U.S trip

[morydd]

Enjoy your trip to the US. I wouldn't recommend a cross country drive as there are too many boring places to pass through and too many miles to cover.

Having grown up in the midwest, I can tell you that the "boring places" can provide some of the most interesting sights. Cheap land with no zoning laws can lead to fantastic collections of "stuff". There's a farm near my wife's grandmother's with some interesting, but very strange sculptures in thier front yard. It's about 2 miles from the nearest paved road in the middle of Iowa.

It's an amazing country we've got over here... something for everyone.

 

[Jeremy Z]

For what it's worth, my wife (Polish) was very excited to see NYC. After living in Chicago for a couple years, she was not impressed. She said the people are rude, the city is dirty, and the views get old quickly compared to Chicago.

When my sister told me that the typical person on the street there is really mean & impatient, (compared to Chicago) I lost all interest.

However, there is no need to choose. Fly over to NYC, and stop in Chicago on your way to the west coast.

Be sure to see Niagra Falls (when you're in New York) and the Grand Canyon while traveling through Colorado/Arizona. Though you may not be so impressed with the Grand Canyon, coming from France. Aside from Chicago and your farm country photos, you can pretty much skip the midwestern US. There's nothing here but flat land & corn. California (along the coast) and Alaska are definitely worth seeing.

 

[MrMatthieu]

Thank you all , Jeremy Z, morydd, Giltphoto, rmh159, mysteryscribe, ladyphotog, fmw, jwkwd, for all these different point of view and advises

I have to say that I am more interested by people that by landscape, so I mean , of course I will sew a few of the most famous place, but it s not really the purpose ...

Jeremy Z for you say sabout New York people who may be rude, I have to say that I can really cope with this people I am used to people from Paris :mrgreen: , who are more probably not the most sympathic & polite that I know ... so NY still remains very attractive to me, same that country side in U.S.

I see this trip as a opportunity to see real life, definitly I will not travel all the time with highways..
thanks to everyone
Mat

 

[Jeremy Z]

Looking at my post above, I should clarify, lest the TPF New Yorkers think I am calling them rude.

If it is people photography you are after, you might want to consider New Orleans as well.

 

[ShutteredEye]

The American Southwest is unlike anything else in the world.

Do not miss Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. There are several excellent books out regarding travel through this region with all the must see sights.

 

[Christie Photo]

Be careful in the BIG cities. Just use your head. There are dangerous neighborhoods in most large cities.

Pete

 

[morydd]

Be careful in the BIG cities. Just use your head. There are dangerous neighborhoods in most large cities.

Having lived in both, I can say there are dangerous neighborhoods in small cities as well. And you're more likely to get hit by traffic in a "nice" neighborhood than to have problems with the people in a "bad" neighborhood. Taxis scare me more than guns.

 

[MrMatthieu]

Thanks for your last comment.
I have to say that safety is one of my concern, because when you don't know which place you should not go you can do mistake.
Specially when your are with a camera you attract attention of people so I will be carrefull, sure

Mat

 

[cherrymoose]

You should definitely come to San Francisco and the Bay Area, it's a beautiful city worth photographing. I hope you have fun; I'd love to drive across the country on a photo-fest someday!

 

[grafiks]

I get a kick out of reading these posts and noticing how opinionated folks can get about their favorite "turf". I find that the more people have lived in different cities and states, the less they hang on to certain areas being the "best" in the US. I was born in Chicago, lived in various places around the US. Now live in So CA mainly because of the climate. The bad points here... it's expensive as hell and I have to worry about fire season. Earthquakes are no big deal. There are pros and cons everywhere. I love Chicago when it comes to food.

The best advice for a foreign traveler spending a month crossing the US... Don't map out your trip using all major freeways, or you won't see nearly enough. Find highways parallel to the major freeways, so you don't find yourself way out in the middle of nowhere, and go through lots of small towns as well as big cities.

 

[Iron Flatline]

I think there's something romantic about just driving off, and looking to discover the US with your camera. However, I think you might spend days driving around looking for good shots, getting more frustrated as you look around every corner, not finding the perfect composition or subject.

I think you ought to really think about what you want to shoot, and make sure you "make your own luck" by putting yourself in an environment that creates the chance of finding the shot. That way you will also enjoy the non-photo related part of your trip more, AND have time for more random exploration.

NY is NY, you'll get what you're hoping for, but people there don't like cameras.

Route 66, and the middle of the country is not full of quaint gas stations and road side diners. It's full of mega-chains, Wal-Marts, and poorly built churches. If you can really document that life-style, you have a book that Taschen might publish.

The national parks are the most breath-takingly beautiful thing you will ever see. There are landscape photographers who spend their life time on one park, and still feel they haven't properly caught its beauty.

