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PHOTOFORUM'S TRAVEL TIPS this project is just starting so as we get more material this list will be updated. An educational or professional slant to the material sent here would be particularly appropriate. To add your tips send them to andpph@davidhazy.org with TRAVEL in the Subject: line. ========================================================================== Photo Attractions in 1. Boston 13. Paris (France) 2. Chicago 14. Rochester, NY 3. Las Vegas 15. New York City 4. Mobile 16. Montreal 5. Seattle 17. Philadelphia 6. Pittsburgh 18. Utah 7. San Francisco 19. London 8. Colorado (Southwest) 20. Washington (State) 9. Algonquin Park (Ontario) 21. Africa 10. San Diego 22. Alaska 11. Everglades 23. Arizona 12. New Orleans 24. Memphis 25. Newfoundland -------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON ..................................................................... > Later this month I will be going to Boston and Northern New England for the > first time. I'm from Arizona and this part of the country will be new and > different for me. I could use some suggestions on what to see and photograph > to get a feeling for the culture and environment of the area. I live outside of Boston and have never been to Arizona, and have only seen photos. Depending on what you are interested in, NE has a very wide variety of scenery. Boston itself is very attractive, with buildings dating back over 200 years, so the architecture would probably be very different from what you are used to. Cape Cod National Seashore is one of my favorite places. There are sand dunes, but probably very different from what you are used to seeing in the SouthWest. For Historical Interest, Plimouth Plantations and Old Sturbridge Village are interesting for their perspective on life in Colonial America, and the architecture and town layout. North of Boston are the towns of Gloucester, Rockport, Magnolia, and Manchester. These offer very different scenery, as the coast there is very rocky (Rockport is very appropriately named) which is quite different from the Cape Cod coast line 2 hours away. These towns are on Cape Ann ("The Other Cape"). Rockport has a red fishing shack on a pier jutting out into the harbor, which has the reputation of being one of the most photographed and painted buildings, at least in New England. It is usually referred to as "Motif No 1". Further north into Maine the coastline is also very rocky, with long rocky inlets from the ocean. The mountains in New Hampshire are much older than the Rockies, so they are considerably more worn down, and not as striking, but beautiful in their own right. There are towns throughout the area, which may not necessarily have anything particularly distinctive, aside from having town centers which have not changed much in 200 years. For some of them, perhaps spring, when all the flowers are in bloom, and fall, when the leaves are turning, are the prettiest times to see them, but they might be worth a visit depending on your time frame. From: Bill Leigh, wleigh@xionics.com CHICAGO ........................................................................ > I will be travelling to Chicago. I will only be there for three days but I > hope to do some sight-seeing and hopefully get some shooting in. I will be > quite limited to the downtown area and would appreciate it if anyone has any > suggestions of good places to visit (and any areas I should avoid) Chicago is a nice place to visit, and you know the rest. It is full of interesting things to photograph. I particularly like Michigan Ave. w/ the colorful people and street musicians. Perhaps for a donation, they will let you photogaph them. The tall buildings are awesome, as is the view from the John Hancock and Sears Towers which you can get about a fifty mile view on a clear day. Night is also spectatular. I like photographing the skyline and it's reflection in Lake Michigan from the Adler Planetarium. It 's a small peninsula that juts out in the lake. It makes a great view just after sunset. Be sure to pick up a map of downtown. The Chicago River has many drawbridges with various vessels afloat. Also, Chicago is known for it's modern architecture. As a country boy, I am facinated by the lights, glamour and excitment of Michigan Ave. On my first visit, I sunburned the roof of my mouth. Check out the great museums, The Art Institute, Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum of Natural History. An awful lot for three days. Have Fun. Always the Art Institute and the Museum of Contemporary Photo south on Michigan From: Kim Mosley <mosley@artsci.wustl.edu> .............................................................................. The Art Institute of Chicago, which is where the Monet exhibit is, is a great museum for photography. I can't tell you what they're showing right now, but when you get to Chicago, pick-up a Chicago Reader and a New City. You'll find them in book stores and cafes and stuff. They're both free magazines that list galleries and openings. They also have all the live music listings and junk like that. It might be a little cold, but you picked a good time to be up in Chicago. Have fun. John. From: John <JMETOYER@UCSVM.MCNEESE.EDU> MOBILE (Alabama) .............................................................. In addition to the USS Alabama, in downtown Mobile you have historic Fort Conde which is a partial restoration of the orginal city hundreds of years ago. There is also Fort Gaines located on Dauphin Island about 25 miles south of the city. Fort Morgan is located opposite Gulf Shores in the next county. Both Forts Morgan and Gaines protected the mouth of the Bay from invasion during the Civil War. Very little has been done to Fort Morgan. It is pretty much in ruins as I recall, but picturesque. Fort Gaines has been restored and is a thriving tourist attraction. There is a Ferry that links both Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan. The trip last about 30 minutes. The alternative is about a 1 1/2 hour drive by car. Since I am here, will be glad to answer any additional questions you or anyone else may have. From: maf00217@ns1.maf.mobile.al.us ("Robert A Vogtner") more: The boat's there, but if I may jump in with an alternative suggestion: don't miss the gardens if you're in the area -- Bellingrath (spelling?) Gradens are world class. They are grand southern gardens -- plantation style opulence. If you have to choose, forget the boat. From: Joe Angert, St. Louis Community College, <0007372155@mcimail.com> LAS VEGAS...................................................................... > Will be heading to Las Vegas in August. Can anyone tell me some good sites to > photograph (Outside of Vegas)? Will have a rental car so that will not be a > problem. Let say about a fifty to hundred mile range of Las Vegas. You may want to consider visiting Hoover Dam and Lake Mead south of Las Vegas. Raft trips down the Colorado River below the dam are available (much more sedate than the ones through the Grand Canyon!). Local Las Vegas attractions (*besides* casinos) include Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area about 45 minutes west of town along the Spring Mountains, Mt. Charleston (also in the Spring