As winter sets in and the pandemic marches on, I’ve found myself missing personal connections, especially those involving the photography community.
When I moved to D.C. in 2010 I didn’t know a single photographer. To soften my landing I started volunteering for Fotoweek DC, a (you guessed it) photography festival held every November. With countless exhibitions, speaking events, portfolio reviews, competitions and parties, it was a celebration of everything I love about the medium. I started volunteering in the summer of 2010 and in a few weeks turned it into a paid, (albeit temporary) position. Managing the photographic coverage of the festival gave me an insider’s view of the weeklong event and helped me to build connections in the region. Looking back through the images I see friends and peers both as subjects of the photos and in the background. In many cases I didn’t actually get to meet them until years afterwards.
While the festival is no longer an event, I hope 2021 (or 2022) brings a return to this kind of in person community. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Theo Adamstein, the founder and force of nature behind the event. He brought the passion and personal connections together to make an annual event that is still remembered fondly.
Click for full image. All images © me.
