Photo by Donald Black: All photos in story featured in Cleveland Photo Fest.
First Cleveland Photo Fest shines spotlight on local talent (calendar, photos)
Cleveland, Ohio – Distance can provide perspective.
It took leaving Cleveland for several years for photographer Laura D’Alessandro to come up with the idea for the inaugural Cleveland Photo Fest, which is taking places at galleries and other venues around town through the end of November.
“I was living in New Orleans for eight years. I was a professor of photography and drawing and doing a workshop called New Orleans Photo Safari when the NOLA photo fest was started. The New Orleans Photo Alliance started it after the hurricane, they wanted people to come together and be more creative and join forces.
Photos by Darren Feist: "Fashion"
Years later, when family obligations called her back to Cleveland, D’Alessandro, who had studied photography at the Cleveland Institute of Art, missed the sense of community the NOLA fest had engendered.
“After a year at home, I got back into the art world and began to reconnect with people, aiming to start showing my work again. I joined the Friends of Photography at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which was mostly retired photographers. But they only meet about four times a year, and I wanted something more than that.”
So D’Alessandro reached out to one of Cleveland’s most prominent photographers, Herbert Ascherman, whom she knew from her days at CIA. Ascherman was interested in the idea of a fine arts photography festival, but he thought they needed more support. D’Alessandro reached out to another photographer friend, Jim Szudy, who came on board to do the nascent fest’s promotion and social media.
Photo by Samantha Bias: "The Tower"
“She went to Herb and said, ‘There’s nothing like this here,’
and he said, ‘That could be interesting, but come back when you have some more ideas,’ ” says Szudy. “She came to me, and that got the ball rolling.”
The three met in Tremont one afternoon at the beginning of 2019 and got up from the table two-and-a-half hours later: The Cleveland festival had been born, with the motto of “Unity Through Photography.”
Photo by Julie Kiefer: "Fly Away"
The goals were modest, a few shows at a few galleries with a few photographers. But as word got out, more venues began to call and ask to be included.
“It’s been really amazing. We just started this in February, and we’ve grown and learned so much,” says D’Alessandro.
What began as a grassroots all-volunteer experiment has expanded to 19 exhibitions in 14 venues, plus another 40 collaborative events.
“We have exceeded every expectation we could have possibly had,” says Ascherman. “Every event we have put on has been remarkably successful, and the response from the local community and around the country has been amazing.”
All types of photography are welcome at the show: iPhone, film, digital, manipulated images, experimental, etc. Photographers from high school students to professionals with years of experience are included.
One common thread is the subject matter, says Ascherman. Cleveland is the star of many photos.
Photo Nancy M. McEntee: "Green Dress"
“Everyone is enthralled with this Rust Belt city — the Flats, the waterfront, the Terminal Tower, a lot of street scenes. The majority of works have not been landscapes or nature photography. They have been street photography, showcasing people’s coming and going in daily life.”
Not a week goes by without a local photographer or gallery wanting to participate reaching out, says Szudy.
Though all gallery shows have been finalized for the year, they are already accepting submissions for next year’s fest. Additionally, the website — clevelandphotofest.org — features a Capture Cleveland image of the day, for which submissions are ongoing.
“We’re all so surprised with how successful it has been so far,” says Ascherman. “It seems there was a need and necessity for photography activities in Cleveland. I have been active as a photographer since 1975 and have never seen such an overwhelming response in my career.”
Photo by Unni Krishnan Pulikkal: "Transformations"
Cleveland Photo Fest schedule
The Good Goat Gallery
17012 Madison Ave., Lakewood; 440-799-0675
“Sell and Show Show”: Through Oct. 30. Sale by local and national photographers with an exhibit by participants.
Foothill Galleries
2450 Fairmount Blvd., Suite M291, Cleveland Heights; 216-287-3064.
“Silver Platinum Gold”: Through Nov. 1. Alternative processes from the 19th century by local, national and international photographers.
Prama Artspace
5411 Pearl Road, Parma; 216-336-5585
“Beyond the Camera — Manipulated Photography”: Through Oct. 24. Photographs after the fact — expanding the creative horizon. Closing reception 6-8 p.m. Oct 24.
Orange Art Center
Orange City School District, 31500 Chagrin Blvd., Pepper Pike; 216-831-5130
“Masters of Portrait Photography”: Through Nov. 15.
Images Photographic Art Gallery
14406 Detroit Ave., Lakewood; 216-406-1271
“Upheaval”: Through Saturday. Photographs by Richard Margolis; anti-war and Ku Klux Klan rallies, 1965-66.
LIVE Publishing Gallery
Murray Hill Schoolhouse, 2026 Murray Hill Road, Suite 103, Cleveland; 216-721-1800
“Darren Feist: London Fashions”: Through Tuesday.
Mac’s Backs — Books on Coventry
1820 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights; 216-321-2665
“Poetography”: Through Tuesday. Local photographers interpret local poet’s poems.
“Altered Landscapes”: Oct. 25 through Nov. 30. Poets interpreting surrealist landscape photography.
Doubting Thomas
856 Jefferson Ave., Cleveland; 330-958-4911
"Off the Wall": Dec. 13 through Jan. 12. Opening reception 6-9 p.m. Dec. 13.
Beachwood Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library
25501 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood
“Portrait Perspectives”: Nov. 3 through Nov. 30. Beachwood Photography Group’s annual exhibition.
Upcoming collaborative events
“The Sun Print Workshop”: Parma Artspace, 1 p.m. Oct. 19. $20 (family-oriented).
“The Magic Lantern Show” presented by Dr. Optix: The Good Goat Gallery, 2 p.m. Saturday. Free.
“How to Take Better Holiday Family Photos,” lecture by Herbert Ascherman: Orange Art Center, noon-1 p.m. Nov. 15. Free.
"The Latent Image": Photographer Rik Garrett discusses the hidden world of occult photography at Buckland Museum of Witchcraft, 7:30 p.m. October 17. Tickets available at https://bucklandmuseum.org/product/the-latent-image-occult-photography-in-theory-and-practice-rik-garrett-lecture/'
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