CAZENOVIA — On June 3, Cazenovia resident Jerry Hook and other members of the Canastota-based “Swamp Snappers Camera Club” are hosting a free three-part open house at the Great Swamp Conservancy at 8375 N. Main St., Canastota. The event is open to anyone interested in developing their nature photography skills.
The event, titled “A Guide to Nature Photography,” will begin at noon with an hour of hands-on camera setting advice given by the club’s experienced photographers. Participants are invited to bring their cameras and questions.
From 1 to 2 p.m., professional photographer Ed Guarente will present on the eagles of Onondaga Lake.
Guarente is based in Central New York and has over 30 years of professional photography experience. For much of that time, he specialized in senior, wedding, and studio photography, but when the COVID pandemic hit, he shifted his focus to nature photography. He has captured many images of the bald eagles on Onondaga Lake.
Guarente’s presentation will cover camera equipment and settings, advice for capturing outstanding images, and some basic Lightroom and Photoshop image enhancement tips.
From 2 to 3 p.m., the Swamp Snappers will lead a guided tour through the Great Swamp Blue Heron Trail to the Great Blue Heron Rookery, where over 30 nests currently stand. The club members will be available to answer questions, help with camera settings, and more.
Members of the public are welcome to attend only the parts that interest them or join in all three.
The not-for-profit Swamp Snappers Camera Club typically meets on the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Great Swamp Conservancy.
Hook, who is one of only a couple of Swamp Snappers from Cazenovia, said he hopes the upcoming event will encourage more Cazenovians to join the club, especially since the community does not have a camera club of its own.
“The big thing [about the event] is we are offering a free membership for one year if you join that day,” he said.
Hook added that he would love to form a Cazenovia-based camera club, but because he doesn’t live in town year-round, he thinks he is probably not the right person to get one up and running.
To learn more about the Swamp Snappers and the Great Swamp Conservancy, visit greatswampconservancy.org.
