Exposed DC – best in show

2017 Best in Show Winner: Stacey Lewis

March 6, 2017 By Caroline Space Leave a Comment

Stacey Lewis - H Street Represents — Stacey Lewis – H Street Represents

Today we announce the final of our five Best in Show prize winners from this, the 11th annual Exposed DC Photography Show. We invited a panel of distinguished D.C. metro-area photographers to each choose their favorite image from the 43 soon to be on display at this year’s exhibit. The five winning photographers each receive a $100 cash prize from Exposed DC.

Advance tickets for the March 9 opening night bash are still available, so buy yours now and save a Lincoln on door prices!

Our final winning photograph is “H Street Represent” by Stacey Lewis, chosen by photographer and editor Yodith Dammlash. Dammlash told us: “D.C. may be an ever-changing landscape but I feel like there are still pockets of originality and authenticity. There is also an authenticity about street photography. This photo reminds me of that authenticity on both fronts. On another note, the men in the background sitting on the ledge instantly reminded me of the iconic Lunch Atop A Skyscraper (1932) by Charles Clyde Ebbets. What an unexpected homage!”

See more of Lewis’s photographs on her Instagram feed.

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Yodith Dammlash is a photographer, archivist and editor based in the D.C. Metropolitan area. She received a BFA in Fine Art Photography from the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Yodith’s professional and artistic works have been featured in online and print publications, most recently The Week: Captured and Sally Hemings Dream zine. She was most recently a participating exhibitor at Addis Foto Fest 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Her photo-based work explores her own Ethiopian-American ancestry through the lenses of womanhood and collective memory.

2017 Best in Show Winner: David Wissman

March 5, 2017 By Caroline Space Leave a Comment

David Wissman - Resist — David Wissman – Resist

Today we have the fourth of our five Best in Show prize winners from the 2017 Exposed DC Photography Show, opening this Thursday. We invited a panel of distinguished D.C. metro-area photographers to each choose their favorite photograph from the 43 in this year’s show. The five winning photographers each receive a $100 cash prize from Exposed DC.

Tune in tomorrow for the announcement of our final 2017 Best in Show winner. There’s still time to get your advance tickets for our March 9 opening night so don’t delay!

Our fourth winning photo is “Resist” by David Wissman, selected by photography professor and freelance editor Lauren Stockbower. Stockbower wrote: “I’m not big on demonstration pictures, because it’s so hard to have a great one. But I love the color and the blurry background in this photo. Also, as decades go by, those not living in this moment will have this image to help explain a moment in time that seems eerily unexplainable now, and perhaps best illustrated by this protestor holding up her sign.”

See more of Wissman’s photographs on his Flickr feed.

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Lauren Stockbower has worked as a picture editor for the last twenty years, including for The New York Times and Forbes. She taught at the Corcoran College of Art + Design for ten years, and also at CDIA in Georgetown. She is currently an adjunct professor at NOVA in Alexandria, VA in the photography and media department. She also freelances as a picture editor for clients such as National Geographic Traveler, USA Today and The Nature Conservancy. She is also currently Portfolio Director for UFolios.com.

2017 Best in Show Winner: Michael Kennedy

March 3, 2017 By Caroline Space Leave a Comment

Michael Kennedy - Meridian Snowball Fight — Michael Kennedy – Meridian Snowball Fight

Here’s the third of our five Best In Show prize winners from the upcoming 2017 Exposed DC Photography Show. We invited each member of a panel of distinguished D.C. metro-area photographers to choose their favorite photograph from the 43 in this year’s show. The five winning photographers each receive a $100 cash prize from Exposed DC.

We’ll announce the remaining two winners next week, so check back with us then. Meanwhile there’s still time to get your advance tickets for our March 9 opening night!

Today’s Best in Show winner is “Meridian Snowball Fight” by Michael Kennedy, selected by fine-art and documentary photographer Susana Raab. Raab told us: “I chose this photograph because it stood out from the other entries as being a well-executed dynamic moment of action. It represents an under-appreciated aspect of Washington: we are a community that often comes together to engage in non-partisan fun.” I couldn’t agree more with Susana’s comments on Kennedy’s image. On a personal level, this image portrays two things that are very important to me that I’m missing right now: snow and camaraderie!

See more of Kennedy’s photographs on his website.

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Susana Raab is a fine-art and documentary photographer working in Washington, DC, creating personal work in addition to working as the photographer of the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, documenting the East of the River communities in D.C. Her work is held in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History, The Library of Congress, Division of Prints & Photographs, The Art Museum of the Americas, among others.

2017 Best in Show Winner: Ray Alvareztorres

March 1, 2017 By Caroline Space 3 Comments

Ray Alvareztorres - Inauguration Eve — Ray Alvareztorres – Inauguration Eve

Here’s the second of our five Best In Show prize winners from our 11th Annual Exposed DC Photography Show. We invited each member of a panel of distinguished D.C. metro-area photographers to choose their favorite photograph from the 43 in this year’s show. The five winning photographers each receive a $100 cash prize from Exposed DC. We’ll be announcing the other winners over the coming days. Advance tickets are still available for the opening reception next Thursday, March 9!

Today’s Best in Show winner is “Inauguration Eve” by Ray Alvareztorres. His photo was chosen by judge Jennifer Sakai of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. Sakai wrote: “The young man’s expression shows a seriousness and portent that tell a story all its own. The lighting makes you stop and reflect on his countenance, while behind him is a sea of activity.” The young man’s expression is compelling. I feel his anguish. As Jennifer mentions, the light from the photographer’s flash irradiates the subject’s forlorn demeanor, allowing the viewer to focus only on him and empathize with a singular American.

See more of Alvareztorres’ work on his website.

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Jennifer Sakai is a fine art photographer and educator who resides in Washington D.C. She received her BFA at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University in Boston, Massachusetts, and her MFA in photography from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She has taught at the Park School of Communications at Ithaca College, and Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently a visiting Assistant Professor of Photography at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at The George Washington University.

2017 Best in Show Winner: Chris McDaniel

March 1, 2017 By Caroline Space 1 Comment

Chris McDaniel - V Street — Chris McDaniel – V Street

Thursday, March 9 is the opening night for our 11th Annual Exposed DC Photography Show. Discounted advance tickets are still available, so grab yours soon! Every year we ask a panel of distinguished, local judges to select one image each for a Best in Show award. The winning photographers each receive a $100 cash prize from Exposed DC. Our 2017 panel consists of five judges, and over the coming days we’ll be announcing the winners, starting today with “V Street” by Chris McDaniel, selected by judge Darren Smith from National Geographic Magazine.

Darren writes, “the white balloon against the stark black background draws viewers into the image, and then guides our eyes down the string to the young couple sharing a moment.” His take on Chris’ image is analogous to mine. The balloon is an immediate focal point and the string connects us to the people in the frame. But it’s not only the white balloon against the black background that leads us around the image. It’s the discovery of light that keeps us in the photograph after the balloon meets the couple. The reflection on the stop sign is illuminated with blue and orange light. In contrast with the onyx facade, the stark lines from the metal give the appearance of a geometric tunnel allowing our eye to escape the darkness for a moment. In the bottom corner of the image, we are offered another glow of light balancing the dark block in the center of the frame.

You can see more of McDaniel’s photographs on his Flickr feed.

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Darren Smith supervises the 36 local-language editions of National Geographic Magazine. He works with journalists around the world to ensure the stories created locally meet National Geographic’s high standards. In his personal artistic work, he cuts hundreds or thousands of fragments from his photos to make collages by hand that create surreal new visions. He has exhibited in the Washington, D.C. area, New York and Paris.