Nature Undisturbed News

If you haven't noticed by now -- I have added a link to the webpage for Nature Undisturbed.  In the upper left of the blog page you will find, "Click here to read more about Nature Undisturbed, a juried photography exhibit benefiting the Southern Conservation Trust."  

The highlighted title of the show is the link to take you there.

Nature Undisturbed Photography Exhibit

It is hard to believe it is already March.  I have been working on Nature Undisturbed with Abby Jordan and Greg Blair since last fall.  Soon the show will open.  In just a few days, the letters will go out to those photographers who sent in entries notifiying them if they have work in the show.  

Nature Undisturbed, a photography exhibit benefiting the Southern Conservation Trust, opens April 24 at Dogwood Gallery in Tyrone.  That Friday evening at 6pm there will be a reception, award ceremony, and a talk by the jurors.  It will be very interesting to hear what the jurors were looking for and how they found it.  

Saturday, April 25, I will present a lecture on "Lensbaby and the Nature Photographer."  The Lensbaby lens (as you all know) is a favorite of mine; using one in nature photography can really give you a new perspective.  The lecture will begin at 2pm.

Sunday, April 26, at 2pm the spotlight is on the Southern Conservation Land Trust.  The Trust will present a slideshow.  Also on hand will be Okefenokee Joe and a bird of prey demonstration.  This will be a great time to bring the kids!

Friday, May 1, at 6pm is another evening event -- a wine tasting and a chance to meet local photographers.

Saturday, May 2, at 6pm is a reception that should not be missed.  Susan Todd-Raque will talk about collecting photography.  Susan is one of the founders of Atlanta Celebrates Photography. This is definitely an event that anyone interested in photography should  attend.

The closing day of the show is Sunday, May 3.  At 2pm Tom Evens will show photos from his African photo safari and talk about preparing for such a trip.  All photographers are asked to pick up their photos after close of the show.

It is getting more and more exciting as the opening date nears.  

Nature, Undisturbed Announces Jurors

(Fayette County, Georgia)  January 16, 2009 Nature, Undisturbed; a juried photography exhibition to benefit Southern Conservation Trust announces Greg Newington and Thomas Swanston as jurors.

Greg Newington has worked as a photographer for newspaper and publishing companies in Australia and The Middle East for over 38 years.   Greg’s work has appeared in more than 300 publications worldwide.  Greg has won a variety of awards during his photographic career including first prize in 1988 in The Australian Press Photographer of the Year awards. Greg was head of photography for Motivate Publishing in The United Arab Emirates.  This group includes “Hello” Magazine, “Open Skies,” and “Emirates Woman.”   In April of 2008, Greg opened his studio in Serenbe.  Currently Greg freelances in the US and Australia.

Artists Thomas Swanston and Gail Foster opened StudioSwan in Serenbe in 2006.  Thomas has lived and worked in rural Georgia for the past 25 years.  He received a MFA from the Parsons School of Design in New York in 1980.  Thomas’ art is part of many public and private collections including Disney, Ritz Carlton, Suntrust, and both the Goizueta School of Business and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.  His art has also been seen in a variety of publications including “Veranda” and “Domino” magazines.  For more information on Thomas Swanston and to view his art inspired by the migrating sandhill cranes visit the studio website.

The deadline for entries in the show is fast approaching.  You can find the link to print an application and read details for entry on the Southern Conservation Trust website or on this blog.

About Nature, Undisturbed – This juried photography exhibition will benefit the Southern Conservation Trust.  The show is in its inaugural year.  The show is open to any adult photographer, professional or hobbyist.  There are two categories; first is open to any nature image taken at any location and the second is any nature image taken at a land trust location.   Southern Conservation Trust manages Line Creek Nature Area and Flat Creek Nature Area in Peachtree City and owns and manages Sam’s Lake Bird Sanctuary in Fayette County.  Donna Rosser, local photographer and founder of the Fayette Photo Club; Abby Jordan, Executive Director, Southern Conservation Trust; and Greg Blair, owner of The Dogwood Gallery and Framer are working together on this exhibit.  The exhibit will be at the Dogwood Gallery in Tyrone April 24 through May 3, 2009.

Nature, Undisturbed

A juried photography exhibition is born!

A couple months ago, I was approached by the Southern Conservation Trust asking if I would like to have a photo show to benefit the trust. Of course I would. Then I thought for a moment and asked what if we had a photo show involving the whole photo club? Then I thought another moment and asked -- what if we went bigger? I always think big.

My thoughts were of Slow Exposures in Pike Country -- the feeling and atmosphere of the show -- and the fact that it benefits the local historic society. We could do something like that in Fayette County to benefit the land trust. Many local photographers visit the Line Creek Nature Area for great photos all year round. Why not use our photography to raise awareness of the properties and help raise some funds as well?

There were a lot of questions to answer to get the ball rolling. First we needed a location and dates for the show. Abby Jordan, Executive Director with the trust, and I have been working hard to get the show going. One day I was in Dogwood Gallery, talking to Greg Blair about the show. I did not think that he would be interested -- since it was a benefit -- but he was! We had a place. And it is a very nice place to hang a show! Did I say I was thrilled to have the show at Dogwood? I am thrilled!

During the last couple months I have been networking with the photography community in the Atlanta area. I visited the director of the Slow Exposures show in Zebulon for advice. The ladies with Slow Exposures are so very nice. Chris was wonderful to sit with me for a while giving great advice. Andrea stopped by out of the blue and even offered to come help hang the show if we needed her. One of the Fayette Photo Club members knew someone with the Atlanta Photography Group. I talked with her and emailed her with information and questions. She was a great resource and she offered to forward the call for entries to many Atlanta area photo clubs. And she has -- thanks Virginia!

That is where we are right now -- getting the call for entries out there. Since this show will take place at the end of April -- time is short. Next time (2010) -- we will have a year to get the word out about the show. The deadline is to have your entry in the mail no later than January 31, 2009. The call for entries can be found on the trust website www.sctlandtrust.org. Check the upper left corner of the homepage. Click the link, read the fine print, and print the entry form.

The show is open to any photographer interested. There are two categories, the first -- Nature, Undisturbed -- is showcasing nature photography at any location. The other category is site-specific to photography at trust properties only. These properties are all in Fayette County, Georgia and are: Line Creek Nature Area, Flat Creek Nature Area (both in Peachtree City) and Sam's Lake Bird Sanctuary (in Fayette County, south of Fayetteville). Color, black & white, sepia, and manipulated images are all included in these two categories.

So get busy looking through your images and enter!