25 Mar Info Session & Q&A with Mary Virginia Swanson | September 15th
Image: Brad Trone, courtesy Radius Books
Info Session & Q&A with Mary Virginia Swanson | September 15th
Date | Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Register early to help ensure your class runs. Courses that do not meet minimum enrollment may be cancelled.
Time | 6:30 PM – 7:30 MDT
Instructor | Mary Virginia Swanson
Location | Online via Zoom
Cost | FREE
Skill Level | Intermediate to Advanced
Objective:
Join Mary Virginia “Swanee” Swanson for an online Info Session & Q&A about her upcoming three-day engagement at CPAC, Bringing Your Photography Project to Publication: A Masterclass with Mary Virginia Swanson.
Course Description:
This session will introduce the structure and focus of the November program, including the Friday evening lecture, Day One workshop content, and Day Two project reviews. Swanson will walk attendees through what to expect from the full engagement, how the workshop is designed, and how participants can prepare to make the most of the experience.
The session may include visual examples of book types, places to see photobooks, book fairs, and photobook competitions as context for the topics that will be explored in greater depth during the class.
This Info Session is intended for photographers who are considering registering for the November workshop and would like to better understand the format, goals, and expectations before enrolling. The presentation will be followed by time for audience questions.
Instructor Bio:
Mary Virginia Swanson is an author, educator, and advisor who has spent her career helping lens-based artists identify the strengths in their work, understand their audiences, and present projects in a professional and timely manner. She is the co-author, with Darius D. Himes, of Publish Your Photography Book, first released in 2011 and updated in a third edition by Radius Books in 2023. She is an active member of the contemporary photobook community and regularly serves as a portfolio reviewer, juror, and workshop instructor focused on helping artists bring projects to publication.
TOPICS COVERED
Topics Covered
- Traditional publishing versus self-publishing
- Researching publishers, presses, and publication opportunities
- Photobook grants, dummy awards, and funding strategies
- Sequencing and editing for the book form
- Book structure, materials, and production choices
- Contracts, budgeting, and sponsorship considerations
- Marketing, distribution, and sustaining a book beyond launch
- Audience development and positioning a project professionally
Who This Class Is For
- Photographers with a project underway, nearing completion, or completed
- Artists interested in turning a body of work into a book
- Photographers considering self-publishing or approaching a publisher
- Advanced students and emerging professionals ready to think seriously about publication
- Artists looking for informed feedback on next steps for a book project
Materials Needed:
- Free zoom account
- Internet Access