We’ve got another guest panelist to add to judge the Summer Hey, Hot Shot! If you ever read popular photography magazines, you’d probably have come across Popular Photography! We’ve got Jay DeFoore, editor of Popphoto.com, to help pick out the best 10 photographers from the submissions. Here’s a little bio about Mr. DeFoore:

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, Jay DeFoore relinquished his Texas citizenship and moved to New York in 2000 hoping to become the next Lester Bangs. He scored his first job as a web producer for Billboard.com, which got him freelance gigs writing reviews of CDs and live shows for Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter. In 2002 he realized that photographers led more exciting lives that pop stars, so he began working for Photo District News (PDN) as a reporter and news editor. He is currently the editor of PopPhoto.com, the online home of Popular Photography & Imaging and American Photo magazines, but still likes a good concert every now and again.

Photographers lead more exciting lives than pop stars? Good thing I picked the right gig!

We’re looking for Fall interns at the jb. Interested? Read the internship description over on the jen bekman blog and then send your resume and fascinating, unique, original and witty cover letter to internship AT jenbekman DOT com.

Dolphin Street by Jonathan Gitelson


Congress Theatre by Jonathan Gitelson

Oh, fliers are like the prehistoric version of internet spam. A submission by Jonathan Gitelson displays the collection of fliers he received from parking near club venues in Chicago. A little blurb from his artist statement:

I began collecting the fliers from my car and from the sidewalk around my home. By January of 2005, I had collected over 1000 fliers, enough to cover my entire car. I spent three months hand-sewing the fliers together to create a car cover and have photographed the car, with car cover, parked in front of the clubs from whom I had received fliers.

“The Car Project� was completed in December of 2005 and consists of eight large-scale photographs. Each exhibition print is digitally printed at 40� X 50� which allows the viewer to read the individual fliers within each photograph.

Keep those submissions rolling in. Deadline is August 15 at 6pm EST!

Taranka by Nadia Sablin


Man with bear by Nadia Sablin

This submission from Nadia Sablin brings us back to the Old World. I’ve never had the chance of seeing countrylife or know the excitement of the traveling circus/zoo. Nadia was born in Leningrad, Soviet Union, a city that does not exist anymore. She came to the states to grow up and study and decided to go back, not necessarily back to Russia but in a little town in Ukraine, where people still gather water from wells. She captured portraits of people that inhabited this small town, which she calls a place that reminded her of a fairy tale.

Alright, remember the deadline has been extended. New deadline is Tuesday, August 15 at 6pm EST.

Good news people!

We’ve extended the deadline to TUESDAY, AUGUST 15 at 6PM EST! That gives some of you procrastinators some time to get your finishing touches on your images. Submit your work!

Self Portrait Series, Gold and Fur by Aline Smithson


Self Portrait Series, Bates Motel by Aline Smithson

You’ve got 3 days left to submit!!

I have yet to master the art of taking self portraits since I’m the type to rather be behind the camera than in front of it. The same goes for Aline Smithson, another photographer I’ve chosen among the submissions. She takes her self portraits with a bit of humor and simplicity by showing the viewer a glimpse into different parts of her life- “a moment, a routine, a fear, or [her] fun.” Here’s a little something from her bio:

I moved to New York City to make my living as a painter, and although I continued to paint, my career moved into the fashion world. I worked for many years as the Fashion Editor for Vogue Patterns Magazine in New York City, and then continued on in Los Angeles as a freelance photo stylist. As a fashion editor, I had the privilege of working with many exceptional fashion photographers, including Horst, Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier, Arthur Elgort, and Bert Stern.
After standing next to the camera for many years, I have discovered that it is behind the camera that I find my joy and passion.

Ed by Aaron Hraba

Jonny by Aaron Hraba

Self portrait by Aaron Hraba

4 days left to submit!

This set of images are from Aaron Hraba. One of his major influences is Nan Goldin and it really shows in his style of shooting. Aaron’s snapshot aesthetic works well in developing the “real-ness” of each character in the photographs. A little blurb from his artist statement:

The images I am submitting deals with issues of masculinity; the fronts men put up and what they keep hidden. Though not half as bad as it is imposed on women, social conditioning happens to men as well in our society.

He recently got his MFA from Syracuse University (representing!) and also appointed Assistant Professor of Photography at Rhode Island College.

We’ve got Amit Gupta of Photojojo to hop on board to be on our panel to select the Summer edition of Hey, Hot Shot! Amit is an entrepeneur with a long list of credits to his name. From his blog:

He is founder of The Daily Jolt, an online college community on 100 campuses. He also helped create a non-profit called ChangeThis with Seth Godin and brought the technology un-conference BarCamp to NYC. He’s consulted for companies such as Pearson, Apple, and Creative Good.

He’s co-author of The Big Moo, a WSJ best-seller, with Seth Godin, Malcolm Gladwell, Guy Kawasaki, Tom Peters, and others.

His latest project is Photojojo. If you like photography, you will like Photojojo.

I love Photojojo. Great DIY photography tips to make great craft projects, improve photographs, and just make neat things. We’ve blogged about it before too!

We will be having some more special guest panelists along with interviews with them coming soon so be on the lookout!

Keep those submissions coming!

Letter, November 11th 1967 by Johnny Miller

Envelope, November 13th 1967 by Johnny Miller

This couple of images by Johnny Miller document his parent’s love letters during Vietnam War. This is the kind of thing that melts your heart but also reminding you of the sentimentality of snail mail. Here’s a little blurb from his artist statement.

They dated for the next four months before my father left for his tour. They wrote many letters. In June of 1968, he invited my mom’s family out to Califorina to meet his. After asking my grandfather if he could propose to his daughter, he drove down to the beach in his father’s car and asked my mother to be his wife. She said “yes�. Four months after the engagement, my dad was sent to start his tour. Hundreds more letters were sent. They planned to marry in June 1969. I was born in 1971, my sister followed in 1974.

We only have 6 more days until the deadline (Next Wednesday, the 9th!). This entry is from Travis Huggett. This is also a fresh entry from today! I enjoy really quiet yet beautiful photos. Here’s a little something from Travis’s artist statement.

Being a photographer allows me a chance to take a second look at things. It forces me to slow down and observe what’s around me, both beautiful and plain. It allows me to be alone, or forces me to be with people. It takes me places I wouldn’t otherwise go, and gives me something to share. It helps keep things interesting.
I hope that when people look at my photographs, some of these qualities will show. The viewer might find beauty in the ordinary, in the subtle, stopping a moment so as take another look, and appreciate anew, maybe seeing something that they connect with, something that lingers after they’ve left, something they will want to return to.