Last June, twenty four enthusiastic, Midwestern, photographers, met at Bill Schwab’s Northern Michigan event. It was a wonderful meeting of like minds, camaraderie, visiting Bill’s favorite places to shoot, learning from and helping happy film nuts. It was a joy to see such excellent work and hear people talk about processes they were trying. The only thing I didn’t like was that when it was over there wasn’t going to be another one for a year.
In an effort to change that we would like to stage an additional Midwestern gathering in the Fall of 2008, not in competition with Bill, but an addition. This is the planning stage. We need feedback and interest in having a second gathering, possibly late September – early October of 2008. If there is enough interest we will put it on.
Dolly and I live about a mile from the western edge of the park, roughly five miles from the OH turnpike and RT 77, between Akron and Cleveland. We have three acres attached to her family’s 87 acres. There is room for 10-12 tents if people want to camp. We would need to rent a porta potty for the campers. Cold drinkable water is available. Within five miles there is every chain hotel and restaurant. We can plan cook outs or have meals out as we did in Michigan. My darkroom is available for loading film holders and camera emergencies. Visiting workshops, presentations and individual show and tell are encouraged.
Possible photo subjects arranged by distance:
At home - pond, barn, woods, fields, streams, horses, dogs, deer by night, heron, geese, ducks by day, 1955 356 Porsche speedster
2-5 miles – three water falls, fifteen OH-Erie canal locks in various states of disrepair, heron rookery with 150+ nests, covered wooden bridge, goat farm, scenic railroad, ponds, 1830s restoration village (no tripods), lakes, marsh, beaver dams, grass land, forests, 50 foot cliffs, caves, streams feeding the Cuyahoga River, farm orchard producing home made ice cream and pies (purely of photographic interest), OH Turnpike bridges crossing the Cuyahoga River gorge.
20 miles- Cleveland flats were it is said that you can not take a picture without including three bridges, five is common, lake freighters 700-1,000 feet long, Lake Erie Industrial shore to scenic beaches. Thriving and failed industry. Frank Gehry designed -. Weatherhead School of Management. I. M. Pei designed - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. New Photography wing at the Akron Art Museum. New Photography wing at the Cleveland Art Museum may be finished, not sure.
Additional information -
http://www.nps.gov/cuva/ Cuyahoga Valley National Park
What do you think of the idea?
Would you attend such a gathering?
What questions do you have?
How many days should it be?
What would you add or subtract?
COME ON OVER !!!
John & Dolly Powers
Northern Ohio Gathering, Fall of 2008, Cuyahoga Valley National Park 
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