Posted by Sarah Marino on August 3, 2011 at 11:39 PM
With so many well-traveled people participating in this forum, I thought it would be interesting to share some of our favorite places to visit for photography. So, what locations are at the top of your favorite places list, whether they are close to home or far around the world? Please share a photo or two with your post if you would like. I am not asking anyone to give away secret spots or detailed locations, but am instead more interested in a discussion of your favorite places and what they mean to you.
I will start things off... My single favorite place is Death Valley. After telling my parents that I would have no interest whatsoever in visiting a place like Death Valley, they bought me a coffee table book during one of their trips through the park. I was so surprised by the surreal and stunning scenery that I saw in the book that I made almost immediate plans to visit the park. After multiple trips, I just cannot get enough and am always thinking about how I can get there again for more exploring. I also took my first extended trip by myself to Death Valley and the experience of traveling alone, although insignificant at the time, has had a long-standing positive impact on both my photography and my life.
One of my favorite places in Death Valley is Badwater because it is so much fun to photograph. Here is an image that I took on my spring trip to the park (and a gallery of black and white images from the trip can be accessed here.
I've never been there, Sarah, but this shot makes me want to see it bad!
I always go back to the same place when favorites are discussed. Anywhere on Kauai would be fine, but I am partial to Kee' Beach at the end of the road on the north shore. Fantastic snorkeling, amazing sand, and the Na Pali coast and trail stretching off as far as you can see. And the sunsets, forget about it!
This shot is nothing more than a postcard, but it does give a fair sense of the scene.
Posted by Erik Aagaard on August 4, 2011 at 11:42 PM
Sticking with Hawaii, we were lucky enough to have an excuse to travel to Oahu in early March. The tsunami sirens woke us up as we were sleeping off jet lag the very first night! Fortunately that didn't materialize, but it did make it an even more memorable trip! Photographically, the two highlights of the trip were the Pali Lookout, at the summit of the mountain ridge running across Oahu; and Diamond Head, which gave us stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Here's Pali Lookout.
Posted by Erik Aagaard on August 4, 2011 at 11:43 PM
And here's the view from Diamond Head. I just really liked the reflections from these two clouds.
Ohhhhh, difficult topic. I don't really have a single favorite place but there are a few spots that I go back to over and over again. Yellowstone and the Tetons, Moab, The Black Hills and Badlands, several spots in Arizona. But if I had to pick just one it would be the Pacific Northwest, specifically the Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island. I spent my college years in that part of the world and some of my dearest friends live there. Deception Pass is the last place I spent time with my parents before I went into the service and they moved to Colorado. And the subject matter for photography is seemingly endless.
This image is one of my favorites from the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival which is put on by the town of Mount Vernon every April. And no, this isn't a photoshop shot. There really was 1 lonely red tulip in the field of yellow ones.
Posted by John Mumaw on August 7, 2011 at 12:01 PM
'Eye of the Needle'
The Colorado Plateau has been my home and my passion for 22 years now. A harsh, dry land where the bones of the earth lie exposed and where sandstone canyons and cathedrals lie hidden. I'll gladly (and humbly) spend the rest of my days here seeking the hidden beauty and be completely satisfied knowing that I'll only find a fraction of it.
Posted by Erik Aagaard on August 7, 2011 at 2:41 PM
John - well said!
Posted by Bob Falcone on August 7, 2011 at 3:42 PM
I'm sure my reply is somewhat tainted by my recent trip, but I can never seem to get enough of the Moab/4 Corners area. I can go there many times and never see the same thing twice, even if it's a place I've seen before.
Closer to home, Garden of the Gods Park always is a joy to visit, even on the days that I have to dodge the rattlesnakes!
Posted by Mel Ladewig on August 8, 2011 at 7:38 PM
I'm not really a favorite place kind of guy.
I feel fortunate to live in an area where Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion and Big Bend are all within a day of driving and that in between there is a lifetime worth of treasures to explore. I've enjoyed the clear waters of the Caribbean, the colors of an east coast autumn, lava flowing in Hawaii, vibrant wildlife in the Everglades, rich forests of tropical Asia, cherry blossoms in DC and springtime in the cities of western Europe. And if I could travel the earth for a lifetime, I still don't think I'd tire of seeing its beauty.
