Portfolio Review Message from the Chairman

More than Half-way to "PR" Day!

We have now passed the halfway point to the Portfolio Review exhibit and review dates -  Tuesday and Thursday, October 12, & 14, 2010. By now, I’m sure that those of you who signed up have shot many of your images and are well on your way to completing your artist statement – Yes? Maybe not – if not, you need to get in gear.

As I have mentioned before, a last minute rush in September defeats the purpose and the intent of the Portfolio Review. If you take the crash project approach, you will loose the benefits of learning and growing that the program is intended to impart. For some of you, the idea of thinking out your photographic approach and theme may seem tiresome and a curtailment of your creativity. Nothing could be further from the truth. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised. I know I was the first time I participated in the program.

If you have questions or are having problems and would like to talk with someone – please contact me at a meeting, call me at 281-493-1944 or e-mail me at fifejim@aol.com. I will be happy to try and help.

I know that there are some New Members who may not be aware of the Portfolio Review Program and the opportunity it offers. The following should bring you up to speed.

The Portfolio Review is an opportunity to learn what it takes to put together a body of work and exhibit it as if you were at a gallery or museum. It’s not just a collection of various images that you have done over the years. A portfolio for an exhibit should have a common theme and a continuity of printing and presentation. If you need or want more details, please let me know and I will e-mail you information. If any of you aspire to exhibit or show your work at some time, this will be an excellent venue for you to learn what it takes and what you need to do.

You will have from now until our first meeting in October (10-12-10) to put together your portfolio and artist statement. Instead of a program on this first meeting in October, we will have an exhibit of the portfolios of all the participating photographers. It is open to the public; invite your family, friends, relatives, etc.

On Thursday (10-14-10), only the participating photographers will meet at Tracy Gee Community Center to have their portfolios reviewed. There will be five - seven reviewers, depending upon the number of participants. If you would like to participate in the Portfolio Review, please contact Jim Fife at a meeting or at the above e-mail or phone number and sign up. The sign up cutoff date is our last meeting in August (08-24-10). After that you will only be able to participate if someone who has signed up drops out.

At the review you will have the opportunity to sit down with several different reviewers on a one-on-one basis and have your portfolio reviewed and discussed by various established photographers, educators, curators, artists, etc. It won’t cost you and you won’t spend a whole day doing it as you would at FotoFest.