ISO Two Fantastic Photographers

"Multiple Exposures is the best photography gallery in the DC area. I tell all of the photographers that attend my "Success as an Artist" seminar, "If you want to be in a gallery, this is the one you want to be in.” -- Catriona Fraser, owner and director of the Fraser Gallery.

Catriona Fraser is a well-respected representative of local, national and international artists and if you want to take her words to heart, now's your chance. Due to a move and a retirement, Multiple Exposures Gallery (MEG) is looking for two new photographers to join us. 

Applications and full information about our call for portfolios are available on the MEG website. In addition, two information and orientation sessions will be held on the following dates:

        *  Sunday, January 8, 10am-12noon

        *  Thursday, January 19, 7pm-9pm

The information offered at both sessions will the same. Topics to be covered include: the benefits of MEG membership; roles and responsibilities of a MEG member; expectations for sales; displaying your work at MEG; the application and portfolio submission process and timeline; and “best practices” for submitting a portfolio for membership consideration. We’ll also answer any and all questions you might have.

The portfolio submission deadline is February 20, 2012. 

If you would like more information or want to RSVP for an information session, please contact Alan Sislen.

Small Works, Big Advice

MEG’s December show, Small Works, was juried by Catriona Fraser, owner and director of the Fraser Gallery. Fraser represents the work of local, national and international artists with an emphasis on contemporary realism and photography. She spent some time at MEG last week sharing her thoughts on both the Small Works show and submitting to juried exhibitions. Some excerpts include:

Do you view works differently when you view .jpgs vs. physical prints when you are making selections for an exhibit? No. Photographers worry the most about this, but they shouldn't. The elements of a good photograph are visible whether it’s a .jpg or a print. Experienced jurors realize that there may be slight differences in color or tone because of the monitors they're using to view the work, so those issues don’t have much of an impact.

(c) Eric Johnson

One of Eric Johnson’s images in the Small Works show is a good example. I loved his photograph “Collection of Baskets.” It reflects a wonderful use of light and shadow, and has great composition...all of these elements come through whether it’s a .jpg or a print.

Are you ever surprised when you see an exhibit after you’ve selected images via .jpg? The images themselves never surprise me because I know they are going to be good. The presentation of the artwork is another story. Poor printing, unprofessional matting and framing, use of acidic materials, poorly cut mats, dirty frames, scratched plexiglass, metallic signatures on prints, the copyright symbol after the artist’s name...all of these things will have a negative impact on the work.

Typically, the only downside between the submitted .jpg and the finished print is when the image has been printed too large for the file size, so the print looks soft and pixelated.

Are there any common mistakes photographers make when submitting work to jurors? A big one is submitting too many similar images. If the juror doesn’t like the first one, the odds are high he or she isn’t going to like any of the others either if they are in the same vein. If you’re submitting a portfolio for consideration, you absolutely want consistency; if you’re submitting 3 or 4 images to a juror for an exhibit, you want variety in subject matter/theme.

For more insight from Fraser, consider attending one of her “Success As An Artist” seminars, held throughout the year. A number of MEG members have attended in the past and found them very useful.

Small Works can be seen through December 31, 2011 at Multiple Exposures Gallery, Studio 312, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. 

New Exhibit: "Small Works"

Can Chocolate Make You A Better Photographer?

How does a winter drink translate into artistic improvement? Just ask MEG member Colleen Henderson, whose recipe for Cioccolata Calda, a rich Italian hot chocolate, made headlines in a recent issue of the Gazette.

After taking a bookbinding class with Patty Lee at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Silver Spring, Henderson was asked to submit her favorite drink recipe as part of a fundraiser for the center. When her Cioccolata Calda was selected as one of 13 drinks included in "Drink Me," a fun compilation of winter beverages, Henderson was invited to a two-session linoleum print workshop where she made a linoleum print to accompany her recipe in the book.

Henderson says the experience showed her once again that stepping outside your traditional medium to try something new can bring both new skills and inspiration. "To make a linoleum block print, you first need to carve out the areas you don't want inked. Creating that negative space is a different way of thinking as an artist. It forces you to focus intently on structure and composition, two elements that are also critical in photography," Henderson says.

To test out our theory that chocolate does improve your photography, below is Henderson's recipe. Make a batch and while enjoying a cup, let us know what other art forms you've tried that have influenced your photographic work.

