Photoville was definitely an interesting experience. First of all, the location and set up is beautiful. I love the idea of going into each of these separate trailers and entering a new, immersive photo exhibit. Something that I was very fond of was the representation of people of color. Museums and exhibits have always lacked content from artists of color. But Photoville felt very new and refreshing, in this aspect.

Something that I also looked forward to was the “Altar” exhibit. As someone of Puerto Rican descent, its pretty dope to see something that is very prevalent in my culture celebrated through photos. The photos celebrated what I assumed was Yoruba religion, and even had an altar set up. I liked the idea of immersing people in this sacred space, something that lots of people have never experienced.

I also loved the photos of life in NYC. They definitely captured the essence of this city.

As of lately, I’ve been super into tintype photos. So I was very excited when I saw that they were offering tintype portraits at Photoville. But it was $85 for a 4 x 5 portrait, so I decided to pass. Maybe next time though!

These are two of my favorite photos from Photoville:

I love the first one because of the mood it invokes. The contrast of the cool and warm tones, and the shadows in all the right places. It’s just a beautiful photo, of a couple in a powerful embrace.

The second photo was definitely my favorite. I love the use of lights and darks. It contrasts greatly, just like the subject matter. The photo has a sensual feel to it, which contrasts with the religious subject matter in the forefront.