PhotoAlliance Lecture Series: Amanda Marchand, Leah Sobsey, and Ala Ebtekar

PhotoAlliance is pleased to present a compelling lecture featuring artists Amanda Marchand and Leah Sobsey, with Ala Ebtekar. This evening of discussion and exploration will highlight their innovative approaches to contemporary photography and its evolving role in visual culture. Through presentations and dialogue, the artists will share their experimental methodologies, thematic inquiries, and unique storytelling perspectives.

Spanning diverse subjects from the intersections of myth and history to the delicate balance of nature and climate. Each artist challenges traditional photographic boundaries, expanding the medium’s expressive possibilities. Audiences will gain insight into the ways photography can bridge disciplines, evoke deeper narratives, and reimagine our understanding of the world.

Amanda Marchand is a Canadian, New York-based photographer and educator recognized for her experimental techniques and poetic engagement with themes of nature and climate change. Her work has garnered numerous accolades. Leah Sobsey is an artist and educator specializing in alternative photographic processes and natural history. She collaborates with Marchand, blending art and science to explore memory, materiality, and the environment. Ala Ebtekar is a visual artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, and installation. His work navigates the intersection of history, myth, and contemporary culture, often reflecting on identity and the cosmos.

This lecture offers a rare opportunity to engage with three artists pushing the boundaries of photography and visual storytelling. Don’t miss the chance to explore their distinct perspectives and groundbreaking approaches to the medium.

Learn more:

Directions to the theater:

* Students are always welcome to attend PhotoAlliance lectures for free, please tell our check-in volunteer you are a student and show your school ID. There is no need for students to pre-register for a ticket in advance.

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The PhotoAlliance 2025 Lecture Series is presented in partnership with ! Mark Ryan Fine Art Services has provided meticuloulsy hand crafting and finishing frame packages in Oakland, CA since 2014.

Established by Ryan Hendon, has provided custom crafted fine art finishing services using museum standard materials and conservation practices since 2014. From consultation to the design and fabrication stages of your presentation, Mark Ryan Fine Art Services fully embrace the collaborative process to find the right solution for all of artists' projects.

Beverages at our lecture are sponsored by of San Francisco, and of Sonoma, California.

was inspired by a love for San Francisco and a desire to make craft beer more accessible. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the city’s best-known independent producers, creating a wide range of new beers and even a line of ciders along the way. No matter the favorite Fort Point brew, one thing remains true — every can hits that sweet spot between interesting and easy to love.

is a vineyard-focused winery founded in 2007 by Phil Coturri, along with his wife Arden Kremer and sons, Max and Sam. The winery produces small-batch, single-vineyard wines exclusively from certified organic vineyards farmed by Phil and his vineyard management company, Enterprise Vineyards. Their portfolio includes wines they love to drink and collect—Grenache, Rhône varietals, field blends, as well as Cabernet and Zinfandel, honoring Sonoma’s rich heritage. Sixteen 600’s success is built on the dedication of its exceptional team, particularly the vineyard crew, winery staff, and the passionate individuals who work alongside Sam in the office and tasting house.

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Photo credit:

Top: Amanda Marchand and Leah Sobsey, from series This Earthen Door.

Bottom: Ala Ebtekar, Zenith (IV), Acrylic over cyanotype exposed by sunlight on canvas Quadriptych, 72” x 145” in. (72” x 36 1/4” each panel), 2015

Host or Publisher PhotoAlliance