The Palm Beach Photographic Centre Dedicates Its 20th Annual FOTOfusion to Female Photographers

Fatima NeJame, president and chief executive officer of the world-renowned Palm Beach Photographic Centre (PBPC), today announced that the nonprofit organization is dedicating the 20th annual FOTOfusion to women in photography. The popular five-day festival for amateur and professional photographers will be held January 20-24 in downtown West Palm Beach, and will include several FREE events for the public. "Women have played a major role in the development of photography, from photojournalism to popular culture to high art, so it is very appropriate for the Palm Beach Photographic Centre to focus our 20th annual FOTOfusion on both honoring and reflecting their extraordinary track record and talent," said Ms. NeJame. FOTOfusion - where creativity and technology fuse - offers more than 100 workshops, lectures, panel discussions, multimedia presentations, portfolio reviews, hands-on computer classes, demonstrations, and photo shoots taught by an impressive faculty of industry leaders and photographic giants who donate their time and expertise to educate, mentor and encourage creativity among participants of all levels and ages.

Among the highlights of the upcoming FOTOfusion 2015 will be: Special Exhibition: Women of Vision Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment, a traveling exhibition sponsored by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) that highlights the influential photography of 11 award-winning female journalists: Lynsey Addario, Kitra Cahana, Jodi Cobb, Diane Cook, Carolyn Drake, Lynn Johnson, Beverly Joubert, Erika Larsen, Stephanie Sinclair, Maggie Steber and Amy Toensing. Several of the photographers, including Kitra Cahana, Erika Larsen, Maggie Steber and Lynn Johnson are expected to attend the opening reception on January 22 and participate in public discussions. "Women of Vision" features nearly 100 photographs, including moving depictions of far-flung cultures, compelling illustrations of conceptual topics such as memory and teenage brain chemistry, and arresting images of social issues like child marriage and 21st-century slavery. In addition to the photographs, visitors will have an opportunity to learn how National Geographic magazine picture editors work closely with the photographers to select images and tell a story. Video vignettes will present first-person accounts that reveal the photographers' individual styles, passions and approaches to their craft. "The exhibition underscores National Geographic's history of documenting the world through photography and its ongoing commitment to supporting photographers as important and innovative storytellers who can make a difference with their work," said Ms. NeJame.

FOTOfusion Awards Dinner The annual FOTOfusion Awards Dinner will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at 6:30 pm, at the Lake Pavilion and Terrace, 101 South Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. This year's dinner will be focused on the 20th anniversary of FOTOfusion and will include a silent auction of works by numerous award-winning photographers, including Joyce Tenneson, Vincent Versace, Robert Farber and more. The cost to attend is $200 per person and are available by calling the Photo Centre at 561.253.2600. FOTOmentor Award The annual FOTOmentor Award will be presented to Joyce Tenneson at the annual FOTOfusion Awards Dinner. Internationally lauded as one of the leading photographers of her generation, Ms. Tenneson's work has been published in books and major magazines, and exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. Her portraits have appeared on covers for magazines such as: Time, Life, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine. She is the author of 16 books including the best seller, Wise Women, which was featured in a six-part Today Show series. She is the recipient of many awards, including Fine Art Photographer of the Year in 2005 (Lucie Awards), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Professional Photographers of America in 2012. In a poll conducted by American Photo Magazine, readers voted Tenneson among "the 10 most influential women in the history of photography. Each year, the PBPC Awards Committee selects a photographer to receive the FOTOmentor Award in honor of his/her lifetime achievements in the world of photography. Among the previous recipients of this prestigious award are Bill Eppridge, Ralph Gibson, Gordon Parks, Sebastiao Salgado, Arnold Newman, Ruth Bernhard, David Hume Kennerly, Duane Michaels and David Rubinger. Rising Star Award Ms. Tenneson will present the 2015 Rising Star Award to Kitra Cahana at the FOTOFUSION photographic arts dinner. One of the 11 photographers featured in the Women of Vision exhibition, Ms. Cahana explores important social, anthropological, and spiritual themes. Born in Miami, but raised in Canada and Sweden, Kitra earned her BA in Philosophy from McGill University and her MA in Visual and Media Anthropology from the Freie Universitat in Berlin. She has won a first prize from World Press Photo, a TED Fellowship and the ICP Infinity Award. Her work includes images taken on assignment for National Geographic Magazine's important feature on the teenage brain and culture in the United States. FREE Public Events The public is invited to several FREE events as part of FOTOfusion 2015, including: + Opening Reception for the Women of Vision Exhibition. At the Palm Beach Photographic Centre on Thursday, January 22 at 8 pm. + FOTOvision, featuring presentations by seven celebrated photographers Bill Frakes, Deanne Fitzmaurice, Erika Larsen, George Schaub, Louie Palu, Ross Whitaker and Scott Mc Kiernan, followed by audience Q&A. On the Great Lawn in downtown West Palm Beach at 8 pm. The Downtown Development Authority and The Arts and Entertainment District are sponsoring this community event celebrating the 20th anniversary of FOTOfusion. FOTOfusion 2015 Among the other events and activities scheduled for FOTOfusion 2015 are: + Portfolio Reviews by 100 Experts + FOTOshoots guided by Master Photographers + Seminars & Panel Discussions + Hands-on Computer Labs + Multimedia Presentations + Photography & Digital Art Exhibitions + Book Signings & Gallery Walks + Fuse & Schmooze Parties Nightly + FOTOfusion Technology Centre In addition, the Photo Centre will present numerous Community Presentations during FOTOfusion, all given by world-renowned photographers. "Not only will this be the 20th annual FOTOfusion, 2015 is also the 30th anniversary of the Palm Beach Photographic Centre, and I am particularly excited about welcoming back so many of our longtime friends and supporters," added Ms. NeJame. For example, this will be Joyce Tenneson's 29th year with us, 28 for Robert Farber, 27 for George Schaub and the 25th year for Lawrence Gartel. Jimmy Colton has bee involved in all 20 FOTOfusions, and just some of those who have been active for more than 15 years are Tony Bannon, Dan Burkholder, Jack Davis, Barbara Ellison, Beth Filler, Lewis Kemper, Tom Lopez, John Reuter, Vincent Versace and Ross Whitaker. To have professional photographers of this international stature return year after year is a great credit to both the Palm Beach Photographic Centre and FOTOfusion." About the Palm Beach Photographic Centre: A registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Palm Beach Photographic Centre is located at the downtown City Center municipal complex at 415 Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is free. For more information, please call 561.253.2600 or visit www.workshop.org or www.fotofusion.org.