Cioccolata Calda (Tuscany Hot Chocolate)

by Colleen Henderson

— 5 tablespoons cocoa powder (Pernigotti or Droste)

— 2 tablespoons sugar

— 6 ounces (70 to 80 percent) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

— 2 cups milk

Place the cocoa powder, sugar, and 3 to 4 tablespoons of the milk in a saucepan and heat until the sugar melts, stirring well to remove any lumps. Boil the remaining milk, and then add to the chocolate mix.

Heat milk to steaming, while whisking thoroughly to incorporate the ingredients. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir to melt the chocolate.

Interview With Juror Sara Yousefnejad

Sara Yousefnejad, juror for Multiple Exposures Gallery's current exhibit, Everything is Alternative, offers insight into her selections and why they make a remarkable show:

 Based on the title of the exhibit, Everything Is Alternative, did you know what to expect when you entered the gallery? I actually felt quite tortured by the title of the exhibit and found myself asking friends, family, and strangers on the Metro what their first thought was when I said Everything is Alternative. The answers ranged from blank stares to shrugs to babbled explanations of the grunge music movement; most were non-verbal responses of bewilderment. When I entered the gallery, however, the show made sense instantly. It would be a show with dissonant, deceiving, and creative photographic formats and processes, or contemporary photography practices and explorations. With all the different formats of contemporary photography, almost everything is alternative. 

The theme Everything Is Alternative was intentionally broad; in your experience, do broad themes make it easier or harder to put together cohesive shows? Broadness in theme does not necessarily dictate the ease or difficulty of putting together an exhibit. Themes that are open to interpretation, but simultaneously point to a specific element are the most interesting to me. In Everything is Alternative, the creative process itself is on display just as much as the content of the photograph. The photographic subjects in the show range from children to architectural ruins to hot peppers, but because the creative process is a major element in all the works, there is cohesion. 

Were there any techniques used in the show that were new to you? Were you drawn to any specific techniques over others? One technique that was new to me in the context of digital photography was hand-toning or hand-coloring. Susan Meyers put a digital image in Photoshop, converted it to a line drawing, printed it out, and then painted over it with watercolor. It looked like an original drawing/watercolor so I had to ask her what it was doing in the photo exhibit! Janet Matthews had an image with a similar process, but I could see the photographic origin of the image. Meyers' image had me stumped. 

I was really interested in Clifford Wheeler's image because of its relevance to contemporary culture, and I was tickled that we could exhibit it right where it was made. If you can, see the show when Clifford is gallery sitting. This is for maximum effect of the relevance of his work. *Of course all the MEG members are lovely and you should see the show whenever you can!

(c) Alan Sislen

What do you gravitate toward in an image? Were you looking for any common elements in the images you chose for the show? Medium and subject, and how they work together or against one another. In general, I am drawn to the idea of media advancing to the point where it begins to mimic its original formats. For example, Alan Sislen's infrared images had such soft textures that they resembled charcoal drawings. Alan's images depict decrepit architecture, which is of course an interesting subject when thinking about time, history, progress, and cycles. Before photography was born, artists would have drawn or painted these structures. As the years progressed, so did the media and "technology" to capture the structures. At some point photography became perfect, boring, factual, accessible to everyone--not just artists. Then artists began thinking about new and alternative ways to capture their subjects. Yes, the technology of the medium is still advancing, but the aesthetic cycles back to its origins and is reminiscent of drawing. 

Here's an everyday example: We used to write on paper notebooks, then typewriters, then word processors, then computers, then there was the tablet craze. Is writing on a screen with a stylus pen anymore advanced than writing in a notebook? Again, the technology advances, but you're in effect doing the same thing you did in grade school using a paper notebook. In fact, Apple calls computers notebooks. 

All the images in the show were about the medium as much as the message. Marshall McLuhan would have been all over this. 

You're going to Uganda this winter to teach photography to children for a few weeks. How did you get involved with this project? What is your goal for the project and how can people who read this support you? I work in development and fundraising for the Arlington Arts Center, but I am also invested in the educational programming we have for children. In the summer, I taught a digital photography workshop to middle and high school students. We focused on techniques related to composition and story-telling and used simple cameras to document the people and faces in our neighborhood. The class was actually part of an international photo exchange for children called This is My City. The opportunity presented itself to partner with the Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda, and an instructor was needed to travel to Uganda and teach the workshop. I jumped at the opportunity! It will be my first trip to Africa, and my first time traveling to another country to conduct an art workshop. 

