Elena by Pedro Cota

Just a brief moment of introduction—my name is Alan and I've just joined the team at Hey, Hot Shot! This is extremely exciting for me because, as mentioned earlier, I had the privilege of developing numerous photography books as an editor at Chronicle Books.

Being involved with Hey, Hot Shot! is a chance for me to continue to work with the photography community in a new way, and the opportunity to see new work continues to thrill me. Jen Bekman and I met years ago at one of the photography portfolio reviews that I used to attend fairly often, and have stayed friends ever since; that we now get to work together is a treat. I'm looking forward to helping her and the whole great team here continue to keep Hey, Hot Shot! the best thing going for photographers everywhere.

All that said, I'd like to introduce contender Pedro Cota, whose mysterious Elena portrays his wife descending a pedestrian bridge in an atmospheric fog. Based in Guadalajara, Mexico, Cota arranges his subject and surrounding elements in a way that is arguably theatrical. This careful composition, combined with precisely selective lighting, reflects his training as a cinematographer in Madrid. This is a suspended moment whose ultimate narrative is elusive.

Cota has more work up at his site and some allusive questions about photography and representation (in Spanish). Keep the amazing entries coming—enter now!