This post may seem like musings, but is meant to ask some of you what you would do differently/better if circumstances (not equipment) allowed. I am wondering how many folks in the photo community would stretch their skills if they had more opportunity to do photography-specific trips as opposed to recreational travel? Yes, there are pro-photographer led workshops as well as photo clubs in more populated cities, but the workshops can be cost prohibitive in exchange for time and coverage provided, and clubs seem to be pretty scattered out and limited to regional subject matter.
Being drawn to landscapes and nature, I was blessed when I found another soul who shared the same enthusiasm for discovery and desire to explore way beyond his home territory. What made it a perfect photography union was that our spouses had no patience with travel that evolved into long photo sessions. So, with mutual respect for each other’s talents and skill…and with neither trying to be the teacher, but both being open to experimenting with new shooting situations by setting goals…we made 9 trips across the SW, the PNW, the Rockies, and even waterfall country here in NC. Three big “C’s” (Construction, Cancer, and Covid) brought the trips to a halt in 2018, with one last trip this September left to experience. My buddy’s health makes it hard to plan too far in the future these days.
For me, images seen through a lens have always been imbedded in memory far more lastingly than when casually glimpsed through the window of a moving vehicle. And the desire to preserve those images as clearly and beautifully as possible motivated me to grow my photographic skill set. Am I an anomaly for sometimes wanting to create a portfolio of beautiful imagery over always sharing experiences with my spouse?
So, I wonder…how many would choose to partner up for travel dedicated to capturing the scenery over recreational travel with a spouse where photography is merely an adjunct? Can we only justify travel solely for photography if we are ‘professionals’ making a living at it?
(P.S. All of the above is directed at the mature segment of this community who would not travel solo. There are probably a great many brave young folks who can live out of a car/and or tent in pursuit of adventure and never worry about accidents in remote locations.)

I understand. While I have met women on motorcycles riding along they are very few and far between and very independent even when married. There are any number of reasons why it can be more difficult to women to travel alone alone. But on tours (we use Overseas Adventure Travel) there are often women traveling along with their husband's blessing because the group setting always has others to rely on. One of our friends when to Africa with us and her husband was pretty OK with that. It was a fantastic trip and she really fulfilled her interest in travel in a relatively safe way.

I am ready to start considering groups, but I just wonder how regimented/flexible the schedules are. It is hard for me to sit back and be a passenger, I am so used to carefully planning my itineraries. But I reckon the guides have a lot more insight than I would. When a group arrive at a site all together, is it not hard to find compositions without blocking/or being blocked by someone else?

Two of my favorite times in my life were my coast to coast trips (the first with my wife, the second alone). The goal was to stay off of the interstate as much as possible, limit my travel to about 300 miles a day, and take photos that I found interesting. Did I travel for photography or was photography incidental to the trip? Yes! If you only travel by the interstate, would you ever see Chivington, Colorado, which is a few miles from the Sand Creek Massacre Historical Site? Do a web search on both and see how they relate.

This post may seem like musings, but is meant to ask some of you what you would do differently/better if circumstances (not equipment) allowed. I am wondering how many folks in the photo community would stretch their skills if they had more opportunity to do photography-specific trips as opposed to recreational travel? Yes, there are pro-photographer led workshops as well as photo clubs in more populated cities, but the workshops can be cost prohibitive in exchange for time and coverage provided, and clubs seem to be pretty scattered out and limited to regional subject matter.
Being drawn to landscapes and nature, I was blessed when I found another soul who shared the same enthusiasm for discovery and desire to explore way beyond his home territory. What made it a perfect photography union was that our spouses had no patience with travel that evolved into long photo sessions. So, with mutual respect for each other’s talents and skill…and with neither trying to be the teacher, but both being open to experimenting with new shooting situations by setting goals…we made 9 trips across the SW, the PNW, the Rockies, and even waterfall country here in NC. Three big “C’s” (Construction, Cancer, and Covid) brought the trips to a halt in 2018, with one last trip this September left to experience. My buddy’s health makes it hard to plan too far in the future these days.
For me, images seen through a lens have always been imbedded in memory far more lastingly than when casually glimpsed through the window of a moving vehicle. And the desire to preserve those images as clearly and beautifully as possible motivated me to grow my photographic skill set. Am I an anomaly for sometimes wanting to create a portfolio of beautiful imagery over always sharing experiences with my spouse?
So, I wonder…how many would choose to partner up for travel dedicated to capturing the scenery over recreational travel with a spouse where photography is merely an adjunct? Can we only justify travel solely for photography if we are ‘professionals’ making a living at it?
(P.S. All of the above is directed at the mature segment of this community who would not travel solo. There are probably a great many brave young folks who can live out of a car/and or tent in pursuit of adventure and never worry about accidents in remote locations.)