ASMP-LA Returns to In-Person Events With A Group Photo Exhibition
“2022: A Year of Duality” opened on February 9th with a well attended evening reception at Photo Impact Imaging in Hollywood. Some of the 19 participating photographers attended, along with their families/significant others/photo subjects, and friends who came to immerse themselves in the art. Photographers, both ASMP members and non-members, were in high spirits to once again be in a room full of excellent, accomplished, working fellow-photographers. Out of over 150 entries received from all over the nation, 28 photographs were selected for exhibition.
ASMP-LA President and former NY Times and Washington Post photographer Nancy Kaye, cultural-conservation photographer and filmmaker Sej Saraiya, and film photographer and producer Jasen Laks juried the show. Jim Brammer coordinated the selection process to ensure blind judging.
The group of photos conveyed a wide-ranging picture of 2022 as a year of duality as people came out of the pandemic. Nancy Kaye spent some time grouping them in a powerful way to tell a story.
The pictures include political protest from important events that transpired in 2022, isolation and socializing, the importance of children and families, self-reflection, and metaphorical images reflecting on this past year. While hanging the photographs, the jurors paid attention to the flow and the emotional impact. Don and Michael of Photo Impact Imaging Lab carefully picked the right paper for each image (the show was a good opportunity for them to display their wide-ranging collection of papers—and what better way than to use them on a series of images from accomplished photographers).
Among the attendees were Emmy-winning journalist, Lena Nozizwe; editorial photographer and Vice President of ASMP-LA, Emily Sandifer; Fashion photographer and Dive Master Nicholas Freeman; 3x APA award winning photographer Tom Kubik; Yulia Morris, who studied photography under the tutelage of Pulitzer-winning photographer Alexander Zemlianichenko. Other participating photographers present at the event were former ASMP-LA President, Molly Peters, Clay Larson, photojournalist Roger Wyan, Kevin B. Jones, Eli Edwards, Maureen Vastardis, Leticia Velasquez, Denise Crew, Felix Adamo, and many others.
Four photographers won awards. First prize went to Amy Gaskin (President Emerita of the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles, PPAGLA) for her work “Eleanor Wells: My Body,” Lena Nozizwe came in next with her work “Ukraine,” and Virginia Hines and Matt Anderson won Honorable Mentions for their photographs “Socially Distant Cashier” and “Work from Home.”
The exhibition runs through March 23 at Photo Impact Imaging in Hollywood (open M-F 9:00-5:30), with a closing reception on March 23, from 6-8 PM. All are welcome. Artists statements are available to peruse at the exhibition. (Group photo by Maggie Shannon.)
