All Eyes Are On D.C.'s Fotoweek

At the opening party for Fotoweek, hundreds of artists and collectors are mingling in between the Corcoran's massive Greek columns. The tragic, spirited and sometimes political photos on the walls represent some of the finest photography in the world and the region.

Flore de Pruneuf's black and white shot of a man outside the Housing and Urban Development building won the prize for the Spirit of Washington Award.

"It was just a testament to how cool photography is that a seemingly, maybe depressing, scene can look really fabulous through a lens," de Pruneuf said after the award ceremony.

While the District isn't necessarily known for its arts and culture scene, Fotoweek is turning heads nationwide.

Founder Theo Adamstein says D.C. is playing a unique role in the national photography scene.

"No other city in the country is really quite doing this. So it feels like new territory and in a way its not like were basing this on a model," Adamstein says.

He says the lack of a model gives organizers freedom to play around with new ideas, like a contest for the best cell phone picture.

Also keep your eyes peeled this week for colorful and even depressing images being projected around town. As a part of Fotoweek, local and international artists work is being displayed on the facades of the Corcoran, the Newseum and the Holocaust and Native American museums, among other buildings.

Workshops, lectures and portfolio reviews are also available for local artists.