Instructor Greg Miller's "Panorama of the Hudson River" Published

In honor of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage of discovery on the river that now bears his name, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art is proud to announce the publication of Panorama of the Hudson River. The book, distributed by SUNY Press, offers a twenty-first-century updating of G. Willard Shear's long-cherished 1910 photographic survey of the river's shorelines, tracing the Half Moon's 1609 route from New York Harbor to present-day Albany. It also reprints the earlier edition, making it readily available for the first time in decades. Juxtaposing Shear's photographs with those of renowned Hudson Valley photographer Greg Miller not only combines two extraordinary feats of photographic artistry, it also provides an important record of changes that have occurred along the river since the Hudson Tricentennial celebrations of 1909. Panorama of the Hudson River will interest anyone enchanted by the Hudson River's beautiful and varied landscapes, and will also provide an excellent tool for those involved in continuing efforts to protect treasured but threatened places along its banks.

Greg Miller's complete photographic panorama of the Hudson River was created from approximately 2,500 photographs and includes both banks of the river from Manhattan to Albany. An exhibition currently on display at the Dorsky Museum--also titled Panorama of the Hudson River--includes the Monroe, N.Y.-based artist's photographs of the riverbanks of the Hudson River paired with those from the 1910 photographic panorama developed for the Hudson River Day Line Steamer company. The exhibition runs through December 13, 2009 and returns February 6 through March 28, 2010.

Adirondack Life Photo Contest - Call for Entries

It's that time of year again...

Adirondack Life Magazine's annual photo contest is a great way to see your images published in a nationally-recognized magazine. The deadline for entry is December 1st. This year's grand prize is a coupon good for the registration cost of an API workshop or tour. See Adirondack Life's website for all the details.

Letchworth State Park Fall Color Tour

From tour leader Joe LeFevre:

"Saturday morning dawned cloudy with light rain, which continued throughout most of the day. But it didn’t dampen our spirits! We were able to capture many excellent waterfall and autumn foliage images. The colors were highly saturated in the bright overcast light. Clearing skies overnight produced the finest conditions for sunrise photography I’ve ever seen at Letchworth State Park, with swirls of fog and mist filling the canyon with magical sunrise light. These conditions, coupled with the great camaraderie of like-minded people, made this an unforgettable morning. Later in the afternoon we photographed this beautiful rainbow above Middle Falls. Thanks to everyone for making the tour a great experience!"

API and Hunt's Form Partnership

API is pleased to announce our partnership with Hunt's Photo & Video, New England's largest photography retailer. We will be working with Hunt's to offer new and exciting photo learning opportunities beginning in 2010. API endorses Hunt's as the place to go for photo gear, with a huge inventory and pricing competitive with other large east coast equipment dealers.

We're proud to have Hunt's on our team!

Don't miss the 33rd Annual Hunt's Show and Sale, taking place for three days only, October 30 thru November 1. With everything on sale, plus the opportunity to meet factory reps and tech specialists, this is an event not to be missed. For details see http://wbhunt.com/mailorder/index.htm.

Community Photo Festival in Indian Lake, NY

Join Indian Lake native and professional photographer Bill Killon on Sunday, October 18th at 4:00pm for a lively Community Photo Festival dedicated to Nature photography. Come see the photographs submitted by over 40 people from nearby communities in this creative format.

The Indian Lake Theater is planning a pair of fun, community-based events to bring friends and neighbors together to enjoy local amateur photography — on the big screen. The festival will consist of two nights, one show on October 18, dedicated to Nature photography, and a second night on November 17 with a focus on photographs of People, hosted by Dr. Daniel Way. Tickets to the shows will be $5.

The goal of the festival is to provide a forum for aspiring photographers within the community to exhibit their work -- seniors citizens, students and everyone in between.

For more information call Indian Lake Theater Director Pat Connor at (518) 648-5950.

Capturing the Essence with Nancy Rotenberg

We had a full house last weekend for Nancy's workshop in Inlet, NY. The shooting conditions were great and many fine images were shown during the critique sessions.

Nancy comments:

"How wonderful to experience the smells and flavors of fall in the Adirondacks, and to be able to record it to memory through pixels. Opportunities ran amok from foggy mornings at Fly Pond, to the most glorious of reflections at Buttermilk Falls, to sunrises at Racquette Lake. Classroom time was spent learning composition and creativity. There was laughter, great food, and wonderful camaraderie. It was 4 days spent living art as a beautiful verb."

