Long Island Photo Gallery is up against some serious competition tonight as we host our regularly scheduled Long Island Photo Gallery critique night.  Our competition is Round 1 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, also known as March Madness.

The true photography faithful will be in the gallery tonight, from 7 – 9 p.m., as their 4 favorite images get put through the critiquing process.  This is a great way to interact with other photographers.

Every image stands on its own merit, regardless of the photographer’s experience .

We are looking for the following criteria.

1.) Clear Center of Interest

2.) Composition

3.) Focus and Exposure

4.) Story

5.) Lighting

6.) Creativity

7.) Uniqueness

Tonight we expect to see images from Joanne Henig,  Jessica Hirschmann, Joe Cubiotti,  Mark Stumpf,  Kim Pace, and John Schmahl.

I’m guessing the remaining, awesome LIPG members will be in front of their TV’s with a bowl of popcorn watching Round 1 of the basketball tournament.  I can’t blame them.  It is a very exciting event to watch.  However, being the technology wizard that I am, I will use my DVR to record, and later watch, the final minutes of each game.  Really, those final minutes are the MOST exciting moments of March Madness.  And, I will be able to participate in the LIPG Critique night.

Looks like I win!

~ Joanne Henig

Long Island Photo Gallery, Help-Portrait and Christmas Magic come together at St. Patrick’s Parish in Bay Shore to deliver an electrifying and unimaginable night like no other!

The holiday season can become a busy and overwhelming time of year, sometimes making it difficult to focus on what truly matters most; our family and friends.

Child Posing For Our Cameras

On Thursday, December 16th several of our  members took time out of their busy schedules to volunteer and enjoy a night out  with 19 loving families from Bay Shore, New York. Held at St. Patrick’s Parish, Long Island Photo Gallery teamed up with Help-Portrait and Christmas Magic to create a mystical and memorable night for everyone involved. Help-Portrait is a movement of photographers who donate their time and creative abilities to give back to those who are less fortunate. Help-Portrait’s Long Island chapter was held in conjunction with St. Patrick’s annual Christmas Magic, a night where families throughout the community come together to enjoy a holiday meal and spend time with Santa Claus himself.  It turned into a night that genuinely enhanced the magical sensation of the holiday season.

A number of volunteers and community members took part in the gathering including Deacon Frank Keach and and hospitality center director Katherine  from St. Patrick’s. Multiple volunteers dedicated countless hours of their time to plan and coordinate the event.  The evening kicked off with a delicious assortment of steaming hot meals and savory desserts followed by individual family portrait sessions coordinated by participants from our own Long Island Photo Gallery, included co-founders Joanne Henig and Jessica Hirschmann.  Kim Pace, Mark Stumpf and Joe Cubiotti joined in and  teamed up with non-LIPG members and photographers Bob Palmieri and Rod Franklin to deliver extraordinary moments captured forever for each of the families.  “We didn’t just give families a meal and a toy, we gave them a memory”, boasted Long Island’s Help-Portrait Event Coordinator Joanne Henig.

Lights. Camera. Action!

Following dinner and portraits on the first floor , everyone made their way upstairs to enjoy Disney Radio entertainment where DJ’s contributed to the  vibrance of the night by playing a variety of engaging songs and sing alongs before hosting a series of family oriented games. Before anyone realized how quickly the night was flying by, Santa Claus stole the show and surprised everyone with what seemed like endless bags of gifts specifically organized for each child. One by one, each and every patient child was called up  to the stage to meet Santa and unwrap one gift. At the height of everyones awe and excitement, each boy and girl was given a titanic bundle of gifts, all of which were brought by Santa Claus himself. The heart warming night at St. Patrick’s Parish served as a great way to celebrate the holiday season in a way that no one will forget.

Visit Help-Portrait for more information on the movement and for ways for you to get involved!

Also visit Long Island Photo Gallery to learn more about the artists who donated their time to Long Island Help-Portrait

~ Joe Cubiotti, InFocus Blog Post Contributor

Help-Portrait Long Island Team, 2010

Hello photography enthusiasts, and others!

My name is Jessica Hirschmann and I am one of the founders and curators of Long Island Photo Gallery.  This is my first blog entry.  For some I reason had a feeling that I should write an entry for this month. So, here we go …

I have always been involved with photography. When I was a kid I  always wanted to hold the family camera and take pictures to document our family vacations. This didn’t always go over very well, since I had no idea what I was doing back then. As time went on I got a job at my local Genovese Drug Store (which turned to Eckerd Pharmacy, and is now Rite Aid) and of course, I ended up in the photography department. This meant that I was developing 35mm color film for a living.

During my time working as a Photo Tech, I began college and majored in photography. The focus there was all about the history of photography, learning about image composition, developing our black and white 35mm film, printing our own images, and then eventually studio lighting. I did learn a lot more than that, but those are the main topics that still remain burned into my mind. I loved all of the photography assignments, but I never enjoyed the pressure of having to take the specific photos.

Pink Tulip, by Jessica Hirschmann

I have always been around photography, so it only seemed logical to stay in photography as a major. So, why did I switch my major to web design? Well, I didn’t realize this until today, while I was writing this blog entry. If I continued to major in photography then it would probably have killed my passion for photography. Yea, I know that sounds weird!

