Maximize your "Calls for Entry"
Make the most of your time and effort!
Whether you’re looking to gain exposure for your work, or funding for a project, “Calls for Entry” and project submissions are a fact of life for most artists. On the plus side, you could get a project funded, exposure for your work and another line in your CV. You’ll get to post on social media and grow your community. However, the submission process takes time, effort and often there’s a fee involved. So, how do you make sure it’s a good investment of that time and $$? Here are some suggestions:
The Setting
Venue
Be clear about what you are hoping to gain from this venue. Find galleries and locations that you feel draw attention - the right type of attention. Review past exhibitions and see how you feel about the artwork they’re showing.
“Pay to Play” venues usually aren’t going to be worth it. This is where you are “invited” to show at a venue…and they’re asking for sizable fees and a cut of any sales. Avoid!
Consider artist-run, or co-op spaces, funded by reasonable membership fees, as these can be a great way to start a career. Venues such as Soho Photo Gallery, or non-profits such as the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel have juried member-shows during the year and good reputations. If you do get selected, include the juror when you list it on your CV.
Juror
What’s their previous history in photography (curator, artist, writer)? Obviously, it’s a great way to get your work in front of significant people, but they’re seeing the work anonymously in the context of hundreds (or more) of other images. On the plus side, seeing your work again, after they’ve seen it in other venues, can be helpful.
Your Submission
When to follow and when to break/stretch the rules
If you’re applying to a straight-forward photo contest then you want to make sure you follow all the instructions about deadlines, file formats, naming etc. However, if the submission is for something larger - applying for a major project - consider going beyond what you’re asked for. Years ago, I attended a talk by a well-known photographer who had won a significant commission by submitting his own vision for the project that went way beyond what the organization had asked for. He was passionate in his vision and they were enchanted by it.
Series vs. Variations
Know the difference between a series and a variation. In a series, each image fleshes out the story and adds something new (hopefully like this list). Variations are just that - different approaches to the same image. If you include variations, it dilutes your entry and feels like you’re not confident about your work and are asking the juror to do your editing.
Is it a “quick read” or suitable for online viewing?
How does it read on a computer screen in a few seconds? I remember a gallerist at a photo review telling me people only spent 10sec in front of each piece at his gallery. Are you doing mixed-media, handmade complex imagery? If so, subtleties might get lost - consider submissions where you can show details of the work or can show it in person.
Beware of the Contest within a Contest
Photographers love a good beam of light, they love “ruin porn” (rusty cars and abandoned buildings). Which could mean that, depending on the theme, your image of said rusty item might be in direct competition with 30 others. There’s a good probability that the Judge isn’t going to include even 5 of them, even if they’re good. Avoid this by being hard-headed about the type of imagery you’re submitting - going beyond the obvious…or find a unique take on the obvious.
Let’s close this out with great advice from Sara Terry, founder of The Aftermath Project, a non-profit organization featuring post-conflict projects, on how to approach your grant applications:
“Read EVERYTHING closely (in the call for applications, etc). Understand the grantor's mission and make sure you align with it (I had someone who submitted a proposal on river blindness -- with absolutely no connection to post-conflict -- for three years in a row). Whether or not the application asks for it, consider putting a summary statement of your project at the top to help judges understand quickly what your proposal is about. (We ask for it).” - Sara Terry, The Aftermath Project
Next month I’ll be posting on my curation process for the upcoming Thinking About Photography showcase.