PHOTO Kudos

Photo Concentration Kudos

Zach Boozer Photography Accepted in International Exhibition.

Mississippi State University Department of Art is pleased to announce that Photography Concentration BFA major, Zach Boozer recently had a Holga image titled “Miss Lucy’s House” accepted into the 2015 SoHoPhoto Krappy Kamera competition at the SoHoPhoto Gallery, New York City. The juror for this year’s competition was Miriam Leuchter, who is the editor-in-chief of Popular Photography Magazine. Leuchter is also the editor-in-chief of American Photo Magazine and serves as a board member of the Josephine Herrick Project. The exhibit runs from February 4 to the 28, 2015 with the opening reception on February 3^rd.

“Miss Lucy’s House” is made using a Holga camera and the image was printed in the darkroom. When asked about the image Mr. Boozer stated “I took the image because I was intrigued by the house, with its many decorations, and the woman who was sweeping the porch as I approached the house. After introducing myself, I found out her name was Miss Lucy. She was displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and moved to this home in Natchez with her Husband, who had passed away a few years ago. I wanted to portray her as truthfully as I could within the context of her house that she calls her "happy house," while conversing with her about the house and her life.”

A Holga camera is a plastic camera that takes 120 / medium format film and is often referred to as a ‘toy camera’.  When asked why use a Holga camera when digital is available Mr. Boozer’s response was; “Using the Holga freed me from having to worry about capturing the most technically sound image I could capture, due to the simplistic nature of the camera. This allowed me not only to capture the composition  I envisioned, but it also allowed me to be more fully aware in the conversation that I shared with Miss Lucy while I was taking her portrait.”

Of the 43 artist selected, Mr. Boozer is the only photographer from Mississippi to be accepted into 2015 SoHoPhoto Krappy Kamera competition. “ There are artists from Italy, Russia, New York and California just to name a few, I am extremely impressed that Zach’s image was accepted. I know that I see great talent in him and this only confirms my belief that he is going to go far in photography.” States Professor Marita Gootee who is the Area Coordinator in Photography.

2015 SoHoPhoto Krappy Kamera competition opens on February 3^rd at the SoHoPhoto Gallery on 15 White Street in New York City. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Sunday from 1pm-6pm. For more information contact the gallery at 212-226-8571.

Photo News and Competitions to note

SUNDAY JAN 4TH  IS THE LAST DAY TO PURCHASE DISCOUNTED SPE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION. Save money and purchase tickets NOW. Cost will only increase after Sunday.  March 12-15 in New Orleans  —  Travel with PH to the conference - for more info contact Prof Gootee.

https://www.spenational.org/conference

Jan 22 3:00 in BR 215

WE ARE PHOTO - PH Portfolio Workshop and Concentration Insight Meeting

The next PH Portfolio Review for entering the concentration is FEB 20th.

Upcoming PH Competition Deadlines:

Deadline Jan 4

Chronograph

http://www.darkroomgallery.com/ex65/

Deadline Jan 12.

Lens 2015

https://perspectivegallery.slideroom.com/#/Login

Deadline Jan 12.

PhotoPlace Gallery OPEN: 2015

http://www.vtphotoworkplace.com/id273.html

Deadline Jan 16.

Regarding Leisure: Call for entries

http://unfphotographyprogram.webs.com

Deadline Jan 21

Lines

http://www.darkroomgallery.com/ex66/

Deadline Jan 31

43rd MSU Student Juried Show

https://studentshow.submittable.com/submit

Deadline: Jan 28

Grahame Brook Snider Travel Award - give to PH Concentration Major

Where do you want to go? This a where you can get the cash to get there.

Whitten ROCKS!

Whitten in another exhibition!

2012 Department of Art graduate Whitten Sabbatini recently had work selected for  Figures / Contexts international exhibition at the PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury Vermont. The exhibition opens on January 7^th and closes on the 31^st 2014. Cig Harvey was the juror for the Figures / Contexts exhibition at the PhotoPlace Gallery.

Cig Harvey photographs and artist books have been widely exhibited and remain in the permanent collections of major museums and collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas; the Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine; and the International Museum of Photography and Film at the George Eastman House, Rochester, New York. She was a recent finalist of the BMW Prize at Paris Photo and the Prix Virginia, an international photography prize for women. She is known for her high energy, sense of humor and creativity. She brings a profound sense of optimism to all that she does.

Cig Harvey sought photographs that present one or more individuals in a setting that enlarges our understanding of the subject. He selected one of Whitten’s recent images titled Eric and Teresa, Martin Luther
King Blvd. “This photograph is from my current body of work that I'm workin' on in Memphis, TN.” Said Whitten. “Essentially, it's a continuation of the kind of work I was makin' when I was in school photographing strangers. Instead of just creating a portfolio entirely of portraits like my previous work though, I'm beginning to incorporate the landscape and still lives more in order to aid in the development of the narrative.”  Whitten’s current and on-going series can be viewed here: http://whittensabbatini.com/current

“There is no doubt that Whitten as bright future in photography.” States Professor of Art  Marita Gootee who is the Photography Area Coordinator. She smiles and says. “ Do you know the quote  ‘The student surpasses the teacher’ ? Well I feel Whitten is well on his way and I am so proud of him.”

