Photo by Jacob Drabik

The Lens

The Lens is the FotoFocus editorial platform, highlighting our programming and featuring in-depth conversations on photography and the moving image drawn from perspectives and insights in our community, throughout our region, and around the globe.


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“Revel in it!” An essay by Ariel Goldberg

Posted on May 28, 2024

Ariel Goldberg is a writer, curator, and photographer based in New York City. They are an experienced educator and have taught photography, writing, and contemporary art practices at numerous universities. Goldberg curated the 2022 FotoFocus Biennial exhibition Images on which to build, 1970s–1990s at the Contemporary Arts Center. Since its run in Cincinnati, Images has shown at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, New York, NY, and is currently on view at the Chicago Cultural Center through August 4, 2024. Goldberg discusses how they rotate between working on traveling Images as an exhibition and research and... Continue reading “Revel in it!” An essay by Ariel Goldberg


Writing with Light: Photography and the Sun

Posted on March 26, 2024

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada, including portions of the Greater Cincinnati area being directly on the southern limit of the path of totality. If you're planning to view this exciting celestial event, proper eye protection is key. One method of safely viewing the total solar eclipse is with a camera obscura or pinhole projector. We've rounded up a list of some photographers who take into consideration the profound relationship between photography and the sun as well as a tutorial on... Continue reading Writing with Light: Photography and the Sun


FotoFocus Patrons Experience Two Photo Biennials in One Month

Posted on November 1, 2023

FotoFocus Patrons enjoy many photo and lens-based art events during their 2-year membership. This September, a group of sixteen traveled from Cincinnati to Montreal, Quebec, to visit the Momenta Biennale de l’image. Shortly after their return to Cincinnati, they also visited the Louisville Photography Biennial in a full one-day adventure, truly making September a month to remember.

FotoFocus Patrons enjoy many photo and lens-based art events during their 2-year membership. In the first year of the... Continue reading FotoFocus Patrons Experience Two Photo Biennials in One Month


Melvin Grier: It Was Always About the Work

Posted on June 15, 2023

With over three decades of experience at The Cincinnati Post and an accomplished career as an independent artist, photographer Melvin Grier (Cincinnati, OH) will open an exhibition at the Weston Art Gallery that serves as an expansive catalog of works that showcase his photographic journey. It Was Always About the Work is on view at the Weston Art Gallery from June 16–August 20, 2023.

Melvin Grier by Samantha Grier Continue reading Melvin Grier: It Was Always About the Work

The Future is Bright for FotoFocus

Posted on January 11, 2023

Letter from the Executive Director

Thank you to everyone who supported FotoFocus in 2022. Last year was a stellar undertaking by the organization: we hosted the Telephotography Symposium in April (postponed from its original October schedule) along with the 2022 FotoFocus Biennial: World Record. These two signature programs brought a record number of artists, curators, and enthusiasts together for thoughtful conversations, exhibitions, and programs throughout the year. These events addressed topics as far ranging as early experimentations of photographing electricity, the use of timelapse photography in recording glacial melting... Continue reading The Future is Bright for FotoFocus