Most of the children in Uganda have never even seen a camera. None of them have access to cameras. So, the AAC is hosting a digital camera drive and we hope to take those cameras over to Uganda to be used in the workshop. If you get a new camera for the holidays, or you have an old one you don't need anymore, please email me at sara.yousefnejad@findyourartist.org. 

(Note: MEG is serving as a collection point for cameras. You can stop by between 11am-6pm (Thursday 2-9pm) to drop off your donation -- Torpedo Factory Art Center, 3rd Floor).

Everything is Alternative can be seen at 
Multiple Exposures Gallery
through November 30th.

--

Numbers Tell The Tale

(c) Colleen Henderson

829/255/10/3.

Any guesses what those numbers represent? 

They are:

• The number of entries for The Art League's November Small Works show (829); 
• The number of works accepted into the show (255); 
• The number  of Honorable Mentions awarded in the show (10);
• The number of Honorable Mentions received by members of Multiple Exposures Gallery members (3)! 

Juror Jordan Faye Block honored Colleen Henderson for  Blue Clearing and Boathouse Reflections and Sandy LeBrun-Evans for her encaustic mixed media piece Cafe 327. 

(c) Colleen Henderson

All three works can be seen in The Art League Gallery in the Torpedo Factory through December 6, 2011.

Congratulations Colleen and Sandy!

The Processes used in "Everything is Alternative"

Photography is considered to have started in 1826. That is to say, an image created by light on a light-sensitive surface could be made permanent. In the ensuing 170 years, the technologies available to accomplish this task have advanced from daguerreotypes to calotypes to wet pates to flexible film to color film (with many other processes in between) and on to today’s digital methods. Throughout this history, photographers have discarded methods as each new technological advance arrived. And today, methods used not so long ago are transitioning into historic/alternative processes faster than you can say “Kodak” (anyone remember film?).

Artists have always chosen and manipulated processes in order to achieve their individual visions. Present day photographers have a virtual smorgasbord of techniques to choose from for making images that match what they see with their minds’ eye. From image capture to final print, there are many choices available. Our current show, “Everything is Alternative” showcases the myriad ways in which the photographers at MEG have arrived at their final visions. The prints on the wall present explorations of historic, digital and many other processes. These are the methods used to create the images on exhibit:

_______________________________________________________

Transfer processes – transfer of inkjet image printed on film to various substrates, using various solvents:

	Maureen  Minehan “Super Sauce” transfer to canvas
	Danny Conant Transfer to gelatin on wood panel with acrylic paint
	Sandy Lebrun-Evans “Super Sauce” transfer to wood panel
	Louise Noakes “Purell” transfer to paper
	Louise Noakes “SuperSauce” transfer to plexiglass with mixed media
	Colleen Henderson “Super Sauce” transfer to “Stone paper”

_______________________________________________________


Darkroom Processes: 

	Janet Matthews Hand-applied silver gelatin emulsion, with colored pencil, collage, varnish
	Janet Matthews Tea-toned Cyanotype
	Janet Matthews Palladium print
	Karen Keating Silver gelatin print

_______________________________________________________

Alternative Image Capture Methods: 

	Alan Sislen Digital infrared
	Blake Stenning Toy camera/plastic lens using film
	Karen Keating Toy camera/plastic lens using film
	Eric Johnson Flatbed Scanner

_______________________________________________________

Digital Methods:

	Clifford Wheeler Digitally manipulated image / Inkjet print
	Susan Meyers Digitally manipulated image / Inkjet print with Watercolor
	Michael Borek Digitally manipulated image / Inkjet Print

New Exhibit: "Everything is Alternative"

Find Us At Fotoweek DC

                        © Grace Taylor

You know about MEG's demos for FotoWeek DC, but wait there's more! From a group show at Multiple Exposures to member participation in other FotoWeek DC activities, there's a lot going on. Join us for the demos and stop by the events below during FotoWeek to see new work by MEG members:

