About Lens Culture
Lens Culture is a growing independent organization dedicated to the promotion of contemporary photography and associated events. We aim to bring important photography from around the world to broad distribution and global exposure. Based in France and the US, we are active in several key areas:
Lens Culture Magazine – Launched in 2004, Lens Culture’s popular online magazine celebrates the diverse nature of international contemporary photography, world cultures and media. It features the work of established, professional and emerging photographers. The magazine is open to all genres of photography, from hard-hitting photojournalism to fine art, and from street photography to the poetic, personal, abstract and human. Published quarterly, Lens Culture Magazine attracts 10,000 –12,000+ unique visitors every day, from more than 50 countries (over 3 million visits each year). 6+ years of Archives are available online, too — audio and video interviews with photographers, photobook reviews, critical essays and more. Visit us at lensculture.com
Lens Culture International Exposure Awards – The annual global photo competition opens each June, with prizes awarded the following October. The Awards discover and promote talented, new, emerging and established, photographers from around the world. Six top winners win cash prizes, major features in Lens Culture Magazine, gallery shows, and worldwide attention. Entries are judged by a prestigious international jury each year. In 2010, the competition attracted more than 6,000 images from 47 countries. Winners from 2010 will be exhibited at gallery shows in San Francisco, New York and Paris in 2011. More details at lensculture.com/awards
Lens Culture Portfolio Reviews – In 2010 Lens Culture partnered with FotoFest International to sponsor the first large-scale international portfolio reviews in Paris. Based on the success of that conference (which attracted more than 200 participants from 32 countries), we launched a similar portfolio review in Stockholm in May 2011 at Fotografiska, the Swedish Museum of Photography; and we are hosting the second annual portfolio review in Paris. These events offer photographers tremendous opportunities to meet influential experts in photography from around the world. The one-to-one meetings are focused on career development, and often result in editorial assignments, book publication contracts, art gallery representation, participation in international exhibitions, feature articles in magazines, as well as extensive business networking.
Lens Culture Events – In 2011, our first traveling exhibition will showcase the winners of the Lens Culture International Exposure Awards 2010. Three exhibitions planned for 2011: San Francisco, April–May 2011; New York, July–September, 2011; Paris, September 2011. Other curated shows, lectures, workshops and screenings are in development.
Lens Culture Editions – Our online gallery offers exclusive, limited edition signed prints from artists who have been featured in Lens Culture Magazine. Prints are offered at affordable prices, with mutual benefit for photography collectors as well as for the participating photographers.
If you appreciate Lens Culture, please donate something! – Since our inception in 2004, Lens Culture has been completely self-funded, without revenue from advertising or other outside source. We are dependent on donations and sponsorship to keep running. Please contribute something today! Thanks.