Photography Events

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Come to the opening reception to see our graduating student portfolio exhibit on
2nd floor of Drescher Hall from 5 - 8 p.m
And the juried student photo exhibition at the Barrett Gallery - 1310 11th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
June 1, 2024
6 - 8 p.m.

The 2023 Student Exhibit award winners selected by Dr Jeffery, Santa Monica College President:

2023 Award Winners

Silent Auction Fundraiser

Place Bids!

September 23 - October 20, 2023
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 23, 6 - 8 p.m.

Drescher Hall Gallery, 2nd Floor
1900 W. Pico Blvd.
Monday - Friday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

June 3 - 12, 2023
Opening Reception: Saturday June 3, 6 - 8 p.m.

Barrett Art Gallery
1310 11th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Drescher Hall Photography Gallery
Santa Monica College
2nd Floor, Drescher Hall
1900 W Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Link to May 19th counseling session recording can be found here

View the Online Porfolio Exhibition

The Photography Department at Santa Monica College is thrilled to announce a call for entries for our 42nd Annual Juried Student Exhibition. Although we’re optimistic for a return to campus sometime in the near future, this year’s exhibition will take place exclusively online. Accepted work will be displayed in an online gallery, available to the public and widely publicized within the SMC community.

We invite all students enrolled in one or more SMC Photography courses within the past year to submit their photographs for consideration. Submissions will be juried by the SMC. Photography faculty, and accepted artists will be announced on June 21, 2021.

Photographic image created by SMC photography student Olesia Stoliar.

A juried exhibition of photographs created during the 2020 spring semester by students in the SMC Photography Department.

View the Online Portfolio due to COVID-19 restrictions.

About 200 images created by current SMC student photographers are on display in the Main Gallery. All of the works were created during the quarantine and range from fine art to portraiture to still life and beyond. In addition to the Main Gallery, work from students in Photo 1 are also featured in their own gallery, along with a selection of behind-the-scenes images

January 10 and 11. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

The faculty and students of the Santa Monica College (SMC) Photography Department offered free group portraits to families of first responders to the California wildfires. 

Free private 20-minute sessions, included hair & makeup “touch-up” by SMC Cosmetology and Styling by SMC Fashion students. 

The sessions were scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. 

April 20-27, 2019

Opening Reception: April 20, 2019

Pete and Susan Barrett Art Gallery
Santa Monica Performing Arts Center
11th & Santa Monica Blvd. Room 101

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Friday: 12 - 5 p.m.
Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Saturday, January 5, 2019, at 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The faculty and students of the Santa Monica College Photography Department are offering free group portraits for families who are victims of the Woolsey Fire.

This is an opportunity to start new photography memories for those who lost so many treasured photographs in the fire.

Each family will have a private 20-minute session in the photo studios at Santa Monica College.

Hair and make-up by students from our cosmetology department will be on hand to make sure the families will look their best.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018, at 7:30 - 9 p.m.
Location: HSS 165

Great fashion photography, at its best, reflects and shapes the era in which it is made. Whether you are a student, an aspiring photographer, or working professional, building a fashion portfolio that aspires to this standard can be daunting.

Thomas Werner offers advice on assembling your creative team, casting models, developing shoot concepts, and producing photographs and fashion for editorial and advertising.

This is 'how to' at the highest level for photographers, editors, producers, fashion designers, and more. This talk is an essential guide for fashion photographers and filmmakers.

Facebook Event: Thomas Werner - Photography Lecture

Date: Sunday, March 11, 2018
Location: HSS 165 Humanities and Social Sciences
Tickets: APA Members - $20, Student - $20, General Admission - $40

Visit the Women in Photography website

Student Submissions Due: March 15, 2018 (Submission Link Coming  Soon)
Opening Reception: April 21, 2018

Date: October 14 – 26, 2017
Location: 2nd Floor Drescher Hall Photo Gallery.
Opening Reception: October 14, 6 – 8 p.m.

Date: October 25, 2017, 7:30 p.m.
Location: HSS 104

Date: October 28, 2017
Program: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Sign in opens at 8:30 a.m. Pre-registration is required
Location: HSS 165
Cost: Free
Contact: Craig Mohr

Are you ready to “Take the Next Step”? Do you want to “Up Your Game”? I know clichés one and all, but are you looking to get your photo career on track and prepare yourself to start working. Then this workshop is for you.

This workshop is for intermediate-advanced college and high school photo students looking to take the next step to get started working in the photo industry. This workshop features a full day of lectures, discussions, demonstrations and vendor fair.

Date: Wednesday, November 1, 2017, 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Location: HSS 104
Cost: Free
Speakers: Art Brewer at SMC, The Evolving Photographer

Join us we travel through 40 years of a photography career that successfully transitioned through the years.

Date: November 15, 2017, 12:45 – 3:50 p.m.
Location: Business 131

Lecture on the extreme importance of color Profiles

Date: November 18, 2017
Location and Time: TBD
Contact: Josh Withers

All day seminar presented by Scott Robert Lim.

Date: December 2 – 14, 2017
Location: 2nd Floor Drescher Hall Photo Gallery
Opening Reception: December 2, 6 – 8 p.m.

Date: December 2, 2017
Location: Woodlawn Cemetery in the Mausoleum
Time: TBD