'Photo Walk' Planned In Downtown New London Saturday

For photographers of all skills levels and with all types of equipment — from consumer-grade point-and-shoots to high-end professional cameras — Saturday is the fifth annual Worldwide Photo Walk. And New London shutterbugs can get in on the fun at a local event.

Worldwide Photo Walk is a free social photography event organized by Scott Kelby, the president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. Volunteer walk leaders guide groups of up to 50 photographers on a tour of an interesting or photogenic area.

The official cutoff date to lead a walk was Oct. 1, but there is still time to register to be a photo walker.

In 2011, there were more than 1,000 photo walks around the globe, an upwards of 28,000 participants, according to the Worldwide Photo Walk website. This year, there are already 1,334 walks scheduled and nearly 30,000 walkers registered.

Because it is a social event, the fun keeps going after the walking photo shoot. Participants meet up at a bar or restaurant afterward to share and compare their pictures.

The New London walk will be led by John Fast. It begins at 3 p.m. outside the New London Superior Court and will follow a 1.5 mile route along Huntington Street, through downtown, and to the Thames River. Participants will meet after the walk at Hot Rod Cafe.

"This is primarily a social function where we can share our enthusiasm for photography and the city of New London," said Fast.

Register for the walk at worldwidephotowalk.com.