Mt. range) (ele. ~12,000 feet) northwest of town about an hour and Valley of Fire State Park northeast of Las Vegas about an hour by freeway. Two photo-l members who have visited Las Vegas have really enjoyed their trip out to this park, noted for its firey red rock formations. From: jonker@hgl.signaal.nl (Erik Jonker) Yes try "Valley of Fire" state park N.E. of Las Veges, great for late afternoon shots with sun low in the sky. From: ImagesInt@aol.com Hoover Dam would be a start... :-) Near Boulder City. I'd take a helo ride from SunDance Helicopters - get the LEFT side in the passenger area and shoot through the sliding vent. Red Rock - you will need to find out sundown time and get there about an hour before - the place really mellows as the sun drops in the sky. Good cacti against a red background! From: r-roper@uiuc.edu (Roy Roper) Be prepared for the heat (100-120) when you come out in august.. :) after living here almost 6 yrs im still not used to it. PS: if you're tight on time (can't go to red rock and valley of fire) i would say skip red rock and head out to valley of fire its much nicer IMHO. sunsets/rises at valley of fire are beautiful, at red rock you have to wait for the sunsets. From: Casey Lewis, lewis@nevada.edu, University of Nevada, Las Vegas The Mormon Temple in Las Vegas is really cool at night... From: Brett Pfingston (bpfingst@indiana.edu) FYI, in case you are thinking of this photography is *not* encouraged in the casinos. If you are caught they will bounce you quick, and many gamblers will be quick to point you out to the bouncer. A tragedy, those places are a great little theatre. Since you are from Gulf Breeze, I should suggest Groom Lake, the supposed USAF "Area 51" UFO base. It's kind of at your outer limits (heh), but follow I-15 north to US 93, then north past Ash Springs and turn left (West) on Nevada 375. That will take you to Rachel, the closest town to the forbidden base, staging point for the UFO faithful's nightly forays to watch the lights, and home of the "Ale-E-Inn." :) Kevin Bjorke, x3587 Pixar Animation Studios From: bjorke@pixar.com (Kevin Bjorke) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There is a little place called Bonnie Springs, just North of Las Vegas. it is beautiful this time of year. It is rolling green hills, and a wonderful underlay of red rock. At the end of the road there is a small tavern, with a petting zoo. Take I-15 North, and turn left (east) at the first exit before Mt. Charleston. It has been ten years since I was there last, and if anyone is from around there to correct my directions, please do. Mt Charleston is great this time of year, too. The entire desert is at it's most, now. Sam Turvey -- airedale1@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > There is a little place called Bonnie Springs, just North of Las Vegas. Bonnie Springs is WEST of Las Vegas. > it is beautiful this time of year. It is rolling green hills, and a > wonderful underlay of red rock. At the end of the road there is a small > tavern, with a petting zoo. I-15 North goes NOWHERE near Mt. Charleston. > Take I-15 North, and turn left (east) at the first exit before Mt. > Charleston. It has been ten years since I was there last, and if anyone > is from around there to correct my directions, please do. Mt Charleston > is great this time of year, too. The entire desert is at it's most, now. If you wish to go to Bonnie Springs and the nearby Red Rock Canyon, take Charleston Blvd. WEST (also known as Nevada Hwy. 159) and after you pass all the construction, watch the signs. I would also recommend Valley of Fire and the Lake Mead Rec. Area if you have never been to the desert before and want to photography it's beauty. From: Mark Olson (from Las Vegas) <stlouimo@earthlink.net> SEATTLE ....................................................................... : I will be in Seattle shooting for fun only with a toyo 23G. Would someone : care to point out some inteesting, don't miss, sites. Try the arboretum. If they let you use a tripod ontop of the Space Needle, that would be an obvious possibility, but I'm not sure they do. If you like architecture, go to the UW campus. --Chris Mullin mullin@selway.umt.edu ............................................................................... Try Pike Place Market, especially on a Saturday. Seattle Center (amusement park - former world's fair site) Sat. night is also fun, and includes the "Space Needle" tower and Imax huge movie. Gasworks park is neat, and has some great views. DO NOT miss Mt. Ranier Nat. Park (at least get to Paradise Valley area, and try bits of the trails) - the views and landscape are spec-ta-cu-lar! From: rpn1@cornell.edu (Bob Neuman) ............................................................................... I would recommend heading out to Shilshole Bay (Discoverey Park) in Ballard. The sun sets over the Olympic Mts. and on wednesdays, the sail boat races.... If you anjoy a more rural approach you can drive north on I-5 for about 1 hour and take the many small country roads near towns such as Marysville and Stanwood. Some real nice old barns!!!!! E-mail me if you have any more specific requests!!!! N.Camron Hastings, Seattle, WA camron@u.washington.edu ............................................................................... Keep in mind that Mt. Rainier is NOT in Seattle. It is two hours away. As for places in Seattle, everyone has forgotten about going up to Queen Anne Hill and taking a picture of downtown (with the Space Needle and Mt. Rainier included in the shot) at either sunset, at night, or during the day. Also, there are such great places in Seattle such as Pioneer Square, the waterfront (with the ferries and the Olympics), the Ballard Locks, Pike Place Market and (as someone already mentioned) the arboreteum. Chris Rowland aesir@u.washington.edu ............................................................................. Some great waterfront places down by Pike Place Market (Farmers Market). Someplace down there the ferry comes in too. The Space Needle is a good travel spot. Best if you can get the Mono-Rail in with it. Another WaterFront place, but lake front, is Gas Works Park. It's a old black natual gas refinery (sp) right on the lake out on a point. Lots of sail boats going by etc. Woodland park zoo was voted one of the nations best zoos. greg@eskimo.com http://www.eskimo.com/~greg/ ............................................................................. ... and the number one photo op and a simply nice thing to do is: Bainbridge Island ferry leaving downtown Seattle waterfront... 30 minutes each way...