Nancy returns for a 6-day workshop in 2011. This workshop will most certainly sell-out, as all of Nancy's events with us have. Keep your eyes open for the announcement late next year...

Adirondack Life Article Now Online

Adirondack Life has just put the article on API on their website. You can see it at http://www.adirondacklife.com/content/view/200/119/.

Adirondack Waters with Mark Bowie

Photo by Mark Bowie

Some thoughts from Mark:

"Photographing 35 loons running back and forth across Lake Clear, diving and feeding together… fields of stars and the Milky Way, bright as a cloudbank as we painted Adirondack chairs on a dock using a flashlight… across a field of wildflowers the sun rose as a red ball through mists, Whiteface Mountain and the McKenzie Range as the backdrop. I’m continually amazed at the ever-changing scenery of the northern Adirondack waters region. With all that, maybe the highlight of the workshop was being a part of the camaraderie of like-minded people feeding off one another’s creativity. Thanks to all who made this an inspiring, power-packed workshop."

API Featured in Adirondack Life Magazine

We are proud to be the subject of Lynn Woods wonderful feature article entitled "Adirondack Photography Institute: Bringing the Natural World Into Sharp Focus" in the September/October issue of Adirondack Life Magazine. Lynn attended API founder John Radigan's Intimate Image workshop last July as a participant. Grab a copy and see what Lynn had to say!

API at NECCC – Sunday

this posting is a day late because i’m still recovering from the whole NECCC experience. saturday night wrapped up nicely with a few more important connections being made. i met janice wendt from nik software and charles needle, a macro photographer from GA. both of them expressed an interest in working with API, which is very cool. stay tuned for more on both fronts, fellow photogs.

later that night i attended the awards ceremony. i tried to tuff it out but not knowing any of the recipients, i could barely stay awake. to tell the truth, i was loosing the last light of the day, so i quietly left and biked around campus, stopping at various points of interest and photographing till it began to rain. at one point it rained so hard i took shelter at a bus stop but continued to shoot thru the distressed plexiglas, lights echoing in the wet road with car lights streaking by. it was a real party.

sunday morning, after breakfast at the dining hall, (btw –the cranberry nut bread is to die for) i attended two presentations. gary needle is a macro photographer who had set up some shooting scenarios on saturday at the hi-jinx area. i was intrigued by his set-ups and curious about his results. he started his presentation with samples of his work… absolutely beautiful. then he covered equipment basics and surprisingly revealed some of his tricks, tips and studio set-ups. simple set-ups really but the results were magnificent.

i then treated myself by attending mark bowie’s “light of midnight” presentation. there are no words i could possibly write, to could describe what i saw. absolutely stunning images taken with exposure times of 2 minute to 6 hours , multiple exposures and HDR shots. all shot in complete darkness and occasionally lit with a mag light, headlamp, million candlelight flashlight or the night lights of surrounding buildings. there was one shot of a line of small pine trees, covered with snow and lit by the light of a nearby gas station, that took everyone’s breath away. mark admitted to us, that it took him 5 minutes to decide whether to take the shot or not… glad you did MB. as one attendee told mark afterwards, “i have a new hero”.

on the ride home, i came to one very important conclusion… you and i both know that the adirondack photography institute is fast becoming the place to go, for world class photography instruction …enveloped in the incredible beauty of the adirondack mountains… and now the members of the NECCC know it!

carpe diem, lightwriters.

API at NECCC - saturday

first let me say about of things about the rest of my friday. i met a lot of NECCC attendees and got a chance to ask them "when was the last time you photographed in the adirondacks?" most of the photogs said they vacationed there throughout their childhood but had never considered photographing in the park... my next question... "why?"

i reminded them that it was less than a tankful of gas away, they could pack up all their camera gear and extra clothing in their car, and not be restricted to an overhead carry-on, get 10% off their first workshop (that savings will fill up your tank) and then get great shots in the park... it's almost a no-brainer. they signed up for our emails, took the discount coupons and walked away, rearranging their calender while daydreaming of the incredible images they'll create.

