At my current job I get free flight benefits to basically anywhere in the USA, and I want to take advantage of this and get to a destination that provides great oppertunity for nature photography. My question to you all is, does anyone have any ideas of a good location to go for the day that doesn't require heavy expenses, preferrably I could get off the airplane and get to great photography locations by taxi or even walking! My idea is I'm pretty new to the advanced amateur photography scene and don't want to spend a lot of money on my first trip as I want to use the first trip as a learning experience.
Are there any times/locations where NPN members meet up outside of the big announced get-togethers?
Thanks!
Posted by Joe O'Hara on November 17, 2008 at 9:34 AM
Stephen,
You will get as many suggestions as replies, but one place that comes to mind that is near an airport is Red Rock Canyon, which is about 15 miles from Las Vegas, NV. This time of year it's going to be dry and the plants in a dormant state, but there is water in the canyons from January through April and it can be pretty neat if you catch it when things are in flower. (Don't forget to
carry lots of water.)
One thing I've found is that I am much more productive in places where I've been before. The first time I visit a place, I tend to spend a lot of time just hiking around looking for interesting material. There doesn't seem to be any way around that. On subsequent visits, I know where the "good places" are, and I can visit them at different times of the year.
Enjoy your adventure in outdoor photography!
Posted by Don George on November 17, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Rocky Mountain National Park isn't far from Denver International. You can rent a car and there are many motels and hotels in Estes Park that border the Park. Rates are down as its off season. Gas in the Denver area is in the $1.80+ range. The Elk rut is over but the park is full of nice Bulls. The Bighorn Rut is underway and just yesterday there were groups of them in the Big Thompson canyon. Also the Mule Deer rut is underway. The Denver airport is about 1 1/2 hours drive.
Posted by Cynthia Spence on November 17, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Hi Stephen:
One place that is in town is Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs...that would be a taxi ride from the airport...they could drop you off in one of the parking lots inside the park and you could hike everywhere...lots of NPN members show up here, probably before they're heading for work in the morning. I don't know where you're from but a lot of places would require a car rental here in the west...with a car you could fly into Grand Junction to visit Colorado National Monument. I can think of lots of places, but you'd still need a car to drive the few miles from the airports.
Have fun choosing.
Cynthia
www.cspencephotography.com
Posted by Jamie Botdorf on November 17, 2008 at 1:10 PM
You might enjoy Washington Park in Portland, OR. You can take a metro train directly from the airport that puts you by the zoo, the rose gardens, the Japanese garden, etc. Lots of trails and interesting scenery but not much for wildlife - other than the zoo kind. I think this would be a great place to explore and practice all kinds of shots.
Posted by Lon Overacker on November 17, 2008 at 1:15 PM
I'm pretty new to the advanced amateur photography scene and don't want to spend a lot of money on my first trip as I want to use the first trip as a learning experience.
Stephen,
To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I would fly somewhere for a "learning experience." I would really recommend sticking around home and getting to know your local stomping grounds. A big disadvantage of a one day trip to an unfamiliar location is that you don't know where the goods spots may be or when the light is best in those locations. A one day turnaround probably takes away some nice lighting either in the morning or afternoon.
If I had a free flight, I would save and plan for a longer trip. Save your money and time by practicing near home.
Lon
Posted by Jack Graham on November 17, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Come out to Oregon---- from the airport (PDX) you are 20 minuted from the Gorge, 1 1/2 ( maybe less) hr to Mt.Hood and about the same to the coast.... talk about being centrally located!
JG
Posted by Kent Staubus on November 18, 2008 at 10:19 AM
I've been thinking this one over the past day or so, and really can't think of any place where you could fly in during the morning, run around taking "nature" photos, and they fly out the same day. It seems to me the light would be all wrong doing that in the first place. Most of the time people want to fly to where there is a city, right? I don't see any big airports out in the middle of Nebraska. Right off the bat you are having to fly to a place that is very urban and that requires you to at least rent a car. Time slips away while you do all that.
If I had free day trips I know what I'd do. I would go to big cities such as Chicago, NYC, etc. and photo what was there. I love to photo Chicago Loop trains at night! I love to photo big cities at night. Chicago is easy to do what you want if you change your subject. You fly in, walk onto the Blue Line, and go straight to the downtown. And, there you are! No big expenses and you have a thousand things to photo. At night, the light is always right.
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city, and linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty. How can you lose?
Discussion
7 repliesAt my current job I get free flight benefits to basically anywhere in the USA, and I want to take advantage of this and get to a destination that provides great oppertunity for nature photography. My question to you all is, does anyone have any ideas of a good location to go for the day that doesn't require heavy expenses, preferrably I could get off the airplane and get to great photography locations by taxi or even walking! My idea is I'm pretty new to the advanced amateur photography scene and don't want to spend a lot of money on my first trip as I want to use the first trip as a learning experience.
Are there any times/locations where NPN members meet up outside of the big announced get-togethers?
Thanks!
You will get as many suggestions as replies, but one place that comes to mind that is near an airport is Red Rock Canyon, which is about 15 miles from Las Vegas, NV. This time of year it's going to be dry and the plants in a dormant state, but there is water in the canyons from January through April and it can be pretty neat if you catch it when things are in flower. (Don't forget to
carry lots of water.)
One thing I've found is that I am much more productive in places where I've been before. The first time I visit a place, I tend to spend a lot of time just hiking around looking for interesting material. There doesn't seem to be any way around that. On subsequent visits, I know where the "good places" are, and I can visit them at different times of the year.
Enjoy your adventure in outdoor photography!
One place that is in town is Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs...that would be a taxi ride from the airport...they could drop you off in one of the parking lots inside the park and you could hike everywhere...lots of NPN members show up here, probably before they're heading for work in the morning. I don't know where you're from but a lot of places would require a car rental here in the west...with a car you could fly into Grand Junction to visit Colorado National Monument. I can think of lots of places, but you'd still need a car to drive the few miles from the airports.
Have fun choosing.
Cynthia
www.cspencephotography.com
Stephen,
To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I would fly somewhere for a "learning experience." I would really recommend sticking around home and getting to know your local stomping grounds. A big disadvantage of a one day trip to an unfamiliar location is that you don't know where the goods spots may be or when the light is best in those locations. A one day turnaround probably takes away some nice lighting either in the morning or afternoon.
If I had a free flight, I would save and plan for a longer trip. Save your money and time by practicing near home.
Lon
JG
If I had free day trips I know what I'd do. I would go to big cities such as Chicago, NYC, etc. and photo what was there. I love to photo Chicago Loop trains at night! I love to photo big cities at night. Chicago is easy to do what you want if you change your subject. You fly in, walk onto the Blue Line, and go straight to the downtown. And, there you are! No big expenses and you have a thousand things to photo. At night, the light is always right.
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city, and linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty. How can you lose?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKCnHWas3HQ&feature=related
Kent in SD