Ventilator Photography Event
Photography Portfolio Workshop – Amsterdam
Date & Time: 14:00–17:00
Tickets: €7
An event curated to help link the (new) photographers network in Amsterdam together. During this workshop, we will get to know each other and each other’s work, needs, and desires. Utilizing technical, curatorial, conceptual tools, examples, and materials to get guidance, feedback, critiques, and potentially create new connections and networks to support and sustain one another. Target Audience: Photographers from Amsterdam. Creatives, different branches of individuals looking to do something new or perfect their craft at whatever stage they’re in.
Structure
Before the event, participants are encouraged to bring prints of their photos if they have them or prefer working that way. The space will be set up with a projector, tables, feedback forms, and snacks.
The first hour begins with introductions.
Each participant will choose one photo, introduce themselves, and share why they selected that image. A short skills questionnaire will help match participants with complementary needs. The workshop’s goals and a brief outline on respectful communication and subjectivity will follow. We then move into a presentation covering portfolio cohesion, voice, technical quality, and narrative, supported by projected examples of successful and varied portfolio types.
The second hour focuses on group work.
Participants separate into smaller groups based on needs—editing, sequencing, image selection, or simply looking for inspiration. In pairs or clusters, they’ll give feedback and help each other refine their portfolios. If the group struggles, prompts and small activities will guide the process. These include challenges such as building a complete story with just five images, practicing “kill your darlings” editing by cutting weaker images from a selection, and rapid portfolio feedback through speed-dating rounds. Other activities invite participants to define theme words for their work, experiment with sequencing by shuffling and reordering images, or refine their artist statements through elevator-pitch drills and text-to-image alignment exercises.
The third hour allows for reflection.
Everyone will spend ten minutes writing down or thinking through the changes they want to make. Groups of four to five will then present their portfolios with these reflections in mind. This is followed by a general group discussion to highlight shared insights. The event concludes with a short session to brainstorm future gatherings and collaborations.
As a practical element, participants will have the option to make small zines or mini-portfolios from their images, and a group chat or shared communication channel will be set up to keep the network alive beyond the workshop.
