Imagined Realities

Juror's Statement

The title of this photo exhibition, "Imagined Realities", encourages the photographer to use his/her imagination to create an image.

Photography could be staged, constructed, or manipulated in some way, in addition to using other methods and processes. Thus, creativity plays strongly in the photography of this exhibition, and almost as important is the impact or “wow” factor the image carries. The photographer must walk a very fine line, so that he or she does not slip into the cornball realm.

My selections in this exhibition have met the criteria and, in many cases, their images are downright beautiful. Please peruse the winners’ individual websites to see what other interesting images they present. Doing so will give you further insight into what contemporary photography has to offer and, if you’re really lucky, a glimpse into another dimension.

- Tom Chambers

About the Juror

Tom Chambers was raised in the Amish farm country of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Tom completed a B.F.A. from Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota, Florida in 1985 majoring in graphic design with an emphasis in photography. He worked as a graphic designer for many years, including packaging and magazine design. Since 1998 Tom has exhibited photomontage images from eight photographic series both nationally and internationally in twenty solo exhibitions and over seventy group exhibitions and art fairs.

Tom is represented by a number of galleries in the United States and Europe. His work has been shown nationally and internationally through solo and group exhibitions, as well as in a wide range of print and online publications. His work is in a number of museum and private collections worldwide, and he has received recognition for his photography through a variety of awards. Tom has received fellowships from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Learn more about Tom Chambers through his website.

Call for Entries

While photography is often associated with factual representation, its ability to present an illusion of reality can introduce us to imaginary and wonderful new worlds. The well-known work of Gregory Crewdson, the dreamscapes of Susan Burnstine, and the creations of our Imagined Realities juror, Tom Chambers, are three prime examples.

For Imagined Realities, we seek photographs that in some way combine the real world with the photographer's imagination. All capture methods and processes are welcome.