Photography students Madison Schneider, Kevin Vilchis and Dominic Di Palermo attended The Filter Photo Festival took place on Sept. 14-18 at the Museum Hotel in Chicago.

The students attendance was a result of donations by Elgin Community College Alumnus and Chicago photographer, Sandro Miller.

According to ECC Director of Art and Design Juan Fernandez, Miller donated 15 portfolio reviews, an estimated amount of $1000. The donations were given to ECC photography students because for the first time, the festival was geared towards students. Students were then picked by ECC photography professor Travis Linville to receive the donated reviews. 

One of the recipients, second-year student Madison Schneider, said that she was both nervous and excited about the event, saying that she felt honored to be chosen.

“It was really nerve-racking at first because I didn’t know what to expect,” Schneider said. “[…] It was with famous curators and photographers from around the nation, [….][but] it felt like an honor to get picked because it was only three of us.”

Schneider felt confident coming out of the event.

“Everyone was really genuine and nice, and they gave us good feedback about our photography and how we can move on with our future careers,” Schneider said.

The second recipient, ECC student Kevin Vilchis, said that his love of photography began about 4 years ago, mainly from his passion for film. He had similar feelings of nervousness, but went into the event with an open mind and wanted to see what his peers were thinking.

“My main focus was my portfolio, yes, but also to just pick people’s brains,” Vilchis said. “[….] I came in there with the mentality of talking to everyone and, you know, whatever happens, happens.”

Vilchis said that his confidence was reinstated after the review, saying that his creative block was finally gone.

“The reviews went well overall, and sort of gave me that acknowledgment that, ‘you’re not bad at this,’” Vichlis said.

Fernandez was invited to be a “roaming reviewer,” meaning that he gave impromptu critiques of attendees work.

After the “speed-dating” style of portfolio reviews, the participants would decompress in what was known as the Festival Lounge as other roaming reviewers would give critiques to others’ works.

“It functioned more like a class critique, so we would lay out work and everybody would talk and it was a really good and productive learning experience,” Fernandez said.