Recently in 2009,  Joanne Henig and I took a trip down to Florida to participate in the 2009 Birding & Fotofest. I had a great time, but sad to say I took better pictures when I got home and was hanging out in my backyard. I have realized that photography for me needs to be a hobby and nothing more. I tend to flake out when there is the slightest bit of pressure. So, this means there will be no paid portrait jobs for me! Well, for now, until I figure out how to get over this hump.

Now back to Long Island Photo Galley.  It is a great feeling to be around other photographers with the same passion. But I especially love that Joanne Henig and I have created this local niche for other photographers. Not only can we display our photography to the world, but also help other Long Island photographers to promote their work. Even if a photographer is a beginner they still have an opportunity to showcase to the world what they see as fine art. Plus, they have the opportunity to sell their work to the public. By the way, it’s an amazing feeling to know that someone out there has connected to something I’ve photographed!

What does this all mean? I think my personal life story around photography taught me the following … follow your heart and work on staying passionate with that makes you happy. After all, hobbyists take great pictures too!  With that said, I need to grab my camera and see where I end up!

This little group of ours has gone from a ‘good idea’ to a real ‘community with opportunity’!

Congratulations to Debra Moody, Jessica Hirschmann and Joanne Henig!  All three Long Island Photo Gallery members have had their fine art photography chosen by the SheltAir Corporation to be on permanent display at their new terminal at the Francis S. Gabreski Airport, which is located in the Village of Westhampton Beach.

This is some great recognition for our group and our members.  Here are the 6 images that were chosen:

What’s next for Long Island Photo Gallery and its members?  We can only say that we have high hopes for continued success.  It is because of our member’s enthusiasm that we continue to grow and achieve outstanding recognition throughout Long Island as ‘the’ place for fine art Long Island photography!

Long Island Photo Gallery, the LI photography “Community With Opportunity”,  is on a positive roll.  Please join us in welcoming Tommy Brunhuber and Edward Mooney to our group.

Tommy Brunhuber explains, ”My “career” as a photographer is still very much in its infancy and I am by no means a professional, but I am humbly willing to learn as much as I can.”   Well Tommy, with your membership in Long Island Photo Gallery, you are beginning to move your career forward.  We encourage Tommy, as well as all of our members, to update their images in the gallery and  their images offered for sale on the website, on a regular basis.  Attend our field trips (May 8, 2010, Vanderbilt Museum, Centerport, Long Island) and our critique sessions (April 14th, 2010 at 7:00 PM).  Read and post to this blog as well.  Challenge yourself everyday!  I look back at my work when I first started Long Island Photo Gallery with Jessica Hirschmann and I can’t believe how much my work has improved.  You all will improve too.  Practice, share, grow.

Newest member Edward Mooney has “his work exhibited in several galleries on Long Island and also at the Fire Island, Montauk Point and Horton Lighthouses.”  Eddie also has his own website and blog.  His distinguished career as a fine art photographer has work exhibited at the Village Art and Frame in Babylon and the Seafarer Gift Shop in Sayville.  We are delighted to have his work exhibited here, on the Long Island Photo Gallery website, and we hope to see his framed pieces in our Bohemia gallery soon.

With every new member that joins, the exposure for all of us grows.  Each of us has a unique artistry.  As we grow, we will be able to offer a greater variety of fine art to a general public that is hungry for Long Island Fine Art Photography for their home and office.

~ Joanne

As promised, 2010 is starting out to be a much anticipated, ‘Year of Action’ for Long Island Photo Gallery and its members.  Last night was the start of the push to increase opportunity for our members while helping to ignite the creative juices for us all.  If you love photography like we do, a great way to kick the year off is to have a Critique Night.  There’s nothing like a group of photographers, of all levels, joining together to enjoy each others favorite photos while having those same images critiqued by a jury of their peers.

Submitted by photographer Joanne Henig

Last night we held our first ever, Long Island Photo Gallery critique night. We met new members and had a new guest of LIPG sit in and participate in the event.  We had a great group of photographers assembled and we saw some really great photography.  The purpose of critiquing images is to help the photographer grow as an artist and to help them reach their personal photographic goals.  It is extremely difficult to critique your own images.  You, of course, know what you like and what you don’t like about your photos. But, an independent fresh set of eyes can sometimes point out the simplest suggestions to improve upon an image.  In many cases, this can take an image from being ordinary to extraordinary!

Submitted by photographer Jessica Hirschmann

Those that attended last night’s meeting walked away with a FREE Long Island Photo Gallery 2010 wall calendar.  Believe it or not, we are starting to zero in on the 2011 Long Island Photo Gallery calendar.  If you would like to get your images in the calendar, please contact either Joanne or Jessica at LIPG.

What’s next?

<————-  Scroll through our events calendar on the top – left of our blog page to see a complete list of events for 2010.  Don’t be shy.  Sign up.  Come on out and share your love of photography with fellow Long Islanders.

Submitted by photographer Mike Stein

Missed last night’s critique night?  No worries.  Sign up for our next critique night on April 14th, 2010.  We would love to see you and your images there.  Can’t promise a FREE calender, however : )

Stay In Focus!

Become a Long Island Photo Gallery Member. Click HERE.