Mois, Semaine et Jour de la Photo (Month, Week and Day of the Photo)

Last night after attending our monthly coffee gathering, Parler Paris Après Midi, the 2012 International Fine Art Photography Competition announced the winners of the Grand Prix de la Découverte at a special event at the American Library of Paris. Leading the presentation was Director, Meredith Mullins along with program sponsors Clydette and Charles de Groot of the De Groot Foundation (a foundation focusing on innovation in education and culture, with particular interests in the visual and the literary arts).

The illustrious judges were in attendance, each of whom spoke about their own vision of photography and then commented on the winning photos. There were seven categories — one winner within each and then two tied winners of the grand prize — simply because the judges were so torn between them they were compelled to honor them both.

For those who want to view the finalists’ photos, be sure to attend the “vernissage” Friday, November 16th at the Garage Turenne starting at 7 p.m. (donations of 5€ requested, 66, rue de Turenne, 3rd), or visit the gallery soon after.

Today, upon entering Paris Photo, I immediately stumbled into an old friend and a new friend. Los Angeles photo gallery owners are strong contributors to the annual photo fair — people with whom I once worked and befriended. Literally within seconds of entering the Grand Palais, was standing David Fahey, Director of the Fahey/Klein Gallery, from whom I had purchased several of my prized possessions.

No sooner had I given David pecks on both cheeks when up walked the photographer Vee Speers whose work I greatly admire and with whom I’d become acquainted this past year. Vee and I collided several times during the course of the afternoon as we were wandering up and down the aisles of the overwhelming photo fair.

Another old friend and colleague has a booth (D23) as she does most years — Theresa Luisotti of the Gallery Luisotti in Santa Monica. Theresa taught me much about photography during my years living in Los Angeles (late 80s, early 90s) having acted as an agent on many purchases and collaborating with me on several photo shows we held in my home there.

Not long after visiting briefly with Theresa, whose booth was under siege by a tour group, I stumbled upon Marjorie Ornston, a Los Angeles photography collector and member of the Photograph Council at the J. Paul Getty Museum, who I met at last year’s fair and who has been spending time in Paris for the last several months. She said she wasn’t going to miss a minute of the fair.

I wish I didn’t have to, but starting Friday, I am filming yet another (my 10th!) House Hunters International episode — this time featuring a young American woman who went through the ordeal of searching and finding a small furnished rental apartment. Stay tuned!

A la prochaine…

Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris

Respond to Adrian

(at Paris Photo fair)

P.S. Be sure to read all about the great time we had with guest speaker, James Navé at Parler Paris Après Midi with photos.