Its been a couple weeks since my return from Review Santa Fe. I was honored to have my series, Vanitas be recognized with a Juror's Choice award in the project competition by Tina Kukielski of the Whitney Museum. I was a little nervous about doing another review so shortly after Fotofest, which I found to be ultra-competitive and exhausting. I was pleasantly surprised to find that by the time I arrived in Santa Fe I had already befriended four other photographers and shared a ride from the Albuquerque airport. There was such a sense of camaraderie and it was great to see so much beautiful work and be surrounded by so much talent. The reviews themselves were so well organized that it immediately put me at ease. Laura Pressley, Jessica Parker, and the entire staff and volunteers at Center did a phenomenal job of creating a review that ran like clock work but still managed to create an environment of mutual respect and sharing.
Many people have been asking me lately what my experiences at portfolio reviews have been like. Judging between Review Santa Fe and Fotofest I would have to recommend RSF hands down for many reasons. Keep in mind that each portfolio review is unique and has something different to offer and there are many to choose from: Center, Fotofest, Photolucida, PhotoNOLA, Photo Espana, The Center for Photography at Woodstock, En Foco, and now the Exhibition Lab just to name a few. It is good to be informed before selecting the right portfolio review for your work. Amber Terranova lays it out quite nicely in this month's PDN.
