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Video - The Love of Water Turned into Art
September 15, 2022
In May of 2022 I was informed that OM System wanted to create a short video that highlighted who I am as a person and a photographer. I was given the freedom to choose the location. Given my love of paddling, Killarney Provincial Park in northern Ontario was a natural fit. I knew the area well. It is a haven for canoeing and a dream for landscape photography. I worked with a wonderful videographer from the UK. We spent four days paddling, hiking, and shooting in the park. This video is the final result. I hope you enjoy it.  
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1st Place in Annual Photography Contest
February 25, 2021
I am pleased to announce that one of my images placed first in the "Forgotten Spaces" category as part of the Canadian Geographic 2020 Annual Photography contest. 
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Capturing Light
February 6, 2020
Photography, at its core, is capturing light. In 2020, Olympus is reaffirming its dedication to helping you channel your inner creative. Join us Peter Baumgarten for a one-of-a-kind photographic experience. Journey through illumination as you engage in interactive hands-on shooting experiences designed to improve your skills and help you get the most out of your camera.
  • PAINT WITH LIGHT: Light up the night with composite shooting and your very own mini LED light stick. Did we mention you get to take it home?
  • CAPTURE THE NIGHT SKY: Focus on the stars and bring the cosmos to life.
  • FREEZE MOTION: Learn to capture precise moments and never miss a split-second action shot again.
  • MAXIMIZE RESOLUTION: Capture ultra-high resolution photos with the highest level of detail.
  • IN-CAMERA ND: Easily create dreamy nature shots with live preview.
  • LIGHTEN UP: Maximize in-camera stabilization for sharp images without stabilizing gear.
For more information and to register, visit ​https://learnandsupport.getolympus.com/events/
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Antarctic Expedition
September 6, 2019
I am very excited to announce that I have teamed up with Expedia CruiseShipCenters and Quark Expeditions for the adventure of a lifetime - an incredible journey to "Explore the 7th Continent".
"This will be the first in a series of Epic Adventures featuring Professional Photographer Peter Baumgarten.
Dates - November 13, 2020 - November 24, 2020
Departure - Ushuaia, Argentina aboard the newly christened World Explorer"
If a visit to Antarctica is on your bucket list you can join me on this once in a lifetime adventure. More information can be found at https://bit.ly/2k2cXNP
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Creative Live Course
August 20, 2019
Creative Live is the premiere online educational resource for photographers. Peter Baumgarten is thrilled to announce that he has teamed up with Creative Live to develop and present A Beginner's Guide to Astro Landscape Photography as part of Olympus' Step Outside set of courses. This course will provide detailed information on how to get started with astro-landscape photography including, basic gear and settings, understanding the night sky, scouting and composition, photographing the moon, post-processing tips and many other topics.
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Peter Baumgarten reflects on five years as Olympus Visionary
​By Warren Schlote - August 7, 2019
MANITOWANING – Island photographer Peter Baumgarten has just finished his fifth year of being an Olympus Visionary and the globe-trotting retired teacher says his adventures only continue to grow.
“I have to pinch myself sometimes because it is quite an honour to be affiliated with the company. I didn’t go into it with any expectations; whatever came my way I’d accept,” says Mr. Baumgarten. “If it ended I’d accept it as well, but it keeps going. I’m happy it is; they’re a great company to be affiliated with.”
Camera and electronics manufacturer Olympus launched its Olympus Visionary program in 2003. Mr. Baumgarten is the only Canadian among the current slate of 14 photographers across North America who are part of the program.
Read the remainder of the article
Workshop and Presentations at NECCC
June 15, 2019
​Peter Baumgarten will be attending the New England Camera Club Council 2019 Conference from July 14 - 19 at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He will be leading a 3-hour workshop on Focus Stacking and Bracketing along with presentations on Landscape Photography, Astro-landscape Photography, and Features on your Olympus Camera that can Improve Your Outdoor Photography. His presentations are sponsored by Olympus America. For further information visit the NECCC website. 
Presentation on Manitoulin Island
April 25, 2018
