Bringing Your Photography Project to Publication: FREE Public Lecture with Mary Virginia Swanson

Date  | Friday, November 6, 2026

Time  | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Instructor  |   Mary Virginia Swanson

Location | Lighthouse Writers Workshop

3844 York St, Denver, CO 80205

Cost  |  FREE

Skill Level  | Any

Objective:

This Friday evening lecture will introduce key questions photographers face when bringing a project into book form: What kind of book does the work want to become? Who is the audience? What are the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing? How do sequencing, design, materials, production, marketing, and distribution shape the life of a photobook?

This public lecture is part of Swanson’s three-day CPAC engagement. Photographers interested in developing a project for publication are encouraged to register for the full weekend masterclass.

Course Description:

Join CPAC and Lighthouse Writers Workshop for a public lecture with Mary Virginia “Swanee” Swanson, author, educator, and advisor to artists and arts organizations, as part of her three-day engagement with the Colorado Photographic Arts Center.

This Friday evening lecture will introduce key questions photographers face when bringing a project into book form: What kind of book does the work want to become? Who is the audience? What are the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing? How do sequencing, design, materials, production, marketing, and distribution shape the life of a photobook?

Swanson will offer insight into the contemporary photobook landscape and share guidance for artists who are beginning to think seriously about publication. The evening will provide an accessible entry point for photographers, artists, writers, and book enthusiasts interested in how image-based projects move from idea to printed form.

This lecture is open to the public and is required for participants enrolled in CPAC’s weekend workshop, Bringing Your Photography Project to Publication: A Masterclass with Mary Virginia Swanson, taking place Saturday–Sunday, November 7–8 at CPAC.

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.