Make sure your work is a cohesive body of images with a theme, concept, or series. As an example, I created a series of portraits shot on film and printed in my darkroom on fiber-based paper of some of the patrons of our local community center and soup kitchen. At the time they were struggling and I wanted to draw attention that they were good people who needed help and their stories. I also created a series of images from my old neighborhood where I grew up.
Also, ask if your work demonstrates a remarkable artistic perspective. Have you handled the subject matter deftly as no other photographer has? It can be very difficult to be that honest with yourself, but you want to make sure you can pass these markers before making your submission.When selecting a gallery, do not follow the old axiom of “go big or go home.
If the submission guidelines are not included on their website, you can email them and ask for the guidelines to be sent to you.This is a document that talks about your art and why you create that art. This isn’t a place to demonstrate that you used a Thesaurus to come up with all these wonderful adjectives or your accomplishments. In it, you will be addressing how you came to the type of photographs you create, why you created the photos, and what were you trying to convey in them.
Some galleries will ask you for a proposal for the exhibition you would like to show in their space. If it’s representation you’re after, then a proposal isn’t necessary. To provide a uniform display, photographers will often frame their work the same way. I like simple, narrow black frames in either wood or metal. There are lots of different ways to display and hang your images. Maybe you are producing very large prints that are five feet tall and frames may not be practical but there are several ways you can get them ready to hang like mounting on Gatorboard, masonite, and foam core.