The Center for Photographic Art talks about women in photography.

Monterey County has been fertile in inspiring some of the most illustrious names in fine art photography, but few women’s names show up in that list. Photographer Linda Connor, who teaches at the San Francisco Art Institute, wants to talk about why that is. She’ll lead a presentation 1pm Sunday at the Center for Photographic Art called “Women’s Photography in the 21st Century.” Her talk and slideshow will segue into smaller roundtable discussions on “how to support women in their pursuit of photography.”

“Photography is such a democratic medium in terms of availability,” she says. “But the marketplace is dominated by a star system, dominated by men, who seem to have the biggest and strongest careers. There are women who get up into that higher realm, but not many.”

Some of the issues she wants to broach include how having more women curators hasn’t seemed to create more equity; how our culture is groomed to value content created by men; and how local arts organizations can be more conscious.

She may address the new documentary Finding Vivian Maier, about a woman photographer who possessed celebrated talent, but subsumed fame or a possible career in the field for the domestic work of a nanny. Connor says that she works more in the vein of pure images than the political or conceptual, but it seems a political reality is appearing in the big picture of photography.

“The main purpose is to have the participants go away feeling like there is hope, a community, and wonderful rewards in being expressive,” she says. “It may not get you to the Venice Biennale, but it’s so important to be aware of the life around you, and photography is such a good tool for that.”

“WOMEN’S PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE 21ST CENTURY” takes place 1-4:30pm Sunday at Center for Photographic Art, Sunset Center, San Carlos and Ninth, Carmel. $5/CPA member and student; $20/general. 625-5181, www.photography.org