I live in a very visually boring place

[Proteus617]

Well my aunt was suppose to be getting me a DSLR, but once she saw the prices she said it was not an option. I'm getting a bridge camera.

My current 35mm workhorse is an old Chinon screwmount with a fast German prime. Pretty good meter and excellent Copal Sq shutter. Great lens. I'm into it for a big $10.

 

[Dao]

Well my aunt was suppose to be getting me a DSLR, but once she saw the prices she said it was not an option. I'm getting a bridge camera. A Nikon coolpix L120. I've played with my uncle's and it's def an upgrade from mine. Obviously not as advanced as a DSLR, but it has a lot more manual options. And at least it gives a decent focus. Doesn't give every photo this aweful cloudy glow like my current one. Once I get in a better financial state I want to get a Nikon D300.

The coolpix L120 is around $350 in Amazon. For $350, you should be able to pick up a decent used entry level DSLR.

Look around and you may find a good one out there. I helped a friend and picked up a low mileage Nikon D50 camera with kit lens about a year and half ago for $250 and later on got him a additional Tamron 70-300 consumer zoom lens for $65. (Both from Craigslist)

And I saw some D70 or D70s floating around for $2xx body only. I sold my Canon XTi last year for $360 with lens. So there are other options out there. If you want to buy if from a retailers, you can check out the used section with site like keh.com, adorama.com or bhphotovideo.com.

 

[molested_cow]

I'm wondering if going to Key West would be an option - lots of interesting things to photograph there! You never know what you're going to see when you're walking through Key West. lol

Not easily, it's about an hour and half away from where I am. It's like someone said earlier, where I am, it takes planning to get to the places here that actually do have some nice spots.

KEY WEST IS OVER RATED!!!!! LOL

Well it was nothing like what I thought it will be. To me, it was a lame version of the French Quarter. Just a bunch of bars and a bunch of dudes trying to get drunk. Then there's crazy crowd to capture the sunset... I am not really just talking about photo opportunities here. Surely there were good photos that came out of my trip there, but in terms of fulfilling trip, it was quite a meh experience.

Lots of scenic places on the way there though! See, in South Florida, you gotta have a boat. Whether it's boat to take you out into the ocean or into the glades. There's not much on the land.... actually, there's no much land at all! Look at the map. The only livable area is a narrow strip of land about 15miles wide stuck between Atlantic Ocean and the everglades. Between West Palm Beach and Orlando is 3 hours of .... nothing. Communities don't really interact with each other. Need to speak Spanish if you really want to dig up interesting cultural stories.

Road trip is not hard at all, no need much planning. Heck, when I left S.Florida, I drove all the way across the country to Seattle and spent a month on the road. I just planned when I will be at where and how much time I have there. Whatever actually happens on the road is another story. I just need to know when to move on and watch the budget. Pack light, but be ready for the worst.

A weekend is enough for you to take a trip up to Atlanta. Great city, loved the year I was there. Drive on Friday night, take a rest and spend Sat and Sun morning there. Drive back on Sun afternoon. Better if you have a 3-day weekend.

Tampa is a good destination too. There's also St Augustine. Never been there before, but I've heard great things.

 

[unpopular]

Well my aunt was suppose to be getting me a DSLR, but once she saw the prices she said it was not an option. I'm getting a bridge camera. A Nikon coolpix L120. I've played with my uncle's and it's def an upgrade from mine. Obviously not as advanced as a DSLR, but it has a lot more manual options. And at least it gives a decent focus. Doesn't give every photo this aweful cloudy glow like my current one. Once I get in a better financial state I want to get a Nikon D300.

The coolpix L120 is around $350 in Amazon. For $350, you should be able to pick up a decent used entry level DSLR.

Look around and you may find a good one out there. I helped a friend and picked up a low mileage Nikon D50 camera with kit lens about a year and half ago for $250 and later on got him a additional Tamron 70-300 consumer zoom lens for $65. (Both from Craigslist)

And I saw some D70 or D70s floating around for $2xx body only. I sold my Canon XTi last year for $360 with lens. So there are other options out there. If you want to buy if from a retailers, you can check out the used section with site like keh.com, adorama.com or bhphotovideo.com.

I cannot tell you how much I agree with this. I sold my PS3 and TV and some music gear to scrape together $500 my a350 body. I had to wait a while before I could get a lens, but it was well, well, well worth the wait. If you get into M42 stuff, you'll be forced to actually learn photography (shocking, I know!) since there is no AE, AF or auto-aperture. But you'll be a better photographer for it. You'll slow down and think. You will be limited, which is a very good thing in todays rapid-fire society.

If you're serious about this, return the compact and get a used DSLR. Buy yourself a $50 Porst or Mir or Mamiya prime and an m42 adapter before you have the chance to spoil yourself with auto everything and ridiculous zooms. There is NO reason to stick with a compact when there are *very* affordable, very useable older models from Nikon and Sony. My a350 sells for about $300, and there are significantly cheaper bodies out there.

 

[Sammie_Lou]

I wouldn't say that Key West is overrated - any place with that much culture/diversity will have interesting things to photograph. That would be an excellant place for some street photography.

 

[enzodm]

The coolpix L120 is around $350 in Amazon. For $350, you should be able to pick up a decent used entry level DSLR.

e.g., 2762B003 Canon Eos Digital Rebel Xs 10.1 Megapixels Slr Black Camera Body W/18-55 IS Lens

 

[j-digg]

Yes, I would say do whatever you can do get a dSLR, maybe ask relatives to pool together and get you a used or cheap one, perhaps look around for a used XSi.

 

[mishele]

Going to the Keys in 3 weeks!! :greenpbl:

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

I didn't read all of the responses, but here are some options.

1-Get out of town. I am not talking a long trip, I mean, dive 30 minutes and get out of suburbia.

2-Go downtown. By definition, suburbia must be close to uhhhh "urbia".

3) Start shooting some macro stuff. This can open your eyes to a whole new world (great now I will have that lame Aladdin song stuck in my head)

4) Try doing some portraits.

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

I wouldn't say that Key West is overrated - any place with that much culture/diversity will have interesting things to photograph. That would be an excellant place for some street photography.

Not to mention all of the G-strings.......

 

[Natalie]

I don't know if this thread is still about shooting in boring places, but here's a quick shot I got of a subject that's basically unrivaled in terms of boredom - an empty plastic water bottle that's sitting next to my laptop. No place is too boring to shoot good photos, except maybe inside a perfectly smooth, white sphere (but how often do you find yourself in one of those? lol).


Shot with my Rebel T1i with 10mm f/2.8 macro lens at 1/50 sec, f/16.0, ISO 3200, ambient light from window

 

[AlexMurr]

*people in nebraska shakin heads*

It's not about the boring Sand and Water, it's all about the light, Find the light kid and you'll find IT
Go to that pier,find the light

So true. Its sooo true!!!

 

[AlexMurr]

Ive honestly have only been into photography for a few months so far and I find my topic of interest is light and shadow play. The way it can dance around and through a subject is quite an amazing thing to witness. With each interest or hobby I take on, such as music and photography, I find it relates a lot to the layers, colors, textures and intricate expressions of life, atleast to me it does.

 

[Dao]

Also beside bridge camera, those mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras also worth take a look.

Like this one - Panasonic GF2 $369 after apply $10 coupon code "loyalty10"
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2KK Digital Camera with 14-42mm Lens - Black

 

[LightSpeed]

I hated to say this cause I like Rose.

It aint about where you live. It's about performance. And what you can do.
Kinda like the pencil.

Think of it that way.