I have never found the need to photograph people at random. Civil War reinactments, Comicon, Festival, and occasions where people are in costume are far more fun. Those people want their pics taken. If you make money with your camera, shooting at random will not be of interest. Producing community videos with a purpose is fun. Filming music festivals and bands also can result in some fantastic action shots.

Only if the government shuts down. Bummer shut down all the parks a few years back—what a shame as I met people who spent a lifetime not seeing Yellowstone and the Tetons. I just walked around the barricades, but they were long hikes.

I shoot real estate full time, ball head and shooting on a grid a must. For models and portraits, the ball head mimics your holding the camera in your hands before tightening it down—fast adjustments.

That is because end of Sept is booked solid. Last year Oxbow Bend was in peak color 10/1 for the golden Aspens and nothing in town had changed. Second week of October was best for color.

After 15 years of hit and miss, if you were selling your photo results, it is best that you have a friend in town to tell you when the leaves are in peak, fly out for 2-3 days, and go home.

If you use an aperture if f-8 to f-11 you should be able to capture perfect focus with no more than 10 images. Anything more than that is a waste of hard drive space and time.

Shoot tethered and let Lightroom control the shots and focal length increments for even shooting.

Depends on what you want to do with your camera. For stills a sturdy ball head is definitely the way to go. If you intend to shoot video, a fluid panning video head would be a good choice. I have both.

Usually when one shoots other people other than family members, there is money involved. Today people are too cheap to have portraits made. Studios are drying up right and left.

Sept 20 is very early. Best time is 9-28 to 10-4. I have a timeshare there for week of color - #39. Last year I hit it just right for color driving in and then it snowed for 4 days straight...left and went to Moab.

Weather that time of year really sucks, cold and rainy 45-52 day and freezing at night. I have encountered 5 days of rain in a row and last year snow. Good luck.

There is no skill or knowledge required to press a button. Without filters cell phones are just point and shoot.

If I were only going to use something once, why not rent it? Needed a Rode mic...$300+ purchase price...$17 to rent. Never needed a mic since. Saved over $300.

However, I never need a polarizer. Shooting RAW and using NIK and Topaz filters, I don't need them. Polarizer effects to your image are permanent.

I have captured amazing canon shots at night and lightning by using the "Bulb" feature for timed exposures...also works great for fireworks. Set the lens to infinity, hold the shutter open until the end of the lightning strike and you have it.

Relax buddy...life is too short. With your anger maybe we should take up a collection when you get thrown in jail. You don’t have a monopoly on balls, my friend. Be careful with your threats.

Spot on. And most people are more than happy to have their properties featured if you tell them what you are doing. The only thing I have found lately is that some establishments to not allow tripods thinking you might be a commercial photographer. But they certainly allow hand held cameras, cell phones, etc. The OP should not sweat the small potato.

Just have fun taking your images. Everyone is such an expert on this forum getting worked up and anal about nothing. First the chances of you selling an image in todays market is highly highly unlikely anyway. Second any entity wanting to be so obnoxious to threaten a lawsuit must prove damages which are none. Think about it. If this were a problem they would outlaw cameras.

I have been making community videos and shooting for travel magazines for 25 years without a single problem or issue. I have never seen a sign posted "No Photography Allowed" on any building or monument residence anywhere. Inside, maybe. Relax...forget about all the BS posted here and have fun. As long as you have the DNG or Film Negative, there is not a copyright that can touch you. And why would you be interested in photographing a government building anyway?

It is not against any law to take photos of property in public view. You do not have to have any release or permission. However entering the property or taking photos while on tours may be a different matter. Nobody can prevent you from photographing and publishing photos taken from the public streets and sidewalks.