UCSF Photo Contest 2013 Under Way

Ever since the establishment of the UCSF Photography Interest Club (PIC) in 2009, the PIC Photo Contest has become an annual tradition, and with each passing year, it continues to be received with increasing enthusiasm, making it a magnificent artistic outlet for the UCSF community.

This year, the annual contest will showcase the talent of the members of the UCSF community who have a passion for photography. From the 230 photos that were submitted, a jury comprised of professional photographers and members of the PIC have selected 30 photos that will be on display at two receptions: one on February 7 at the Faculty Alumni House from 5-7 p.m. and another on March 7 at Genentech Hall Atrium from 4-6 p.m.

At both receptions, attendees will be able to vote for their favorite photos. Free drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

At the end of the receptions, the winners will be awarded photography-related prizes. <Will there really be two sets of awards, one at each reception?>The Photo Contest is made possible with the help of the Student Affairs Office and Performing Arts Fund (PAF).

The founders of PIC, Melissa Shive, then a first-year medical student, and Joe Donovan, a graduate student, ran the annual Photo Contest with great success for four years.

Ernesto Diaz-Flores became president in November 2011, and with the help of Jennifer Rosko and Maureen Conway from the Student Activity Center, revamped the club. A website, a Facebook page and a Google+ page were created, and the club organized a series of monthly photo seminars by Bay Area professional photographers.

Diaz-Flores also took the Annual Photo Contest to a new level. The contest<pls check edit here> was opened to the entire UCSF community, and a group of people drawn from students, postdocs, staff and faculty became part of the 2013 contest organizing team.

This core team has also organized photo walks, photo workshops and other activities, including a photo marathon. Last year  led by Guillaume Desachy, shutter-happy UCSF photography fans shot photos from sunrise to sunset, beginning at the Embarcadero at 6 a.m. and ending at the Sutro Baths at 9:30 p.m.

Several such events are in the works for upcoming months, which promise a whole new photography experience.