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View Full Version : Any One Interested In Organizing an East Coast Conference ?



Ed Burlew
26-Jan-2004, 05:10
There is no reason an East Coast conference in the summer time would not be a success. There are interesting places to photograph and there are alot of Large Format shooters who can drive to the conference and combine it with summer holidays. Maybe it will take some time to organize but I is do-able. I am sort of in the Midwest being in Toronto but Torontoians regularly drive to Florida and New York and Chicago. etc. I fugure that a good locale with inexpensive lodging and some subject matter would be fun. Dare I suggest Niagra Falls? Romms are cheap, the view is still good. and there are scenic routes to get there through the finfer lakes the Catskills and Adirondacks. OR how about the Adirondacks? Or the Thousand Islands? Or Cape May? Well you get the idea. Is there interest?

Dick Roadnight
26-Jan-2004, 09:28
You could be more specific (in your thread title)

This is an international forum, and many countries have East Coasts!

If you envisige holding the conference near Lowestoft or Felixtow, I might be interested.

Richard K.
26-Jan-2004, 09:53
Never thought of Toronto as Midwest...:>) But sure, I might be interested ....I'm on the West Coast...of Toronto...(Etobicoke)...

John Kasaian
26-Jan-2004, 10:01
Edward,

For a East Coast (US) location, why not take it to the "Lion's Den"---Rochester, NY? If my New York geography is better than my New Mexican, Rochester is centrally located on the Great Lakes and within easy striking distance of all the major eastern metropolitan centers in the US and Canada, plus you'd have the resources of Eastman Kodak, RIT, and the Geroge Eastman House to tap into for expertise for programs. Just a thought. -------Good Luck!

jantman
26-Jan-2004, 10:56
I'm up for anything on the East Coast, but I think that we're not really that organized. I've tried to get a number of us together around NY/NJ for a field trip, but didn't have much luck.

It would be great if we could make it work out. Not all of us can fly out to Carmel or even Santa Fe, though I will admit that they are more appealing for shooting.

Daniel Grenier
26-Jan-2004, 11:40
Edward;

You really need to ask Steve Simmons (View Camera mag) to hold his next LF conference on the East Coast somewhere. He's done a good number of them out West and NM but never (I don't think) East. I would guess that organizing such a conference is a massive undertaking and I don't know about you, Edward, but I wouldn't do it. Maybe Steve would go for it though?

Anywhere in New England would be fine but I'd vote for Toronto (even though it's in the "Midwest" ;-)

darter
26-Jan-2004, 12:36
Nothing against Steve Simmons, whose excellent book I use daily, but the LF Monterey conference is now the "establishment" conference. I see nothing wrong with creating an alternative. Many eastern U.S. photographers (except for those who jet out to Utah every 3rd weekend) have developed a distinct and different style of photography, e.g. Paul Caponigro and Nicholas Nixon. Why not celebrate that in an eastern Conference instead of trying to replicate the Adams/Weston/National Monument mystique of the West Coast? The initial conference need not be as large or extensive as the Monterey Conference.

jantman
26-Jan-2004, 13:42
Well, I'd go no matter what group it was catering to, just to meet and speak with other LF'ers. But on the other hand, I guess I'm a West Coast photographer tragically born on the East Coast. I dislike the East Coast point of view and most of the work that I've seen from the majority of 'establishment' photographers over here. I'm downright frightened of the work that is displayed by colleges.

steve simmons
26-Jan-2004, 14:41
I have thought about Ashville, NC for a 2006 View Camera conference.

steve simmons

jantman
26-Jan-2004, 15:23
I think that this would be a good time to mention that I've tried on a few occasions to organize a large format group, most likely starting with a group outing, in the tri-state/northeast area. All two or three attempts that I made have failed.

If anyone would be interested in this, either if it eventually works out, or in helping to organize and decide on a location/date, I'd appreciate any suggestions or help. I got responses from as far north as Massachusetts (possibly farther, I don't remember) down to DC.

So, if anyone has suggestions for a timeframe and a location, please drop me an e-mail. It should be some place that's LF-friendly, group-friendly, is interesting to lots of us, and most importantly a place to which we could work out transportation for a large number of people and a lot of big cameras.

On the other hand, if you just want to be notified, I have a list of all who were previously interested, and will notify you by email when something materializes.

It's not a replacement for a conference, but it sure would be nice if we east coast LF'ers could become a bit more organized, and perhaps eventually launch some sort of mass meeting/conference ourselves.

d.s.
26-Jan-2004, 17:23
Ashville,NC...Now your getting close. I live on the west coast of the east coast. (N.C. Outer Banks). However, I think that Charleston,SC or Savanna,Ga. would also be good. (old towns).

Steve Hamley
26-Jan-2004, 17:51
Thanks Steve Simmons!

Asheville is a nice city within an hours drive of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (at least parts of it), and it also sits conveniently on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Shining Rock Wilderness and Linville Falls Wilderness are about an hour away via the Blue Ridge Parkway. Western North Carolina also has one of the highest waterfall "densities" in the eastern United States.

The catawba rhododendron bloom is spectacular on the Parkway, as are the fall colors.

And no, I don't live there. I'm a 100 miles west.