LA has got to be the best place to shoot, but you have to be a tough MF to get the really interesting shots. Want to document something new? Show how immigrants are living there - and how much fun they have in their very strongly-bonded communities. Oh, and EVERYONE hates cameras, so shoot fast.

Miami is pretty, esp. the Art Deco district. Going west into the swamps is not fun. If you want good swamps, go to Louisiana.

These snippets of advice could go on for ever. Really have a specific idea of what you want to shoot, and then "go on location." We'll be glad to tell you where to get the shot. Not sure where you live, but just get into your car, and drive. See if you can get some interesting shots. I do it a lot, but I know there are days when I don't find anything that really interests me, and it is frustrating. These days I head out with a goal in mind, but am always happy if I find something else along the way.

One piece of advice: Print a business card with your name and your website, with the words "Travel Photographer" or something like it on the card. Often a smile and some interested conversation is all you need. But sometimes it helps if you tell people that you are a photographer (beyond hobby) in case someone gets annoyed by your camera.

 

[abraxas]

There's some good pieces of old route 66 through the desert starting at Seligman Arizona and through to the Cajon Pass before you drop into L.A. The road is mostly abandoned though- some like it stark and barren.

 

[RacePhoto]

All of the above, give or take a few comments on rude people. I can find them next door, or not see one for months. You are going to find a variety.

Here's what I'd do, in response to your original questions.

Don't plan on any timeline, even New York. Go with your head and be free.

Rent a car. There are plans that will give you lower than the day rate, and check for a national company in case you need to swap a car because something breaks. You may be able to get a month rate with unlimited miles?

Get two US maps = NOW, get some guide books and start drawing all over one of them. Circle places you want to see. Soon you'll find which ones you can get to by traveling a zig zag route and which are just way off the main roads or your final route.

You could spend the whole time from Maine to Florida and not see everything in a month.

You could go East to West through the Northern states, catch Chicago, St Louis, the Mississippi, parts of old Rt 66 and national parks, and still not see it all. (ps I hear Mt Rushmore is quite impressive, even though I've never been there.)


You can head South, see some of the coast, some of the mountains. Go West and see many interesting cities. Then head back North for your farms and fields and some really interesting land formations. Go West, see the National Monuments, go South again into Texas. Go West and up that coast so you can see California to Oregon, which is beautiful. Make a side trip from LA to Las Vegas. Find something between there and Reno (and it's a long way with not too much) go through the mountains from Reno to Lake Tahoe, via Silver City and Carson City, which is exceptional, then head to San Francisco, which is another fantastic city. Go North...

All too complicated?

Go back and circle places you want to see. Go point to point. But by all means, take the Interstate, transit from A to B and then before you get there, head for state roads or even scenic county highways, near everything you choose, don't just go A to B. Exit from sites on back roads and catch the highway for transit sections again.

Back roads and small towns are really interesting while the Interstate and the tourist traps are all pretty much a ribbon of highway and car parks. Like someone else said, you can find turn of the century cities in the North that have loads of character.

Good Maps! Start driving. Have some limited goals and destinations, and just figure out how to get to them on the fly.

If you try to plan a trip, you'll be locked into a schedule and can't be flexible. Not only that, if you run late once, everything from there on is under stress.

I remember a trip to Scotland where we'd make 28-50 miles in a good day, and that meant loads of stopping, gawking and walking, then I'd go about 150 miles after dark. Next day, slow ride, take time to wander and walk, 150 miles after dark to the next zone of interest.

With that, you can go any direction from where you land and not run out of things to see and photograph. All of the above includes anything people add after this.

This country has a little bit of everything. The only problem is picking what to include, because there's so much that's good. :lmao:

 

[PNA]

Rude???? I got your rude!!! (NYC Born)

1 - The people of the US are friendly because they want to be here.

2 - There are beautiful sites to visit and magnificent national parks to see.

3 - If you drive only on the interstate highways you will not see America.

4 - Consider using the trains or even the bus, then rent a car and drive in the locations of interest. Just about every US city has a Greyhound bus stop. Driving is tiring and can become boring.

5 - Have no fear, but be cautious. I have traveled half the world six months at a time without hotel reservations or knowing where I'll be the next day. South America, most of Western Europe and parts North Africa.

6 - Enjoy the experience and have fun!!!

Thought.....Fly into Boston, zigzag the northern route to the West coast, then South to California and then zigzag the Southern route to Florida flying back home through Atlanta.

How I envy you....!!!!

Paul

 

[loser101]

You have to come to San Francisco, best city in the US, or at least that iv been too. (Sorry everyone :mrgreen: ) California also has many beautiful and interesting places. I would say Portland and Seattle are very nice too. I think it would be best to see the east coast and then fly over to LA and make your way up the pacific ocean. I wouldn't deal with driving through the mid west.


Sorry every one for my one view points of view hehe.