Dietxanadu

I have been thinking about getting out of town. I don’t mean leaving UHH.
But I have just been in this area way to long. that area being Hollywood, Calif.
I see the photo’s you folks post and I just want to go. But my friend does not drive, so I got to stay close to home.

Do you think staying in the same area would sap your photo juices?
Seeing the same thing every day, would just become a turn off?

Every Sunday I go to the same train club and will end up taking the same old pictures.
Sometimes I get on my belly or climb at latter, but still it’s the same photos.
I started bringing black foam board to make flowers Pop.
Next week it’s going to be a gray foam board (in place of a green screen). Very busy behind what I’m shooting.

So what do you folks think, time to get out of Dodge City on the afternoon stage?

Stef C Loc: Conshohocken (near philly) PA

I think that you posting this is enough of an answer for you. Just leave. Hollywood is probably cool, but just head up the coast, or east and you'll find amazing things/pictures/people.

My goal is to one day drive from San Diego to Vancouver... i think that would be an awesome trip filled with awesome photos. I'm on the east coast for now though.

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

I live in the beautiful Northwest (Portland, OR). I can't think of a more beautiful place to live. Of course, I haven't lived in many places. I moved up here from San Jose, CA. I always ask myself... why did I wait so long to move?

Regardless, I think your desire to move and see something different is pretty common. We all want what we don't have. No disrespect intended, but you couldn't pay me enough to live in Hollywood, CA where almost everything is "photoshopped". (joke). On the other hand, I'm sure there are tons of interesting photo ops down there. If you are an outdoors person like me, then it's probably not the ideal place to live.

Good luck.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

you can or you can just find new ways to see old things

randym77

I recently read some advice from a professional photographer. He said he always shoots photos as soon as he can when he arrives in a new place. His eye is fresher then; because everything's unfamiliar, it all looks new, and he sees things in a way he doesn't after being there a few days.

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

Makes sense to me...

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Wow...you live in Hollywood and you've exhausted things to shoot???

You have a never-ending panorama of street freaks to shoot, unbelievable happenings all the time all hours of the night...

Try a small town in West Virginia on for size to see how little there is to shoot. :)


Being serious (but I was serious about shooting on the street) try the following:

Give yourself an "assignment." Try something like: "Letters fo the alphabet" and only shoot letters of the alphabet as you find them where you go.

OR

Only certain textures or materials...


the point is that limiting yourself gets you out of familiar patterns that we all fall into.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

What? You haven't left yet????
Get out and SEE the world!!!

PhotoMan1929 Loc: Virginia, USA

I agree that a change of scenery may energize a jaded vision. New places may present new opportunities. On the other hand, the true artist can find inspiration in a raindrop while the snap-shooter soon runs out of things to "snap."

I often read, on this and other forums, the complaint that "I could not get out to take pictures because the sun was not shining." Oh me, Oh my! Such a shortsighted view. In the first place, there are many opportunities at home without leaving the house, not to mention the opportunities in the immediate vicinity. As for the sun shining, I have always disliked shooting outdoors in bright, sunny weather because the lighting was too harsh, too contrasty. Back in the dim, distant days when I was a pro photog, we went to great lengths to control harsh, outdoor lighting. "Scrim," "gobos," reflectors, fill flash and other methods were often used to reduce lighting contrast.

Like anyone else, I enjoy sunny weather, but I also like inclement weather and cloudy or dim light. I particularly enjoy making pictures in the early evening, especially after a rain when the lights reflect off the wet streets.

Photo opportunities exist everywhere at all times. Changing your physical location may help, but finding interesting photos close to home will do much more for developing one's vision. After all, most great photos begin as a vision in the mind of the photographer.

As for post-processing, it is unfortunate that digital photos often require some touch-ups, at least some sharpening. That is the nature of the medium. Nevertheless, the phrase, "I'll fix it in Photoshop." has become the mantra of slop-tographers. There would be much less need for "PP" (Post Processing) if photographers would use more "PPP" - Planning, Preparation and Patience.

Horseart Loc: Alabama

I'm one of those! I live in Tn and often tell people it's the ugliest part of my state...because it IS! There's not much to photograph here unless you have flower gardens and animals. I do, but how many flowers and and how many of the same animals can we continue to photograph???

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I agree; that's why I purchased a light meter and keep an external flash and various flags and modifiers in my back pack.

"Sloptographers"....that's classic....simply classic.

tlbuljac Loc: Oklahoma

It could be a lot worse....you could live in Indiana

Horseart Loc: Alabama

What are you thinking????! I LOVE Indiana, especially around Shipshewana....yes, I could!

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

Hey PhotoMan... you'd love Portland then. Lots of diffused light here (ha ha), and you won't be in short supply of rain drops or wet streets either. :-)

Roger Hicks Loc: Aquitaine

Increasingly, I suspect that there are some who can find endless inspiration in their own back yard (literally or figuratively), while others need (or at least greatly prefer) variety. I am in the latter camp.

The trouble is that the 'back yard' brigade often assume superiority over those of us who prefer variety: "If you were any good, you could find pictures in your own back yard."

No, sorry. "If you were any good... You wouldn't presume to tell others that you're right and they're wrong."

Today, I've been shooting in my back yard (literally) and in my kitchen. I found some reasonable compositions. But you know what? I'd MUCH rather be in Malta.

I don't think that makes me any less of a photographer.

So yes, I fully understand your desire to move. For the last 10 years I've lived in a beautiful village in rural France: here are some pictures.

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/sgallery/g%20france%20new.html

But I still travel as much as I can possibly afford, because (a) I enjoy it more and (b) I think I get better pictures, cf

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/sgallery/g%20china.html (China)

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/pst%20malta.html (Malta)

But even though I get pictures that I like at Arles every year, I think that if I lived there, the inspiration would dry up:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/arles%202008.html (2008)

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/arles%202009.html (2009)

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/arles%202010.html (2010)

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/taster/Arles%202011%20Taster.pdf (2011 -- this one takes longer to load because it's PDF))

Cheers,

R.