Peter Baumgarten, will be presenting to a local audience on Wednesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at the Mindemoya Curling Club. The presentation is entitled "Photographing the Great Outdoors, An Exploration of Landscape and Wildlife Photography".  The presentation will showcase his favourite images and will provide many tips that other photographers can use to improve their own images. 
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Presentation for the Sudbury Shutterbugs
April 1, 2018
The Sudbury Shutterbugs Camera Club will be hosting a presentation by Peter Baumgarten, Olympus Visionary entitled, By Path or By Paddle, An Exploration of Landscape and Wildlife Photography. The presentation will take place at the Parkside Centre at 140 Durham St, on Wednesday April 4 at 7 p.m.
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Review Published in Olympus Passion
March 2, 2018
​Today we are proud to present you the March 2018 edition of the Olympus Passion Photography Magazine!
Filled with great articles and beautiful photographs, inside this 10th issue you will find:
  • My Magic Moments With The Olympus!, by Malzgorzata Piwnik
  • My journey into photography: Why I’ve chosen Olympus, by Rudi Sørstrønen
  • How to take your Travel Photography to the next level, by Jim and Christina
  • Why I swapped the Fuji X-T1 for the Olympus OM-D EM-5 II, by Rick Bowden
  • Why I love the PEN-F but switched to the Olympus OM-D E-M1, by Daniel Stocker
  • My father’s cameras – An Olympus story, by Hugo Pinho
  • The Olympus 12-100mm f/4 PRO – A Real Workhorse, by Peter Baumgarten
  • TIPS & TRICKS – 5 easy ways to convert an image to Black & White
  • INSTAGRAM – Recommended Instagram accounts that you should take a look
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Seniors Photography Course
February 8, 2018
FREE Photography Classes for Seniors with Peter Baumgarten
Come and learn about composition with local photographer Peter Baumgarten! This class is for beginners and not designed to be a technical class.
The course consists of 3 sessions; Tuesday February 13th, Thursday February 15th, Tuesday February 20th
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Tutorial Published in Olympus Passion
November 5, 2017
Today we are proud to present you the November edition of the Olympus Passion Photography Magazine!
Filled with great articles and beautiful photographs, inside this 6th issue you will find:
  • Going Light – Micro Four-Thirds in Africa, by Jim Griggs
  • Testing my new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II in Iceland, by Lisa Michele Burns
  • Olympus OM-D E-M1 – Street and Travel Photography, by Daniel Mitchell
  • My journey to the E-M1 Mark ll, by Ron Moes
  • Exposure Bracketing: Achieving More Accurate HDR Images, by Peter Baumgarten
  • The Great British Barber Bash with the small E-M10, by David Brown
  • Bird photography experience with the Olympus E-M1 Mark II, by Andreas Geh
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Presentation in Charlotte, North Carolina
September 25, 2017
On October 6, Peter Baumgarten will be giving a presentation at Biggs Camera in Charlotte, NC. The presentation will focus on the challenges of outdoor photography. 
"The great outdoors offers some amazing photo opportunities. Travel along with Peter Baumgarten, Olympus Visionary as he discusses the challenges and joys of outdoor photography, including tips to improve your landscape, macro, wildlife and night sky photography." 
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Astrophotography Presentation to the Etobicoke Camera Club
September 4, 2017
THE ETOBICOKE CAMERA CLUB'S first club meeting for the 2017-2018 season on Monday, September 11th, 2017 at 7 pm, will feature Landscape and Nature professional photographer, Peter Baumgarten from Manitoulan Island. The meeting will be held in the regular meeting location at 76 Anglesey Blvd. in central Etobicoke.
Peter's presentation "Astrophotography, Photographing the Beauty of the Night Sky" will concentrate on night images and tips and techniques on how best to photograph them! Peter also has the distinction of being an Olympus Visionary (Olympus cameras) and can be reached at his own website of, www.creativeislandphoto.com as well as his Facebook presence, Peter Baumgarten - Creative Island Photography.
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THE ART OF CAPTURING LIGHT
An Introductory Course to Photography
A good photograph involves three things – interesting composition, using the proper camera settings, and effective post-processing. This hands-on course will examine each of these components and help you further develop your skills in the art of photography.
You will require a dSLR or interchangeable lens camera, tripod, and laptop with wireless connectivity. Some equipment is available for loan if pre-arranged. 

Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 
September 5, 7, 12, 14, 2017
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Fee: $150
Location: Assiginack Public Library, Maker Space, Manitowaning
DEADLINE TO REGISTER is August 30, 2017
Enrollment Limited to 10 Photographers!
To register or for questions, contact
Peter Baumgarten
Office: 705-859-2056
Mobile: 705-561-0277
email: creativeislandphoto@gmail.com
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Olympus Advertorial in Outdoor Photographer
February 17, 2017
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In November, 2016 I was interviewed about my experiences with the new Olympus E-M1 Mark II. The interview focused specifically on a birding photo shoot near Gravenhurst, Ontario back in August. The interview and a couple of owl photos were featured in the February, 2017 of Outdoor Photographer. 
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Feature Photo in Shutterbug Magazine
Talking Pictures feature by Barry Tanenbaum, January 2017 issue
​
The January 2017 issue of Shutterbug magazine, one of North America's best-known photography publications featured Peter Baumgarten's image "Winter Spirit" in their Talking Pictures section and the story behind the shot. 

Read the article online...
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Macro Unleashed: Focus Stacking & Bracketing with E-M1 Mark II
By Michael Palmer  · On November 29, 2016

How can you shoot compelling Macro Photography quickly and easily? Join us as we sit down with Olympus Trailblazer, Peter Baumgarten, to chat about the new OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera system as well as how you can use Olympus’ Focus Stacking and Focus Bracketing features to create your own stunning Macro shots.

Read the entire interview...


Peter Baumgarten on using Micro Four Thirds for Astrophotography
November 29, 2016 By Admin Mirrorless Curation, bestmirrorlessblogs.com 

Those interested in using the Micro Four Thirds system – namely Olympus and Panasonic Lumix – for astrophotography might harbour some concern about the performance of the smaller sensor in low-light conditions.
In his series of dedicated blog posts, Canadian photographer and Olympus Trailblazer Peter Baumgartenalleviates many of these fears by showing you how to make the most out of the OM-D E-M1 for astrophotography.

Read the full article...

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New Pro Website Launches
 
November 1, 2016

With the official announcement of the Olympus OMD E-M1 Mark II, a new Pro Gallery website highlights the work of fifteen professional photographers from around the world. 
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22nd Annual Manitoulin Art Tour attracts visitors across the Island to take in the creative talents of our artists
By Michael Erskine - 
 
Jul 20, 2016

MANITOULIN—Exhibiting in the Manitoulin Fine Arts Association (MFAA) Manitoulin Art Tour is always a great experience for artists, providing not only a chance to show off their work to potential patrons, but also an opportunity to meet and chat with a wide range of art lovers from across the globe.
This year’s event was another great success, according to the artists and LAMBAC Art Tour coordinator Carolyn Dearing. “I think it was a success again,” she said. “There were numerous artists and lots of visitors coming to take part in communities across the Island.”

Excerpt below


Photographer Peter Baumgarten is familiar to most readers of The Expositor, which has had the pleasure of publishing a number of his outstanding works over the years. “Every photo has a story,” noted Mr. Baumgarten. In one work, a pair of swallows are setting up shop in a roadside birdhouse, flanked by a ‘keep out no trespassing’ sign. “I had passed that birdhouse so many times over the years, I always thought to myself ‘if only there were birds’,” he said. One day he saw a bird flutter to the post. “I parked my car and waited there about 20 minutes for the shot,” he recalled. “What you don’t see is the lady putting her laundry on the line wondering to herself what the guy with the camera hanging out his car window was up to.”


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Peter Baumgarten was on-site at the Assiginack Museum showcasing his photography. Peter’s work has been published in Canadian Geographic and Digital Photo Magazine. photo by Michael Erskine

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Workshop - Photography for the Extreme Enthusiast

I am excited to announce that I will be leading a 3-day photography workshop this summer as part of Perivale Gallery's annual set of Summer Art Workshops. Here is a brief description...