But I would say that the Mountain West is my favorite region in which to live.
Posted by Jeff Hackett on August 9, 2011 at 6:03 PM
Great topic Sarah! My favorite area is in my adoptive home state of Utah and that would be Capitol Reef NP and the surrounding area, and I'm just barely scratching the surface. I still have an extreme fondness for the area where I was raised, Cleveland, OH. Here's an image from Cuyahoga Valley NP just outside of Cleveland.
A great topic, but one that I don't have a good answer to. For me, I believe I am a traveler deep down in my heart. As such, my favorite place is always the places I have not yet visited and seen. This is a very large list, but one that I hope to dwindle down through my life.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on August 15, 2011 at 1:32 PM
Even though the Paria Plateau is close to home in Flagstaff, the sandstone areas of Vermilion Cliffs, Coyote Buttes and White Pocket are very interesting to me.
Another area that I have not been to in 25 years, but need to return to, is Glacier NP. I always thought of it for beauty as a Grand Canyon with trees and lakes.
Posted by Howard Cihak on August 23, 2011 at 3:11 AM
There are a lot of incredibly beautiful places in the Western U.S., and I would hate to be forced to choose just one. But, IF I were forced to choose one place to spend the rest of my life (and fully appreciating that I have never experienced its winters), I would have to choose the majesty of Glacier National Park. No matter where you stand in its vast expanses, it's like being in another nave in the same cathedral.
I'd say that there are four major places that really call to me, and two of them "sing". Or whisper, or murmur, or beckon, depending on the time of year and how long it's been since I've been there. I say "places", because I don't think of them as specific locations, but rather areas or classifications of locations.
The first would be rocky west coast beaches. Growing up in New York state, and visiting grandparents near Virginia Beach, I got the impression that beaches were generally hot, crowded places with traffic and parking issues piled on top of mediocre food. (There are great beaches back East; I just didn't find them until after I moved away...) The first times I started exploring the west coast beaches, though, was a revelation. Rocky, often wild, frequently cold and/or foggy... Way better.
The second would be redwood forests. Howard alludes to naves of cathedrals in his post on Glacier, and I feel somewhat the same about a redwood grove. I could talk about the fact that they are remnants left over from the last ice age, the fact that they create their own rain and weather, or their astonishing size and height. But really, it's much more emotional than that for me -- I can't help but get a sense of reverence and awe when I'm there.
As painful as it would be, I could give up both of those if I had to. But like John and Doug, I can't get away from the sandstone of the Colorado Plateau (photographically, in monsoon season, but I'll hike or backpack or explore at any time of year). I was lucky enough to live in Sedona for two years, and it was an amazing time. From the heights of Cedar Breaks to the depths of the Grand Canyon, from the slickrock and desert on the reservation to the lush narrow canyons dropping off the Mogollon Rim... I can't imagine getting tired of it. Throw in mountains like the Henrys and the La Sals, and you've got nearly infinite variety.
And the second location that really sings: glaciated granite mountains, above timberline. That's not a single location, although the most famous (and most extensive in the western US) example is the Sierra Nevada in California. There's some here in the Rockies, as well; sometimes even with the added bonus of semi-active glaciers.
Mostly I love getting above timberline and being able to see for miles across the open expanse of rock and snow and sky. Although I love slot canyons and tight forests, and have never consciously felt "hemmed in" or claustrophobic in the outdoors, getting up there is relaxing on a level I'm not usually aware of. It's like my soul has more room.
Thankfully I don't have to pick between the two...
Posted by Amy Lindsey on August 29, 2011 at 10:00 PM
I'm gonna have to go with Yellowstone and the Pacific Northwest. Both are places I've only recently begun to explore, but already love. I don't have 1 favorite place in Yellowstone; just about any colorful pool of sulfur will work. The picture is of a field in Yellowstone from last August (2010).
I'm loving the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. In the Spring of 2010 I had the chance to explore the CRG for 3 days and loved the green EVERYWHERE! The smell of the forests, the sounds of the birds and critters, the graceful flow of the water as it carves out the land- love it!!