i did get a chance to see one presenter after dinner. ray guillette presented a program on creativity and it reminded me of the details that one needs to practice every day to challenge oneself, creatively. what was very unique about ray's work... it was done on film.

today has been just as interesting here at the NECC convention. the hi-jinx rooms have drawn a lot of people and has produced some incredible results. there were macro shoots (including , black light set-ups, model shoots (the bikini model swinging from the big silver ring was certainly a fan fav), and hi-speed flash photography.

mark bowie was showing advance copies of his new book, adirondack seasons, an absolute stunning collection of work. his verbal expressions are equally eloquent and if you never see the image he has captured, his words will take you there just as easily. well done mark!

i also spoke with the people from onOne software, Canon and AutumnColor. more on that later. i'm still hoping to get to the print room and see the images that have been submitted for the competition. and then there's the awards ceremony later tonight.

check back later. i'll be sure to have more.

later lighwriters.

API at NECCC - friday

this is impressive. i mean the whole NECCC convention. truly organized and everyone is very helpful. audrey weigold has given me a personal tour of the exhibitors and i have to tell you... it is a treasure trove of products, talent and information. hunts photo is the flagship and gary farber has a crew of talented people unloading a boatload of product. i stopped by to introduce myself and gary was very busy but he stopped for a moment and said hello. stay tuned for an important announcement regarding hunt's photo and video and the adirondack photography institute.

i sat with joe lefevre briefly (joe is conducting a photo tour for API at letchworth state park in october) to discuss the buzz here at NECCC. joe is presenting "now that i'm here, what next?" three times this weekend and it "promises to be a very insightful program... you should pop in, georg". i'll try joe.

i did get a chance to ride around last night and take some shots in the golden light of the evening here at UMASS. the campus is stunning... old and new buildings, wonderful textures and very easy to navigate (with a campus map, compass or GPS). i brought my mt. bike and i gotta tell you, it's the best way to get around and work off those extra pounds.

gotta jet. need to set up the exhibit booth and get ready for all those hungry photogs who want to get to the adirondacks this season.

carpe diem lightwriters!

API's Eric Dresser at The Wild Center

See Eric on Tuesday, July 14th in The Wild Center’s Flammer Theatre as part of the Wild About the Adirondacks series. The presentation will take place at 11:30 am and again at 2:00 pm.

Featuring stunning photos of Adirondack wildlife, this show will be a journey through the seasons. During the presentation, Eric will discuss techniques used to capture images of his wild subjects. Whether you enjoy photographing or observing wildlife, this program will be an inspiration. “Capturing photos of wildlife and wild places has been a passion of mine for the past 30 years. I hope that these pictures will inspire an appreciation of nature in others. Our wilderness and wildlife need to be preserved, for they are the true barometer of our own future.” – Eric Dresser

Eric Dresser is an internationally published photographer who specializes in wildlife and landscape photography from the northeastern United States and Canada. His credits include Adirondack Life Magazine, National Wildlife Magazine, The Nature Conservancy, US Forest Service, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, L.L. Bean Catalogues and many more. Eric is also an instructor for the Adirondack Photography Institute. His first book “Adirondack Wildlife” will be available in the 2009. With over 35 years of experience in the field, Eric has developed many strategies for getting up close and personal with his wildlife subjects. His love and passion for our natural world can be seen in his photographs.

This program is free for members or with paid admission. For more information or directions please visit http://www.wildcenter.org/ or call 518-359-7800.

API is very excited to work with The Wild Center in offering Wild about the Adirondacks!

Announcing Two New Fall Color Tours

In these tough economic times, API is always looking for new cost-effective ways to get photographers out into the field to do what they love: Create images! Due to their combination of lower cost and less time commitment, tours are becoming a more and more popular alternative to the traditional photo workshop.

We are pleased to announce two new tour offerings for 2009: Fall color tours to Letchworth State Park and the Hudson River Valley. Led by Joe LeFevre and Greg Miller, respectively, these tours were chosen for their outstanding fall color potential, as well as their proximity to major metro areas.

Registration is open now for these two great opportunities!

