New Jersey Photographic Educational Conference Registration Now Open
By Shutterbug Staff March 14, 2008 — Summit, NJ February 18, 2008: On April 4-6, 2008, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey will host the largest Photographic Educational Conference in the state. Utilizing the Art Center’s state-of-the-art facility, an exciting weekend of workshops, speakers, portfolio reviews as well as a vendor fair is planned. Workshops presented at the conference will run the gamut from camera and light fundamentals to fine art printing and scanning. Lectures will be given by some of the leading names in the industry including George Tice and Stephen Perloff. Participants choose only the Workshops, Speeches, Panel Discussions, and Portfolio Reviews that they are interested in attending. The cost to attend two workshops is $45. To view the conference schedule, workshop listings, instructor biographies and to register, visit www.njphotoconference.com.

On Friday April 4th from 7- 9 PM, participants will be able to listen to keynote speaker, Stephen Perloff, founder and editor of Photo Review Magazine. His lecture, Photographic Truth in the Digital Age, addresses how we view reality and truthfulness in photography when, through digital advancement, images can so easily be manipulated.

On Saturday, the conference is running workshops, lectures and portfolio reviews utilizing the Art Center’s nine art studios. The day will culminate in a lively panel discussion on contemporary issues in photography including panelists from all segments of the industry moderated by George Schaub, editor of Shutterbug Magazine. The panel topic is The Image as Information: Where Does That Lead Us? Panelists include Ted Harris, Editor, View Camera Magazine; Joel M. Smith, Curator of Photography, Princeton University Art Museum; Donald Lokuta, Art Professor, Kean University; and Diana Edkins, Director of Exhibitions and Limited-Edition Photographs for Aperture Foundation.

A highlight of the conference is a slide lecture and book signing by George Tice, one of the best known fine-art photographers in the nation. Making photographs for over 40 years, Mr. Tice’s prints are in many museums including the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum, where he had a one-man show in 1972. His photographs have been shown all over the world. The lecture is scheduled for Saturday, April 5th from 4-6pm. A book signing, which is open to the public, follows and will end at 6:45PM. This is a rare opportunity to learn from a master in the photography field and all those interested in attending should register early to reserve a spot.

Many events taking place at the conference are free to attend. On Sunday April 6th, an exhibitor fair of photography equipment and supply manufacturers will be opened to the public from 10am-6pm. This day also includes free events such as darkroom demos, tours and mini workshops by vendors. To become a vendor, contact Event Producer Nancy Ori at nancyori@comcast.net.

The mission of the conference is to create a central presence at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey for the study and practice of photographic art within the state. The Art Center is committed to teaching traditional darkroom photography, an important part of the fine art experience, as well as providing courses in state-of-the-art digital advances. The Art Center houses digital labs and a traditional wet darkroom. It offers a wide range of classes, workshops, and open studios. Visit www.artcenternj.org to view the latest course offerings.

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is celebrating its 75th anniversary of “bringing art and people together.” Since its founding in 1933, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey has evolved into a major regional art center with a professionally recognized art school, a critically acclaimed exhibition program and an extensive community outreach program. In 2003, the Art Center completed a $6.5 million renovation featuring a nine studio art school with three interior galleries and an outdoor sculpture park. For further information, please visit the Art Center at www.artcenternj.org.