Discussion
15 repliesI will start things off... My single favorite place is Death Valley. After telling my parents that I would have no interest whatsoever in visiting a place like Death Valley, they bought me a coffee table book during one of their trips through the park. I was so surprised by the surreal and stunning scenery that I saw in the book that I made almost immediate plans to visit the park. After multiple trips, I just cannot get enough and am always thinking about how I can get there again for more exploring. I also took my first extended trip by myself to Death Valley and the experience of traveling alone, although insignificant at the time, has had a long-standing positive impact on both my photography and my life.
One of my favorite places in Death Valley is Badwater because it is so much fun to photograph. Here is an image that I took on my spring trip to the park (and a gallery of black and white images from the trip can be accessed here.
Thank you for participating in this discussion!
I always go back to the same place when favorites are discussed. Anywhere on Kauai would be fine, but I am partial to Kee' Beach at the end of the road on the north shore. Fantastic snorkeling, amazing sand, and the Na Pali coast and trail stretching off as far as you can see. And the sunsets, forget about it!
This shot is nothing more than a postcard, but it does give a fair sense of the scene.
This image is one of my favorites from the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival which is put on by the town of Mount Vernon every April. And no, this isn't a photoshop shot. There really was 1 lonely red tulip in the field of yellow ones.
The Colorado Plateau has been my home and my passion for 22 years now. A harsh, dry land where the bones of the earth lie exposed and where sandstone canyons and cathedrals lie hidden. I'll gladly (and humbly) spend the rest of my days here seeking the hidden beauty and be completely satisfied knowing that I'll only find a fraction of it.
Closer to home, Garden of the Gods Park always is a joy to visit, even on the days that I have to dodge the rattlesnakes!
I feel fortunate to live in an area where Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion and Big Bend are all within a day of driving and that in between there is a lifetime worth of treasures to explore. I've enjoyed the clear waters of the Caribbean, the colors of an east coast autumn, lava flowing in Hawaii, vibrant wildlife in the Everglades, rich forests of tropical Asia, cherry blossoms in DC and springtime in the cities of western Europe. And if I could travel the earth for a lifetime, I still don't think I'd tire of seeing its beauty.
But I would say that the Mountain West is my favorite region in which to live.
Another area that I have not been to in 25 years, but need to return to, is Glacier NP. I always thought of it for beauty as a Grand Canyon with trees and lakes.
The first would be rocky west coast beaches. Growing up in New York state, and visiting grandparents near Virginia Beach, I got the impression that beaches were generally hot, crowded places with traffic and parking issues piled on top of mediocre food. (There are great beaches back East; I just didn't find them until after I moved away...) The first times I started exploring the west coast beaches, though, was a revelation. Rocky, often wild, frequently cold and/or foggy... Way better.
The second would be redwood forests. Howard alludes to naves of cathedrals in his post on Glacier, and I feel somewhat the same about a redwood grove. I could talk about the fact that they are remnants left over from the last ice age, the fact that they create their own rain and weather, or their astonishing size and height. But really, it's much more emotional than that for me -- I can't help but get a sense of reverence and awe when I'm there.
As painful as it would be, I could give up both of those if I had to. But like John and Doug, I can't get away from the sandstone of the Colorado Plateau (photographically, in monsoon season, but I'll hike or backpack or explore at any time of year). I was lucky enough to live in Sedona for two years, and it was an amazing time. From the heights of Cedar Breaks to the depths of the Grand Canyon, from the slickrock and desert on the reservation to the lush narrow canyons dropping off the Mogollon Rim... I can't imagine getting tired of it. Throw in mountains like the Henrys and the La Sals, and you've got nearly infinite variety.
Mostly I love getting above timberline and being able to see for miles across the open expanse of rock and snow and sky. Although I love slot canyons and tight forests, and have never consciously felt "hemmed in" or claustrophobic in the outdoors, getting up there is relaxing on a level I'm not usually aware of. It's like my soul has more room.
Thankfully I don't have to pick between the two...
I'm loving the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. In the Spring of 2010 I had the chance to explore the CRG for 3 days and loved the green EVERYWHERE! The smell of the forests, the sounds of the birds and critters, the graceful flow of the water as it carves out the land- love it!!