places to go, sites to visit

[infrequent]

somebody mentioned in a recent thread that its wise to save money on gear and spend that in visiting places. i think thats a very sound advice but what places to go and what sites to visit? i have for a while kept a list of places i would love to visit and photograph. prompted by an article in the travel section of the weekend australian, i gave my list a rethink. what i would love to know is what (and why) would be *your* dream travel photography destination?!

my list in no particular order:

-- angkor, cambodia because of the old temple complexes and relics. one of my favourite movies "in mood for love" was shot there as well.

-- egypt, valley of kings, temples at karnak & luxor, giza.

-- machu picchu for the incan ruins.

-- tibet before a way of life and culture is completely extinguished.

-- venice. of course.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Valencia, for the modern architecture

Bilbao, for the museum, inside and outside

Coimbra, for the glass bridge

London, for the millennium bridge

Melbourne, for the trams

Chennai, for the color

Barberville, for small town Americana

Woolwich, for the ferry

Saxon Shore Way, for the great photo opportunities and not many hilly bits.

Casablanca, for the King Hassan ll Mosque

Nigeria and Ghana, for the markets

Kenya and Tanzania, for Massai people

Sahara region, for Tuareg people

Benin, for the history and culture


And all the places I have ever lived to see my old house, mostly in and around London.

 

[kshapero]

Old sections of Miami Beach. Its like a tropical United Nations.

 

[Keith]

Antarctica .... I remember about eight years ago a friend of mine went down there for three weeks on one of those extreme cruise ships that do that trip. She came back with some of the most stunning photographs (Kodachrome) I've ever seen.

 

[chris000]

I'm not a lover of flying so many of the more exotic places are out of my reach. Fortunately I have found the landscape and history of the UK so full of beauty and interest that I don't really feel the need to go further.


My favourites:

> Anywhere with ancient history (megaliths, hill forts, etc.)
> The Cathedrals of England but particularly York and Winchester
> Hadrians Wall
> Edinburgh - the best city in the UK
> Glastonbury - for its history and mythology, but most of all for the people!

​

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Glastonbury - for its history and mythology, but most of all for the people!

Yes, a great idea.

 

[infrequent]

@keith - yes antarctica would be an awesome experience. my dad would really be keen on that.

@chris000 - of course the uk is landscape haven. amateur photography carries some of the most wonderful landscapes done by charlie waite.

 

[Roger Hicks]

-- tibet before a way of life and culture is completely extinguished.

Engage in all the activism you can, in order to get the occupying Chinese forces out.

Then it needn't be extinguished.

Cheers,

R.

 

[mwooten]

I have long had a desire to travel and document the entire length of US Hwy 64 in the US. Hwy 64 runs from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to a small town in Arizona, Tee Nos Pos.
If I could just string together enough time without having to quit a job.

 

[popstar]

I have often thought about doing something similar: trying to combine my loves of backroads and roadtrips with photography. I drove to and from my hometown of Augusta, Georgia entirely on U.S. highways in December. I had the time, so sure, it took longer, but it was a really interesting drive. Far more so than the interstate travel available. I also made a point to eat at local restaurants as much as possible. I found them more interesting in most cases than the usual chains.

Just FYI... You might find a book titled 'U.S. 1: America's Original Main Street' interesting. It was published in 1991 and includes B&W photos from a Roger Straus III. As you may know U.S. 1 runs from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. The author and photographer traveled the length of it documenting who they met and what they saw. Quite a trip...

Sorry this is off topic. Now back to places to visit.... 🙂

I have long had a desire to travel and document the entire length of US Hwy 64 in the US. Hwy 64 runs from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to a small town in Arizona, Tee Nos Pos.
If I could just string together enough time without having to quit a job.

 

[DavidH]

Done recently - and recommended:
Romania - Transilvania - for a last, romantic look at Europe
Rome - for the Romans as was
Peru - wealth of environments from mountains to Amazon and great people
North West Territories - spectacular isolation - nowhere has affected me quite so much
India - anywhere - best photographic light and subjects in the world

Top of my list remaining:
Mongolia - for the people
Antarctic - for the ice
Most of the USA - but esp the mid west and south
Congo - an elusive shoot for me - come so close so many times

 

[MickH]

I have long had a desire to travel and document the entire length of US Hwy 64 in the US. Hwy 64 runs from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to a small town in Arizona, Tee Nos Pos.
If I could just string together enough time without having to quit a job.

There was a project similar to this carried out in the UK back at the start of the 1980's by a chap called Paul Graham. He published a book called "A1 - The Great North Road". I had a copy, but it went the way of many things, lent out & not returned, or lost in a house move, whatever.

Your posting reminded me of it & I thought I'd check out Abebooks for a used copy. 😱

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&kn=great+north+road&sortby=3&sts=t&tn=a1&x=90&y=9

 

[Al Patterson]

I'm a railfan, so I'll add a few interest ones I've been to.

East Broad Top, Rockhill Furnace PA

Cumbres & Toltec, Chama NM

Durango & Silverton, Durango CO

I'd also like to get to Egypt to photograph the pyramids, and Central America and mexico for the Inka and Mayan sites.

