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| photo by John DiGiacomo |
Guest instructor Don McGowan, assisted by API staff member John DiGiacomo, led an excellent group of photographers on API’s first early-summer, week-long workshop in the Park’s High Peaks region. Based out of the Historic Northwoods Inn in Lake Placid, this energetic group were treated to a plethora of photographic opportunities including mountain vistas, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, ponds, bogs (complete with beavers and Great Blue Herons), early summer wild flowers, water lilies, ferns, farmland and much more. Many of the participants commented on how the number and variety of photographic opportunities far exceeded their expectations for this time of year.
Don and John share the API staff philosophy of not photographing while teaching, affording participants more one-on-one instruction, focusing on their individual needs and goals. Group and individual field instruction included the creative use of wide angle, macro and tilt-shift lenses, and also the steps necessary to create successful panoramic and HDR images. The group also spent several hours, spread out over the week, participating in interactive critique sessions that were well received.
Most importantly the group frequented many of John’s favorite coffee houses including Wake Up Call in Keene and Bean-To-Coffee in Saranac Lake. Communal dinners were had at a different restaurant each evening allowing participants time to better get to know one another.
