Open Call 2015

Juror's Statement

I've always believed that great photographs ask more questions than they answer. We initially look at a photograph because we see something we understand and appreciate, but we keep looking because of what the photograph asks us to consider or to wonder and dream about.

The photographs that I selected for this show all ask great questions of the viewer. They ask us to think about what's happening in the picture space, why does this thing look like that, what's going to happen next, and where in the world are we? Uniformly, all the photographs here are well-observed; meaning that the photographer either saw or created something that is interesting to look at. Each one then takes that initial view and interjects that question that lingers long after my primary interest has faded away.

Because this show's theme was an "open" one, I expected to see a wide variety of ideas, processes, and approaches to photography and I was not disappointed. From the most basic of darkroom processes—the photogram—to sophisticated digital manipulations of multiple layers of image, we see in this group of photographs a multiplicity of approaches to photography that suggest that the well of great ideas will never run dry.

It's important to note, too, that while manipulation, whether using 19th or 21st century technologies, can provide great depth and interest, so too can a well-seen image that simply uses light and lens to show us a fish, a few objects on a table, an abandoned amusement park or a guy sitting in his front window. Photographs can still ask great questions simply by being photographs.

Many thanks to Vermont PhotoPlace Gallery for not only inviting me to jury this show but also for continuing to celebrate and give exposure to great fine art photography. Thanks also to those who submitted work; it was a real pleasure to look at such a wonderfully diverse set of approaches to the medium I love.

-  Jeff Curto

About the Juror

Jeff Curto is Professor Emeritus of Photography at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where he taught for 30 years. A longtime member of the Society for Photographic Education (SPE), Jeff was elected to its Board of Directors in 2008 and is currently serving on the Executive Committee.

Jeff hosts two popular podcasts about photography: History of Photography, and Camera Position, discussing photography's creative aspects.

He exhibits his work regularly in both group and one-person shows, and his fine prints are included in numerous private and corporate collections.

Call for Entries

The subject was up to you. The process was up to you: film, digital, color, black & white, alternative process, historical process... Whatever you did best, you showed us the best of it. Thank you for sharing your unique vision.