006 - Inside one of the industry's leading portfolio reviews

Bringing my newest photography project for the first time into the wide world, and what I learned from that...

As a self-taught photographer, I've often felt that missing out on any formal training left me without the academic foundation to fully master deeply complex narrative forms. On top, without the experience of studying alongside peers in a formal photo school setting, I never really experienced the established network that many photo school graduates seamlessly enter upon completing their MFA's.

My intuitive response to that feeling has always been to outwork everyone in the industry. However, photography is often a solitary pursuit, and immersing yourself in it 24/7 can lead to isolation, which can ultimately harm your creative process. Beyond that, retreating into your own editing cave overlooks two often underappreciated yet essential elements of personal growth in photography: community & collaboration.

Therefore, a while ago I decided to start applying for various portfolio reviews, one of them being Chico Review, a premier photo book retreat taking place once a year over 6 nights at Chico Hot Springs Resort in Montana, USA. The event invites 64 recruited lens-based artists to spend the week with some of the most respected and influential photographers, bookmakers, gallerists, editors, and curators in contemporary photography.

Every participant receives 12 formal portfolio reviews, 3 per day, each 25 minutes long. There are daily guest lectures, panel discussions and peer reviews, and each day ends with extraordinary food, and drinks in the hot springs on site. Not bad.

I signed up last November and got selected out of hundreds of submissions. And even better, my project 'Los Puesteros' (working title) got chosen as one of the top 5 submissions, which got me a merit scholarship. Wild.

So, there I went, with a clamshell box under my arm, having a carefully crafted sequence of 30 photographs inside, printed on the finest paper.

Fun Fact: I’m currently in the process of signing a contract with GOST Books from London, UK, one of the leading art book publishers in Europe.

With that in mind, the timing felt perfect to show my most significant photographic body of work to a group of peer photographers - for the very first time. Woohjaa!

My reviewer schedule for the week was:

Todd Hido - photographer

Misha Kominek - Kominek Gallery

Bryan Schutmaat - photographer

Shana Lopez - Curator SF Moma

Christopher McCall - Pier24

Matthew Genitempo - photographer

Noelle Flores Theard - Editor The New Yorker

Tania Franco Klein - photographer

Brad Zellar - Novelist

Dana Lixenberg - photographer

William Boling - publisher Fall Line Press

Jesse Lenz - Charcoal bookclub

In short 25-minute-long pitches, I pitched my work to each and every one of them, with for each session a different set of desired outcomes.

What struck me most, was the remarkable level of sensitivity and the sincere curiosity in the work, from every single reviewer. There was zero feedback for the sake of feedback. Instead, each session was digging deep into the vision behind the work, delivering new perspectives, constructive feedback, and a cascade of new thoughts and inspiration to the table.

To give you an idea of some of the questions that surfaced throughout the week:

• How will this book elevate my work from the editorial space into the world of lyrical documentary?

• Is the story of my forthcoming book cohesive, and does it convey it's intended emotional depth?

• How does the story tap into universal values while at the same time remain a uniquely intimate and personal angle?

• How can I use my forthcoming book, my first monograph, as a vehicle to make an entry into the gallery & exhibition world?

• In what way can I incorporate text into the book so that it provides (necessary) context but at the same time allows for ambiguity?

• When thousands of books launch every year, and only a handful get attention, how does my book surface?

• What books do I want my book to be surrounded with on the shelf?

• And a lot more...

During the review sessions, I received detailed answers to all of these questions, from all sorts of different backgrounds and profiles. Rather than addressing them all at once, which would be overwhelming for now, I'll be sharing some of those answers here on Substack over the coming months.

Then there were the lectures. Each morning, we started the day with two guest speakers - deeply personal stories, often reflecting on a lifetime of achievement, some of the speakers being artists whose work shaped my own journey. In between lectures & reviews everyone engaged in spontaneous panel discussions and peer to peer reviews.

I soon realized this week was probably the closest I would ever get to photo school, and I loved it!

I'm well aware this particular event comes at a price. When you are granted a seat, tuition is $4850 plus an additional $2500 for lodging and airfare. It's a lot of money for post-graduate, early career photographers. Well, it's a lot of money for everyone in fact. But it's entirely up to you to make the most out of that investment. Every minute of the week holds potential value, and when you come prepared, and soak it all up, I feel it's worth every penny.

For me personally, the entire event felt like a warm blanket of love & support for the beautiful craft that is photographic story-telling. Especially in these polarised times, with the world of arts under immense pressure, it was a healing experience to be surrounded by a group of likeminded people that care about the same values I hold dear.

The entire week was transformative, deeply moving and inspiring, defined by beautiful human connection, and surrounded by breathtaking landscapes. It left me energised and ready to bring this new body of work into the world, fully committed to the path ahead.

I would love to read about your experience with portfolio reviews in the comments!

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Next time:

I will dig deeper into an assignment I did in April 2024 in Central Mozambique for Sussurro. An assignment that lead to the creation of a brand-new series of 10 new limited edition prints. I will talk you through the production process of the work, and share the beautifully designed Print Catalogue.

On April 24, I will launch this new collection to the world through a limited print drop which will only be available for a 2-week window, but Substack-members, will get an early bird opportunity on April 23 to purchase their favourite print before they sell out.

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Where Else Can You Find Me?

• Website: www.pieaerts.com

• Instagram: @BecausePeopleMatter & @PieAerts

Let’s build something meaningful together.