Every year, the announcement of PDN's 30 Emerging Photographers to Watch creates a wide ripple that's always interesting to follow. While the photographers chosen are generally known to the photo world, there are usually a few that seem to have emerged out of nowhere. This year is no exception, as can be seen in the list of names below.

To celebrate their accomplishments and to offer their perspectives on getting started in the photo business, PDN's editor Holly Stuart Hughes will moderate a panel discussion tonight at the SVA Theater. Joining her are three of the photographers - Adrian Mueller, Elizabeth Weinberg and Wayne Lawrence - along with Jeanne Graves, deputy photo director at Men's Health and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Smith. Among the topics on the agenda are how they got their first jobs, as well as what they learned in school and what they wish they had been taught.

Left to right: Kite by Elizabeth Weinberg; one from the Orchard Beach series by Wayne Lawarence; Maine by Adrian Mueller. Photos copyright and courtesy the artists.

Adrian Mueller says that his greatest challenge in photography is "Trying to reach a larger audience. I've found it takes good work; exposure through books, editorial assignments and commercial work; a good agent; and a solid marketing strategy. The recession has certainly slowed my progress in this area somewhat, but I am learning to be more patient." Wayne Lawrence says, "The greatest challenge for any young photographer at this point is trying to establish a business in an environment where everybody is trying to get more for less." And Elizabeth Weinberg adds that one of the key lessons she has learned is that "ability doesn't equal success, and nothing comes without work. Another lesson is that confidence matters. You really have to believe in your work for that feeling to translate to anyone else."

The event, starting at 6:30 tonight, is presented by the BFA Photography Department at SVA, Kodak, Sony and the American Society of Media Photographers. SVA Theatre, 333 West 23 Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, New York, NY. Free and open to the public. A reception follows, starting at 8:00 pm.

PDN's 30 in 2010: Levi Brown, Alejandro Cartagena, Scott Conarroe, Sumit Dayal, Clémence de Limburg, Gratiane de Moustier, Danfung Dennis, Lauren Dukoff, Matt Eich, Matthieu Gafsou, Marcelo Gomes, Deborah Hamon, Estelle Hanania, Ben Hoffmann, Sohrab Hura, Wayne Lawrence, Brent Lewin, Eman Mohammed, Adrian Mueller, Nick Onken, Alex Prager, Thomas Prior, Ben Roberts, Anna Skladmann, Andy Spyra, Gabriele Stabile, Peter van Agtmael, Elizabeth Weinberg, Yang Yi, Reed Young.

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