$3.50 round trip for walk-on passenger... as it departs Seattle you have the views of downtown, surrounding neighborhood hills, and the Cascade Mountains to the east and Olympic Mountains to the west...explore peaceful park walking distance from ferry landing on Bainbridge. for complete top ten list of Seattle photo-op sites, email: davidhazy@arthed.com or check out http://www.arthed.com From: Andy Davidhazy, davidhazy@arthed.com ............................................................................. >Can someone tell me what photography opportunities I will have if I will be >in the Seattle area in the middle of January. the obvious are Pike Place Market Snoqualmie Falls The Hammering Man less obvoius are Myrtle Edwards Park Woodland Park Zoo Harbor Island West Seattle Swing Bridge Monorail State Route 520 through rhe Arboretum if you want to say what you usually shoot I can get more specific From: Tony Gale <donato@halcyon.com> ............................................................................. Don't forget to visit the Freemont Troll and nearby Archie McPhee's! And yes, pack the rain gear. Rainy season is well under way here in the PNW in January. From: Tom Sheft <tomsheft@Vinton.COM> SAN FRANCISCO ............................................................... The Golden Gate Bridge at night is pretty. Coit tower will give you a nice overlook of the city. You might also want to try pier 39. Pet, winson@sunflash.eng.usf.edu (Peter Winson (EE)) ............................................................................. Anyone ever photograph those windmills that are located in the mountains east of Hayward? I was in the back of a pickup headed to the Sierras and took a couple pictures while moving. There are hundreds of them there! Tedd Lister, University of Georgia, tlister@sunchem.chem.uga.edu ............................................................................. You might try the Marin headlands at sunset. Just North and west of the Golden Gate bridge. - Could get the moon over the bridge or SF. (I'm doing a little guessing on the angle of moon rise here) Anyway, it's a nice area. Probably would want/need a telephoto for the city skyline. The advantage of this angle though is that even if there's a fair amount of fog you may get some nice shots of the bridge. Twin Peaks area gives a fine view of the night skyline, but (again I'm guessing) I think the moon would be to far south to include with the city skyline. Lastly, you could go to Berkeley Marina area (across the bay, east) and catch a nice sunset & SF skyline. This AM (Thurs) there was plenty of smog for a nice sunset, sigh. Hope this helps!, and yes, have fun! --Bruce Barrett You can reach my communicator and me --General Magic at: A5723643634@attpls.net ............................................................................. San Francisco is almost a no brainer. It is SO beautiful that all you really need to do is point and shoot. The best place to shoot the Golden Gate is from the west side, near sunset. Go out to SeaCliff, on El Camino Del Mar, which is on the way to the Palace of the Legion of Honor. From the road, you will get a few spectacular views of the bridge, looking back to Sausalito and Angel Island. The other great view is to cross the Bay Bridge to Berkley. Get off on College Ave, but go towards the bay. There is a resturant there that has an upper balcony with a straight shot to the bridge. With a 300 tele, you should get some spectacular photos. Again, I would recommend either sunset or sunrise as the best times and don't forget Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, etc. It's all so beautiful. Bill Jacobus, Toledo, Ohio <WJACOBUS@gemini.mco.edu> ............................................................................... We natives get jaded, and don't always appreciate the scenery (especially when stuck in traffic), but we do know the street names. Bill's instructions were fine, and the restaurant is a good suggestion, except that it is off of University Avenue, not College (the sort of translation I am famous for). Let me make another suggestion: Drive across the Golden Gate, north on 101 to the Tiburon exit (or if you really enjoy the bay, take the Tiburon ferry from Fisherman's Wharf, pier 43 1/2). Then take the ferry from Tiburon to Angel's Island. While the Island is currently suffering a bit from environmental traditionalists who have managed to instigate a program to cut all trees "not native" to the island, the view of the city, both bridges, Marin with Tamalpais, etc. etc. etc. (quote from "The King and I") is spectacular. Might be a good place to try out a polarizing filter, and I too recommend "longish" lenses. There is a bit of a hike from the ferry landing to the top of the hill, perhaps 1 mile. It can be cool and windy. I particulary recommend late afternoon as the fog is pushing through "the Gate" and creeping over the mountains of Marin. Mike Breen, Oakland, CA <breen@surf.com> .............................................................................. I kinda like shooting the bridge from the Sausalito side - there's a parking lot near the end of the bridge and the fog is great in the morning - - - Louie J. Powell - LJPowell@ix.netcom.com ............................................................................. > I will be going to San Francisco in May. I need a shot of the sky line from > the area of the Bay Bridge looking at the city from the east in the early > morning. Can any of you direct me to a location for this type of shot. You can get off the SF Oakland Bay Bridge in the middle, at Treasure/Yerba Buena Island. Last time I did the the guards manning gates for what is left of the Navy facilities there (I know there is now a sound stage used by at least one file studio), allowed me to driver on the base. But even without driving on the base there is parking before the guard gates looking west toward the city, with views of most everything else - the SF skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin, Angel and Alcatraz islands, and the Bay Bridge too if you are using a reasonably wide lens. From: Michael Breen <breen@surf.com> ............................................................................. > San Fransisco has a reputation for having high quality photo galleries. > Can you direct me to some of them? The SF Museum of Modern Art has a large collection of photographs, including many Weston, Lang, ... For some years the curator of the collection was Van Deren Coke, formerly in charge of the NY MOMA collection, photographer, teacher (At U of New Mexico, Sante Fe, where there is also lots of quality photography). I recommend you pick up the sunday SF Chronicle, not for the news, but for the "Pink Section", which usually has an extensive listing of what is at the galleries and museums. For price, there is a shop on Chestnut in the Marina, I believe the name is Fireside Camera, The Camera Bug near SF State and the Zoo, and San Jose Camera Exchange (in Campbell, next to San Jose, about 75 km south). San Jose Camera will have the largest selection of most everything in 35mm and medium format, and bags. For pro equipment there is Adolphe Gasser in SF and Keeble and Shucket and in Palo Alto. Their prices are comparable, and the give a reasonable pro discount. They both have 35, medium and large format, the larger selection in larger formats (on display) is at Keeble and Shucket. Have a nice holiday and don't leave anything in your car or out of your sight. From: Michael Breen <breen@surf.com> ............................................................................. San Francisco has a number of galleries and museums that are worth a look-see. These include the 49 Geary complex, home to a large number of galleries (some of which, such as the Fraenkel and Wirtz, feature photograply extensively); SFMOMA at Third and Mission; Friends of Photography on Fourth near Howard (across the street