (horiz.) x 768 (vert.) pixels. It doesn’t have to be created digitally, but it must be presented that way. Save the pictures as jpeg files with sRGB color profile.
• Name the pictures with your name and the sequence, e.g. MatthewGinn01.jpg, MatthewGinn02.jpg, etc. (Don’t forget the leading ‘0’, or photos 10-19 might end up before photo 2!)
• Email them to me, matthew-at-matthewginn-dot-com, with the subject line “Critical Revue PDX portfolio” OR bring them on a memory stick to the event.
• IMPORTANT: re-read Zack’s rules above.

Space is limited—please “join” this event on Facebook.