Boston- any advice on what to shoot?

[glchua]

Hello to all in RFF.

I'll be going to Boston, Harvard U for a short course this May. Landing Sunday afternoon at Logan and going back on Friday. I probably only have Monday and the rest of the evenings to shoot.

Any advice? I'm interested in street etc.

BTW, any place I should stay that is near Havard (within 30 min of train or bus)and have lots of street life?

 

[rover]

There are lots of Boston folks here. Boston is a great city to walk around as see. Harvard is a great part of town. Walk along the Freedom Trail, this will take you threw the heart of the city and many historic sites. Copley Square area, a must see and shoot if the Red Sox have are home when you are in town. Museums, parks.... there is more to shoot than you will have time to.

Others who live there can provide more specific detail.

 

[cbass]

Hi,

I work in Boston and I enjoy street shooting in and around the Downtown Crossing shopping area. That area is also within walking distance of Boston Common, the Granary Burying Ground, Fanuiel Hall and the waterfront. There are two camera stores on Bromfield Street and the store clerks there may also be able to advise you.

The Freedom Trail is a good place to start but you may have to contend with a lot of tourists along the route.

Oh, I almost forgot....the refurbished courthouse adjacent to the new Government Center complex has reopened and it's supposed to be a dream for architectural shooters. You might want to check it out.

Enjoy your stay in Boston!

 

[bmattock]

Chris,

What's that park near Fanuiel Hall that is not the Commons, but another park? It has the 911 memorial in it, I forget the name. That's nice. Great wrought-iron fence work to shoot in B&W, gas street lights for nightime shooting, and of course the Museum of Fine Art. And what's that evil concrete neo-brutalist building near Fanuiel Hall? The one with the outside staircases that no one can walk on? I forget the name, but that's prime ugly architecture.

I think the subways and trains are terrific for grainy B&W in Boston too. My shot in the Gallery of the Boston Amtrak station remains one of my all-time favorites. It's so good, I'm amazed that *I* took it!

I like the Kennedy Center building for that too. Looks like an old Pan-Am building or something. Very 1960's mod.

 

[einolu]

Since the weather has been getting better lately, a lot of people are out and about so most scenes you will shoot will be pretty lively. Here is what you could do:

-Harvard Square (right next to harvard) has some interesting streets, and its pretty small so you can walk around.

-After that you can take the #1 bus to Newbury Street which is also very photographic.

-I recomend you take a walk all the way down Newbury Street which will eventually take you to the boston commons.

-You can take some classic "boston" pictures if you like since you will be passing by the park, the "swan boats" and the only 2 large buildings in boston (prudential + john hancock).

-After the commons keep going in the same direction you were going on Newbury Street and you will get to Downtown crossing, another lively region.

-On the way back you can take the red line from boston common back to Harvard which stayes lively into the evening.

 

[cbass]

Bill,

I can't think of the park with the memorial in it, but I'm sure I've been by there. Is it right of Congress Street on the way to the North End? Good people watching spot. The neo-brutalist building you speak of is probably the new City Hall plaza. It's photo-worthy for no other reason that its complete incongruity. It looks like the remains of a different city were dropped from the air into downtown Boston.

A note about the Amtrak Station (South Station): it' always crawling with police. I've only ever used my XA2 in there. No need to be conspicuous. However, the bar in the station(Clarke's) is actually not bad if you require a cold beverage.

I really should start putting some of my Boston pics in the gallery if I can ever figure out the %^#@$! uploading process...

 

[bmattock]

Chris,

I'm not sure what park I mean. I just remember being there last winter. There is a lake and a statue of George Washington in it. Boston Public Garden? Sorry!

We were there with some friends whose sister lives there - we walked all over, it was great. I think you're right about City Hall, it was on the piazza behind Faneuil Hall, and I commented on how ugly it is. I was told that the outside stairways had to be closed because they were so dangerous, that part of the building was condemned, and that nobody liked it. It was breath-takingly ugly, I'll say that for it!

I used my Bessa R in the Amtrak station at South Station. Is this illegal now? Nobody said anything to me at the time, and I took some photos of the cops. Mass state police look just like gestapo with the hats and the thigh-high leather boots and the Sam Browne belts. Change the shirt color and add a silver death's head, and you've got the SS.

But I'm not putting down Boston - beautiful city!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[cbass]

Yeah, Boston is a great walking city -- and a very photogenic town. Lots of neat alleys and doorways, which I love to use as subjects. Too bad that my office is being transferred to suburban Foxboro in June. I will miss Beacon Street.

Nowadays I almost always bring a camera with me into my office. I spent eight years working in the World Trade Center in NYC and in all that time I hardly ever brought my camera along...and now the entire complex exists only in our memories. I have only two or three photos of the Trade Center, and those were considered "throw-aways" at the time. Today those photos carry an unexpected emotional component.

 

[tamerlin]

Boston (and Cambridge) both have a rather nice nighttime skyline. I couldn't do much with it when
I was there because I didn't have a tripod with me (temporary situation, but still), but you have the
Charles River with Cambridge on one side and downtown Boston with all of its old and stately
architecture on the other. 🙂

Get the right angle and you can get sunset skies by twilight with city lights reflected in the river...

 

[RObert Budding]

I hope you like construction sites . . .

The "Big Dig" isn't completely finished. And when it is. we'll move straight into the repair phase.

As for shooting sites - just walk around. It's a compact city.

There was a jazz club that I used to frequesnt called Wally's in the South End. Haven't been there since before I was married in 1993, though, so it may not exist any longer. Also there is Johnny D's in Davis Square, which is just two subway stops from Harvard Square.

Enjoy your trip.

Robert

 

[chmeyer]

Boston's North End is just fantastic and has a very European feel. It's common to hear people conversing in Italian. The old, narrow streets are great for candid shots. As a plus, Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church (Freedom Trail) are smack dab in the middle of it for a sense of American history.
Since you have a limited time I would also throw in a vote for Boston Common. It large and very scenic and, as others have already mentioned, most of these spots can easily be reached on foot in a day.
Have fun!
Chris