Are you a photographer who likes free food? Or maybe free food is your main thing but you dig photography, too.

Either way, Slideluck Potshow is for you.

Started by photographers in Seattle and now being carried across the country, Slideluck Potshow is an informal gathering of photographers to show their work in slideshow form in the context of a good old fashioned potluck. Hence the name. It’s a way for photo pros, amateurs and neophytes to get together in a non-judgmental atmosphere to show their work, talk about the craft, eat, drink and then eat and drink some more.

Everyone should try to bring food or beverage (homemade food is encouraged), but the most important part is to bring your work. Without the slideshows Slideluck Potshow can’t work, so don’t be shy.

Here’s how it works:

Each photographer gets 5 minutes to show either a traditional or digital slideshow. You can narrate, play music, mime or do whatever you like as the pictures roll. Crowd response is encouraged, but only if it’s positive or very funny. Really, there’s no rules other than keeping it under five minutes.

We’ll provide a slide projector, screen, laptop, venue and stereo, but we are putting a request out for a digital projector. Anyone? (Addendum 2/26: Thanks to Tom Merrow for so graciously providing his digital projector. People wanting to show their stuff digitally should bring either a CD with images or a one of those little USB memory devices. We can show Powerpoint presentations or just folders full of files. Please also show up about half an hour early, around 6pm, so we can line up and load up your stuff into the laptop.)

Bend’s first annual Slideluck Potshow is scheduled for Friday, 6:30pm, March 18th, 2005 at Matt's house (please email for address and directions). It’s a small house so if response is strong we’ll try to move it to a larger spot.

This first Slideluck is sort of a trial run. If people are into it we’ll try to hold them regularly. Feel free to send this e-mail along to whomever might be interested and RSVP. Or don't.

Please respond with any questions and to let us know what you think.

You can contact either Matt or Simone.