- 1). Begin to plan well in advance. The amount of time and resources needed to organize a high-quality exhibition, let alone a respectable one, is significant. What's more, you will want to take your time with the process of deciding on a theme for the event. You want to give yourself enough time to compose as many photographs as necessary. Aim to begin planning for the exhibition at least five months before it will take place.
- 2). Choose your venue wisely. Museums provide excellent examples of the importance of space and location in experiencing a photograph. Unless you have an entire career's oeuvre to present, pick a smaller and more intimate locale. Libraries, warehouses, recreation centers, and even galleries can potentially make for choice spots to locate your exhibition.
- 3). Curate your photographs with care. If the exhibition is particular to your own work, refrain from mounting every picture you've ever shot. Instead, opt for a batch of unique pictures that are uniform in how well they represent your work. Exhibitions that will highlight work from multiple photographers should be harmonized by a central theme or focus. Haphazardly chosen collections of photographs read as amateurish.
- 4). Equip the exhibition with tasteful details. Head to your local art supply store to scout frames, backgrounds and stands to accent the work. Make decisions about how lighting will be used in the venue. Many successful one-off exhibitions feature refreshments and music to enliven the experience and charm visitors. You should also select text for photographs. Avoid inundating pictures with paragraphs of material; the best shots speak for themselves. Rather, include the title of the photograph (if there is one), the year or date it was taken, and perhaps the location of the shot. Include the name of the photographer if the exhibition features multiple participants.
- 5). Publicize the event. Mobilize your friends and community with invitations for social networking well in advance of the exhibition. Find photography schools and programs near you and inform them of your upcoming showcase. Inquire whether or not your venue will allow you to post fliers in and around the location. Finally, make news of the event known to nearby gallery owners and museums.
- 6). Clarify whether or not the venue requires an entrance fee for guests to view the work. An excellent lure for visitors is to turn the exhibition into a charity event, inviting guests to donate a fee that will be contributed to a worthy group. Choose an organization that's specific to the style or theme of this particular exhibition.
- 7). Promote yourself or your exhibition's participants. Socialize tastefully with your patrons; let them enjoy the photography first before you move in to converse with them. Have business cards with your information included (especially the Internet address of your online gallery) handed to guests as they exit the gallery. You can also choose to offer such information as guests pay their fee or give their donation. Make sure that guests remember your name, especially if they enjoyed the work, without smothering them or disrespecting their patronage.
SHARE
