The 13th edition of one of the South’s favorite photo exhibitions this past weekend (September 17-20, 2015) was by all accounts one of the luckiest. With 900 images submitted from all across the country, jurors Jerry Atnip and John A. Bennette distilled the finalists to 75. Photographers and the public were treated to a real fete – Southern style!
My wife and I are life-long veterans of festivals – sports, crafts, and photography – but never have we experienced such a warm environment for conversation, the opportunity for cross fertilization of ideas, and the native stimulation that the participating artists individually brought to this event.
There are several elements contributing to its success. Number one is it’s location in rural Pike County, Georgia, about 100 miles south of Atlanta. Number two is the legion of dedicated volunteers who for many years have poured their oversized small-town hearts and souls into a venue that is aimed to please and exceed all expectations for hospitality. Number three is the artist photographer who knows the reputation of this festival and only submit their best work.
The slow pacing of the four days facilitates a saturated adsorption. The genuineness of this community provides healing time from the rapid pace of another life that everyone brought with them but left checked at the county line.
SlowExposures festival dates for 2016 are September 15-18!
-Houck and K.B. Medford
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