from Moscone Center); and Photo Metro (17 Tenaya (near First, by the Transbay Terminal)). But don't forget about the Oakland Museum across the bay. It features a very extensive collection of photography, including the archives of Dorothea Lange. From: Nick Cuccia <cuccia@Talamasca.COM> PITTSBURGH .................................................................. From: r1eb@dax.cc.uakron.edu (Eric Birdsall) >I'm going to be spending some time next week in Pittsburgh, PA, and will, of >course, bring the camera. I thought someone out there might have some >interesting suggestions as to where to take pictures. The Point State Park area at the far western point of the downtown area. This is where the three rivers merge: the Monongahela and Allegheny joining together to form the Ohio. The vicinity of the University of Pittsburgh. The top of one of the inclines (cog railways that run up the ramparts on the south side of the city). There are two. The easiest to get to is probably the Monongahela Incline, across the road from the main entrance to Station Square. The Duquesne Incline is further west, approximately opposite Point State Park. Pitttsburgh is a beautiful and interesting city. Enjoy! Eric Birdsall, Department of English, University of Akron ............................................................................... From: ldast1+@pitt.edu (Lawrence D Adams) The area at the top of the hill which the inclines climb is known as "Mt. Washington". If you're interested in more than scenics, walk along the sidewalks around there. There are, for lack of a better description, decks every 50 yards or so along Grandview Ave, so you'll have quite a few opportunities to get good scenic shots. Nonetheless, the area's popular with couples and young folks... good candid opportunities! (P.S., if you want to get a non-obvious sense of time to your photos, include the Mellon Bank building (which just got its garish lighted sign not too long ago), or the "Zima" billboard at the intersection of the Liberty Bridge and the Boulevard of the Allies (Mayor Murphy has all but declared war on it --- who knows when he'll be successful)). In addition, if you'll have access to a car, you might want to get to the Laurel Mountains (about one hour SE of Pittsburgh). Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater is within easy driving distance in that area. Back in the 'burgh, if you're feeling adventurous, take Rt. 837 (S?) to Homestead. In Homestead, Duquesne, and McKeesport are the remains of some steel mills. (Maybe the bare riverfront acreage is striking only to a native of the area !?) Don't forget the South Side! It's an old, European-feel neighborhood that's giving way to night life on East Carson Street, and gentrification elsewhere. Make sure to let me know if you get anything striking!!! Larry Adams ................................................................................ From: tjw@vms.cis.pitt.edu I took some interesting shots around The Carnegie, Frick Fine Arts and The Phipps Conservatory (across from Flagstaff Hill). Lots of interesting places just in and around Pitt's campus! Terry ............................................................................... From: Kin Chan <Sparrow+@CMU.EDU> You can get a very nice view of the confluence of the 3 rivers from the West End Overlook near Mt Washington and Station Square. ................................................................................ From: twater+@pitt.edu (Thomas C. Waters) Being a "city of neighborhoods", the 'burgh is full of places to find interesting people, and great portrait opportunities. Southside, Polish Hill, The Hill, East Liberty, not to mention Downtown. The strip district, a produce/sales area is really great, especially very early in the AM. Thomas C. Waters ............................................................................... The South Side (Abutting Mt. Washington and running along the Monongahela river) on Sunday morning comes alive with people of all ages in their best clothes. Old ladies sit on church steps and cook pierogies. Character shots abound. The area behind Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland (on the city peninsula, east of the Point) has some fascinating floral and architectural opportunities. Panther Hollow bridge (which runs up to the Carnegie Museum) is a terrific dry bridge about 250ft over a set of train tracks and a wide parking lot. Step onto the bridge and turn 360 degrees...there are shots everywhere. Take advantage of the Pitt University campus for some amazing architectural photos including the Stephen Foster Memorial and Heinz Chapel, both are located on the grounds of the Cathedral of Learning. If you've got a _long_ focus lens (min 400mm) you can go to the top (of the Cathedral) and get a rarely seen perspective of the city. Be careful with your equipment in Oakland proper; lots of predators. The Mexican War Streets, just northeast (walking distance) of Three Rivers Stadium, hold a series of row houses exquisitely restored from when the city's wealthier patrons lived there. Sunrise and sunset cast incredible textures and shadows over the facades. If you're over there in the afternoon, stop by the Warhol museum a few blocks east and use the photobooth in the basement (which they keep in immaculate condition) to get a picture of you and your camera. From: Matt Olenn <milkman@rad.balink.com> COLORADO - SOUTHWEST .......................................................... > Does anyone know of some good area to photograph this fall in the Pikes Peak, > CO region? A friend and I will be taking a week to photo the fall color > starting from Colorado Springs and heading Southwest. I don't have a map handy, so this is from memory from family vacations of the mid-to-late 60's...How about: 1) Mesa Verde...That's in S. Colorado Isn't it? Many different kinds of cliff dwellings, and spectacular mesa country with deep valeys and canyons in between. 2) Colorado National Monument...(that's in Colorado, isn't it?)...Very interesting rock formations. Huge free-standing monoliths. Campground was on top of a hill or mesa, so be careful in the event of a thunderstorm (we saw sparks on the aluminum tent poles, before fleeing to the safety of our car). 3) Great Sand Dunes...already mentioned by others. I want to underline how distances can fool you. My brother and I decided to go over from the campground and climb that "first little bump" of a hill after dinner and before dark. It took half an hour to an hour to get there, and that "first little bump" was one heck of a high hill. I think we had to jog back to get there before dark. 4) Black Canyon of the Gunnison...Interesting dark-rock canyon and rock formations. My recollection is very deep and narrow, not wide like the grand canyon. 5) 4-corners area, Dead Horse Point and Monument Valley Arizona...depends on how far south west you are going. This is really *PRIME* spectacular scenery in an area that is full of spectacular scenery. You will recognize some of it, from so many photos and movies shot there. 6) Durango-to-Silverton railroad, and "Million-Dollar" Highway from Durango to Silverton. Railroad is mostly for the tourists, but serves a few homes in-between. Great mountain scenery. Would be excellent with colored leaves. 