As I stood at the entry way of the bustling review conference room, I felt a mix of nerves and excitement. Clutching the portfolios of 'Abandoned Buildings of Bodie, CA' and 'The Pier Fishermen of San Diego', I was about to present my artistic narratives to some of the most discerning eyes in the fine art photography world. The energy in the room was electric, a melting pot of creativity and anticipation, and I was ready to dive in.

What is Medium Photo?

The Medium Photo Review, held in the creative center of San Diego, is not just an event; it is a celebration of artistic expression, drawing together photographers and curators from across the globe.

Medium Photo was started in 2012 by San Diego based artist Scott Davis. It is a non-profit organization centered around artist portfolio reviews, educational workshops and artist lectures in the spring of each year. This year the review was held from April 25th to 26th and marks the 12th anniversary of their reviews.

The Medium Photo Mission

The mission of Medium Photo is to connect individuals through photography and celebrate its power to transcend boundaries. The review offers an opportunity for artists to meet with museum curators, gallery owners, publishers and editors from across the spectrum of fine art photography.

The photography review involves selecting and engaging with eight or more of these reviewers over a 2-day period, with each review lasting exactly 20 minutes. Within those 20 minutes I needed to briefly introduce myself, provide my background, and introduce the portfolio I was presenting. The image shows the inside of the review room where participants meet with reviewers.

Preparations for the Medium Photo Review

What does it take to participate in a Medium Review beyond purchasing an admission ticket?

First, one must create a thematic and aesthetically cohesive body of work of 10-20 images that are share-worthy with professional reviewers. I felt my portfolios of the Abandoned Gold Mining Town of Bodie, CA and the Fishermen of the Piers of San Diego were ready for review and feedback. I presented 17x22 inch prints which I carried in two archival display boxes.

Medium Photo requested participants prepare a 20-page PDF to share with reviewers in advance of the review. My PDF brochure provided a summary of who I am, what I do, and included examples of my images. I also prepared business cards with my contact information, as well as a double-sided brochure that included examples of the artwork. Here is a sample of the leave-behind brochure.

Meeting The Reviewers

Each engagement with the reviewers allows one to share your work, learn about curatorial interests and upcoming projects, and develop relationships with curators and participants that foster career growth. The reviewers’ backgrounds vary, and each can offer valuable insight into how they view your work.

Some of my reviewers were quite excited about my work and found the dark aesthetic or soft-focus impressions ethereal and filled with moments of isolation or abandonment in the case of the Bodie theme.

Others found my work too narrow or outside the bounds of their personal aesthetics. Nonetheless, in all cases the feedback was constructive, and I kept copious notes of what was asked, what each reviewer said and at the end of the Medium Review I developed a consensus of how well the images worked and their potential for further exhibits and publications.

An Art Education

Medium Photo also scheduled a day of artist seminars including presentations from artists such as Harlan Bozeman who presented a talk on his images about his Gullah relatives in South Carolina, and a racially segregated town in Arkansas (https://bit.ly/4b0TMb). Lana Z Caplan presented her work on the conflict of the beauty of the California central coast sand dunes and all-terrain vehicles seeking outdoor recreation (https://bit.ly/3UsUFCM), and Cara Romero talked about her experience as a female mixed indigenous person-European descent photographer (https://bit.ly/4a7GPvh). Finally, Liliana Hueso led us on a day trip to Tijuana, Mexico to visit artist studios and the Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT), Tijuana, Mexico. Her exhibition at CECUT shows images of the acceptance and challenges of butch queers in Tijuana and San Francisco, CA (https://bit.ly/44zUgTt).

What I Learned

I left the Medium Review with a renewed sense of creativity and motivation, which further fueled my passion for photography. The conference provided an opportunity to be exposed to the work of other creators from diverse backgrounds, that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen, sparking fresh ideas and compositions.

Medium was more than an evaluation of my work; it was a gateway to new possibilities. The feedback I received was enlightening, pushing me to explore new angles and techniques in my upcoming projects. I left the review with a notebook brimming with ideas and a list of potential collaborators who were eager to explore photographic narratives together.

Finally, one of the most valuable benefits was that through the sharing of experiences and challenges with others I was reminded that I wasn’t alone on my creative journey. This is an emotional response that all artists need from time to time.

My Journey to Medium Photo in San Diego