Renowned Photography Consultant and Educator Mary Virginia Swanson to lecture at Houston Center for Photography

About HCP / News

HOUSTON, TX - Houston Center for Photography is proud to announce an upcoming lecture with the world renowned photography consultant and educator Mary Virginia Swanson on Thursday, June 26^th, 2008. Ms. Swanson is widely respected for her practical and inspirational presentations - don't miss it! The lecture, in honor of HCP and Swanson’s friend John Cleary, will begin at 8pm and is preceded by a reception starting at 7:30pm. Reservations are not necessary; admission is free for HCP members and $10 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.hcponline.org. Ms. Swanson will have copies of her self-published book THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Principles and Practices available at a discounted price for those attending the presentation; books are available at $30 for HCP members and $35 for non-members.

Ms. Swanson will present FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE: An Introduction to Marketing Your Photographs. This lecture will provide artists with a road map to getting their work in front of those with whom they most wish to share it. Doing one's homework towards the contemporary art market, engaging in a dialogue with peers as well as one's industry, and presenting one's artwork are at the core of this event. The value of entering juried competitions and maximizing one's investment in attending art fairs and portfolio review events will be discussed as well as creating effective promotional materials to keep in touch with those on your mailing list. Lastly, the benefits of a multimedia presence today will be discussed, within a broader discussion about new markets for photographers.

In honor of her friend, collector and photography dealer John Cleary, Ms. Swanson will donate all proceeds from the lecture and a portion of the evening’s book sales to HCP’s John Cleary Library. Additional restricted donations can be made to the John Cleary Library; in-kind donations of photography-related books and monetary gifts are welcomed. To learn more about the library’s current selection of books and wish list, please visit www.hcponline.org. A formal library naming ceremony will be held at HCP on Saturday, June 28^th from 11am – 1pm. A selection of John’s personal “Kid Collection” of photographs will be on view from June 13 – July 13, 2008 in HCP’s Main Gallery.

Mary Virginia Swanson makes it her goal to help photographers find the strengths in their work and identify appreciative audiences for their prints, exhibitions, editorial and licensing placement. Ms. Swanson has a diverse professional background, having coordinated educational, publication and exhibitions programs for a wide range of institutions and businesses in the field of photography and is considered an expert in the area of marketing and licensing fine art. It was during her tenure heading special projects at Magnum Photos that she recognized the opportunities for artists to develop second markets for their work, and in 1991 she founded SWANSTOCK, an innovative agency managing licensing rights for fine art photographers. Her workshops and lectures on the subjects of marketing opportunities and awareness have proven to aid photographers in moving their careers to the next level. She also consults with business and agencies in the photographic industry to aid in their awareness of contemporary photography.

Ms. Swanson currently works individually with photographers as a marketing consultant to guide artists in their careers. She maintains a popular blog about marketing and she is the author of her self-published The Business of Photography: Principles and Practices (2007) and the forthcoming title Finding Your Audience: A Guide To Marketing Your Creative Photography (2008). Visit her website at www.mvswanson.com.

Related Files

Mary Virginia Swanson PR (pdf)