The first ever “Island Photographic Festival”  is set for Sept. 17-19. The theme of the festival will be “A Celebration of Nature Photography.”

“The key is ‘fun’ ‘engaging’  and ‘educational,’” says event organizer Alex Huppenthal, a frequent Orcas Island visitor who “formally moved to the island”  this summer.

Preliminary plans for the  three day event include presentations by professional photographers of their body of work, fee-based photographic “safaris” on Orcas Island – Air/Land/Sea – accompanied by pro photographers, and, on the final day,  digital image management and production workshops, how to make a book, introductions to the art of photographic image management and digital production.

Ticket costs for the festival are $20 per day. Costs for the workshops and seminars have not yet been set.

A photographic competition in collaboration with the festival can be accessed at
https://orcasphotofest.org/ The theme of the competition is “Abbondanza! Abundance of Life on Orcas Island.”  First prize winners of each category – People, Places and Nature — will receive a free ticket to the festival.

Huppenthal plans to produce a book of photographs for the festival, to retail at $99. Those whose photographs are included for selection will receive a discount on the book. August 18 is the deadline for photo entries.

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