APG’s longest running program, now referred to as Critique Classique, is held in person at the gallery on the 3rd Sunday of each month from 2-4:30pm (with a short 10-15 minute break in the middle).

Why Participate in Critique?
APG believes that critique plays a crucial role in an artist’s growth and development. As part of our mission to support photographic artists, we feel it is important to offer a variety of options so that each artist can find the group that is the best fit for them.  Not certain of the value?  Consider this:

1. Feedback and Improvement: Constructive criticism provides valuable insights that help artists see their work from different perspectives. It highlights areas that need improvement and offers suggestions for growth, ultimately enhancing their skills and artistic vision.
2. Learning and Development: Critique exposes artists to diverse viewpoints and approaches, allowing them to learn new techniques, styles, and concepts. Engaging with feedback fosters continuous learning and development in their artistic journey.
3. Self-reflection: Evaluative feedback prompts artists to reflect on their own work critically. It encourages introspection, enabling artists to understand their strengths and weaknesses better, leading to more refined artistry.
4. Building Resilience: Dealing with critique develops resilience and the ability to handle rejection or differing opinions. It strengthens an artist’s confidence and prepares them to face challenges in their career, fostering growth both professionally and personally.
5. Community and Networking: Engaging in critique sessions or receiving feedback from fellow artists fosters a sense of community. It creates networking opportunities, allowing artists to connect, collaborate, and learn from each other.
6. Audience Perspective: Understanding how an audience perceives their work is crucial for artists. Critique provides insights into how their art is received, helping them communicate their ideas more effectively and connect with their audience on a deeper level.

Guest Moderator for July 2025 – Barbara Griffin

As Creative Director, Producer, and Photo Editor, Barbara’s work ranges from photoshoot direction and production to exhibition curation and fine art photo book editing. She and Julie Hall are co-presidents of GriffinHall Productions, an agency that produces exceptional, full-service photography for entertainment, advertising, marketing, and publicity. Together, they have produced photography for major film studios and networks, including Sony, CNN, TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network, Turner Sports, a global automotive company, and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers (SMPSP) named Barbara an Associate Member in 2021, an honor granted due to her exemplary leadership, management, and support of photographers’ careers both on and off the set. Additionally, she was named President Emerita in 2018, after 8 years of leadership at Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP). This non-profit arts organization produced the largest annual community-oriented photo festival in the U.S.

Barbara currently serves on the board of War Toys, a California-based non-profit whose core mission is to advocate for children affected by war. Unique art therapy-based collaborations with children amplify their voices and relay often traumatic accounts to audiences worldwide through exhibitions, presentations, and media engagement.

Formerly, Senior Vice President of Image Management for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., Barbara was responsible for all photography created globally for Turner’s entertainment, animation, and news networks.

Moderator’s Bio

Beth Lilly is a photographic artist whose work explores the formation of personal and cultural identities and the role choice, chance and circumstance play in that ongoing evolution. Lilly earned an MFA in Photography from Georgia State University and an A.B.J. in Telecommunication Arts from the University of Georgia. Her work resides in the permanent collections of the High Museum, the New Mexico Museum of Art, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, MOCA GA, the Zuckerman Museum and many other institutional and private collections. Her critically acclaimed performance/interactive project “The Oracle @ WiFi” was published by Kehrer Verlag and other projects have been featured in monographs ‘Noplaceness: Art in a Post-Urban Landscape’ and ‘Earth Now: American Landscape Photographers and the Environment’. Her work has been reproduced and reviewed in such publications as Blind Magazine, F-Stop Magazine, Lensculture, Art Papers, Papermag, Burnaway, The Bitter Southerner, Atlanta Magazine and ArtsATL. Select exhibitions include New Mexico Museum of Art, The High Museum of Art, Spalding Nix Fine Art, the SE Center for Photography, Whitespace Gallery, the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, and the Center for Fine Art Photography. In addition to her personal work, she teaches, curates, and serves on the Board of the Atlanta Photography Group.

Guidelines for APG Critique Group:

Membership Requirement: APG Critique Group is exclusively for APG members. Active membership is required to participate in presenting work for critique.

Drop-in Observers: We welcome drop-in observers from the local APG community who want to engage with the artistic process, but are not prepared to present their own work. Drop-in observers do not need to register.

Limited Presenter Slots: This APG Critique Group session offers a maximum of 8 presenter slots. This limitation ensures that every participant has 15 minutes to present their work and receive feedback.

No Registration: People will sign-up to present when they arrive at the critique and are accepted on a first-come basis, with a preference for people who did not present during the previous month’s session.

Presentation Format: Each presenter can present 8 images. While physical prints are preferred, we have the capability to display digital work on a large viewing screen if necessary. Please ensure that your digital files are properly formatted and ready for presentation.

The critique group is free for members.

By following these guidelines, we aim to create a supportive and constructive environment for artistic growth and development within the APG community.

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