Adirondack outdoor photographer Carl Heilman will be leading three upcoming one-day nature photography workshops at View which are open to beginners to intermediate photographers.

During the workshops, Heilman will offer instruction on the many facets of digital and film photography including camera basics, digital camera features and menus, RAW files, digital workflow, lenses, depth of field, composition, lighting, and various photo techniques.

The first workshop will be held on Saturday, February 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Heilman said his passion for photography began decades ago during a climb up Algonquin Mountain. Once he reached the top of the windswept mountain, he became overwhelmed by the view it afforded.

It was a desire to capture this experience in the Adirondack High Peaks that spurred him to buy his first SLR camera in 1975, he said.

Today, Heilman makes a living selling his photographs and photography books, as well as leading workshops and classes that help others learn the skills of the trade.

The author of 11 books, Heilman has written on photography techniques and tips. He has two more books slotted for release in June of this year with the tentative titles: Photographing the Adirondacks and 101 Top Tips for Landscape Photography.

Primarily self-taught in the field of photography, Heilman said he took one class in black and white photography, where he gained darkroom experience, while at State College in Millersville, PA.

A Pennsylvania native, Heilman was introduced to the Adirondacks through childhood visits to his grandparents’ farm at Brant Lake.

In 1958, his parents also bought property there, and in 1973, Heilman packed a VW bus and moved there himself.  

Heilman gets out to canoe, hike and snowshoe with a camera whenever he can—less often on skis, he said.

His work with depth of field and accentuating foreground details has developed with time, but his eye hasn’t really changed from when he started photographing.

He said he still loves to create the feeling of “being there” in his photographs. The addition of wide-angle, telephoto and panoramic lenses has influenced the  evolution of his work.

Heilman expressed satisfaction with current print quality available in photography.

“We can now capture the dynamic range of tonal values and details in print, whereas that wasn’t possible in the past,” he said.

Students in Heilman’s one-day workshops can expect to learn the basics of image photography.

“Aperature and shutter control determine not only exposure but also depth of field and motion. These are the basics of every image that you shoot,” Heilman said.

“Camera settings, dynamic range, exposure, composition, techniques, panning, selective focus are some of a wide range of topics we cover in a four to five hour session. Then we go out and experiment with what was covered in the presentation,” Heilman said.

This is Heilman’s second year of teaching at View. He has previously worked with the arts center founder, Miriam Kashiwa, has presented programs at the Old Forge Library, and held book signings at the Old Forge Hardware.

His work is on display throughout the Adirondacks at such venues as the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, the Adirondack Park Visitors’ Interpretive Center, and the Wild Center in Tupper Lake.

The cost of the workshop is $150 for members, $175 for non-members of View. Class size is limited.

Registration is available by calling (315) 369-6411 or at: viewarts.org.

Heilman’s two other workshops are scheduled for June 8 and August 4 from noon to 8 p.m.

More information about Carl Heilman can be found at: www.CarlHeilman.com.