Hello Friends—
I regularly receive emails from TOP readers asking for my opinion about their work. I have decided, therefore, to offer an advisory or personal consulting services.
PORTFOLIO REVIEW
$250
A portfolio review—an individual critique—is a standard feature of some lecture series and photography festivals, as well as a formal element of many photography programs. Based on my experience as a teacher, critic, and editor, I'll give you my formal, considered opinion of a small selection of your work. You must provide between 8 and 22 photographic pictures that you yourself have taken or made, either by email or (preferably) by setting up a private web page that I can visit. I will also ask you to answer a short questionnaire to help me determine your level of participation in photography and your experience and ambitions, to better enable me to keep my comments as constructive and appropriate to your needs as possible.
It often takes a surprising amount of time and thought to develop an opinion about a portfolio and a strategy for commenting usefully. Because this can add substantially to my workload, I accept a limit of one such consulting commissions per week.
To reserve a week, you will need to first contact me by email, then send a non-refundable deposit of $10 to my PayPal address. I will then assign you a week and send you the questionnaire. At the beginning of your week, your work must be submitted or prepared for me to look at, and your answers to the questions and the remainder of the fee will be due. (You may decide not to continue at this time if you so desire, and if your work is not ready for me to look at I will cancel your appointment.) At the end of 7 to 10 days I will send you a detailed, private, 500-to-1200-word written account of my thoughts about your work. Also, if you are willing to pay for the call, I don't mind discussing your work with you by phone as well. If for any reason I cannot or do not send you your critique, your fee will be refunded in full.
Once I see your work, I reserve the right to decline to accept you as a client of this service if, for whatever reason, I feel I can't help, or if I judge that I won't have enough to say. (This is in itself not necessarily a judgment—some things just aren't my cup of tea, and I'm not going to take your money unless I think I can be of some real service to you.) Also, although I appreciate the sentiment, please don't commission this service just as a way of helping support the website! I'd rather work with people who sincerely desire feedback about their work.
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Currently NOT AVAILABLE—please check back later!
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