Monday Muse: Ray Potes

25 years of Hamburger Eyes

Ray Potes

Does anyone else remember Hamburger Eyes?

Last week, I was in San Francisco on a work trip, and, as is typical for me, I spent my free time walking, looking, and making pictures. By chance, I stumbled upon a poster in a bookstore window announcing a retrospective exhibition commemorating 25 years of Hamburger Eyes. Happy accidents like this are so sweet, and as the sun set over the bay, I made my way to the San Francisco Public Library to see the show before it closed for the day.

Ray Potes was a major inspiration for me in my early days as a blogger. Like me, Ray was exploring the internet's possibilities for discovering, curating, and showcasing photography. I was fascinated with digital publishing, but Ray was always committed to the printed page, and he published Hamburger Eyes photo zines at a dizzying pace. We collaborated on a FlakPhoto feature years ago, but lost touch at some point. Such is life, right?

The Continuing Story of Life on Earth: 25 Years of Hamburger Eyes is excellent, and seeing the show was a lovely walk down memory lane. Hamburger Eyes is legendary in some photography circles, and I consider it an institution, so seeing this show in person was a genuine treat.

I managed to grab a beer with Ray on Friday afternoon, which was the first time we had ever met in person after corresponding all those years ago. He’s the real deal: passionate about photography, always creating, and dedicated to promoting the people he believes in. If you are in the Bay Area, I hope you’ll make time to see this show before it closes in September. You won’t regret it.

You can read more about Ray’s work and the exhibition in this LensCulture interview with Jim Casper. Finally, consider buying a copy of Ray’s latest publication, which doubles as the exhibition catalog and features 161 photographers featured over the years. Order HAMBURGER EYES - THE FIRST 25 YEARS.

That’s all for today, folks — thanks for looking. Congratulations, Ray!

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