• Everything Is Alternative.  MEG members showcase their talents with alternative processes in this all-member show juried by Sara Yousefnejad of the Arlington Arts Center. Show dates: November 8 - December 4, 2011. Multiple Exposures Gallery, Suite 312, Torpedo Factory Arts Center, Alexandria, VA. 
• Effective Immediately (Later On). Join MEG member Michael Borek on Saturday, November 5th from 5:30-8:30 pm at Glen Echo Photoworks for a reception to kick off exhibits by the three winners of Photoworks 2010 Photo Slam. Michael's show, Effective Immediately (Later On)  contains photographs from his Scranton Lace project, including some that have not previously been exhibited. Show dates: November 5-December 4, 2011. Photoworks Gallery at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD. 
• Capitol Pecha Kucha Night. Michael Borek will also be one of the presenters during Capitol Pecha Kucha Night. The event will be held on November 8,  7:30-11:00 pm at FotoWeek DC Central (1800 L St., NW). Michael will share the story of his Scranton Lace factory photographs.
• Through Time. MEG member Maureen Minehan is participating in Through Time, an exhibit by the F11 Women's Photography Collective at the Morrison House in Old Town Alexandria. The show focuses on abandoned structures and the ravages of time. An opening reception will be held on November 9 from 7-9 pm. Show dates: November 5 - November 27, 2011. 
• Danny Conant. MEG member Danny Conant will have nine gelatin transfer prints on display at the NIH Clinical Center Galleries November 6, 2011-January 7, 2012.



                   © Maureen Minehan

• Celebration of Alternative Process Symposium. MEG member emeritus Grace Taylor will be part of a symposium on alternative processes held at Photoworks at Glen Echo on Sunday, November 6th from 11-4 pm. Grace will discuss the "Van Dyke Brown" printing process. 
• Dynamic Environments. MEG member Karen Keating will be exhibiting work as part of a show at The Popcorn Gallery at Glen Echo Park. Karen's images can be seen through November 16th on weekends, 12pm-6pm.

FotoWeek DC at Multiple Exposures Gallery: Technique Demonstrations

Planning your FotoWeek DC schedule? Mark November 10th as a night to visit the Torpedo Factory Arts Center in Old Town Alexandria for demonstrations of two fantastic alternative photography processes by members of Multiple Exposures Gallery (MEG). 

Danny Conant and Colleen Henderson kick things off on November 10th at 7:15 in the Target Gallery with image transfers using DASS Super Sauce. At 8:15, the action moves upstairs to MEG's space on the third floor where Sandy LeBrun-Evans and Louise Noakes will give a lesson on image transfers using Purell hand sanitizer.

While your calendars are out, mark one more date. On November 17th at 7:30 p.m., join MEG member Janet Matthews at Multiple Exposures Gallery for a demonstration of making cyanotypes, a 19th century process that's still used today to make unique photographic prints.

 _______________________________________________________

Demonstration Schedule: 
          November 10
                 Image Transfers Using DASS Super Sauce
                 7:15 pm, Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA
                Image Transfers Using Purell Hand Sanitizer
                8:15 pm, MEG, Studio 312, Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA
         November 17
                19th Century Processes: Making Cyanotypes
                7:30 pm, MEG, Studio 312, Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA

______________________________________________________

Demonstration Descriptions:

Image Transfers using DASS Super Sauce

Using DASS Super Sauce solution, Danny Conant and Colleen Henderson will demonstrate how, using your own digital photo files, you can easily and simply make unique image transfers onto an assortment of receptor surfaces, including artist papers, wood panels, and a specialty paper called "DASS Stone Paper."

DASS stone paper (made from limestone and resin) allows you to create image transfer effects that are very similar to the Polaroid emulsions transfers which were popular prior to the demise of Polaroid film products.  

 

Image Transfers Using Purell Hand Sanitizer

Learn how to transfer your images onto beautiful printmaking papers and fabrics. You won't believe what a little hand sanitizer can do to produce this very unique visual effect.

19th Century Processes: Making Cyanotypes

The cyanotype process, also known as the blueprint process, was one of the early methods used to make photographic images. It was invented in 1842 by astronomer John Herschel in an attempt to create a method for copying his notes.

Cyanotype printing is one of the easiest and safest ways to make photographs by hand. Just a few ingredients, paper, two chemicals, ultraviolet light (such as the sun) and water, are needed to create unique photographic prints. We will demonstrate the process and look at some contemporary approaches used with this historic process.

Seeking Recognition: Tips From Michael Borek

Scranton Lace #7460 ©Michael Borek

Multiple Exposures Gallery (MEG) member Michael Borek is on a roll. In just the past few months alone, he's:

• Earned a spot at Photo '11 at Artisphere
• Reached the final round at Critical Mass
• Launched a solo show at Multiple Exposures Gallery
• Joined an exhibit of PhotoSlam winners at Photoworks at Glen Echo
• Received second place honors in Fotoweek DC's 2011 International Awards Competition 
 

Below, Michael describes his approach to gaining recognition for his photography and how he decides what to submit:

Congratulations on your recent successes. Have you always pursued opportunities for exhibits and awards or does your recent success reflect a new focus on gaining recognition for your work? 

