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Monthly Photo Critique: Through the Looking Glass

Photography has always been about more than simply recording what we see. It is about revealing what lies beyond the obvious, discovering hidden stories, and inviting viewers to experience the world from a fresh perspective. This month's challenge, "Through the Looking Glass," encourages photographers to do exactly that. The theme invites you to explore the idea of looking through something, whether literally or creatively. Your image may capture a view from outside looking in, from inside...

Photography has always been about more than simply recording what we see. It is about revealing what lies beyond the obvious, discovering hidden stories, and inviting viewers to experience the world from a fresh perspective. This month's challenge, "Through the Looking Glass," encourages photographers to do exactly that. The theme invites you to explore the idea of looking through something, whether literally or creatively. Your image may capture a view from outside looking in, from inside looking out, or through a window, doorway, glass panel, or other transparent surface. The key is that the viewer should immediately sense the act of looking through and into another space, another moment, or another reality. But don't stop at the literal interpretation. Glass offers endless opportunities for creative expression. Reflections can transform ordinary scenes into layered visual stories. Storefront windows can blend two worlds into one frame. Water, mirrors, polished surfaces, and architectural glass can create intriguing distortions that challenge our perception of reality. Consider using framing elements, reflections, shadows, and abstract compositions to produce images that surprise and engage your audience. As you approach this challenge, think about perspective. What happens when you photograph a familiar scene through an unexpected barrier? How can reflections create a dialogue between subject and environment? Can a simple pane of glass become a portal that connects separate worlds within a single image? This is an opportunity to experiment, bend reality, and push beyond conventional ways of seeing. Look for images that reveal layers, create visual puzzles, or invite viewers to linger and explore. Show us something unexpected. Show us a perspective that only your eye can discover. This Month's Judge: Nancy Lehrer We are honored to welcome Nancy Lehrer as the judge for this month's competition. Nancy is an independent photographer from Thousand Oaks who values photography as a means of capturing her unique world-view. She uses color to tell compelling visual stories, a philosophy beautifully expressed in her book, Life Happens in Color: A Street Photography Manifesto. While earning and holding Master's degrees in Music Performance and Computer Science, Nancy has maintained a lifelong passion for photography that began at the age of ten while serving as a summer camp photographer with her father's Kodak Brownie camera. Nancy has studied photography with some of the industry's most respected masters, including Jay Maisel, Sam Abell, Gerd Ludwig, Arthur Meyerson, and Jane Evelyn Atwood. She was recently distinguished by being selected for the Photolucida Critical Mass Top 200 in 2025 for her work documenting the role of women. In addition, she has exhibited and received numerous awards throughout the community, including honors from the Los Angeles Center for Photography, the Ojai Arts Center, the Helms District Gallery, and the Westlake Arts Guild. To learn more about Nancy and her work, visit her website: Nancy Lehrer Photography We welcome her to our Photo Group and look forward to her comments on the "Through the Looking Glass" challenge. The following are some examples:

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Channel Islands Professional Photographers Association is a non-profit, professional & enthusiast photography organization committed to advancing photographic excellence through education, inspiration, mentoring, and collaborative learning while maintaining the highest ethical practices and conduct standards.​Channel Islands Professional Photographers Association, a proud affiliate of Professional Photographers of California (PPC), and a community network with Professional Photographers of America (PPA). 

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