Before joining National Geographic in January 2016, Patrick Witty was the Director of Photography at WIRED, where he led the photography across all platforms and produced award-winning covers on a variety of subjects from Dr. Dre to Edward Snowden. Prior to joining WIRED, Witty was the International Picture Editor at TIME where he edited coverage across the world that won numerous awards, including the World Press Photo of the Year, the Visa d’or at Visa Pour l’Image, the Bayeux Calvados War Photographer Award, as well as recognition from Pictures of the Year International, American Society of Magazine Editors, and Society of Professional Design. He has served on multiple juries, including Pictures of the Year International, the Overseas Press Club Awards and the World Press Photo Masterclass Selection committee and has led workshops in Iraq, Bangladesh and Slovenia for local photographers and editors. Previously, Witty was the International Picture Editor at The New York Times and was a member of the foreign staff awarded the Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting in 2009. Witty began his career as a freelance photographer based in Washington, D.C. and New York. His editorial work has appeared in publications including TIME, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Stern, and GEO. Witty’s photographs from 9/11 were widely published and are part of the permanent collection at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Born in Kentucky, Witty has a degree in Photojournalism from Western Kentucky University.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

⦁ Fill up this application form. [NO SEATS AVAILABLE]
⦁ Send us a selection of your work to submissions@photoktm.com with your Full Name_Portfolio Review as the subject (this is so that we can recommend a reviewer based on your work).
⦁ Your portfolio (for this application process) should be between 15-20 low-resolution images from an on-going body of work. Please note that each photograph should be 800 pixels on the longer side.
⦁ Please also send us a brief Project Description (maximum 300 words) in case you are submitting a project.
⦁ And a short biography (300 words max) or CV.

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What is a portfolio?

Portfolio is a collection of photographs that showcases a series with a unifying theme or style. In some cases, it can also mean a selected best of all the work a photographer has ever produced. A portfolio can be presented in the form of a website or in the case of portfolio reviews as a compilation of prints / digital images.

Why do you need a portfolio?

Portfolio is the face of a photographer – this is how we present ourselves to the industry – which can either mean perspective employers or photographic professionals.

How to prepare for a portfolio review?

As photographers we invest a lot of time, creativity, money etc on our projects and we get very close to our subjects and the project as a whole. This personal investment in projects creates a unique perspective in the work but can sometimes create an emotional baggage which prevents one from looking at the work objectively. That is why portfolio reviews are a really good opportunity for photographers to get honest feedback from busy industry professionals who can be hard to reach otherwise.

Here are a few guidelines on how to make the most of each review sessions.

1. Make sure your work is ready for a portfolio review. Keep these questions in mind when you do so. Are you a photographer working on single images? Do you have a cohesive body of work with a well developed concept and a personal vision? Are you able to articulate your concept and your vision? You may want to write a statement explaining your work.

2. Once you have chosen a body of work, work on it to make a tight edit of 20-25 photographs that best represent your story or your personal vision. You can either show your work digitally or in prints. If you are showing your work digitally, make sure you bring your own computer and ready with your selects before your review session. If you are using prints, make sure you print your images in 6 in x 8 in or above depending on your preference and have them in a sequence that works for your series.

3. Research each reviewer before your session so that you know how relevant the review will be for your work and to know what kind of questions to ask.

4. Keep notes of the reviewers comments and have your questions ready. A notebook and a pen comes in very handy. We can’t possibly assume we will remember everything.

5. Have a business card ready so that you can pass them around during or after your review session so that the reviewer remembers you. The card preferably should have one of your photos with your contact information. Ask for the reviewer’s contact information and send an email later so that s/he remembers you and your work. Developing relationships is essential in this field.

6. The most important thing to remember is to be punctual. Arrive 15 minutes early.