The Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW) launched its first annual Kingston Photo Festival in conjunction with Upstate Art Weekend. The free three-day community event took place last weekend at its newly renovated three-story historic building, the Van Slyke and Horton Cigar Factory, in the Midtown Arts District.
There were booths that offered dog portraits by Shannon Greer, screen printing by D.R.A.W., sitting for a tintype of yourself by photographer Tom Delooza, a VR exhibit by My Kingston Kids, trying your hand at making cyanotypes in Viktorsha Uliyanove’s workshop, a do-it-yourself photo booth for kids, CPW photobook and zine fair, two film screenings and much more. Photographer Brenda Ann Kenneally’s exhibit “Upstate Girls” was installed in a steel shipping container.
In reflection, I was an original member of the Woodstock Photographers’ Co-Op way back during the summer of 1973. Thursday nights were our meetings on Tinker Street in a small shack. I was lucky to meet fellow photographers Howie Greenburg (who later started CPW), Alan Carey and Dan McCormick as we sat on the floor and discussed our work. I sold my first photograph there to a couple from NYC — it was of a sunset on Fire Island. We adjourned for the winter as the building had no heat. I cherish those memories and friendships and how it encouraged my love of photography.
Join the family! 
