Portfolio Reviews
A unique meeting point between photographers, curators, and festival directors from around the world!
IPFA Meeting Barcelona 2026
The Portfolio Reviews were part of the IPFA International Meeting 2026, an event that brought together over 50 photography festivals from around the world in Barcelona. It was an exceptional opportunity for photographers to present their work directly to festival directors and curators, establish real connections, and open doors to exhibitions and collaborations. Each participant met in individual 20-minute sessions with professionals selected for their experience and trajectory in international programming. 72 spots were available.
Photographers Testimonials
Meet the 2026 Reviewers
The reviewers were part of festivals and curating platforms worldwide. Their role was twofold: to offer a constructive professional critique of each photographer's work, and to generate proposals for future exhibitions, publications, residencies, and collaborations.
Shirin Abedi
Shirin Abedi is an award winning German-Iranian documentary photographer based in Amsterdam. Her work explores themes of love and pain. Shirin publishes an irregular newsletter “On Photography and Life”, and founded the IRAN FOTO FEST in 2025, an independent festival for documentary photography from–in–for Iran.
English - Persian - German
Arantxa Berganzo
Educator and lecturer in artistic theory and practice in Barcelona. She holds a Master’s degree in Humanities and Contemporary Art from the UOC and researches artistic expressions in urban space. She is part of the curatorial team of the Experimental Photography Festival and co-curator of the festival’s collective exhibitions.
Catalan - Spanish - English
Julio César García Martínez
Visual artist and freelance photographer based in Matanzas, Cuba. Director and founder of FOTOCANÍMAR Festival International de Fotografía de Matanzas. His work has been exhibited internationally, including in the United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, and Spain, and was featured in the 2021 edition of the Bienal de La Habana. His work is held in collections such as the Soho Photo Gallery and the Centro Pablo de la Torriente Brau, among others.
Spanish
Nelson Marmelo
Nelson Marmelo Photographer, curator, and artistic director. Graduated in photography and visual arts, with experience in medicine and diagnostic imaging. Founder and artistic director of Diafragma – Covilhã International Photography Festival and the co-founder of the international collective Afinidades. Exhibits internationally and works as a juror, and curator in the field of photography.
Portuguese - French - English - Spanish
Lana Mayoute
Lana Mayoute is a Guadeloupean-French curator and cultural practitioner whose work explores identity, diaspora, and Caribbean artistic expression. Founder of Diaspo’ART and coordinator of the FOTOTRAS festival, she develops photographic projects, collaborates with regional networks, and engages in decolonial, community-driven artistic research and circulation.
French - English
Lois Lammerhuber
Photographer, author, and publisher who has shaped contemporary photojournalism. A long-time collaborator with GEO magazine, he has produced hundreds of photo essays and award-winning books. He is co-founder of Edition Lammerhuber and the Global Peace Photo Award, and director of Festival La Gacilly-Baden Photo and Open Your Eyes.
English - German - Spanish
Julio Pantoja
Photojournalist, journalist, lecturer-researcher at the National University of Tucumán, and activist. His work explores memory, identity, and human rights, and has been exhibited in more than fifteen countries. He is the creator and director of the Argentina Documentary Photography Biennial, the country’s oldest festival, and has worked as a curator, juror, speaker, and portfolio reviewer in photography events across Latin America.
Spanish - Portuguese
Teona Omar Gogichaishvili
Georgian-born curator, visual artist, and lecturer based in Germany. Co-organizer and curator of KOLGA TBILISI PHOTO and co-founder of PURPUR COLLECTIVE. Regular jury member and portfolio reviewer at major international photography platforms, including FotoFest Houston, Visa pour l’Image, and ICP New York. Her work explores themes of home, migration, womanhood, and diversity.
English - German - Georgian - Russian
How do the Reviews work?
A personal meeting with a festival director or curator that can change your life.
Each review lasts 20 minutes and takes place in a one-to-one format, in a professional and close environment in the Centre Cívic Pati Llimona (Barcelona, Spain). There is no mandatory format, and you can show your work as you prefer:
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on a computer or tablet,
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with printed copies,
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through a photobook,
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with photobook dummies or works in progress,
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or any other medium that best represents your work.
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knowing your experience and trajectory,
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understanding your methodology and processes,
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discovering new perspectives,
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evaluating projects for future exhibitions,
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providing critical feedback and suggestions for improvement.
United
by Vision
The portfolio reviews were part of the IPFA Meeting 2026 programme. Panels, exhibitions, networking, and four days of exchange with festival professionals from across the world.