7) Capulin Mountain National Monument, New Mexico...(If you are getting south into Northern New Mexico) A dark volcanic cone rising out of mesa country. 8) Pike's Peak itself, of course 9) If you are getting west into Utah, by all means go to Bryce Canyon. Unusual, multi-colored rock formations. This and Monument Valley are 2 that made the biggest impressions on me, and I still have the crayon and pencil-sketches to prove it (hey, I was a kid, no camera yet). Hope you enjoy the trip John snyder@zoltar.nrl.navy.mil .............................................................................. ALGONQUIN .................................................................... FALL COLORS in ALGONQUIN PARK in ONTARIO, CANADA 1) Directions: Take Hwy 400 north then Hwy 11 (4 lanes )to Huntsville, turn into Hwy 60 (2 lanes ) all the way to West gate. Pay fee at the entrance. 2) Colors: Along the Hwy 60 corridor, plenty of colors. You can stop over on shoulder of road, and take pictures of trees, foliage, leaves and rocks. 3) Places of interests: a) Oxtonque River picnic ground. b) Tea Lake Dam.. A small water dam, with red rallings, pristine blue lake water and red maples lining the shore line. A little trail takes you deep inside the lake. c) Hardwwod Lookout trail. A short trail leads you through the hardwood forest and to a hill overlooking Smoke lake. d) Portage Store and Canoe center.. you can have you lunch or snack there, then rent a canoe and spent a few hours exploring the interior of Canoe Lake. e) Arrowhon Pines Lodge. A fine lodge with log cabins, private lake. Canoeing on the lakes or hiking in the trails or read paperbacks on the deck of your cabin. Or feast at their large dining lounge, first rate cuisine and services. (All restaurants are open to the publics) f) Barlett Lodge. Another Lodge. (Never booked into it yet) g) Old Visitor Center. Now an art museum. There is a Fine Art exhibition until end of October featuring works of artists like R. Bateman and others. h) Killarney Lodge by Lake of Two Rivers. Another fine lodge. Their cabins are more colorful then Arrowhon Pines, but not as exclusive as the lodge is quite close to the Hwy corridor. Restaurant smaller and cuisine not as good as Arrowhon. i) Algonquin Visitor Center... A recent multimillion addition, with museam, restaurant, small movie theatre for Alqonquin feature film or slide shows, bookstore and a first rate look out deck at the back. j) Algonquin Logging Museam. k) Hiking trails. There are large number of trails, among them Whiskey Rapid Trail, Hardwood Lookout Trail, Nizzy Lake Trail, Peck Lake Trail, Track and Tower Trail, Hemlock Bluff Trail, Bat Lake Trail Two River Trail, Lookout Trail, Spruce Bog Boardwalk. The best way to explore the lakes is by canoeing from either the Portage Store Canoe Center or from one of the lodges. Or take the trails to explore the woods, beaver ponds... Alogonquin Park publishes once a year "Algonquin Provincial Park Parkway Corridor" you can get a copy at the West Gate entrance of at the Visitor Center, free of charge. It contains more detailed information and ads for various services. Bring your camera, compass( for canoeing), binocular. from: Martin Tai, martin.tai@canrem.com SAN DIEGO ..................................................................... Having lived in San Diego for 30 some years you take things for granted. San Diego is a tourist destination. The world famous San Diego Zoo (check the plants, they have more value than the animals). Go in the morning when they feed 'em. Same with the Wild Animal Park (very cool backdrops) your pix will look like you were in Africa. Balboa Park, this is where the Zoo is at and you could spend days there. Sea World is ok for jumpin' whales. Mission Bay Palomar Mountain La Jolla Cabrillo Lighthouse Coronado, Hotel Del is cool. Desert, east of the mountains San Diego Bay/the harbor Beachs, all west of the everywhere. Lots to choose from. Tijuana, Mex just south of the city. Lot of fun and color. If you have time keep going to "Puerto Nuevo" great, cheap lobster, then on to Rosarito Beach (just a few more miles). Great, old hotel on the beach. Lots of stuff. It depends on what your interested in. Martin Trailer, San Diego, MTrailer@aol.com EVERGLADES ................................................................... >Planning to visit the Everglades Flordia and would like to take some stock >pictures. Prime objective of this trip will be to get wildlife shots. >Suggestions on where to stay and shortcuts to maximize interaction with >location would be appreciated. I camped in the campground on the southern tip of Florida in the Everglades National Park and walked everywhere there was land, canoed and rented a power boat for water travel and got some great sunrise and set shots over the ocean, gulf, bay?? If money is not a concern there are less accessible parts of the Everglades west of Miami, Ft Lauderdale and it goes north far into the state. I think there is more than enough wildlife in the southern tip at the national park. February and March are great times to go. Later the bugs get bad, and it gets hot and muggy. You might consider commuting from the Keys if you don't want to camp in the park. Might want to see if you need reservations if park camping is a consideration. Images to Remember by joe, JWRII@aol.com ............................................................................ Go to Flamingo and spend time. Explore, with available guides, Florida Bay, Whitewater Bay, Coot Bay areas. See if you can get someone to take you from Flamingo to Everglades City via boat. Stop along the way, catch some fish, shoot some pics, see the world thru the eyes of Audubon. Everglades City and the Thousand Islands, excellent area, take your time. Try to see the area thru the eyes of a local mullet man. Sanibel - Captiva - Ft. Myers = Do not overlook the back bay areas. Poke around the few remaining mangroves, Ding Darling is a must for those making a first visit. But also try to get up to Boca Grande Pass and Cabbage Key area. There are several islands along the Lee Island coast that require a boat to reach but are well worth the effort. While in all of the above mentioned areas be sure to look into the early 20th century history of man in the area. Very interesting. From: Amelia Boykin <boykin@eden.com> (and as posted on Photo-L) NEW ORLEANS ................................................................... > I'm going to New Orleans for the first time this Friday. Anyone have any > suggestions for good locations/sites to shoot? Also could use suggestions for > restaurants. If you are going thru Lake Charles, you may want to stop for a day of shooting. Sam Turvey - airedale1@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ You have to go to the Garden District. Some very old mansions and money in that area. Architecture is gorgeous. It is well known and anybody can tell you how to get there. Also, Lake Poncitrane (sp??) is intersting. I shot Mardi Gras in 94, be careful. There were some problems down there. Where they have Mardi Gras is also very cool. If is a very old area. There is an old tavern that has been in the same place for like 80 or 90 years. From: Gregory David Stempel <fyrframe@ptinet.net> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Orleans ... the thought of the food makes my mouth water (grin). The French Quarter Riverfront Cafe du Monde (not to be missed for eats as well as being a window on the Quarter) Gumbo Shop (yum) Look into the patios and crannies but be careful St. Louis Cathedral and the square Any of the graveyards (graves are above ground) Garden District (Anne Rice lives there) Pick up a good tourist guide book, preferably an insider's guide. There are excellent expensive restaurants (Commander's Palace, any of the 'chef' restaurants) but you really have to look hard to find bad food. Some of the best (and least expensive) can be found in the little groceries and holes in the wall. Watch your camera equipment carefully ... there's a lot of crime. Traffic can be gruesome. Police don't necessarily have a good reputation. If you like reading and mysteries, pick up any of the Detective Langdon novels by Julie Smith. She captures life in New Orleans wonderfully. Get out of the city for a day of travel along the river if you get the chance. Louisiana is a LOT more than New Orleans. From: Joanna Strohn <Joanna@email.msn.com> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ New Orleans is a great, if hectic, city in which to shoot. My first trip there was last week and, due to a lack of time and the need to actually attend the meeting I went for, I hired a photo guide (Anna Dathe, she's listed in the COC directory) for a tour of the French Quarter. She was very knowledgeable and had access to areas that I wouldn't have been able to go into on my own (will look up her phone number this evening). I also would suggest, if your interested in cemeteries, Lafayette cemetery on Washington Ave (take the St. Charles St. trolley). It is one of the few cemeteries in which it is actually safe to shoot. Another suggestion, check the obits in the local paper, if your lucky (or unlucky for the musician) there will be a musicians funeral (front line and all). These usually take place in some of the more depressed areas, so use caution (and diplomacy). From: Scott Thurmond <thurmons@ehsct7.envmed.rochester.edu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ... and for the best seafood and most reasonably priced in N.O. try Pasco > Manale's. DITTO! Actually it's "Pascal" Manales's, and is by far, the BEST cajun seafood I've ever experienced. I literally hurt myself eating too much there. Save room for the traditional bread pudding dessert. It's sinful. Pascal's is located in the garden district which is composed of beautiful old style homes with, you guessed it, gardens. Most of the secondary streets are very narrow by modern standards so a wide prime or tele is strongly recommended for landscapes. A trolley runs nearby on St. Charles street that runs back to the French quarter/downtown area. Parking at times can be a problem. Next time I go back, I want to focus (pun intended) on macro work in French quarter. Since it's know for bars and nightlife, early mornings are very quiet and uncrowded. Also cooler temperatures and less humidity, but that shouldn't be much of a concern this time of year. I was there during New Years for the Sugar Bowl (American football game)and the police, I thought, were amazing. Having to handle rival football fans AND your typical new years party crowds wasn't an admirable task but they seemed unfazed by it all. Ex: police car had pulled over a van full of crazed football fans waving flags, yelling, drinking, etc. that had made an illegal turn (very easy to do) on Canal street. While one officer gave the driver a warning, the other cop still in the car, was using the public address speaker to cheer on the opposing team! EVERYONE was laughing. They don't call it the Big Easy for nothin'! :-) P.S. Brennan's (sp?) restaurant while good is overrated IMO. Worth it to say you've been there, done that but I wouldn't go back. Breakfast for 4 was over $200 US. OUCH! From: Doug Smith <wd-smith@tamuk.edu> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >P.S. Brennan's (sp?) restaurant while good is overrated IMO. Worth it >to say you've been there, done that but I wouldn't go back. Breakfast >for 4 was over $200 US. OUCH! The Camelia Grill is the best breakfast site in N.O. IMHO. It is on Carrollton, right off St. Charles Avenue and on the Trolley route. Magnificent and the cooks put on a great show while doing the cooking. >You have to go to the Garden District. Some very old mansions and money >in that area. Architecture is gorgeous. It is well known and anybody can >tell you how to get there. Also, Lake Poncitrane (sp??) is intersting. Ponchatrain- interesting if one gets away from the urban setting and shoots on the northwest/north areas. The Atchafalaya Basin west of Baton Rouge is a marvellous swamp for shooting. >I shot Mardi Gras in 94, be careful. There were some problems down >there. Where they have Mardi Gras is also very cool. If is a very old >area. There is an old tavern that has been in the same place for like 80 >or 90 years. The French Quarter, nice 19th Century French Architecture, quaint balconies and tons of wrought iron. But don't forget about some of the most interesting parts of the Crescent City: The Irish Channel, Magazine Street, and the CBD (Central Business District). All interesting people and very friendly, but N. O. is a port city and consequently has some cautions associated with it. Lastly don't miss the dock areas on the Mississippi River, the River Walk or Moon Walk, and certainly a day's excursion to Avery Island, home of Tobasco, and the bird sancutary is a must. Have fun and eat a Muffaletta at Central Grocery for lunch, or a crab sandwich at Ugelesich's deli, and for the best seafood and most reasonably priced in N.O. try Pasco Manale's. Charlies Steakhouse is a rare treat as well. Aged beef T-Bones only. Bon Apetit, err Bon photgraphiqe From: Michael McKinney <mckinnm@host1.swosu.edu> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Forgot to include a restaurant recommendation. By all means make reservations (early) at Bayona on Dauphine street (in the French Quarter). Excellent food and wine list. For anyone interested, Anna Dathe (photo tour guide for New Orleans) can be reached at 504/949-5630. From: Scott Thurmond <thurmons@ehsct7.envmed.rochester.edu> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also, in the French Quarter is a shop that specializes in the sale of historic photographs. Wish I could remember the name, but it has a huge inventory and large gallery spaces. It is definitely worth a visit. Some wonderful historic and significant photos on display here. John N. Wall - jnweg@unity.ncsu.