Prepping for Portfolio Reviews with Samantha Johnston

Join Samantha Johnston, the Executive Director of the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, for this webinar about best practices for professional portfolio reviews.  Whether you are planning on attending Filter Photo Festival this September or any other portfolio review event, you'll learn how to best prepare and present your work in the most professional manner. Advice on presentation and how to make the most of your time with reviewers will help you feel prepared and confident when showing your work. Samantha will share tips from her experience on both sides of the table.

Discussion topics will include:

• A checklist of what to bring

• Tips for talking about your work

• Best practices for leave-behinds

• How to follow up with reviewers after the event

About the Instructor

Samantha Johnston has been the Executive Director and Curator at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center since 2015. She holds a certificate in Arts Development and Program Management from the University of Denver, an MFA from Lesley University College of Art & Design, and a BFA from Alfred University. Prior to joining CPAC, she taught photography and visual arts for 12 years at high schools in Boston and Denver.

She has curated exhibitions with contemporary artists such as Jess T. Dugan, Daniel Coburn, Barbara Ciurej & Lindsay Lochman, and Zora J Murff. Samantha has served as a reviewer at Houston FotoFest, Review Santa Fe, PhotoPlus New York, Medium, Filter Photo, PhotoNola, and Month of Photography Denver (MOP). She has juried several exhibitions including Critical Mass and The Fence. 

She has been a supporter of the Society for Photographic Education, and served as Treasurer of the Southwest region from 2013-2016 and Co-Chair of SPE’s 2013 Southwest regional conference in Denver. She was named one of Colorado’s Top 100 Creatives 3.0 by Westword and has been featured in Lenscratch.

Date: August 12, 2025 | Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM CT

Location: Online via Zoom