Photography: Planning My First Exhibition

Amelia. (c) Mercedes Déziel-Hupé, 2011

After a year of studying and practice in photography, I decided to undertake my first long-term project, with the goal of turning it into an exhibition. Of small scale, yes, but a show nonetheless. Currently, I'm working on a dance photography project I called "Ballet in the Streets". This seed of an idea took shape all because I believe dance is a wonderful and under-appreciated art form. I  believe it should be made more accessible. The issue in Ottawa is not that dance isn't happening, it's that it's often overshadowed by other events, activities and this city's otherwise political nature. This project is a tribute to the dancer's cause and I'm in full shooting mode, as I'm racing time before seasons change.


I'm facing a multitude of challenges, yet I'm loving every minute of this project. I'm exploring the city, I'm using a new lens (Sigma 24-70 f2.8) and working with a variety of dancer models with whom I connect over this shared passion: dance. It's also a tremendous editing exercise to choose only your most compelling photographs and how does one judge their own photos? The ratio of shots versus exhibition-worthy photographs is very underwhelming. Finally, there is the logistics behind it: the printing, the framing, the install, the venue(s)... Despite these hiccups, the project is moving along.


I'm in discussions with Avant-Garde Bar in Ottawa and a few other locations, as I'm looking to allow the show to travel a bit, spread the love. Meanwhile, I've created a facebook page for the project, look it up and follow the updates there!