Online Group Exhibition - "Capturing the Essence of Summer" - Summer 2024
Analog Forever Magazine is proud to present "Capturing the Essence of Summer," an online group exhibition featuring 35 photographs created with film and analog processes, curated by Samantha Johnston, Executive Director and Curator at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center.
Samanta Johnston writes:
As the summer season winds down and students head back to school, I can’t think of a more perfect time to gaze upon images that capture the essence of summer. The call for entry asked photographers to show the magic and wonder of summertime, the feeling of endless possibility it provides. The submissions did not disappoint. Each image I viewed embodied the beauty and vibrancy of summer. Selecting the final 35 images was no easy task.
Every single photograph I reviewed told a unique story; but for me, I have always been drawn to light and stillness in photographs. Water, a recurring motif in many of the submissions, also resonated deeply with me. There’s a quiet tranquility in the way water holds you, and many photographers caught this stillness superbly.
Yet, summer is not just about calmness. The energy of amusement parks and beaches are seen throughout, reminding us of the joy and excitement that summer brings. And, of course, no summer would be complete without the abundance of fresh produce—whether picked from a garden or purchased at a farm stand, it somehow always tastes better in the summer.
This selection of images expresses the diverse experiences of summer, from its quiet moments to its lively celebrations, offering a visual journey through a season we cherish and look forward to every year.
GALLERY
ABOUT THE CURATOR
© Keliy Anderson-Staley
Samantha Johnston has been the Executive Director and Curator at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center since 2015. She holds a certificate in Arts Development and Program Management from the University of Denver, an MFA from Lesley University College of Art & Design, and a BFA from Alfred University. Prior to joining CPAC, she taught photography and visual arts for 12 years at high schools in Boston and Denver.
She has curated exhibitions with contemporary artists such as Jess T. Dugan, Daniel Coburn, Barbara Ciurej & Lindsay Lochman, and Zora Murff. Samantha has served as a reviewer at Houston FotoFest, Review Santa Fe, PhotoNola, Medium, Month of Photography Denver (MOP), Filter, Society for Photographic Education, and PhotoLucida. She has juried several exhibitions including Critical Mass, The Fence, Analog Forever, Center for Fine Art Photography, and LACP.
CPAC is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to fostering the understanding and appreciation of photography in all forms and concepts through exhibitions, education, and community outreach. CPAC also organizes the Month of Photography Denver (MOP) a biennial festival that celebrates the photographic medium through public exhibitions, events, and programs at more than 75 museums, galleries, and other participating spaces across the Denver Metro region.