Virginia Hines is a regular contributor to Street Photography Magazine, a prolific writer, talented street photographer and all around gifted storyteller. She has published several instructional articles and projects in the magazine and was the Featured Photographer in the April 2021 issue.
As a photographer I have personally benefited from her articles about using a 21mm lens on the street and creating a personal DIY photography workshop to up your game.
She also has guts. Enough to apply to and be accepted into the Chico Hot Springs Portfolio Review, one of the most prestigious photo reviews of the year. The seven-day retreat is focused on the Photobook.
Participation in the week-long program, sponsored by The Charcoal Book Club, is highly competitive with only seventy-four photographers selected each year. Attendees receive ten portfolio reviews by speakers and reviewers and take part in artist lectures, panel discussions, peer reviews, and additional evening programming during the event. from a variety of photographers, publishers and curators giving them a wide range of perspectives to consider when submitting their work for publication or exhibition.
To gain entry to the program Virginia submitted a project she began during the pandemic shot at Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay. In fact it was published an early version of the project in the January 2021 issue of Street Photography Magazine.
Virginia says “For me, street photography is a window into our shared humanity, an inclusive way of breaking through the existential shell and forging connections with the rest of the world. Without the human element, a street photo – excellent though it may be – is challenged to achieve that goal.”
In today’s conversation Virginia discusses her experience of applying for a competitive spot in the The Chico Review and what she learned from the feedback she received from so many experienced professionals.