Photography

On the afternoon of April 8, 2024, about 95% of the Adirondack Park will be shadowed in the totality of a solar eclipse as the path of totality darkens a swath of the Earth from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, from Mexico to Newfoundland. Having experienced and photographed the August 21, 2017 total eclipse in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I thought I’d share tips and techniques that could help others photograph the 2024 eclipse. Standing in the dusky darkness of totality, and looking up to the dark side of the moon, surrounded by the eerie glow of the sun’s corona is a lifetime experience you will not want to miss. Having the right equipment and practicing photo techniques ahead of time will allow you to capture stunning eclipse photos, and also be relaxed enough to enjoy this unique experience. The suggested equipment and information will help you photograph the sun at any time, capturing sunspots and other solar features with additional equipment, as well as offer settings for photographing the sun during the eclipse. This is the last total solar eclipse to traverse the continental United States until August 12, 2045.

Dates/Times

• Saturday, April 22, 2023 – 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Instructor: Carl Heilman II

Member Tuition: $75.00
Non-Member Tuition: $100.00

Material Fee: $0.00 Material Fee is added to the tuition fee in the shopping cart.

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

On the afternoon of April 8, 2024, about 95% of the Adirondack Park will be shadowed in the totality of a solar eclipse as the path of totality darkens a swath of the Earth from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, from Mexico to Newfoundland. Having experienced and photographed the August 21, 2017 total eclipse in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I thought I’d share tips and techniques that could help others photograph the 2024 eclipse. Standing in the dusky darkness of totality, and looking up to the dark side of the moon, surrounded by the eerie glow of the sun’s corona is a lifetime experience you will not want to miss. Having the right equipment and practicing photo techniques ahead of time will allow you to capture stunning eclipse photos, and also be relaxed enough to enjoy this unique experience. The suggested equipment and information will help you photograph the sun at any time, capturing sunspots and other solar features with additional equipment, as well as offer settings for photographing the sun during the eclipse. This is the last total solar eclipse to traverse the continental United States until August 12, 2045.

Dates/Times

• Saturday, October 21, 2023 – 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Instructor: Carl Heilman II

Member Tuition: $75.00
Non-Member Tuition: $100.00

Material Fee: $0.00 Material Fee is added to the tuition fee in the shopping cart.

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

A gorgeous sunset awaits you in this one-day nature photography tour, designed for those who are already comfortable with camera basics such as the relationship between aperture, shutter and ISO settings. Start this eight-hour day with a very brief introduction and discussion, then take the rest of the day to play with photo techniques in the field at beautiful nearby Adirondack lakes and waterways. A great class for those who wish to receive mentoring while in the field.

Dates/Times

• Sunday, April 30, 2023 – 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Instructor: Carl Heilman II

Member Tuition: $200.00
Non-Member Tuition: $210.00

Material Fee: $0.00 Material Fee is added to the tuition fee in the shopping cart.

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Equipment requirements include a DSLR and lens system/OR a full featured point and shoot camera (preferably with screw-on filter and tripod capability), a sturdy tripod and a remote release. In addition, bring along a full variety of focal length lenses from wide angle to telephoto and perhaps macro if you like so you can work with a variety of techniques through the day.

Photograph the late afternoon, sunset and evening light along with the magical wonder and beauty of night skies in the southern Adirondacks with Carl Heilman as your guide and instructor. After meeting briefly at the Folk School for an introduction to night photography and some time for Q & A, the group will travel to nearby photo destinations along the roadways, lakes and waterways. After the sun sets at 7:55, we’ll photograph in the twilight as the stars come out. There will be potential Milky Way photo ops before the moon rises at 9:20 PM, which will offer yet another dimension to photographing the nighttime Adirondack landscape.

Dates/Times

• Saturday, August 5, 2023 – 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Instructor: Carl Heilman II

Member Tuition: $200.00
Non-Member Tuition: $210.00

Material Fee: $0.00 Material Fee is added to the tuition fee in the shopping cart.

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Equipment requirements include: a DSLR and/or full featured point and shoot camera (preferably with screw-on filter capability), a sturdy tripod and a remote release. In addition, bring along your widest angle lenses (shortest focal lengths), longer focal length zooms (that can be used with extension tubes), macro lenses, extension tubes, tele-extenders and close-up diopters you have in your camera bag.

Winter weather, snow and ice offer a wonderful diversity of moods for outdoor photography. Ice forms into an endless variety of shapes and patterns along lake shorelines, streams, and rivers that can be enhanced with a soft covering of snow. Snowflakes and ice provide great options for macro photography. With sunset at 5:30pm, we’ll be working with golden hour light in addition to sunset color and afterglow possibilities. Spend a day photographing the beautiful winter landscapes in the southeastern Adirondacks with Carl Heilman as your guide and mentor. After meeting briefly at the Folk School for an introduction and to cover any initial questions, the rest of the day will be spent photographing at several nearby locations. There are many beautiful winter vistas within a half hour of the Folk School to take best advantage of the dramatic winter landscape. This nature photography tour is designed for those who are already comfortable with camera basics such as the relationship between aperture, shutter and ISO settings.

Dates/Times

• Sunday, February 19, 2023 – 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Instructor: Carl Heilman II

Member Tuition: $200.00
Non-Member Tuition: $210.00

Material Fee: $0.00 Material Fee is added to the tuition fee in the shopping cart.

Location: AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY

Special Notes: Equipment requirements include a DSLR and lens system/OR a full featured point and shoot camera (preferably with screw-on filter and tripod capability), a sturdy tripod and a remote release. In addition, bring along a full variety of focal length lenses from wide angle to telephoto and perhaps macro if you like so you can work with a variety of techniques through the day. As this class will be spent mainly outdoors, be sure to bring food, snack, water, a warm drink and warm winter layers for the day, including gloves/mittens, hat, possibly a face mask and warm winter footwear. It’s good to have a waterproof parka and pants to stay warm and comfortable in the winter weather. Snowshoes can be helpful; Carl will bring extras if student do not have any. An umbrella and/or camera cover can be helpful if there are snow showers. Also be sure to have at least one extra fully charged battery, the camera manual and enough memory card space.