Do you live in a "highly photographic" area?

[mooseontheloose]

I grew up in Manitoba in a tiny hamlet of about 500 people surrounded by fields and small forests of even smaller trees. In fact, we are just south to where the land becomes mostly boreal forest. As a budding photographer there I felt there was nothing for me to photograph (and no one to help me since I seemed to be the only semi-serious photographer in town). But now that I live halfway across the world, it’s my favourite places to photograph, even though I only get home once every two years on average. Give me the flat plains and big skies of the Prairies any day!

Of course, now I live in Kyoto, and I’m sure most people would consider it a photogenic city (although that's debatable once you take all the temples and shrines away). I do see people with film cameras occasionally, but I don’t personally know anyone shooting with it here. Although we have events like the month-long Kyotographie which features photographs (and photographic art) from international artists, it seems to me there is a much bigger film/photographic community in Tokyo. That said, I recently discovered a Kyoto-based photography group, and hopefully I'll be able to go to one of their events in the near future. Like others have mentioned, I like photography as a solo pursuit so don't really need anyone to shoot with, but it would be nice to talk to people about it face-to-face and not just online.

 

[Pentode]

I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan. Lots of photographers around and many still shooting film.*

*Actually, I think many are new to film and came from a digital background, but you get the idea.

 

[Eric Rose]

I live in Calgary, AB. Within a 100 mile radius we have mountains, foothills, prairies, badlands and sand dunes. So yes I live in a VERY photogenic area. Oh ya and a pretty metro area to boot. One this is safe to wander around in and not worry about being mugged or worse.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

A friend of mine and I talk quite a bit about how passionate we are about our hobbies. He's a really talented guitar player and I'm a really uhh....well I'm a photographer . But I also have a huge passion for motorsports. You get the idea.

He has talked about moving to a new city so he could be a part of a larger pool of musicians in an effort to form a band since we live in a very "compartmentalized" artistic area (Detroit). There are definitely artists here but the true artists seem to stay to themselves unlike the many "poseurs" in the area. Yes being in a band is a lot different than being a photographer since photography is usually a one man show but the idea made me curious.

It makes me realize that for a city as large as we live in, I have NEVER seen anyone else shooting film. And I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've seen a digital shooter out taking photographs.

On the other hand when I went to Tokyo, film culture was enormous there and more people seemed aware of film still being around.

This makes me think, do you guys live in a place with lots of photographers? What do you say to them if your paths cross? Just a fun thread I guess, I wasn't sure where else to put it.

-Tron

I am lucky to live near the High Peaks region of the Adirondak Park in northern NYS. One of the most beautiful spots on earth, saving the plague of idiot tourists. This past July I climbed (actually a 6 mile walk uphill) Algonquin, the second highest high peak. At the summit there must have been thirty people, most with cameras/smartphones, I turned around and walked back. Too many "photographers" none using film.
In 1987, I climbed that same mountain toting an 8x10 camera and encountered precisely 3 people.

 

[jim10219]

• 
  
  
  Yeah, I grew up there, so I know in general of what you speak, but I think you need to travel around a bit more; especially to the East and South East of the State, but don't neglect the panhandle...
  • Ouachita Mountains: Skyline Drive and Lake Tenkiller
  • Illinois River directly South of Tenkiller
  • Great Salt Plains State Park (in panhandle)
  • Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, located in Osage County
  • The Kiamichi River
  • Any older section of just about any town in the Southern Half of Oklahoma; not much has changed...

Yeah, I've been to most of those places. I loved Tenkiller as a kid, but it's a nasty lake now. They really let it go. That water used to be really clear.

I almost got arrested in Reed OK a few years ago. The sheriff didn't take kindly to strangers coming into his town and photographing stuff. When I told him I was on public property and it was all legal, he told me he saw me joyriding through some guys field (which I did not). I took quite a bit of smooth talking to talk him down out of taking me in for trespassing and vandalism (neither of which did I ever come close to doing). I also got pulled over and handed in a random small town south of Tulsa for speeding. I was doing 5 under and he didn't even have a radar gun, but it didn't matter. I wasn't local so I was easy money. I had another incident in Skeedee, but knew a local there, so I was able to get off with a name drop. Small towns aren't safe anymore.

