The United States from an European point of view

E

elude

Some photographer
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Mar 30, 2007
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Hello,

I am a 26 years old french student, with the serious idea of travelling through the United States this august.
Among the 50 states, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiane, Tennessee, Mississipi and Georgia have caught my attention. I haven't mentioned it yet, but I've been studying at college the depth of the foundation of this country. I'm in my fourth year. The history of these states has deeply motivated me with the need to go there, talk to people, live with people, eventually photograph them and where they live and go back home to transcribe what I lived.

I'll keep carrying film on my back, with my Leica MPs around the wrist. That's been established.. 2.8/24, 1,4/50 and 1,4/75.

Where I need your help is, that I need pieces of advice dealing with these states, what city you live in or what city do you remember the most. Where do you think I should go.
I only need average size town names since I'm not looking for skycrapers (Paris is crazy enough for me). What caught your interest, well

What's great about america? And these states in particular ?! Show me the love of your country

Merci.

Larry
 
Savannah, Georgia is an interesting place to visit, lots of history and "local flavor," well-regarded art school, etc. Just a bit north, Charleston S.C. is an interesting town also.
 
Interesting choice of states to be interested in. Since I'm a "Yankee" I can't wave the flag about these places, but I've been to all of them more than once on various vacations and business trips. My suggestion is to stay off of the interstate highways as much as possible and travel on the state highways and smaller local streets. It will be a lot slower but you'll see a lot more, meet more people, and find more to photograph. As an outsider you might have a similar experience as I did: the people will often not appear to be friendly but that seems mostly because folks like me (and you) "aren't from around here". Talk to them anyway and some of them will warm up to you and chat... as they did with me. Eat at the local diners, not at the chain restaurants, and don't miss the barbeque! I much prefered the rural mountain areas of TN, KY and northern GA -- hillbilly country. Two of my favorite areas were the Great Smokey Mountains and the Cumberland Gap area. As far as cities go, there are a number of interesting cities - in TN: Memphis and Nashville; in AL: Huntsville and Mobile; in GA: Atlanta; in LA: New Orleans; but in MS: none that I know of.
 
This is an awful lot of territory to cover. I grew up in the South, Memphis, TN. You could go to the big cities, but then everyone does and everything there has been photographed until the surfaces are smooth. I'd get on any small country road, stop at the first place that looked interesting, diner, library, local store, farmer's market, farm, whatever, and start talking to people. Tell them what you're interested in doing. Let them make suggestions. Of course, I'd never have the guts to do what you're doing anyway. :)

/T
 
FrankS said:
Tongue in cheek: Have you seen the movie, Deliverance?
Click to expand...
Exactly what I was thinking... :D

Larry, one thing to consider is the size of the areas you are talking about. If you plan to cover all states you've mentioned, be prepared to put some serious mileage on your rental car. You might have better results by sticking to one or two states.

As for recommendations, this California boy can't help much but I can say from experience that there is no place on earth like New Orleans.
 
I grew up in Kentucky, the rural areas in between Louisville and Lexington are magical. Horse farms, Bourbon distilleries, peaceful Southern charm. lots of pre-Civil War architecture. People are simple and charming. Lots of photo ops. that's my two cents. Good luck.
 
Staying off the highways is great advice. Rural and small town America is a gold mine of photo opportunities...people wear their eccentricities on their sleeve! If you come through upstate New York, visit Ithaca, where I live, I'll show you around.
 
I'm with Akiva. I grew up in Lexington, KY. Don't know how much there is there to interest. There's a pretty nice downtown area, but nothing really spectacular and it is kind of slow. The rural areas, however, are very nice. And the bourbon distilleries are worth visiting even if you go to only one. And the mountains there have always fascinated me, despite the deliverance fears. :)
 
Take a look at this blog:
http://bikepat.blogspot.com/

Last summer, Pat walked from Pensacola all the way to DC. He kept off any main streets and he met many people. His interviews with "America" were used in a blog for fund raising.

This year, Pat is biking all the way to Canada.
 
This deliverance fear is a bunch of crap. I am Jewish raised in a city (Louisville) and moved to a farm in the Appalachian Mts for 23 years before moving to South Florida. Never did I see that kind of behavior, never. sorry off topic.
 
kshapero said:
This deliverance fear is a bunch of crap. I am Jewish raised in a city (Louisville) and moved to a farm in the Appalachian Mts for 23 years before moving to South Florida. Never did I see that kind of behavior, never. sorry off topic.
Click to expand...

I spent a lot of time in rural Appalachia - only Hollywood would make that kind of cr@p up.
 
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It was not posted seriously. I thought I had made that clear with the "tongue in cheek" part. Chill out.
 
I am going to eat some chili now, so I can chill out. But honestly I travel alot for my work and I have had to put up with people (mainly in the North) really thinking that stuff.
 
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