East Branch Friends of the Arts to Hold PHOTOSHO 09

East Branch Friends of the Arts presents PHOTOSHO 09, their 4th annual Photography Exhibition and Sale. PHOTOSHO 09 will be held at Keene Central School, 33 Market Street, Keene Valley, NY. The Opening Reception is Friday July 31st from 5-8 p.m. Hours on Saturday, August 1st are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, August 2nd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Keene Valley is nestled in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks on Route 73 about 15 minutes from Exit 30 of the Northway and 25 minutes southeast of Lake Placid. For additional information, call 518-576-4769 or visit their website here. The Adirondack Photography Institute is a proud sponsor of this event.

API Partners with Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts

API is pleased to announce a partnership with the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts (ALCA), to bring digital photography workshops to the arts center in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. ALCA is a non-profit organization offering classes, workshops, visual, and performing arts to a local, regional, and national audience.

This summer, two photography workshops led by API instructor Carl Rubino, will be held at the Arts Center. IMPROVING YOUR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY – “THE BASIC SKILLS” will take place on Monday, July 20th, 9:00am – 5:00pm. In this one-day course, you’ll learn many of the fundamental concepts for making better photographs. DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY – BEYOND THE BASICS, a two-day workshop will be held on Wednesday, August 19th, 9:00am-5:00pm & Thursday, August 20th, 6:30am-4:00pm. In this two day workshop, you’ll learn some more advanced principles of composition, learn how to use natural lighting to increase or decrease the intensity of color, to make texture “pop”, to emphasize line or shape, getting the best exposure out of your camera and much more.

For information and to register for the workshops, visit www.adirondackarts.org or call 518-352-7715. The Arts Center is open September – June: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm. July and August: Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 12 noon – 4pm

API Partners with onOne software

API is pleased to announce it's first affiliate relationship... onOne Software! now your question is "what is an affiliate relationship?" and "what does that have to do with me?" well, it's kinda like a partner, a friend in the business, or your favorite family member.

because onOne software has the same philosophies / interests / mindset about photography as API, we approached Patrick Smith a couple of months ago and asked if he would be interested in promoting our workshop discount to all onOne customers. well one thing led to another and we have several exciting programs and discount offers planned for this year.

probably the most exciting (and the first to kick off this partnerships) is that onOne has extended a generous 25% discount on all software purchases (til the end of June), to all attendees of API workshops (both past, present anf future). onOne's flagship software is Plug-in Suite 4, which includes genuine fractals, mask pro, photoframe, phototune, focalpoint and phototools. while most of you know that genuine fractals is the industry standard for increasing image size well over 1000%, without the loss of sharpness or detail, this photographer is here to say that the other PS4 plug-ins are just as important for image manipulation, ultimely saving post production time and money.

to take advantage of this discount, simply go to www.ononesoftware.com and use the code ADKPI at time if checkout.

stay tuned for more earth-shattering announcements like this. check the API blog periodically for exclusive discounts, last minute workshop updates and offers, amazing tips and tricks from your friendly neighborhood instructors, and the occasional sneak peak into...

carpe diem, lightwriters

top 5 things i take in the field

i'm no les stroud but survival is very important to me. isn't it to you?
these are the top 5 things i must take with me when i pack up my gear and head out in the field:

1. head lamp or mag light (sometimes both). remember, you've hiked deep into the woods to get that perfect sunset shot with the reflections and mist you finally take a peak outside your view finder and holy $@%#... it's pitch black. where's the trail? LIGHT.
2. WATER. my lowepro dryzone has a small bladder (as do i) and a hose, but if i'm traveling light, i take a nalgene bottle (sometimes i mix in gatorade). can you find the two (shameless) product plugs in that sentence?
3. emergency pauncho. this could be something as simple as an extra large trash bag. something i can cut a few holes in and wear, cover my gear or cut open like a tarp to make a quick shelter. SHELTER.
4. swiss army knife... including magnifying lens (fire - ugh), various screw drivers, knife, saw, tweezers, toothpick (you never know), scissors, bottle opener (what if your rescuer arrives with a cold brew). WEAPON.
5. energy bar. remember, you got up before the coffee, it's about 10 am and you got some great sunrise shots but now you're stomach is reminding you that you missed the most important meal of the day. break out that carrot cake clif bar and wash it down with some orange gatorade! FOOD.

a lot of this goes way back to the days when i was a boy scout. yes, i was a scout... loved every minute of it. in fact my motto has always been "be prepared". in fact, i'm thinking that might just be my next tattoo.