Thanks!

Steve

Jon_2416
26-Jan-2004, 17:51
Jason,

>>I think that this would be a good time to mention that I've tried on a few occasions to organize a large format group, most likely starting with a group outing, in the tri-state/northeast area. All two or three attempts that I made have failed.

Part of the problem is that not everyone wants to hike with a 4x5. Several of us wanted to shoot in NYC, but you didn't seem too interested. I'd still like to get a gathering of LFers to do the urban landscape.

jantman
26-Jan-2004, 17:59
Jon,

I, for one, want to hike with an 8x10. I'll happily carry the 4x5 kit of someone who doesnt want to.

Well, in all honesty, I don't find too much interesting with the urban landscape - at least industrial ruins. If we could find something interesting that we'd all like to shoot - how about some architecture in a relatively safe area, or something around central park?

Or how about just all getting together and exchanging ideas, etc.?

darter
26-Jan-2004, 18:02
There is an active group based in western, MA. So I don't agree with Jason's assertion that there is nothing going on in the East Coast. I suggest that New Yorkers consider starting a large format urban guerilla photography group - I'd love to attend their outings. While folks like Jason could concentrate on exploring the wilds of New Jersey.

jnantz
26-Jan-2004, 18:41
there is a chapters of the society of industrial archaeology in new hampshire / massachusetts / rhode island, and there are always historic industrial sites to document.

http://www.siahq.org/

Doug Howk
27-Jan-2004, 04:04
Why not View Camera sponsorship of alternate year East Coast/ West Coast LF symposiums? Is there such a thing as an East Coast school of photography that is distinctive from the Adams/Weston West Coast school? Are there photogenic areas within the East Coast that can rival Big Sur, Yosemite, etc.?

Don Bryant
27-Jan-2004, 09:13
If you have a conference in Ashville you can count me in!

Thanks,

Don Bryant

Gary Samson
27-Jan-2004, 19:48
New Hampshire would be a great place for an east coast LF conference during the summer - a quick one hour drive to the famous and beautiful White Mountains or the rugged NH seacoast from Manchester, NH. I would be pleased to host the conference at the NH Institute of Art where we have the best photography teaching facility in northern New England and easy access via the Manchester Airport. Please let me know if there is interest in organizing such a conference here - we could have workshops, an exhibition and field trips here at the NH Institute of Art. Gary Samson Chair, Photography Dept.

Ken Burns
27-Jan-2004, 19:49
Asheville is perfect. There are 100s of beautiful waterfalls all along the Blue Ridge escarpment, the highest elevation east of the Mississippi River (Mt Mitchell) is only a short distance away. The Smokies are nearby. The Blue Ridge Pkwy along with its grand vistas passes through the area. Vast acres of national forest cover most of the western NC mtns. Have the conference there and you can count me in too.

Ed Burlew
28-Jan-2004, 05:33
Maybe the best way to begin this adventure is to have a meeting of people interested in LF to exchange ideas and ppresent what they want to according to their knowledge, informally and to use that weekend to organize a larger event.

My idea is not to wait until 2006, that's two years and neither to wait for a publisher or camera maker to participate as an organizer. I see this as a grass roots informal gathering, not a hiking expedition, I like to hike alone. Generally for something like this to work there has to be an object and a location and a time. The first "conference" would be informal as described, need from 12 to ?? participants and be somewhat central but in an interesting place. Inexpensive accomodations and easy to drive to. There are Canadian shooters and they need to be able to attend too. Rochester is a good idea, but not right in Rochester, Outside in the fingerlakes so we can wake up and enjoy a country morning on the lake, then we can go to Rochester. Those who want to can go to Niagra, only an hour away. This is about equa-distant from Chitown and NYC. it gives the NYC crowd a chance o to get away , the Philly people can get there too. The other alternative is somewhere in the Adirondacs, Not PLacid it is "tres expensive" maybe Tupper, home of tuperwear, or the centre of the Adirondiacs whee the Museum is, The scenery there is wonderful and the scenery to get there is just as wonderful. Maybe Pennsylvania would be good but I do not know it well reagarding scenery. There is the thought of combining this with another event like the re-enactment of Gettysburg.

The point is for people to state availablity and preferences. Yea I know people will not show up in great numbers but I look at it informally , a Place you would like to be anyway so the weekend is fun even if there are few people.

Peter Collins
30-Jan-2004, 09:08
I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am acquainted with the Asheville, NC area, and I'm voting for Asheville. If Asheville, then I go. Earlier remarks about Charleston & Savanna being good resound with me, too. If Charleston/Savanna, then I go.

jantman
30-Jan-2004, 10:53
I like Ed's idea. If we could find a place and date, hopefully most of us could get together to discuss this.

Jerry Greer
30-Jan-2004, 17:26
Steve,

Asheville, NC sounds great! I can be there in 55 minutes with the opening of I-26 into Northeast Tennessee! What time of the year are you thinking about? There are many locations to shoot within minutes from downtown; Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains, the Upstate of South Carolina, the Roan Highlands, wow the list grows! I’m sure that the local LF photographers, myself included, would be willing to offer any help needed in logistics, info, etc.

www.jerrygreerphotography.com