The International Association of Panoramic Photographers, IAPP, celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. The first meeting of panoramic photographers was held in April 1984. Many of the participants were using the old Cirkut rotational cameras and felt they needed to establish a network of photographers with a similar interest in panoramic photography. Harold Lewis was elected the first President and Richard Fowler as Secretary/Treasurer.The first meeting was held in Hampton VA. Subsequent meetings have been held in a wide variety of locations. A prime criterion for selections was that the location enjoys unique, scenic beauty so members can practice some of their panoramic skills. Locations for the alternating Spring and Fall meetings, usually about 18 mos. apart have included Annapolis MD, Yellowstone Ntl. Park WY, Banff Canada, Bar Harbor ME, Flagstaff AZ, Moab UT, Quebec City, Canada and many others.
This year the fall meeting will be held in Springfield MA on Columbus Day weekend in October. It should be a great opportunity to visit Southern New England when he fall colors are at their peak.
Because the International Conventions are 18 months apart many members have sponsored conferences in between. The conferences give a smaller number of members a chance to visit and learn and also have been held abroad as well as in the USA. Conferences have been held in Las Vegas, Boston, and New Orleans to name a few and in Europe in Brussels, Paris and Peyresq, France, and Orvieto, Italy.
In April 2005 the IAPP held a conference in Gmunden Austria, April 15-17 in conjunction with Gmundner Fototage 2005. This was a perfect place for IAPP’s European members and other panoramic photographers to get together and exchange ideas.
The group’s roots were firmly based in older 360ş rotational cameras, but in time expanded to include all aspects of panoramic photography. While many of the founders were group portrait photographers and some members still are, the membership began to include photographers interested in all aspects of panoramic photography using all types of cameras and the newest digital technologies.
Many of the members have an interest in stock photography. There is a strong group of stock photographers in the Association including many that make their livelihood shooting stock.
Numerous members of IAPP have authored both instructional books and coffee table books of spectacular panoramic images. These have included Joseph Meehan’s Panoramic Photography and Nick Meers’ Stretch: The World of Panoramic Photography that features the work of a number of IAPP members. Both these men have other titles to their credit. Please peruse our website for other publications
While traditional film based photography is still popular and practiced by the members many members are also deeply involved in immersive imaging and digital photography. Chet Hanchett had Apple put on a program about QuickTime VR at the International convention in Flagstaff back in 1995. This was the first time that many of the members had ever seen panoramas made digitally. A few of the members became early adapters and today the IAPP boosts some very creative digital panoramic photographers including Mr. Jook Leung
Jook recently appeared on ABC Network News' 'Ahead of the Curve' program in an unprecedented 14-minute interview. Award-winning panorama photographer Jook Leung hiked the awareness of Virtual Reality to a new level this week with this interview on ABC’s digital cable news channels. The interview lasted an impressive 14 minutes, opening with panoramas from his New Years Eve in Times Square series, followed by a demonstration of his camera and 8mm fisheye lens and wrapping up with panoramic prints. Please see his website, http://360vr.com/
Today the IAPP offers something for everyone who is interested in Panoramic Photography no matter the source of that interest nor the medium you want to work in. You can learn more about the IAPP or become a member by visiting www.panphoto.com.
