Cool Locations to Shoot in Your Own Backyard...

[jilllendahl]

Hi fellow photographers! I am always in search of a cool new spot to take pictures. I figure we're all in the same boat here, and if you're like me, you're limited to your own surrounding areas with an occasional trip here and there. So what I'd like to do is start a blog where I share cool spots around the world. This doesn't have to be Venice or San Franciso, although those would definitely be places I will eventually share, but I'm talking about little spots you have found in your own backyard. For instance, I live in a small community near Sacramento. I've found some great local spots, and whenever I post a picture, the first thing people want to know is where I took it. So this blog would serve all the photographers out there. Also, feel free to send some of your picturs from your favorite spot(s) as well (I will make sure to credit you). PLEASE start replying with cool spots in your local areas (or any of your travels). I look forward to adding them to my blog. I just started the blog, it's in its beginning stages...

 

[Eventer]

Just a thought: But some photographers might not want to share their awesome locations they have found and have others recreate their photos

 

[TCampbell]

There's an app that does this... it's called "Stuck on Earth" (by Trey Ratcliff). It runs on iOS and Android and it's free. There's also a Mac app (also free).

I won't try to describe everything the app does, but a key feature is that it provides a map of the world (like Google maps) but puts pins on the map with photos attached to them. As you zoom in you see more photos in that area. The photos are all taken at the locations of the pins.

The concept is that you can you use it to either explore the world for travel planning OR explore the area nearby where you happen to be now ... and find cool spots to visit or cool spots for photography. I use it when I travel to search for out-of-the-way places for photography that I probably would not have stumbled onto on my own.

The app itself doesn't seem to offer a way to upload your own images and share your own places. To do that, you can join the Stuck on Earth Flickr community, then share your favorite images to the community. I know one of the rules is that the image must be geo-tagged (otherwise it's worthless to the app). I think they also require that the EXIF data be included.

They have a YouTube video that describes what it does and how it works.

 

[soufiej]

Hi fellow photographers! I am always in search of a cool new spot to take pictures. I figure we're all in the same boat here, and if you're like me, you're limited to your own surrounding areas with an occasional trip here and there. So what I'd like to do is start a blog where I share cool spots around the world. This doesn't have to be Venice or San Franciso, although those would definitely be places I will eventually share, but I'm talking about little spots you have found in your own backyard. For instance, I live in a small community near Sacramento. I've found some great local spots, and whenever I post a picture, the first thing people want to know is where I took it. So this blog would serve all the photographers out there. Also, feel free to send some of your picturs from your favorite spot(s) as well (I will make sure to credit you). PLEASE start replying with cool spots in your local areas (or any of your travels). I look forward to adding them to my blog. I just started the blog, it's in its beginning stages...

Isn't this what travel sections in the Sunday newspaper do? The entire travel magazine industry? True, I'm not planning that trip to, let's see, Bilboa this weekend. However, looking at any travel section's photos should give the average shooter some ideas. If a newspaper isn't covering some bloody war or political coup, just about every photo in the thing should be an inspiration to any photographer.

Not to knock your idea but, if you have to be told "go here and stand there", you may need more assistance than most photographers require.

Reading this I tend to return to my break down of how people take in information. Those individuals who are primarily visually oriented probably already see a dozen shots per day that are good compositions in their mind. Those who favor the tactile experience might not see the composition so much but they run through the settings they'd use for a shot. They might need a bit more assistance at finding locations where the visual personality has them all around them. Somewhere in the middle is where most photographers exist.

Since few people are solely one type or the other, I'm wondering where are the folks who need the "go here, stand there" directions. It's not like the "go there, eat this" directions that at least benefit the restaurant. How many more photos of an oft seen waterfall or a famous building does the world actually need?

Can anyone explain why you might need to be told "go here, stand there"?

 

[runnah]

From my backyard, with a long enough lens, you can see into my super hot neighbor's bedroom window...

 

[soufiej]

From my backyard, with a long enough lens, you can see into my super hot neighbor's bedroom window...

Does he know this?

 

[runnah]

From my backyard, with a long enough lens, you can see into my super hot neighbor's bedroom window...

Does he know this?

I think so, either that or he drops things A LOT.

 

[NancyMoranG]

Thank you Runnah for the chuckle. You are so funny...