EMERGING FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

PHOTO L.A. and THE ICON are pleased to announce the inaugural EMERGING FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION. The mandate of EMERGING FOCUS is simple: to spotlight the revolutionary, the groundbreaking, the avant-garde, and the virtuosos of tomorrow’s photography world by focusing on them today. This is a visual call to arms to clear up the cacophony of the mundane, to look past the clutter. We seek to find out what makes a photograph a good photograph, and what makes a good photograph a great photograph. And we present this challenge to you: the elders and the young, the schooled and the amateurs, the students and the teachers, the executives and the workers, the artists and the scientists, the writers and the readers, the actors and the audience.

The EMERGING FOCUS Photography Competition will provide a platform for artists to distinguish themselves and their work, to exhibit their art and their approaches, and to enter the commercial and critical realm of fine art photography.

Our esteemed judges, among them the celebrated Allan Sekula, will select 20 finalists to attend photo l.a.2012 from January 12-16 in Los Angeles. There, an unveiling ceremony will be held for EMERGING FOCUS, and all Finalists will have the opportunity to introduce their work and themselves to the top level galleries, collectors, dealers, curators, and enthusiasts in our industry as we select our Grand Prize, Second Place, Third Place, and Honorable Mention Winners. Prizes include:
• A private exhibit of entrant’s work at photo l.a. 2013, unveiled with the EMERGING FOCUSshowcase
• A photography software prize package
• A photography hardware prize package
• A gift certificate to The Icon’s Fine Art Department
• An unframed fine art pigment print of entrant’s winning photograph courtesy of The Icon
• A 5″ x 7″ postcard book of the 20 Finalists’ winning images, courtesy of The Icon
• A prize pack of fine art printing paper by Hahnemuhle Digital Fine Art Collection
The exhibit then will travel to ICON PROJECTS, a gallery project space at The Icon Los Angeles, to be exhibited for an additional six weeks.
All photographers who believe in their vision and whose work speaks volumes about their unique view of the world are encouraged to apply. We welcome work from all areas and all subject matter.

COMPETITION OPENS at 12:01AM PST on September 30, 2011 and closes at 11:59PM PST on November 25, 2011. Winners will be notified at the start of December.
The competition is presented by PHOTO L.A., the longest running photography fair west of New York City, as well as THE ICON’S FINE ART DEPARTMENT, the unparalleled printing and finishing resource in Los Angeles for photographers, fine artists, museums, and more. Additional sponsors include FINE ART SOLUTIONS andHAHNEMUHLE.

We hope you’ll take part in EMERGING FOCUS.
?WWW.EMERGINGFOCUSPHOTO.COM