The history of photography dates back more than 175 years to 1827, when Joseph Ni�pce produced the first successful picture, an 8-hour exposure of a building, tree and a barn. But it was New York native George Eastman who made great strides in bringing the joy of photography to the amateur when in 1880 he developed and patented both a dry plate formula and a machine for processing a large number of plates.

In 1888, Eastman's Kodak name was introduced to the general public and the first KODAK Camera was placed on the market. Loaded with 100 exposures on a film roll (cost: $25), and simple operating instructions, the camera revolutionized the use of photography.As Kodak's advertising slogan said, �You press the button and we do the rest.�

At nearly the same time Eastman was bringing the joy of still photography to the general public, the development of the moving image was underway. Thomas Edison commissioned W. K. L. Dickson to invent a motion picture camera in 1887, which led to Louis Aime Augustin Le Prince making the first motion picture on sensitized paper rolls taken with a camera one year later.

The introduction to the market of the first commercial transparent roll film (perfected by Eastman and his research chemist) made possible the development of Edison's first motion picture camera in 1891.

In New York State, you'll find countless opportunities for taking �learning vacations.� Enjoy a wide array of museums and exhibitions from New York City to Buffalo that not only trace the development of, but also preserve, the static and moving image.

In New York City, the American Museum of the Moving Image - home of the nation's largest collection of moving image artifacts - is devoted to the art, history and technology of motion pictures, television and digital media. The core exhibition �Behind the Screen� presents more than 1,600 moving image artifacts including a portrait gallery of movie stars, thirteen interactive experiences that allow visitors to participate in the process of making movies and daily screenings of classic movie serials. Every weekend, the museum presents retrospective film screenings, often accompanied by appearances by the filmmakers themselves.

The first major U.S. museum to name a curator of digital media, the American Museum of the Moving Image features an exhibition, �Digital Media,� devoted to the digital moving image and software-based art.

The museum is located at 35th Avenue at 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, 11106 www.movingimage.us; (718)784-0077.

Manhattan's International Center of Photography (ICP) is a museum and school dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of photography. ICP, one of the largest photography museums in the world, advances the knowledge of the medium through thought-provoking exhibitions, collections providing access to more than 1,000 photographers and 50,000 prints. ICP is located at 1130 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street, Manhattan, 10036 www.icp.org; (212)857-0000.

Founded in 1935, the film library of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) includes more than 19,000 films and four-million film stills, including the strongest international film collection in the United States. Among the holdings are original negatives of the Biograph and Edison companies in addition to the world's largest collection of D. W. Griffith films.For screening schedules,call the box office at (212)777 4900. www.moma.org; (212) 708-9400.

Amid the splendor of the Catskills region, you'll find ongoing exhibitions of photography, mixed media, digital imagery, installations and video in the spacious galleries of the Center for Photography at Woodstock. The Center prides itself in supporting and promoting emerging and under-recognized photo-based artists and boasts a regular schedule of workshops and lectures. The center is located at 59 Tinker Street, Woodstock, 12498. www.cpw.org; (845) 679-9957.

The Case Research Lab at the Cayuga Museum, in the Finger Lakes region, is the site where the first commercially successful system of sound film was invented in 1923. This groundbreaking invention, along with other sound production processes invented at the Lab, set the standards for all sound production to this day.

See firsthand the working spaces of the darkroom and chemistry lab, the first sound camera and projector, an infrared signaling system, experimental recording equipment and view a 1928 Movietone News recorded image. The museum is located at 203 Genesee Street, Auburn, 13021. www.cayuganet.org/cayugamuseum; (315) 253-8051. While in the region, a visit to the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film is a must. Located on historic East Avenue in Rochester, the 12.5-acre museum site was the Eastman's urban estate. Tour Eastman's restored house and gardens, an archive building and research center complete with photo galleries, two theaters and an educational center.

The Museum houses an unparalleled collection of 400,000 photographs from 11,000 photographers dating from the beginnings of photography, as well as cameras and other items of technology, motion-picture titles and publicity stills. It also contains a comprehensive library of photographic books, manuscripts and journals. Motion picture titles are exhibited in nightly film screenings (except when the museum is closed) in the museum's historic Dryden Theatre. The Eastman house is located at 900 East Avenue, Rochester, 14607. www.eastmanhouse.org; (585) 271-3361.

For more information on photography and motion pictures in New York State, or for other travel ideas in the Empire State's 11 vacation regions, visit www.iloveny.com or call toll-free 1-800-CALL-NYS.

###

For further information, contact:- Scott Flaherty sflaherty@empire.state.ny.us +1 (518) 292-5131