Dr Mark Durden - Writer, Artist, Lecturer
Mark has an established reputation as a writer on photography and contemporary art. He is also an artist and has been exhibiting nationally and internationally as part of the artists' group 'Common Culture'. He was made a Reader in History and Theory of Photography in 2002 becoming Programme Leader in 2003 At University of Derby. Mark is currently Photography Research Co-ordinator at Newport University Wales.

Mark studied Fine Art at Exeter College of Art and Design and Glasgow School of Art and then went on to complete both an MA and PhD in the History and Theory of Art at the University of Kent. His many publications include texts on Paul Seawright, Wolfgang Tillmans, John Szarkowski, Paul Graham, David Goldblatt, John Goto, Sophy Rickett, Tracey Emin, Andres Serrano, Dorothea Lange, Mark Lewis, Joachim Schmid, Martina Mullaney and Peter Finnemore.

Khaleeda Kabani - Director, Daylight Magazine
By re-imagining the documentary mode through collaboration with established and emerging artists, scholars and journalists, Daylight Magazine has become one of the premier showcases for contemporary and documentary photography. Daylight Magazine is the biannual printed publication of Daylight Community Arts Foundation (DCAF), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the use of photography as a tool for effecting social change
After finishing her studies, Khaleeda was commissioned to film educational documentaries and photograph in countries including France, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Rwanda, India and the United States. Khaleeda became the UK Director of Daylight Magazine in 2004.

Louise Clements - Senior Curator, QUAD & FORMAT
As a curator she has initiated commissions and exhibitions of international and emerging contemporary art since 1998. At QUAD she curates exhibitions, events, commissions, CPD. She is co-founder and curator of FORMAT international photography festival. FORMAT takes place in Derby and has been running since 2005. Format exhibits the work of established international practitioners alongside the best emerging talent. The festival aims to promote production and participation alongside the appreciation and understanding of photography across the widest possible audience. The FORMAT programme includes photographic work that is challenging and engages with relevance to contemporary life. The next FORMAT will take place in 2008. Louise also works as a freelance artist and writer.

Melissa DeWitt - Editor, Hotshoe
Melissa DeWitt is editor and director of HotShoe International, a leading UK based contemporary photography magazine showcasing established and emerging photographers from around the world and across a broad range of genres. Her background is in art, concentrating on photography, film and video, before re-launching HotShoe with Charles Taylor in 2003. She has judged a number of awards and views hundreds of portfolios a year looking for new talent to feature in the magazine and participating in various portfolio reviews. www.hotshoeinternational.com

Susan Bright - Writer and Curator
Susan Bright is a curator and writer.She has taught extensively and convened major conferences and seminars on many aspects of art and photography. Previously she was Assistant Curator of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, Curator at the Association of Photographers and Acting Director for the MA Photography (Historic and Contemporary) at Sotheby’s Institute, London. She is an interviewer for the Oral History of British Photography project at the National Sound Archive and part of the AHRC research team investigating ‘New British Photography’ at the University of the Arts, London.

She has curated a wide variety of photography exhibitions and writes for a number of journals and magazines. She is a regular contributor to Source, Tema Celeste and Contemporary. She has written texts on Guy Bourdin and Rineke Dijkstra for 100 Greatest Photographs (Folio, 2006) and entries for photographers for The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004)

Art Photography Now (2005) was published by Thames and Hudson and she is currently working on another on photographic self portraiture also for Thames and Hudson (2009).

Recent curatorial projects include: 1+1=3 Collaboration in Recent British Portraiture for Fremantle Arts Centre (2006) in Western Australia and the Australian Centre of Photography, Sydney (2007); Face of Fashion for the National Portrait Gallery, London (2007); How We Are: Photographing Britain for Tate Britain (co-curated with Val Williams, 2007); and Something out of Nothing for Fotogalleriet, Oslo, Norway (2007).

Paul Herrmann - Director, Redeye
Redeye, the Photography Network, was formed in 1998. It aims to support photographers and photography, by providing information, opportunities, events, training and professional development. Paul has extensive knowledge spanning both the professional and arts photography sectors and can advise on issues ranging from copyright to ethics to portfolio and career development. As a practitioner he apprenticed in the 1980s with former Picture Post photographer Humphrey Spender. Paul’s work has appeared in newspapers, magazines and exhibitions nationally and internationally. www.redeye.org.uk

Tim Simmons - Photographer
Tim has been making photographs since 1979. Based in London, he is represented in internationally. His work has won many awards and has been published in most leading international photography, advertising and graphic design journals. His career in fashion and advertising has perhaps inevitably led him to re-evaluate the aesthetics that have underpinned his work to date and prompted the desire to “tell his own stories”. His exhibition at the Blue Gallery London in 2006, was the result of that process and marked the emergence of a singular new artistic talent.
www.timsimmons.co.uk

