Abandoned Catskill "Zoo" - Photo Workshop - June 29

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Kelly
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Thought some of our Albany area friends might like to know about this.

http://www.abandonedamerica.us/abandonedzoo

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Location: Appx. 45 min. south of Albany or just over 2 hours north of NYC
Date/Time: June 29, 2014 10:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Cost: $140/ea.

The Site: Certainly one of the more unique locations I've photographed, this historic spot was once the largest privately owned zoo in the United States. It opened in 1933 and closed in 2006. At the time of its closure it held over 2,000 different animals and was situated on over 200 acres. Dozens of pens, kiosks, and other small to mid sized structures dot an extraordinarily picturesque property that would easily take more than a day to fully explore. The zoo has since been bought by a couple who hopes to keep the zoo intact while using it for camping and live performance events. We will be the first official group allowed on the site and will have free reign during the time we are there to discover the myriad of photo opportunities onsite. A portion of the proceeds will go towards the owners' efforts to maintain and restore the property.

The Workshop: During the workshop I will be on hand to help you get better shots - including a basic introduction to infrared photography (this is a perfect environment for it!) and 360 degree panoramas if you'd like to learn them. I know some of you are just taking the tour to see the location, and if that's the case I'll stay out of your way and let you do your thing. Learning to use a tripod, what file format to shoot in, how to compose shots better, what ISO, F-Stop, and shutter speed affect, and how to do things like exposure bracketing are very important to your results. As a trained architectural photographer I am able to help you get not just beautiful but technically correct images that you'll be amazed by. Don't feel afraid to ask me even questions that may seem silly to you. I want you to leave with pictures you're proud of. I've been doing this for a while and want you to learn from my mistakes and successes.

Rules/Safety: You need to be very aware of your safety. I encourage you to always pay attention to your surroundings. It is easy to twist an ankle or trip in some areas, and there are many, many ticks lurking in the underbrush so we recommend pants, boots, a long sleeved shirt, and bug spray. You will be asked to sign a waiver before you enter acknowledging that you are entering a potentially unsafe environment and that you will not hold me or the property owners liable for any harm that may befall you or your equipment. Obviously the first priority on the trip, even before taking great pictures, is making sure that you are safe - but you will need to be the one looking out for that.

What to bring:
- A bottle of water
- Sturdy boots that protect your feet
- Your tripod
- A fully charged cell phone
- Extra batteries and memory cards
- Your camera manual if you're unsure how to change settings. I can help you find the information you need in the manual but most cameras have their own ways of accessing features and changing settings and that makes things a lot easier.
- It's not necessary but a remote shutter switch is a nice thing to have and you can get a cheap one on Amazon for about $6 depending on your camera. You can also use a shutter timer too, I'm happy to help with setting it up if your camera supports it.

By signing up you agree to the following terms: Please make sure you check the email associated with your Paypal account for confirmation/updates! Your Paypal receipt is your confirmation, an email will follow with further details no less than a week prior to the event. You will need to sign a waiver to participate in this event, a sample of which can be found here. By signing up for this workshop you agree not to use information attained before or during the workshop to illegally trespass or set up alternate workshops/events. Because of the extremely limited tour spots there are NO REFUNDS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES if you have signed up for the tour except in case of workshop cancellation. You may give a paid spot in the workshop to someone else if you are unable to attend but admission may not be transferred to another event. There is always a small possibility that the workshop may need to be moved to a different date based on severe inclement weather or the site manager's limitations. If this is the case notification will be given immediately and a refund will be offered if attendee is unable to make the alternate date. All sales are final.

Any questions? Send me a note at [email protected] - if the PayPal link is immediately below this there are still open spots.



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I am strong, because I've been weak.
I am fearless, because I've been afraid.
I am wise, because I've been foolish.

- Unknown

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George
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Interesting event, but pretty steep at $140. I had been there a few times when my kids were young and might even have some pictures in the film files. Thanks for posting this.
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Kelly
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Georrrrrrrrge! Gosh, I've missed you.

I agree that $140 is kinda steep, but some of it does go to helping to get the place spruced up and opened again. If I lived about an hour or two closer, I'd be there.

Would LOVE to see your old pictures!!
I am strong, because I've been weak.
I am fearless, because I've been afraid.
I am wise, because I've been foolish.

- Unknown

My NYFalls.com Team Page
Scenes from a Public Market
New York Historic
L_G_D
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I sent the link to a friend of mine and he signed up, but it's a bit too much for me, half that and I might think about it.
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Matt
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steep and far for me. but really interested
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