Are you ready to take your photography career to the next level? Join APA New York for an exclusive Virtual Portfolio Review event designed to help you grow and succeed. This is a unique opportunity to receive expert one-on-one reviews from top industry professionals, including creative directors, art directors, art producers, photo editors, in-house creatives, and entertainment companies. These elite reviewers are the key decision-makers in hiring photographers and have extensive knowledge in branding, marketing, and editing.
How to Register: This portfolio review event is open to APA members only. Pro and Leader members will get access one day ahead of everyone else. The emails will go out to Pro and Leader members on Saturday, September 7, 12noon ET, and to all other members on Sunday, September 8, 12noon ET.
Check your email box on these days, and if you haven't yet received your email with the link, please just email APA-NY here.
Event Details:
Platform: Zoom (utilizing private 'Zoom Rooms' for uninterrupted sessions)
Review Duration: 20 minutes per session, with a 10-minute break between sessions
Session Start Times: Every half hour (2:00pm, 2:30pm, etc.) All times are EASTERN TIME.
Prior to the event, we'll send you a 'Best Practices' document to help you maximize your time with each reviewer.
Sessions will take place during one of two time blocks: 2:00PM ET - 5:00PM ET or 6:00PM ET - 9:00PM ET.
Priority Registration:
•Open to APA Members only. All APA members nation-wide.
Note: All APA memberships will be verified. If you are not yet a member, join APA here to take advantage of this member benefit!
How to Choose Your Reviewers: Upon registration, you'll receive a spreadsheet to list your preferred reviewers. We aim to match you with your selections, but assignments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.
Confirmed for the 2PM ET - 5PM ET Time Block:
•Anna Alexander, Director of Photography, Wired:
Anna Alexander is Director of Photography at WIRED. She’s been managing WIRED photography and commissioning photographers for over twenty years.She has been awardedhnors from the Society of Publication Design, American Photogaphy, Art Directors Club andCommunication Arts. Anna is a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the University of Arizona. She resides in Northern California with her husband, two teenagers, four cats and Trout the dog.
Jasmine Batista has been a producer for over 20 years. She has worked at Dentsu, JWT and most recently BBDO for 19 years. She has worked on some of the biggest brand names such as Gillette, Ford Motor Co., Botox, FedEx, Bacardi and Exxonmobil to name just a few. She is an integrated producer by trade but her heart has always been with photography.
•Michelle Foster, Senior Art Producer, RPA:(SOLD OUT)
Shelly, as her friends and colleagues call her, is a sucker for creativity in all forms! Her career path started in gallery administration, led to working for an Instagram-affiliated startup during the boom of social media, followed by a short stint as a photographer herself, then as an artist agent for illustrators and commercial artists for several years - before ultimately growing into a leadership role in Art Production at RPA. Recent projects she’s produced have garnered attention from AdAge, The Webby Awards, ThinkLA, and more. Her production knowledge and experience is deep - working in all mediums including photography, CGI, illustration, truly anything visual - and genres include automotive, celebrities, healthcare, technology, conceptual, and food & tabletop products. She is currently producing content for Digital/Website, Social, Print & OOH, Experiential, as well as integrated Stills and Video content alongside national TV brand campaigns. Clients have included Honda, Apartments.com, Homes.com, Spectrum Business, Pocky, Farmers Insurance, Cedars Sinai, and others. She is based in Los Angeles but will travel for snacks.
•Stacey Pittman, Senior Photo Editor, The New Yorker: (SOLD OUT)
Stacey Pittman is a Senior Photo Editor at The New Yorker. Previously she has been Senior Photo Editor at New York Magazine, Visuals Editor at GQ, Photo Director at Bumble Mag, and Photo Editor at Entertainment Weekly.
Jilliam Sellers is the Creative Concept Manager at Gorilla Commerce. Before that the Senior Visual Editor at Hearst Magazines for OprahDaily.com and House Beautiful magazine. In her current position, she conceptualizes, art directs, and produces a vast breadth of shoots including lifestyle, interiors, food, still life and beauty shoots for digital, print, social media, and advertising/marketing platforms. Previously, Jillian led the Visuals department at Parents.com, where she spearheaded the creative and visual branding identity of Parent.com’s newest subset, Kindred by Parents. While there, she also directed the overall visual brand identity of Parents.com. In the past, Jillian has worked across several lifestyle brands including Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Woman’s day, O, The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, Martha Stewart Living Magazine, and more. Jillian also has extensive knowledge in documentary photography conception and production and has had her documentary work nominated in the Eddie & Ozzie Awards. No matter the medium, Jillian has a true passion for storytelling in all visual forms.
