Portfolio Development: The Annual Exhibition

June 16-21, 2026

Portfolio Development is a guided independent study program that offers education and encouragement to help each participant reach their photography goals. The program is tailored to help them improve their photography and take it where they want it to go; to offer them coaching and inspiration that will help them turn their idea of a photography life into a practical reality – whether they want that to be a part-time avocation, a full-time occupation — or just to set goals and improve their photography for the simple joy of creativity and personal challenge.

Now in its thirteenth year, the program, created and run by Deborah Gilbert, helps photographers of all ages and photographic levels improve their work via regular critiques, presentations, field trips, sharing of resources, and community. It all culminates in a juried week-long exhibition hosted at Soho Photo Gallery (held this year June 16-26), that each of the participants is working towards by working on a personal project.

What you will see in the gallery for this juried exhibition is 80 images from the 23 photographers who completed this year’s program.

Please note: The Exhibition is open June 16-21. On June 15 we are only open in the evening for a special artist talk with Harry Benson.

ThePortfolio Development program is created and run by Deborah Gilbert, and the Develop Photography Newsletter.__

The exhibition is produced by Deborah Gilbert, hosted at Soho Photo Gallery, and co-sponsored by American Photographic Artists.

An Evening with Harry Benson: In Conversation with Jim Gaines

Monday, June 15, 7 – 8:30PM

We expect a lively conversation with the photography legend, about his 70-years-long career, his iconic images, and the stories behind them.

If you are visually literate there is no way you don’t have some of Harry Benson’s images in your memory bank. Harry spent decades working at LIFE, Time and People, bringing the world to millions of readers across the country, and living the golden age of magazines. In conversation with Chris Whipple, Harry will discuss his work there, and also talk about coming to America with the Beatles, and photographing the last thirteen US Presidents. From the Beatles to Trump; Harry has seen it all. We expect a lively conversation about Harry’s 70-years-long career, his iconic images, and the stories behind them.

For more information and/or to register for this FREE event, Click Here.

This will be an in-person only event, held at Soho Photo Gallery’s NEW location: 539 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, NYC.

This event is free, but seating is limited. Registration Required. Join us!

An evening talk and book signing with Peter Turnley: Moments of the Human Condition and Paris-Je t’aime – 50 Years of Photographs

Tuesday, June 16, 7 – 8:30pm

Peter Turnley, a renowned international documentary photographer, will present images of the human condition over the past five decades from over 90 countries worldwide, and he will also present images from his new and highly acclaimed book, Paris-Je t’aime- 50 Years of Photographs. Peter Turnley will also be doing a book signing of this beautiful new book of 320 pages of life in Paris.

For more information and/or to register for this FREE event, Click Here.

This will be an in-person only event, held at Soho Photo Gallery’s NEW location: 539 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, NYC.

This event is free, but seating is limited. Registration Required. Join us!

Preparing for Your Portfolio Review to Get Your Foot in the Door

Wednesday, June 17, 7 – 8:30pm

Traci Terrick and Rebecca Karamehmedovic offer tips and best practices to help you get the most out of your next portfolio review

Portfolio Reviews can be a great way for photographers to get seen by the people who are in positions to hire them, or it can be a waste of time and money.

Building a solid portfolio, choosing the images you are going to show, and how you are going to present those images, are just two of the considerations that determine if your portfolio reviews will be successful, or fall flat.

For more information and/or to register for this FREE event, Click Here.

This will be an in-person only event, held at Soho Photo Gallery’s NEW location: 539 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, NYC.

This event is free, but seating is limited. Registration Required. Join us!

Opening Reception

Thursday, June 18, 6pm-8pm

The twelfth annual Portfolio Development Exhibition is happening June 16-21 at Soho Photo Gallery’s beautiful gallery space in Chelsea. This popular show features 80 photographs from 23 photographers covering a wide variety of photographic styles. All are welcome to the Opening Reception on Thursday, June 18, 6PM-8PM.

If you are gallery hopping on Thursday nights, hop on over to Soho Photo Gallery, 539 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, NYC.

No RSVP is required for the Opening Reception, although they are helpful: If you would like to RSVP, Here’s The Link

To see the show you can come in any time during regular gallery hours which are (for this show) Tuesday, June 16 through Sunday, June 21. Times are 12noon-6pm (Tuesday through Saturday), and 12noon-5pm on Sunday.

The Process of Intent with Travis Keyes

Friday, June 19, 7 – 8:30pm

In this workshop, Travis W Keyes will take an image from RAW capture to finished edit through the lens of inspiration, storytelling, and creative intention. This will be a Lightroom Classic–dominant session, with select moments in Photoshop, exploring how the storytelling tools of color, lighting, composition, contrast, and subtle refinement can shape the emotional direction of an image. While the live workflow will focus on Lightroom Classic and Photoshop, the tools and techniques discussed are applicable to any processing workflow.

For more information and/or to register for this FREE event, Click Here.

This will be an in-person only event, held at Soho Photo Gallery’s NEW location: 539 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, NYC.

This event is free, but seating is limited. Registration Required. Join us!

The Photographs That Change Us: A BYOC Coffee Meet-Up event!

Saturday, June 20, 10am – Noon

Photographers & photographs, coffee & chatter; What could be better for a Saturday morning meet-up? And this meet-up has a theme: The photographs that change us.

Was there one particular photograph that did that for you? A photograph that, when you first saw it, changed you? Made you think of things differently? Sent you in a different direction, or simply made you fall in love with photography? Why not come to this informal meet-up and share it with us? We’ll be meeting at Soho Photo Gallery. Bring that photo in whatever form you have it (book, magazine, print, even on your phone or tablet). We’ll take turns having a Show & Tell, discussing the photos and sharing with each other. It will be a great starting point for some fun photography conversation.

This is a free, in-person event, but Please RSVP Here.

As for the coffee: BYOC stands for Bring Your Own Coffee. Since everyone takes their coffee differently, we suggest you stop off at one of the coffee shops surrounding the gallery (there’s a great one right next door) and bring your favorite cup of Joe (or tea), along with you. And while we won’t be providing coffee we will have some nibbles to share. You bring the coffee, we’ll bring the carbs & conversation!

Contact:

Deborah Gilbert

Portfolio Development Program

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