I did travel some of Route 66 in Arizona a while back, but the schedule didn't permit for photo stops. I'd like to do that again some day.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Inside of any pub especially if there is a jazz band. Oh, and take a camera with black and white.

 

[sepiareverb]

Paria Canyon in southern Utah. That place is all lines.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Done recently - and recommended:
Romania - Transilvania - for a last, romantic look at Europe
Rome - for the Romans as was
Peru - wealth of environments from mountains to Amazon and great people
North West Territories - spectacular isolation - nowhere has affected me quite so much
India - anywhere - best photographic light and subjects in the world

Top of my list remaining:
Mongolia - for the people
Antarctic - for the ice
Most of the USA - but esp the mid west and south
Congo - an elusive shoot for me - come so close so many times

Dear David,

As a matter of interest, what did you especially like/find photogenic about Transylvania? I found it patchy: sometimes hard to take a bad picture, sometimes hard to take a good one. Oh; and I wasn't impressed with the mood. Mamaliga: aaargh!

I'm not putting it down: I'd be back like a shot, as soon as I gave the time/money. Likewise India, where I have spend many months in total; the best of them on a mptorcycle.

Can't see the USA in the same class -- I've driven across the country 7 times (open jaw flight on one occasion) -- but then I like mostly historical subjects; my studio at home is almost certainly older than the United States. And people; UK and USA can be stand-offish, or indeed downright paranoid, if there are children around.

But as I get older, I want to return to places more; I am less eager to see new ones, simply because I've got so many ideas for the places I've seen already: yes, Transylvania, India, plus the Tibetan/Chinese border (Kham), the Spanish Pyrenees, Portugal, Greece, and (above all) Malta, where I find more things to photograph per square mile than anywhere else on earth. And Bermuda, for sentimental reasons: I lived there in the '60s.

Anyone else feel the same way about revisiting, rather than going somewhere new?

Cheers,

R.

 

[shadowfox]

I just want to visit Japan. 😛

 

[crawdiddy]

But as I get older, I want to return to places more; I am less eager to see new ones, simply because I've got so many ideas for the places I've seen already: yes, Transylvania, India, plus the Tibetan/Chinese border (Kham), the Spanish Pyrenees, Portugal, Greece, and (above all) Malta, where I find more things to photograph per square mile than anywhere else on earth. And Bermuda, for sentimental reasons: I lived there in the '60s.

Anyone else feel the same way about revisiting, rather than going somewhere new?

Cheers,

R.

I know what you mean, Roger. I haven't traveled as much as you, but I find that I want to return to places I've been. India in particular. I spent all of my time in southern India (Bangalore) because I was there on business. But it was fascinating. I'd really like to visit northern India, and Nepal, specifically to see Hindu temples.

 

[DavidH]

Dear David,

As a matter of interest, what did you especially like/find photogenic about Transylvania? I found it patchy: sometimes hard to take a bad picture, sometimes hard to take a good one. Oh; and I wasn't impressed with the mood. Mamaliga: aaargh!

Hi Roger,

I'm a big fan of ruins and old, old buildings...people photography is rare for me - i spend my life filming people and have little interest in doing it in my spare time as well... 😉
Transilvania - at least the bit we were in - had several ruined towns, and Churches & Monasteries (spelling?) dating from the 12th century. Better than that, we were often the only people there - so pretty much any shot was free of other tourists.
We stayed in a Hungarian village - where there is no crime. At all. That was something quite special.
There is a bridge in a nearby town that was built 100 years ago with a 100 year guarantee - by a Hungarian company. 1 year before the guarantee ran out, the village received a phone call from the company to see if the bridge was Ok and whether they wanted it serviced...and another 100 year extension to the guarantee!
Wonderful.

Can't see the USA in the same class -- I've driven across the country 7 times (open jaw flight on one occasion) -- but then I like mostly historical subjects; my studio at home is almost certainly older than the United States. And people; UK and USA can be stand-offish, or indeed downright paranoid, if there are children around.

Different for sure, but so many things to see in such a vast country. From a filming perspective, the UK is the worst country I've worked in - while the US is the best - people are more open to being on camera. Can't speak for photography - but again, people photos don't interest me very much...

But as I get older, I want to return to places more; I am less eager to see new ones, simply because I've got so many ideas for the places I've seen already: yes, Transylvania, India, plus the Tibetan/Chinese border (Kham), the Spanish Pyrenees, Portugal, Greece, and (above all) Malta, where I find more things to photograph per square mile than anywhere else on earth. And Bermuda, for sentimental reasons: I lived there in the '60s.

Anyone else feel the same way about revisiting, rather than going somewhere new?

Yes absolutely...starting with Dartmoor - where I spent my childhood.
Mexico again, Bolivia
NorthWest Territories for sure...
But I am also heavily into macro - so going back to Costa Rica would also be nice 🙂

cheers

 

[back alley]

the older i get the less i want to leave home.
when i was younger i did a fair amount of motorcycle touring, my favourite being from edmonton to new youk city and back, all on the smaller older highway system through the states.

if i were to win the lotto today...i would buy a mid sized suv and load up the dog and all my gear and travel that same old highway through the states. and then hop a jet to europe and do the same. fly back to canada and drive home.

joe