Beth is Senior Agent/Editor at the award-winning agency Candace Gelman & Associates, Beth has been fortunate to work with, advise and represent renowned artists such as Sandro, Marcus Smith, Olivia Bee, Kennedi Carter and Andre Rucker, amongst others. She also works as a freelance editor for photographers including Art Streiber and Tracy + David. Prior to CG&A, Beth worked as a consultant/assistant for a bevy of internationally acclaimed advertising and editorial photographers including Howard Schatz and Theo Westenberger. Beth is a frequent workshop presenter and contributing writer for American Photographic Artists. She is an adjunct instructor for the Photography program at Drexel University and has taught at The University of the Arts and Columbia College Chicago. Beth serves on the advisory team for FreshLens Chicago and is a Mentor for NYC Salt, a program that creates opportunities in visual arts for under-served New York City youth.
•Rene Jung, SVP, Group Director, Area 23: (SOLD OUT)
Renee Jung is a highly experienced creative and art producer, with a background in photography and a strong track record in various roles within different companies. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts, Renee has worked with a variety of clients and projects, showcasing their versatility and skill in the field. With a focus on photo and video production, Renee has held positions at top agencies such as Area 23, Laundry Service, VaynerMedia, and Redux Pictures, demonstrating their ability to handle various responsibilities and deliver high-quality results.
•Brad Smith, Creative Director, WWE:
Brad Smith is an award winning Producer of visual storytelling, applicable to multiple platforms. Creator of Digital Asset Management Systems. I take great pride in doing my homework and being prepared. I’ll work with you to maximize the creative and financial value of your visual assets, for both corporations and individual photographers.
•Kali Abdullah, Visual Merchandising Senior Art Buyer, Spotify
Kali Abdullah is a seasoned creative and visual storyteller with over two decades of expertise in photo and video production, photography research, as well as experiential and creative direction. Currently serving as the Visual Merchandising Senior Art Buyer at Spotify, Kali oversees the procurement and creative direction of playlist cover imagery across the platform. Her primary object is to enrich and elevate the user experience through the curation of high-quality diverse, and culturally resonant imagery.
Throughout her career, Kali has demonstrated expertise in overseeing photo production and visual content across various industries including music, entertainment, beauty, fashion and lifestyle. Collaborating with a diverse array of agencies, photographers and creative talents, she has left an indelible mark on media brands such as Essence Magazine, Ebony Magazine, BET, People Magazine, XXL Magazine, Respect Magazine, Institutional Investor and The Wall Street Journal.
With a steadfast commitment to excellence and an innate talent for navigating intricate projects seamlessly, Kali Abdullah has firmly established herself as a trusted luminary in the creative landscape, shaping experiences that resonate deeply with audiences worldwide.
•Annika Howe, Executive Producer & Creative Advisor, HoweHaus International Production
As the Executive Producer of HoweHaus Inc (www.howehaus.com), Annika has helped photographers, directors and brands bring their creative projects to life for 20+ years. HoweHaus works with top ad agencies and brands in Europe, the US & across the globe, known specifically for its international expertise based in both NYC & Berlin. She has sourced visual creatives for brands such as Nike, Adidas, Leading Hotels of the World, Samsung, Visa & BMW. HoweHaus has won accolades from Communication Arts, Cannes Lions, and Luerzers, among others. Annika’s creative development agency also empowers visual artists by providing them with the tools and opportunities to build sustainable careers. She is dedicated to harnessing the creativity of artists and ensuring their work reaches a broader audience, creating a ripple effect of inspiration and innovation.Giving back to the community is of great importance and she can often be found moderating panels, hosting talks or workshops to support the international media industry.
Confirmed for the 6PM ET - 9PM ET Time Block:
•Jacob Moskovitch, Photo Editor, New York Magazine:
Jacob Moscovitch is a first-generation, queer Photo Editor at New York Magazine. Prior to The Times, Jacob worked as Photo Editor at The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and a documentary photographer.
•Angela Owens, Photo Editor, Wall Street Journal: (SOLD OUT)
Angela Owens is a photo editor on The Wall Street Journal's enterprise team. She joined the Journal in 2017 from STAT, where she was a multimedia editor, focusing on health and science news and working across photo and social media teams. She began her career as a staff photographer for The Daily Item in Massachusetts. Angela has received awards from the National Press Photographers Association and Boston Press Photographers Association.
Chris is an Associate Creative Director at Ogilvy, where he’s spent the last 7 years. He’s worked on nearly every brand in Ogilvy’s portfolio, and now leads the creative for Coca-Cola’s social.
Emily Heller is a former art producer and the founder of Jellybean,a full-service artist management and production agency. Jellybean connects ambitious clients with visionary creatives to make work that goes down like candy.
•••Confirmed for September 20, 12noon ET - 3PM ET
•Michael Kaminski, Consultant, Executive Producer, Greater Than One:
Accomplished Executive Producer and Consultant with the agency Greater Than One, and a Consultant for Heather Elder’s new initiative Heritage Consulting. He is also a Mentor with over 30 years of experience in photography, broadcast, and video production. Proven track record in managing multi-million-dollar commercial briefs, building and leading successful production teams, and delivering high-quality content across various platforms.
Note: The fabulous Michael Kaminski couldn’t make our September 19 date, but still wanted to offer our members the opportunity for reviews with him. So he is meeting with photographers on September 20.
• Keep checking back as more reviewers may be added over the next several days!