The Ouachita Mountains are okay. But if you drive a couple more hours into Arkansas, they get a lot better. Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is great if you love flat fields, electric wind generators (they have exploded in popularity in the last 5 years. They're everywhere now), and oil rigs. There are some decent shots, but it's pretty much the same shot now matter where you go. The only question is, which cloud do you want? Going east from there is Black Mesa, which isn't bad, but once again go a little further (like 5 miles) into New Mexico (especially HWY 456) or Colorado and it gets much better.

I haven't made it to the Great Salt Plains yet. That's on my short list. Natural Falls was pretty, but due to it being in a small valley, it's almost impossible to get a decent photo of it. Turner Falls can be pretty if you get there early in the morning before the tourist season opens up the water for swimmers. And there are a couple of parks and gardens in Tulsa that are nice when not too crowded (and Will Rogers in OKC). So yeah, I'm not saying that there's nothing to photograph here. It's just that I've lived in a lot of states in the U.S. and none that I've been to offered as few photographic opportunities (and I lived in Kansas). And with Oklahoma's constantly shrinking state budget, the few places we do have left are getting more and more neglected.

 

[Ces1um]

I almost got arrested in Reed OK a few years ago. The sheriff didn't take kindly to strangers coming into his town and photographing stuff. When I told him I was on public property and it was all legal, he told me he saw me joyriding through some guys field (which I did not). I took quite a bit of smooth talking to talk him down out of taking me in for trespassing and vandalism (neither of which did I ever come close to doing). I also got pulled over and handed in a random small town south of Tulsa for speeding. I was doing 5 under and he didn't even have a radar gun, but it didn't matter. I wasn't local so I was easy money. I had another incident in Skeedee, but knew a local there, so I was able to get off with a name drop. Small towns aren't safe anymore.

This is the second post I've read where someone says the small town sheriff threatens to arrest people for taking photographs. Is this common down in the states? I've been all over the world and taken photos and nobody has ever pulled something like that. That seems like the kind of thing that only happens in movies to me- not saying i doubt you, just saying that it's really hard to believe there are people like that out there.

As for everyone who doesn't have any beautiful wide open vistas or interesting architecture to photograph, those people need to buy a macro lens! There are entire worlds to explore photographically in someones backyard alone.

 

[Sirius Glass]

This is the second post I've read where someone says the small town sheriff threatens to arrest people for taking photographs. Is this common down in the states? I've been all over the world and taken photos and nobody has ever pulled something like that. That seems like the kind of thing that only happens in movies to me- not saying i doubt you, just saying that it's really hard to believe there are people like that out there.

As for everyone who doesn't have any beautiful wide open vistas or interesting architecture to photograph, those people need to buy a macro lens! There are entire worlds to explore photographically in someones backyard alone.

This has never happened to me, but do not photograph military bases or classified sites.

 

[Ces1um]

This has never happened to me, but do not photograph military bases or classified sites.

I think in general that's good advice.

 

[jtk]

This is the second post I've read where someone says the small town sheriff threatens to arrest people for taking photographs. Is this common down in the states? I've been all over the world and taken photos and nobody has ever pulled something like that. That seems like the kind of thing that only happens in movies to me- not saying i doubt you, just saying that it's really hard to believe there are people like that out there.

As for everyone who doesn't have any beautiful wide open vistas or interesting architecture to photograph, those people need to buy a macro lens! There are entire worlds to explore photographically in someones backyard alone.

No, it's not common. However there are some photographers who are careless about others : best if they stay home. What goes around, comes around etc.

 

[Eric Rose]

Enough with the stories of woe. This is suppose to be a thread on the pretty areas we live in.

 

[jtk]

I think in general that's good advice.

 

[guangong]

I live divided between the sticks and NYC. Both offer many photographic opportunities. My rural area is fascinating with streams, farms and large parks. One of my favorite subjects is observing a knurled cherry tree on my property through changes in weather and seasons. Lately, in Manhattan, I am finding little things in older buildings very interesting, such as windows and doorknobs in the Murray Hill area.The difficult places for photography are suburbs and Florida. Always take along a heavy sweater when visiting Floridians at home. Both places are devoid of people in residential areas, who are ensconced indoors. My current interest is a study in gluttony and there is plenty of that everywhere.