On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Moorpark College photography department held “Work in Progress”, a photography exhibit for students to showcase personal photography. The exhibit was held at the Pink Flamingo Gallery in the Humanities and Social Sciences building, a small yet intimate venue used primarily by Moorpark College’s photography students. The event lasted from 6-8 p.m., photography students displayed a variety of images ranging from landscapes and plant life to protestors on city streets.
According to Bill Short, a photography professor at Moorpark College and host of the “Work in Progress” showcase, this exhibit was a way to highlight his student’s hard work throughout the semester.
“There’s nothing like seeing your work finalized, all the hard work you put into it, all the ideas you have, to see it framed and hanging on the wall just kind of brings it full circle,” stated Short.
Short also mentioned that this was most of the students’ first showcase. “The thing that’s nice is to see their faces light up when they see their work hanging on the wall. It gives them a sense of validation that their work is valuable, and that this experience is valuable,” Short added. “It gives them self-confidence to know that their work is liked and appreciated.”
For the past three years, Short has hosted the “Work in Progress” showcase, aiming to create a free space for students to showcase and view art.
“For the school at large, it just helps create more of a sense of community and helps the photography department feel like it’s part of the school,” Short mentioned.
The showcase was held both indoors and outdoors, where the photographers, families and friends gathered to admire the art, eat and listen to music.
For Madison Graczyk, a third year photography student at Moorpark College, this exhibit was a way to display her naturalistic and colorful style. Graczyk’s section of the exhibit featured plant life in various forms. Graczyk touched on her section of the exhibit and how it displayed the plants in their most natural form.
Across the exhibit, Jesus Isabeles, a third year studio arts major and photography teacher’s assistant at Moorpark College, featured a photograph of a service truck on campus. “That one’s just kind of like a snapshot of my day here, things that I find interesting,” Isabeles commented.
“I think that the significance of having exhibitions and galleries on campus, especially that are open to students, it makes the work last longer,” added Isabeles.
The showcase also served as a way to introduce students to the professional aspects of photography.
“If they’re going to go into photography, this is one of the things they’re going to have to do from now on, even if they go into commercial work,” Short said. “They have to get used to putting their work out in the public and letting the public pass judgment on them.”
Both the Pink Flamingo Gallery and Moorpark College’s Photography Department are located on the bottom floor of the Humanities and Social Sciences building. More information can be found on Moorpark’s photography webpage.