"From the tiniest macro shots to grand landscapes, from the mundane to the unusual, develop your skills & passion for the art of photography. Learn to see and capture the world in ways that most people miss. We will include a bit of theory and a lot of practice, with the main focus being on nature/landscape photography."

This workshop is designed for those photographers who want to go beyond the basics and further develop the key skills behind every good image - composition, camera settings, and post-processing.

The cost is $185 and enrolment is limited. A complete outline is in the works that will detail all of the topics covered and equipment needed for the workshop.

Visit www.perivalegallery.com for more information and their complete calendar of summer workshops.

Winter Photo Project: Frozen Bubbles by Peter Baumgarten
By Michael Palmer  · On February 29, 2016
Featured in Steve's Digicams, 
www.steves-digicams.com

​March is the worst. Maybe not the coldest winter month, but the fussiest. Roads and parking lots turn to a brown ice-sludge. Hints of springtime reveal themselves to be mirages hiding the next deep freeze or a blizzard. The kids are bored, and you’re just sick of it. While we can’t end winter early for you (not yet, anyway), we can suggest this is your last chance to take on a fun Winter Photo Project.
Aptly called Frozen Bubbles, we came across this photo project courtesy of Olympus Trailblazer, Peter Baumgarten, who wrote up it up over at his website, Creative Island Photography. I’ve gotten to know a few Olympus Trailblazers over the last two years and each one offers a uniquely passionate take on what photography means to him or her.
Peter was kind enough to share his Frozen Bubbles recipe with us and then sit down for a quick interview, which you’ll find below. First up, the project.

Read the entire interview...


Focal Point
By Norm Rosen, Editor, PhotoNEWS
Volume 24, Number 4, Winter 2015-2016

...We are proud to present a portfolio from Peter Baumgarten, Canada's first Olympus Trailblazer, whose inspiring images of winter on Manitoulin Island may have you searching for your mittens and mukluks so you can add photos like these to your collection...

View the entire magazine
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Island photographer Peter Baumgarten featured in PHOTONews
By Michael Erskine - Dec 23, 2015

MANITOWANING—A stunning image, taken at night in Baie Fine of Ezra Jones spinning flaming steel wool graces the cover of the winter issue of PHOTONews, Canada’s premier quarterly photography magazine. That image was taken by Manitoulin’s own Peter Baumgarten and heralds his featured portfolio within, ‘Magnificent Manitoulin.’
Photography has provided Mr. Baumgarten quite a ride lately—literally—as an ambassador for photographic equipment giant Olympus, a gig which has taken him across the continent to provide lectures and photography walks from coast to coast and which led, in part, to his work being featured in PHOTONews.

Read the remainder of the article...



Passion for photography brings international recognition for Manitoulin’s Peter Baumgarten

By Michael Erskine - April 16, 2014

MANITOWANING—You can’t miss the excitement in the voice of Manitowaning photographer (teacher, writer, actor, singer and notable Robbie Burns channeller) Peter Baumgarten as he talks about his recent success in a field that has been his second most lifelong passion—photography.
This past year has seen a virtual avalanche of accolades, recognition and opportunities for the self-taught shutterbug. His photographs have been garnering increasing interest from magazines and editors across the globe (we stumbled upon this story about his latest accomplishments after calling to request permission to publish a photograph of South Baymouth this author spotted in an online post).
Another winter photograph taken by Mr. Baumgarten near High Falls is featured in this month’s edition of Canadian Geographic as a two-page spread. Digital Photographer magazine, a photography magazine from the United Kingdom, is printing yet another of his photographs along with a short feature article about him and his photography in an upcoming edition and Cambrian College has asked him to teach a basic photography course in May—oh and then there is that Olympus America Trailblazers Ambassador thing.

Read the remainder of the article...



Canadian Museum of Nature's Canadian Wildlife Photography exhibit - 2014
QMI AGENCY
FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2014 08:00 AM EDT
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