World Pinhole Day: Workshop and Photo Walk at B&H Photo NYC

          April 29^th is known around the photography world as Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day  http://www.pinholeday.org/  Anyone, anywhere in the world, who makes a pinhole photograph on the last Sunday in April, can scan it and upload it to this website where it will become part of the annual Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day celebration's online gallery.

          This year, I signed up for a pinhole photo workshop and photo walk at B&H Photo in NYC. The guest speaker and pinhole photography expert was Tom Persinger of F295 fame http://www.f295.org/2012/  The workshop also had a representative from Ilford film who makes the Harman Titan camera http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/product.asp?n=75   The agenda included a history of pinhole cameras, basic principles, camera types, pinhole photography works by noted photographers, and finished up with some info for the upcoming F295 Symposium http://www.f295.org/2012/

          Tom is definitely a pinhole and alternative photography expert. I found his talk informative and inspiring. One of his quotes from the workshop was during the talk on camera construction. He offered this advice- Once you make your first pinhole camera, any item you look at afterward you wonder if you can make a camera out of it! How true.

          The B&H staff was very helpful also. They had free film from Ilford, numerous cameras to check out, and an Ilford rep that was on hand to demo and answer questions on their newest camera the Haman Titan. The event organizer, Deborah Gilbert kept things running smoothly along with the help of Chris Gampat and Event Space manager David Brommer.

          The talk concluded with everyone preparing their cameras for the photo walk segment of the day. Was a very nice group and even Len Speier was in the house http://www.lenspeier.com/newyork/index.php 

          Next stop was Bryant Park where everyone set up their tripods and started taking pinhole photos. A lot of advice was shared and great tips. There were a lot of cameras available to test out along with some instant films. All in all it was a very informative and rewarding day. I highly recommend checking out some of the photo talks at B&H Event Space. They are free and they offer a whole range of topics. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/EventSpace.jsp

          I thought I would also share this little guide I wrote- Tips for Attending a Photo Seminar.

1.   Silence your cell phone!

2.   Be on time. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to allow getting settled and find a seat.

3.   Bring a notepad. The instructor will give out plenty of info, websites, and names you will want to remember.

4.   Ask permission if you want to record or take photos during the event. Chances are it will be OK, but be courteous.

5.   Do a little research on your presenter prior to the event. Great to be familiar with their work and background.

6.   Be quiet. Save networking with other attendees to before and after the presentation.

7.   Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Just follow the presenter’s protocol. Some will want to wait till the end of a talk so they can get thru their material. Others will answer on the fly.

8.   Make sure you read if there are any special instructions on your reservation. I.e. - bring film, tripod, etc.

9.   If you can’t make your reservation, please cancel to allow somebody else the opportunity to sit in.

10. If your event includes a photo walk, dress accordingly and bring all of your equipment that you may need.

11. Bring along a business card or even something less formal to exchange with other guests. Great time for networking.

12.  Be sure to thank your presenter. He has taken his time to share some great insight and info for you.

      Lastly, don’t forget to fill out a comments card if available. This helps for future talks.