Member Activities

Peer Reviews:

Each month, members may present work for reactions and suggestions from the group.

Exhibits:

The Collective mounts several shows each year. Venues have included Arc Gallery, PHOTO, Rayko Photo Center, the Commonwealth Club of California, Mina Dresden Gallery, The Berkeley Arts Center and San Francisco City Hall.

Other Activities:

In the past, the Collective has sponsored critiques or artist talks from well known photographers and educators, as well as workshops to share photographic skills.

Vision and History

Vision
The Bay Area Photographers Collective is grounded in the belief that there is a need for an institution devoted to the development of a photographic community and its concerns. The Collective will provide a home base for Bay Area photographers devoted to their art.

The Collective will promote and encourage independence, experimentation, cooperation, and creativity. It will sustain a community of photographic artists through support, spiritual sustenance, encouragement, and constructive critique. It will pursue the exhibition of members’ work on a professional level.

The Collective is a nonprofit, cooperative organization that is wholly supported by its members, and does not rely on outside funding for its existence or day-to-day operations.

History
In January 1999, a group of San Francisco Bay Area photographers, inspired and led by documentary photographer and teacher Frank Espada, met to create a community of photographic artists. 

Our first group exhibit took place October 1999 as part of San Francisco Open Studios, followed by four other group shows in 1999, 2000, and 2001. In April 2001, BAPC attained federal tax-exempt status.

We continue our active pursuit of photography by hosting monthly portfolio reviews, bimonthly salons, and frequent workshops, artist talks, and exhibition opportunities.

Our current members work in all modes of the photographic arts—from digital, to traditional darkroom, alternative process and mixed media.

Related Sites

Friends of BAPC

Rayko Photo Center: A community photographic facility with classes, gallery, rental darkrooms, digital lab, and studio.

SF Camerawork: founded in 1974, this organization promotes photography through its gallery exhibits, bookstore, lectures and other events, and publications.

Fifty Crows: a site for documentary photography.

The Nocturnes: Bay Area photographer Tim Baskerville’s Web site devoted to night photography, including an image gallery, FAQ, and information on workshops.

Amie Potsic: photographer and professor at the San Francisco Art Institute; Ms. Potsic has conducted guest critiques for BAPC.

Past Members

Frank Espada: Bay Area documentary photographer and educator, as well as a founding member of BAPC.

Corden Potts Gallery: Corden Potts Gallery is a partnership of photographers Liz Corden and Jan Potts, both of whom were founding members of BAPC. The gallery, located at 49 Geary Street, Suite 211, San Francisco, is dedicated to showing the work of outstanding emerging photographers.

icontact: the work of six Bay Area photographers, including current and former BAPC members Elizabeth Corden, Beth Kientzle, Jan Potts and Angelika Schilli.

Snapcity: the photographic journeys of photographer, Web designer and BAPC founding member, Emilie Valentine.

Beth Kientzle: a fine art photographer and one of the founding members of BAPC.

Roxanne Worthington, a photographer and former member of BAPC.

Jacqueline Walters, a fine art photographer and one of the founding members of BAPC.

Gloria Upchurch, documentary photographer and former member of BAPC.

Art Levit, fine art photographer and former member of BAPC.

Transformation at the Palo Alto Research Center

Adrienne Defendi and Kay Taneyhill (and two former BAPC members, Charlotte Kay and Roxanne Worthington) will exhibit their photographs in Transformation at the Palo Alto Research Center, lobby gallery. Artists’ reception, Wednesday, July 22, 4:30 – 6 pm.

Transformation at the Palo Alto Research Center

Adrienne Defendi and Kay Taneyhill (and two former BAPC members, Charlotte Kay and Roxanne Worthington) will exhibit their photographs in Transformation at the Palo Alto Research Center, lobby gallery. Artists’ reception, Wednesday, July 22, 4:30 – 6 pm.