The Figures / Contexts international exhibition at the PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury Vermont. opens on January 7^th and closes on the 31^st 2014. For more information contact the PhotoPlace Gallery at photos@vtphotoworkplace.com.

deadline is approaching

The deadline is approaching; don’t miss out!

DEADLINE May 3, 2013

Greenville Arts Council

Juried 5^th Biennial 2013 Invitational

Competition for Mississippi Artists

Submissions for the Greenville Arts Council's 2013 5^th Juried Biennial Invitational are due on

May 3, 2013 at 4:00 PM in the Greenville Arts Council office at

323 S. Main Street, Greenville, MS 38701

________________________________________________________________________

The exhibition will open on June 7, 2013 and run through August 16, 2013 in the Roger D. Malkin gallery at the E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center in Greenville, MS.

Accomplished artist Rick Anderson will be the juror for this year’s Invitational. Cash prizes total $2500.

If you have any questions about your entry please call the GAC office at 662-332-2246 or visit our website atwww.greenville-arts-council.com. 

Click here for the Submission form and more information about eligibility, fees, and

cash awards.

Aaron Siskind Foundation Invites Applications for 2013 Individual Photographer's Fellowships

Aaron Siskind Foundation Invites Applications for 2013 Individual Photographer's Fellowships

The Aaron Siskind Foundation is accepting applications for its 2013 Individual Photographer's Fellowship program. The annual program encourages and celebrates artistic achievement in contemporary photography by supporting the creative endeavors of artists working in photography and photo-based art media.

    A limited number of fellowship grants of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to artists working in photography and photo-based art. Qualified applicants must provide a portfolio of still photography in or created by any subject matter, genre, or process. Works submitted may be traditional photography projects or experimental works, but photographic techniques must be pivotal to the work submitted. Examples of ineligible work include film, video, and interactive multimedia.

    Recipients will be determined by a panel of distinguished guest judges on the basis of artistic excellence, accomplishment to date, and the promise of future achievement in the medium. Fellowship funds must be used to further the artist's creative endeavors.

    Students enrolled in a college degree program are not eligible to apply. Students who graduate before the 2013 application deadline will be considered. 

Previous fellowship recipients are not currently eligible for a new award, and artists in the United States on a temporary visa are ineligible as well.

Deadline:  May 24, 2013.  http://aaronsiskind.org/grant.html

Win $10,000 Scholarship

Greeting Card Student Competition.

The 6th Annual Create-A-Greeting-Card
$10,000 Scholarship Contest winner has been selected
See the Winner of the 2012 Scholarship Contest

The 7th Annual Create-A-Greeting-Card $10,000 Scholarship Contest

Both Babe Ruth and Socrates have it Right!

It's hard to beat a person who never gives up. -Babe Ruth

It is hard to keep forging on when the ‘Energizer Bunny’ is next to you. Sometimes it can be pretty tiring creating new ideas and visualizing the present ideas. None-the-less it is important to continue moving forward so that you become the one no one can beat.

How does one keep up the pace? One way is never become complaisant in your work. This is why reflecting on the reason for creating the work is so important.

Create artwork that you love. If you do not enjoy creating the work you do it is less likely that you will look forward to working on the project. The work needs to be relevant to you as well as to others. Your love of the creation can be seen in the imagery and presentation. Take pride in the work you create for it is yours and no one else’s. Be true to your inner voice.

The unexamined life is not worth living. ~ Socrates

For me this is a call to reflect on why we create art in the first place. Who are we as artists and what is our work saying to others? 

So take a moment and reflect upon an individual image that you have created or maybe a series. This could be old work or new image. If you can have it in front of you that would be ideal so you can easily reflect upon the image. Then write the answers to the following statements. 

Remember the answers do not have long. You might use only one word or a phrase but despite if it long or short be honest. This is for you and not the world to see. 

1]  Describe the image in words.

2]  How do you feel when you see this image or this series?

3]  Write a history of the work. When, where and why was it taken. 

4]  Is this the best format or technique for the image or series and if so Why?

5]  What are the strengths of this work?

6} What are the weaknesses?

7]  Finally if you could do it over again what would you change?

It is important to note that history has crowned masters in each field yet all artists strive for more. We create work in the moment. It is important to look back and know in the next moment we could have created something even better.

There are no right or wrong answers here - only failure is not asking more of yourself or your work. 

There will be many things that will keep you from creating work. One could be the frustration that no one but yourself is interested in the body of work you have created. This might be true if you ARE the only person who sees the work. There is no magical gallery director out there surfing the web looking for you. You have to search for them. You have to place the work out for others to see. In this day and age art is everywhere and the competition is fierce. But remember it is your voice – your artwork is unique to you and it will be noticed. This will take effort on your part but there will be more rewards than just keeping the work in storage. You created it to be seen and it will be up to you to bring to the world through social networking, entering competitions, having exhibitions and more.

Being the artist who never gives up is tiring. So renew your energy by learning new techniques, visiting museums/galleries, and reading what other artists are thinking. The more you know the stronger you become as an artist and as person.

You have selected a career that is very demanding. Being an artist in today’s world is a challenge for now you are the image maker, the business person, the public relations staff just to name a few of the hats that you will wear in one day. It is also very exciting for there is never a dull moment.

Originally written for: http://maritagooteephotography.com/blog/