I haven’t really changed my focus, although I think I have gotten better at editing my work.  I have also realized that good photographers show only their best works.  I’ve always pursued what I found interesting, without thinking about whether it will be a success, so that hasn’t changed.

How do you decide which opportunities to pursue? 

I am trying to have my work judged, juried, and hopefully recognized by people from whom I feel I could learn something and/or who work for the galleries or museums that I respect.

Several of your recent winners were from your Scranton Lace Factory series. How do you choose among your many wonderful images when deciding what to submit if there is no specific requirement or theme you must adhere to? 

Scranton Lace #7553 ©Michael Borek

There is a lot of editing behind that. I spent a total of eight days of shooting at the Scranton Lace Factory, and I generated a lot of material. But I spent much more time editing my work, printing proofs, hanging them in my studio and living with them to see whether I still like them after a while. Also, I showed my work to fellow photographers and other artists and discussed my work with them.  Sometimes I followed their advice, other times I didn’t, but their feedback gave me a lot to think about.

After selecting what I feel are the best images comes the hardest part—sequencing them and eliminating those that don’t fit in. I may have several pictures that I feel are good, but if they don’t go with the flow, I don’t submit them. My goal is to have a consistent body of work that flows naturally. And it is good to start and end with your best images.

Many photographers feel rejected when they submit work that isn't selected by the jurors or judges. Have you ever felt similarly frustrated and if so, what did you do to make sure it didn't stop you from pursuing opportunities again? 

I deal with it the same way as I do with parking tickets. When I get a parking ticket, I write the check immediately, mail it, and forget about it. Obviously, I cannot write a check after a rejection and consider it done, but I try not to dwell on it and just move on. There’s no need to read the entire letter that starts: “Dear Artist, there were many excellent entries this year and the judge had hard time deciding, blah blah blah....” One has to realize that there are many more good photographers than opportunities to show. 

Rejection comes with the territory. If you spend time and energy feeling frustrated and sorry for yourself, you are not spending that time and energy on your photography. And there are only two logical explanations for your rejection: either your work wasn’t good or original enough, which you can change, or you are a misunderstood genius and it is just a matter of time before you will be discovered. So it is a win-win situation.

Scranton Lace #7594 ©Michael Borek

But seriously, if you can’t deal with rejection, you are not serious enough about your art. There will always be rejection, and even though it is obviously nice to get recognized, the recognition should be viewed only as a nice side benefit and one should get the main enjoyment from doing the art. Easier said than done, we are all fragile and insecure, but that is the way it is.

What advice do you have for photographers to increase their odds of success when submitting work for awards or exhibits? 

Statistically, you can increase your odds by submitting into more competitions.  Many people feel that $30-40 fee is exorbitant, although they don’t hesitate to spend $1000 on a new lens. New equipment won’t make you a better photographer, but I have found the whole process of submitting your work will – if you do it right.

By “doing it right,” I mean being thoughtful, editing your work, discussing it with people whose judgment you trust, and having an original body of work. And maybe doing a little test. Ask yourself whether you would buy the photographs you are submitting if you saw them in a gallery. If the answer is no, don’t bother submitting them. If they don’t excite you enough to “buy” them, how can you expect that they would be selected from hundreds of other entries?

You also have to decide on the appropriate level. The odds that you will be selected in an international competition with thousands of entries juried by a prestigious curator are very low, particularly if you are a beginner.  It may be better for you to start on a local or regional level. On the other hand, if you are being consistently selected on these levels, it may be time to move up (but prepare yourself to deal with possible rejection).

Janet Matthews included in "Hand+Eye" exhibit

Janet Matthews' image, Snip, was chosen to be included in the juried exhibit Hand+Eye at the Through This Lens gallery in Durham, NC, October 15 - November 16. This exhibit will feature hand-crafted, alternative process photography.  Beginning Saturday, October 22, the exhibit will also be featured at the online gallery on the website www.fotosavant.com, and in an exhibit catalog available at blurb.com, No Alternatives: Selections from Hand+Eye. 

Exhibit at NIH by Danny Conant

Photographs on Gelatin
by Danny Conant   

November 6, 2011 through January 7, 2012

Clinical Center Galleries at NIH
Bethesda, MD

Michael Borek interviewed in the Washington City Paper

Michael Borek, was recently interviewed about his current and previous projects by the Washington City Paper. He talks to Louis Jacobson about "his career, the bridges of Montgomery County, and what he sees amid Scranton's post-industrial decay." You can read the full interview here.