Ed Horwich - Shot Up North
A founder member of Shot Up North (SUN) Awards an independent not-for-profit event highlighting the best images and best practice achieved by professional photographers based in the northern regions of the British Isles, working within the areas of Advertising, Design, Editorial and Fashion www.shotupnorth.co.uk Set up Prodig in 1998 as the email forum for professionals to discuss issues about the digital image. It’s still going strong after nearly 10 years and has over 1,700 subscribers around the world. www.prodig.org
Ed`s photographic training was at Derby in 1979/82.  A member of the Association of Photographers since 1988, elected to the Board as a director since 2004 he is currently board member with responsibility for the Regions. www.edphoto.com

Rachel Rogers - AOP
Since graduating with a degree in Photography from the Arts Institute at Bournemouth, Rachel has become fully immersed in the art and photographic industry working at the Tate Modern, IBID: Projects and most recently as curator at the Association of Photographers (AOP) gallery. Since joining the AOP four years ago Rachel has worked on the Photographers Awards, written for IMAGE magazine and is now responsible for the organisation and development of the AOP’s gallery exhibition programme.

The AOP brings professional photographers together, protecting their rights and promoting photography, campaigning for all photographers and promoting the best in photography.

The AOP, recognises the many pressures photographers face and has developed a number of support services. These provide members with practical help to reduce the administrative burden of running a business and include workshops, guidance on how to resolve business and rights matters, freelance assistant referrals and a database of world-wide services. It also acts as a forum for discussion and exchange of information about changes in the industry and the impact of new technologies.

Brian Griffin - Photographer
Brian has worked as a freelance photographer since 1972 during which time he has worked for magazine and advertising clients to numerous to mention. At the end of the 80’s was cited “Photographer of the decade” by the Guardian newspaper. Has self published six books on his photography with his book Work being awarded the “Best photographic book in the world” at the Primavera Fotografica, Barcelona 1990. Having exhibited extensively worldwide, his photographs can be found in the collections of The Arts Council Great Britain, V & A, and National Portrait Gallery. Continues to work in both photography and film and has recently completed a commission to photograph the people who helped to build the Channel Tunnel Rail Link into St Pancras. This has resulted in what he believes could be the most substantial corporate book of photographs since the Great Exhibition of 1851, featuring approximately 165 subjects over 208 pages. This accompanying exhibition is currently at the German Gymnasium on St. Pancras Road in London.
http://briangriffin.co.uk/

Gwen Thomas, Executive Director, Business & Legal Affairs at The Association
of Photographers.

Gwen has worked for the AOP for 20 years campaigning for photographer¹s
rights in the UK and EU and advising members on copyright, contract and
ethical problems. She is co-editor and contributing author of Beyond the
Lens, the AOP¹s definitive guide to rights, ethics and business practice
in professional photography; General Manager of Pyramide Europe Ltd. a
European Economic Interest Group lobbying and advising the Commission in
Brussels; and is a director of DACS (Design and Artists Copyright Society),
the Collecting Society for the Visual Arts

Mira Arya - Assistant Visual Arts and Literature Officer, Arts Council England, East Midlands
Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from Government and the National Lottery.
Working as part of the Visual arts and Literature team to assess funding applications from artists and organisations for arts based projects and to work within the context of the Arts Council England's priorities and aims to develop the arts in England. There is no review fee payable for seeing Mira, but booking is still essential.

Mira will be providing general information about Arts Council England and
advising on Grants for the Arts funding. She cannot give reviews of
portfolios or critique about photography.

Mike Brown (floating reviewer) - FORMAT Festival
Mike Brown co-founded the FORMAT Photography Festival through his role as Arts Projects Coordinator at Derby City Council. FORMAT exhibits the work of established international practitioners alongside the best emerging talent. The festival aims to promote production and participation alongside the appreciation and understanding of photography across the widest possible audience. Mike’s background in photography ranges from creative and artistic commissions to product shoots for kitchen utensils. Mike has a passion for street photography and continues to make and exhibit his own work. Particularly keen to see new projects and works in progress by emerging photographers

Anthony Noel (floating reviewer) - Senior Designer, Katapult Brand Communications
Anthony is art director and senior designer at Katapult Ltd, a brand communications agency based in Derby. Anthony has a degree in photography from the University of Derby, and while his time nowadays is mainly focussed upon his role as designer, photography continues to have a major influence. As an art director and photography commissioner, Anthony has a thorough understanding of photography's cultural and commercial value, as well as many of its technical demands - both behind the lens and in front of the computer.

Anthony is also a founding board member of CIN, where his interest in creative enterprise and collaborative working means he has a perspective on industry-level issues across the sector.