Where can I go?

[jackiex_x]

Hi

I need some inspiration for places to go to take photos. I always seem to end up in the same sort of places photographing ducks/swans etc or horses in fields.

I was considering a lighthouse or the sea but with over an hour's drive I changed my mind.

Can anyone come up with somewhere/something exciting to photograph in the Caerphilly area please? (if anyone is from this neck of the woods).... btw I've done the castle loads of times.

Thanks.

 

[Light Guru]

Use Flickr Maps to get ideas.

 

[jackiex_x]

thank you. i didn't know about this before

EDIT: Alas, nearest to me is London :-(

 

[bratkinson]

Not having ever set foot in the United Kingdom, I am completely unfamiliar with your terrain.

When looking for ideas of what to take pictures of, one of my 'side interests' in photography is 'the working man/woman'. Pictures of someone doing their job, whether it's driving a truck, walking a mail delivery route, painting a house, whatever. I do it all with the longest zoom I have, so as to not have any 'reaction' on their part of my taking their picture. Of course, this is all in public areas, rather than inside a business or private establishment, in which case it would be necessary to first ask permission. I find that the diversity of faces, stances, and labors performed fascinating to look at. No two are alike.

Another area of my interest is 'crowd shots' in 'the city'. Whether it's a bunch of people on the sidewalk at lunch time, a sidewalk cafe, or people simply standing in line for something, it's interesting to compose and catch a shot or two. I think of it as 'living' cityscapes.

Of course, other in the city types of shots are always interesting as well. My favorite city is Chicago...big time, even though I now live 900 miles away and Boston is only 100 miles away. Maybe that's because I'm a transplanted midwesterner. So, maybe take a trip to downtown Caerphilly and take some shots. Or some very rural small town nearby. Maybe plan a day-trip or even an overnight in London...

 

[pixmedic]

Get a picture with the Queen. Or at least the guards with the funny hats that never move. (i think they are robots)

 

[sashbar]

First, use Google Images - type various locations and if there is something interesting, most probably it will be there. Actually Wales is a very beautiful place. I once went to Snowdonia and then drove all the way from Bangor to Bristol - and some landscapes and places were just jaw dropping. I would love to go down this route again someday. But then again, I am a foreigner here so I see more than you because your eye just got used to it all.

But to be honest with you, I think your problem lies elsewhere. What excites you most as a photographer? (apart from naked Beyonce and North Korean concentration camps, which is slightly out of our reach). There should be something, otherwise why buying a camera? So browse through Flick photostreams of forum members - there is an astonishing variety of interests, objects, techniques ets. Note what style of photography, which subjects are interesting to you personally. You may find something that you can do as well.

Also go to a big (ish) city like Cardiff or Bristol ( London would be fantastic, but it is a bit too far away) and spend a day there shooting everything that would catch your eye. Say to yourself - "I will have to produce, let's say 10 photos that I will not be embarrassed to showcase here on this forum) Just walk around, look at things and shoot A LOT of pictures - anything that you find even slightly interesting. Do not be too obsessed with the technical side and try to think outside the box - you are not a tourist, just try to look deeper.. try to think lines, shapes, colors, contrasts and compositions. Then come home and analyse your trophies. Put them through post-processing, trim, try various compositions, try B&W, try to extract anything worth keeping, just work on it for a day or two or three, it will help you enormously. Then organise decent photos in groups and by the end of the day you will have somewhat clearer picture of what you can do, what things caught your eye most.

As an alternative - embark on a project. Imagine that you were commissioned 20 photos to showcase some interesting place like Tenby Harbour.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=...fp=e6e93c8b26eafdfa&biw=1777&bih=887&imgdii=_
I just Googleimaged it, it is right under your nose

After I bought my DSLR and realised I can shoot some good pics, I started to look at things differently. I am constantly framing anything I see around. I did that before , but not that often. And good frames are everywhere. I see two or three great compositions every day, I just do not have a camera with me most of the time. Just train your eye to see it. And most important - listen to yourself, to what interests you - colours, people, lines, geometry, emotions, textures, compositions, stories, natural beauty - and you will be moving to your photography step by step.

 

[jackiex_x]

Great help, thanks for inspiring me guys

 

[gsgary]

A field full of Leeks only kidding, i have neven be to Caerphilly but just googled it and you have a fantastic Castle i could spend hours shooting, i don't think you are looking with photographers eyes yet