Hello everyone and welcome to ” Faces of Evanston” 2012 photography and videography competition.  Faces is entering it’s 8th year of competition with  cash prizes, a traveling display of photos and video throughout the Evanston community and a  reception at Noyes Cultural Arts Center to be hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Evanston, www.evanstonkiwanis.org . Along with our traditional concept we have many new changes we would like to share with you.

In Year “7″ we saw Faces adding a youth component to the event allowing the youth of Evanston to enter 5 photos and/or one video for free.  Additional photos and videos can be submitted with a $5.00 entry fee per photo/video.
We also saw the introduction of  video into competition.

As communication becomes increasingly interactive and the power of the web continues to grow and evolve Faces has also evolved to include additional dimensions as we enter the application age in technology.

Some changes we have made to this year’s competition include:

1)We have added Google Translate to allow the international community to view the photo/video and feel more included and interconnected.
2) We have added a 3D cube that allows the viewer to click on a photo and have the image go full screen.
3)We have also added a new plug in to allow this year’s entries to be viewed and voted on in a larger more interactive format.
4) We are adding links to the websites of our currents traveling exhibit sponsors with additional Evanston locations to allow more people to view the amazing photos and videos of Evanston via the web.  At present the photos travel to 10 different physical locations to be viewed and shared by the community but with the web it allows the photos to be viewed by a larger audience.

5) We have also instituted a permanent display location for prior year’s traveling exhibits in the Loraine Morton Civic Center.

6) We have removed the registration process for voting on your favorite photo in the “Voice of the People” part of the competition

Evanston, since its founding as a community, has been a leader in the changing landscape of society.  With its rich history, thriving arts community, world class university, amazing beaches we find Evanston to have a  strong sense of community and place.  You can often find people living in Evanston referring to themselves as Evanstonians, this exemplifies the pride people feel about being an Evanston resident and their community.

Faces hopes through this contest to provide a platform for  photographers and videographers to capture the images of our amazing city and help us view Evanston through their eyes.  .  This year’s theme is Simplicity.  It was chosen as a guide and direction for the photographer and videographer with a broad enough interpretation to allow for creativity and originality. So photographers and videographers take out your cameras the contest begins today.

The poster is formated with a manipulated photo of dandelions seeds in an almost effortless fluidity of motion and simplicity.  It’s in the simplicity of design,form and function that drew us to this concept for the poster and the theme for this years contest.  Simplicity can be found in every area of our lives. From the simple and effortless design of an Apple computer that founder Steve Jobs embraced. To the simplicity of a flowers design that allows its color, scent and form to cause us to pause reflect and appreciate the wonders of Mother Nature.  To the simplicity we chose to live our lives and embrace each and every day.  Simplicity is all around us so help us capture these moments in a photo or video for Faces 2012.

This year’s poster was designed by Anna Fenberg.  Anna has been behind the scenes as the marketing director for Faces for the past 5 years.  Her contributions have included designing the logo for Faces, initiating the yearly color theme to distinguish and tie in each years event, helping trademark the logo, designing 4 of the posters including this years poster called Simplicity.  Her prior posters have included; The Wards of Evanston, Public Art of Evanston and Love.

Anna’s design and marketing skills were developed and honed in while working in New York for a mens fashion and lifestyle magazine. She is now working for an international conference in  Paris that will be spotlighting the best of digital entertainment content creation, applications, solutions and strategy innovations to engage with audiences  across multiple platforms: Internet, Mobile, IPTV, Connected TV, Tablets and Social Media.

We thank Anna for her support and contribution with Faces of Evanston.  Her collaboration has been indispensable.

We chose the theme, Simplicity for our 2012 competition because it was broad enough to encompass a variety of photo and video interpretations but also help guide the artist in looking at the essential character of things surrounding them each and every day.  As poets and philosophers for centuries have encouraged us to live in the moment and enjoy the events of  everyday life we ask the viewer to give pause, reflect and rejoice in the beauty that enriched and mystified us all.   Moments such as a scarf blowing in the wind or a boat floating gently the water after a quiet summer day, or a mother brushing the hair out of her child’s eyes and even a balloon dancing at the end of a string.  The inspirations for a simpler life are endless and we look to you the artists, photographers, videographers and community builders to help bring these images into focus.