Michael's newest project, Effective Immediately, will be on exhibit at Multiple Exposures Gallery October 4 - November 7.

Upcoming Exhibit

 

Effective Immediately

Images by Michael Borek

 
October 4 - November 7
Opening reception:  Saturday, October 8, 3-5 pm.

Michael Borek will be showing his new project, images shot in an abandoned lace factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Michael Borek - Critical Mass finalist

Kudos to Michael Borek, who recently became a finalist in Photolucida's annual Critical Mass competition.Critical Mass finalists will have their portfolios viewed by a jury of approximately 200 of the world’s best curators, editors, and other professionals who have agreed to view and vote on the finalists’ work. The votes from this jury will determine which photographers will become the Critical Mass Top 50 for 2011. Good luck, Michael!

Michael's work will be on exhibit next month at Multiple Exposures Gallery. 

Back to School?

                                                         © Colleen Henderson

One of the joys of participating in Multiple Exposures Gallery (MEG) is the opportunity to talk to gallery visitors about the creative and technical aspects of photography. Whether they’re full-blown professionals, new purchasers of an entry-level DSLR or mad snappers with their smartphones, we relish our conversations about all things photography.

A question we’re frequently asked is “How can I take photographs like yours?” While everyone has their own vision and style, taking classes and participating in workshops is one of the best ways to simultaneously learn new skills and spark your creativity.

In the coming months, several MEG members will share their knowledge and techniques through classes and workshops open to the public, including:

Creative Photoshop: MEG president Colleen Henderson will help students unleash their creativity in her Creative Photoshop class offered in September in her Bethesda studio. Participants will put away their technical “how-to” manuals and focus instead on exploring and experimenting with the creative options made possible by Photoshop. Colleen offers additional classes throughout the year, including workshops on shooting, editing, printing, portfolio production and alternative processes.

Alternative Photography: Photography without a camera? That’s exactly what MEG member Janet Matthews will teach students in her October workshop on alternative photography techniques at Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel, MD. Learn how to make unique contemporary prints through the 19th century process cyanotype, all without pressing the shutter.

Towards a Personal Style:  Starting in late September, MEG member Karen Keating will help intermediate and advanced photographers identify their personal style and the uniqueness of their visions in this class at Photoworks at Glen Echo. Students will discuss readings, the creative process, look at master photographers’ images and work on defining the elements of style found in their own images.

Exhibit Preparation for Photographers: Are you ready to apply for a photography exhibit? Are your images selected, but it’s your first time getting into the nitty-gritty of a photo exhibition? Work with Karen Keating in this late October class at Photoworks to fine tune your edits, artist statement, printing, framing, sequencing, titling and  labeling, ensuring your exhibit is a hit, not a miss.

Mat Cutting Made Simple: As every exhibiting photographer soon learns, matting costs quickly add up! In this December workshop, Karen Keating teaches you how to save money and time by cutting your own mats. A “hands-on” experience, the workshop will be held at Photoworks at Glen Echo.
 
Lightroom Intensive:  Improve your workflow and your images with a workshop on Adobe’s Lightroom. Become a Lightroom power user in just 2 ½ days as MEG vice president Alan Sislen shares the tips and tricks you need to master Lightroom’s powerful, yet user-friendly, capabilities. You’ll  leave this December workshop, held at Alan’s Bethesda studio, with a full  understanding of Lightroom and practical experience applying its many features to your own images.

If you attend one of these classes, you just might find a member of MEG in the seat next to you. As Abigail Adams said, “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”

In Honor Of Labor Day

MEG member Michael Borek wasn't thinking about Labor Day when he took this image at the abandoned Scranton Lace Factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but it certainly portrays the changed landscape for many U.S. textile workers. 

Founded in 1897, just 15 years after Labor Day was named an official federal holiday, the Scranton Lace Factory closed its doors in 2002. Milena Kalinovska, a curator at the Hirshhorn Museum, says Michael's Lace Factory images capture the tension of changing times: 

 "With laces still in the looms, chairs on the stage of the company’s theater, the images capture dissonance between quiet beauty and troubling reality.” 

In October, Michael will launch Effective Immediately, a new exhibit at MEG featuring his Scranton Lace portfolio (more details to come!).  

*    *    *   *   *

Lest the vision of an abandoned factory coinciding with the end of summer depress you, here's an image from MEG member Alan Sislen that shows the beauty that awaits us. Happy Labor Day!