Some last thoughts on Peter's Valley....

A Foggy Morning in Peter's Valley

  It was an interesting weekend at Peter's Valley.  Most of the participants at the retreat were large format camera aficionados.  I was mesmerized by watching them set up their big wooden box cameras.  Many had been on retreats with Tillman Crane, the Maine photographer I'd come to meet.  I must say, I felt a bit at sea with all the technical talk.  You always learn something though and it was delightful to hear Tillman expound on his various venues and his platinum printing techniques.  Visit his website here, you'll be very impressed I'm sure.

    The history of this area is very interesting.  The federal government bought up all the land in the Delaware Water Gap region back in the early 1960's with the idea of damning the river and creating a huge reservoir.  Many homes and whole towns were bulldozed.  The people fought back and after lengthy court battles they won and the government turned the area into a national park.  That's why there are so many abandoned houses and churches.

   This little waterfall was on the Peter's Valley School of Crafts property where I stayed and is an image that symbolizes this region for me.  The little guy can still win when there is a strong effort and determination.  I'll post one more image from this past weekend tonight.

   My photographic retreat this coming weekend will be an entirely different experience for me.  Led by Kim Manley Ort, it is a contemplative photography workshop.  Something tells me that I will feel a bit more at home with this group!