Portland Photo Night #1 — Feb. 8, 5:00-7:00 at T.C. O’Leary’s

Photography can be such a solitary craft, and that solitude can be necessary to do great work. But I think there’s value in getting together in person with other photographers, bouncing ideas together, commiserating and celebrating. Many cities have a Photo Night, where photographers and friends of photography meet up in a backyard or a bar, show some work, see other folks’ work and maybe have a pint or two. Let’s start doing that here in Oregon.

Our first Portland Photo Night will be Thursday, Feb. 8, at T.C. O’Leary’s Irish pub on NE Alberta, from 5:00-7:00. We won’t have a projector set up to show work at this first event, and will aim to keep it pressure-free and small-scale. Let’s just hang out and build something together. If all goes well, we can grow into other communities throughout Oregon.

The proprietor Tom O’Leary will be brainstorming photo-themed cocktails — so far he’s come up with the Mapplethorpe and the Minor White. Happy hour is from 4:00-6:00, and there will be bagpipers at 7:00. Yes, real-live bagpipers. I’ll see you there!