Photo-Critique Sunday

Finding your people and building community

This past Sunday, I had a marvelous experience with my photo critique group — our second meeting, and somehow even better than the first. When so many regulars couldn’t make it, I worried the energy wouldn’t be there. It was.

At our first meeting, we each gave a short intro about ourselves. This time, we organically fell into a rich discussion around a theme that’s been genuinely bugging me: the editioning rule that has gripped photography for decades — this idea that you must create limited editions of an image. From there, the conversation expanded into something more liberating: the idea that a single image can be approached in many different ways. You can create unique prints, small editions — many different expressions within the same body of work — rather than simply making ten identical prints and calling it done. It turned out that two of us are actively “riffing” on our images, exploring how a photograph can grow and transform rather than just replicate.

We met at the garden of Latitude for Art, a nonprofit run by a friend, which turned out to be a wonderful setting. Plus, he invited his current artist-in-residence and having a non-photographer in the mix was especially perfect for a conversation about breaking rules. That kind of outside perspective is gold.

There’s something irreplaceable about meeting in person to see physical work. My suggestion: be specific about what you’re showing. A focused selection from what you’re currently working on tends to work best. I got to road-test an artist statement I’ve been developing, seeing how it landed with a live group was genuinely valuable.

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Want to Start Your Own? Here’s What Works:

• Two hours is the sweet spot — long enough to get to know each other and show work. We generally talk for the first hour, then show work in the second.

• You don’t need a crowd. We aim for around eight people — large enough for a real group conversation, small enough that everyone’s heard. It helps to include some people you know (photo communities can be wonderfully chummy) but the wild cards matter too.

• Plan for 2–3 people to share their work, giving each person around 15–20 minutes.

• Location matters less than you think. Years ago I hosted at home; this time I loved the idea of collaborating with an outside organization. A friend offered his nonprofit’s garden space (it’s SoCal — that’s a year-round option), but possibilities are everywhere: a coffeehouse back room, a library meeting space, a local gallery. For most organizations, it’s community engagement, and that’s a genuine draw.

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Here are the marvelous folks that showed up:

• Amandine Nabarra is a multidisciplinary artist that I met through a friend when I was curating my Photography and Artist Books showcase.

• Corina Gamma is a documentary film-maker and photographer

• Ellen Friedlander is a fine art photographer

• Martin Cox is also a multidisciplinary artist and Latitude for Art is the non-profit he started and runs.

• Ryan Hill does drawing and installation and is the current Artist in Residence, and was a terrific non-photographer addition to the group.

• And here’s my website

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Finally, I want to share a personal joy - this month I am celebrating the Five Year Anniversary of www.ThinkingAboutPhotography.com. I’ve written about it and included tips on how to host your own.