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > There is a pretty good shooter who has a small gallery near the > Cathedral, actually across from the back of the Cathedral on one of the > streets that runs past the side of the Cathedral away from the Square. > > Can't remember his name, but he has a large display of his shots taken > chiefly around the Square, in both color and B&W. Some very nice work. > > Could be worth a visit to see what someone who has been shooting the Big > Easy for a long time makes of it. There are also lots of photo books of > New Orleans in book stores for other suggestions. Good suggestion - I know this guy's work and it's really good. His gallery is open until early evening - 7:30ish. It's about 50 feet in from Royal Street, one block past the back of the Cathedral. There is also a gallery on Cartres Street (the street that runs in front of the Cathredral). Never found it open (sorry, but my visits are on business and I have to work during the day), but it looks interesting through the window. About two blocks past the Cathedral. But by all means visit the Gallery of Fine Photography, on Royal Street just a block or two before you get to the Cathedral. This place specializes in the most famous photographers - once saw a "Moonrise" print with a $45,000 price tag there. From: "L. J. Powell" <ljpowel@banet.net> PARIS ......................................................................... >I have planed to spend one week vacation in Paris in the second week of June. >My intention is to take pictures relating the "romantic aspects" of Paris >life in order to prepare a photo exhibition on my return. Since I don't know >the town, I really would appreciate any suggestion, expecially on which >places are more indicated under the "romantic aspect". Finding romantic images in Paris won't be a problem. Basically, anything along the Seine will be good for a photo. Lovers, people walking hand and hand, all the cliche Paris in Spring kind of photos. One place I would suggest visiting, if not not for romantic pictures but beautiful ones would be Monet's gardens at Giverney. If you have access to models, you could probably create some beautiful romantic images there. Sharon, NY Institute of Photography, nyi@soho.ios.com ............................................................................ In addition to the Seine and where my wife & I like to roam is in this huge park that runs from the Louve to the Pitite Palace. Its full of couples hand-in-hand and in the fall its beautiful. During June it will be green and it should be alive with people and you would probably can get your best shots close to sun down. Ron Faria, r4afari@popper.PacBell.COM ............................................................................ Here are some "romantic" ideas off the top of my head: 1. The twisted, narrow streets on the Left Bank around the Blvd St. Michel 2. The Luxembourg Gardens (one of the most beautiful parks in a city filled with beautiful parks) 3. Parc Monceau (another beautiful, relatively unknown and quiet park) 4. The quais along the Seine 5. The area around the Eiffel Tower at sunset 6. Montmartre at sunset Someone posted suggested the Tuilleries (the park between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde). Although the Tuilleries is wonderful and filled with couples in love, you have to be careful here. The park is popular with pickpockets and hoodlum gangs who target tourists. David Hall, sasdmh@unx.sas.com, SAS Institute, Cary, NC .............................................................................. >I'll be in Paris for about 10 days in Jan. Can someone suggest a list of >photographic galleries and museums to visit. Any special people to see? The current issue of Photography in New York International (a gallery guide) is advertising a guide called Photographie a' Paris. I've snail mailed a request for a subscription as the phone number was screwed up (I think Paris is undergoing some sort of telephone service disruption city wide). I'll post a message here if/when I receive an issue. The current AIPAD catalog will list a handful of member photo galleries in Paris. My issue is out of date now, but Galerie Michele Chomette (24 rue Beaubourg - in the 3rd) ceratinly has interesting exhibition announcements which I've been receiving for several years. I also have a listing for a Galerie 1900-2000 (8 rue Bonaparte - in the 6th). There is also the brand new Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in the Marais (5-7 rue Fourcy - in the 4th).I accessed a web site for this by searching "photographie paris" with alta vista. I didn't note the web-site address. I have seen numerous stunning exhibitions at The Centre Nationale de la Photographie which is, if memory serves me correctly, part of the Paris Musee de la Arte Moderne (roughly speaking) and The Tokyo Palace...They share a building which I believe is off Blvd. Woodrow Wilson and is none too convenient to get to. (There is a great place for lunch just across the river called SANCERRE which I recommend for great omlettes and loire goat cheese and of course a glass of Sancerre wine...but that's another story.) Both the city museum of modern art and the Tokyo Palace have had excellent photographic exhibitions. Also check out The Petit Palais which could also be showing photography. I was last in Paris in 1992 and we are hoping to return in April. I would really appreciate it if you would give me (us all) a run down of what you find for photography when you return....Sorry I can't help you out with Ralph's address, but he hardly ever writes me. Let me know if you want to talk food and wine in the city of light... These addresses I'm more sure about! Have you been before? Have a great time, but then, I know you will!! From: Jonathan Bailey <quryhous@MIDCOAST.COM> ............................................................................. In Paris: a great photo bookstore which might give you ideas; la chambre claire on rue saint sulpice. odean metro. also, when I was there in 93 a treat book store called IRIS at5 7 place saint sulpice near the church, put out terrific newsletter. virginia esders has a gallery near boubourg.... From: Elsa Dorfman <elsad@WORLD.STD.COM> ............................................................................. The two best sources are : The "Guide de la Photographie en France et en Europe", 38 Rue Ste-Croix de la Bretonnerie 75004 Paris, Fax 1 42 71 47 62 and : "La Photographie en France" Guide Pratique, Contrejour Daguerre, 96 rue Daguerre 75014 Paris. Historical exhibitions, their catalogues are excellent : -"A visit to the Camp de Chblons under the second Empire, Photographies by Le Gray and Privot" at The Musie de l'Armie (Army Museum), Hotel National des Invalides 129 rue de Grenelle 75007 Paris. Tel 1 44 42 51 73 -"Hippolyte Arnoux, Photographe de l'Union des Mers" (Suez Canal around 1880), at the Centre historique des Archives Nationales, Httel de Soubise -"Crimie 1854-1856" premiers reportages de guerre, the exhibition was in 1995 but the catalogue is available at the War Museum library. -"Les Trois Grandes Egyptiennes" The pyramids of Giseh through the history of photography at The Mission du Patrimoine Photographique, Hotel de Sully, 62 rue St Antoine 75004 Paris, tel 42 74 47 75 For archives and research : Go to the "Sociiti Francaise de Photographie, SFP" 2 rue Vivienne (in the Galerie Vivienne), tel 1 47 03 75 39. They have two interesting publications : the "Bulletin de la SFP"and "Etudes Photographiques" They have organised recently and excellent exhibition "La Revolution de la photographie instantanie, 1880-1900", at Galerie Colbert, 6 rue des Petits-Champs, 75002 Paris. Also : "Bibliotheque Historique de la Ville de Paris", 24 rue Pavie 75004 Paris, "Bibliotheque Nationale, dept des Estampes et de la Photographie", 58 rue de Richelieu Paris 2hme, "Musie Carnavalet, Musie Historique de la Ville de Paris", 29 rue de Sivigni Paris 3 hme, "Musie Francais de la Photographie" 78 rue de Paris, 91570 Bihvre, tel 169411060 The address of the "Centre National de la Photographie"has change : It is now at 11 rue Berryer 75008 Paris, tel 1 53 76 12 32. The "Centre Georges Pompidou" (Modern Art Museum) is also worth the ditour and the new "Maison Europienne de la Photographie", 5 rue de Fourcy Paris 4hme, fax 1 44 78 75 15 is now on the Web but it is somewhere under a pile of paper and I cant find it! If you need it or other info. I can tell you more, this is only the tip of the iceberg! Meanwhile have a great trip, Paris is a wonderful City and do not forget your umbrella!. Nadia. From: Nadia Valla <NMValla@AOL.COM> ROCHESTER, NY ................................................................ > I get to go to Rochester, NY in a few weeks and don't know anything about > the place. Are there any places of photographic interest besides the Eastman > House? When I'm in Town I always pay a visit to Light Impressions. In addition to their expansive stock of storage and presentation materials they have a gallery and carry a great selection of books. They're at: 439 Monroe Ave, Also of interest: Visual Studies Workshop 31 Prince St. Genesee Coop - Very cool place with a community darkroom, galleries and a natural foods store. It's practically across the street from a very good book store/ hangout: The Village Green It's at: 716 Monroe Ave (go there after hitting Light Impressions) Tim Feresten <feresten@interport.net> .............................................................................. Since I made many visits to Rochester when my brother taught at the University of Rochester (UR), I know something about that city. A visit to Rochester Institute of Technology is a must for photographers. Please don't miss it. UR is also interesting during the summer. Of course visit George Eastman House. You should be able to take a tour of the original Kodak plant complex on State Street. Kodak Employees Camera Club meets during the summer and the sessions are open to the public. Check with them by calling the Visitors office. Rochester's central city area is bisected by the Erie Canal. It is quiet on weekends, but lively during the weekdays. The best food supermarket chain (Wegman's) is a Rochester specialty. You'll find the best of them in the suburbs. They have real atmosphere and freshly baked and cooked foods, in addition to the standard stock. The interior architecture makes shopping an adventure and an experience -- if I don't repeat myself. The car is king and the key to everywhere and everything. Rochester is solidly middle class. It's as American as you can get outside of Oregon. As I recall, Park Avenue leads into the sophisticated bohemian area of Rochester. It has wonderful coffee houses, ice cream places and ethnic restaurants. There's also a fine art movie house (the Little) in town, not far from UR. The lakefronts (Lake Ontario) are worth visiting if you like to see a procession of boats of all types. While you're in Rochester, you might look into visiting Canada, with their great festival dedicated to George B. Shaw. During the summer there are concerts in the parks. The Rochester Tourist Center will give you the maps and dates. Don't miss seeing Frank L. Wright's rare house off the main drag. It has recently been restored. I don't know whether tours are available. Rochester is a daytime town mostly. The countryside is basically flat, with a lot of lakes created by the glaciers (Fingerlakes) and the beautiful town of Skineateles (my spelling may be hazy), with its splendid views and restaurants. These are to the southeast of Rochester. One of the delights of Rochester is driving there. The NY Thruway is the key to all these regions. Bob Rosen, Afterswift@aol.com .............................................................................. Well, Rochester is not one of those "happn'n" places I don't think. However, besides the International Museum of Photography and the George Eastman House, you might want to drop in at Light Impressions (archiveal photo products, etc.), the Visual Studies Workshop (their photo book library is very good) (as are the people there! You might get to meet the "guru" himself, Nathan Lyons, whose vision and drive started and to a large extent, sustains, this educational operation) and maybe if schools are of interest you might drop in to the Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. If I'm around I'd be glad to give you a tour ... in fact, that goes for anyone that makes it here! My office is a popular tourist attraction! You may be interested in a tour of Eastman Kodak but I don't think the tour they give (if they give one at all) is too extensive. It used to be but items like this have been curtailed at most businesses. There are a couple other museums, the Memorial Art Gallery and the Strong Doll Museum (I think). Lunch or such at the Upper Falls area is nice. At night it is not so nice ... mostly too desolate. South of Rochester there are oodles of wineries in the Finger Lakes region. Hmmm ... i can't think of anything else ... contact me if I may be of assistance. Andy, andpph@rit.edu .............................................................................. Yes, indeed! Go to Visual Studies Workshop, just a few blocks from Eastman House at 721 Prince St. They have a gallery and an excellent library of photographic books in the resource center. They also screen artist's video tapes and have summer workshops in photography and book making. Also try Community Darkrooms on Monroe avenue. They have small shows and you can sign up to use the darkroom as a member. Talk to Sharon Turner. It's worth the 70-80 minute drive east on I-90 to Syracuse where you can visit the Lightwork gallery and darkrooms. It's a good place to see emerging photographer's prints as well as more known artists. They also curate a gallery on the S.U. campus. Both cities have many other galleries which occasionally show photographic art. Have fun exploring the great upstate! Russ Rosner, <rrosener@artsci.wustl.edu> .............................................................................. The doll collection at the Strong Museum is unusual and fantastic in itself. It is more than just a doll collection. I should have elaborated a little more earlier because it is a very worthwhile museum to visit. While we are at it let me also mention that the Susan B. Anthony house is nearby as is the Frederick Douglas Museum, the Strassenbergh Planetarium, Rochester Museum and Science Center, and the Stone Tolan House. And, a place that was not mentioned yet but for those interested in early american settlements and life something that would be of great interest, there is the Genesee Country Museum about 35-45 (I think) minute drive from Rochester. Home life, blacksmith shop demos, etc. Great photo opportunities! But I forgot what the photo rules are. Although not strictly photographic in nature, a restaurant I can recommend is the Portobello on West Henrietta Road. An average tab with drinks is about $30. For a "far-out" dining experience try the "garbage plate" at Nick Tahou's. It is a place that college students frequent to boast of having done it! Andy Davidhazy, andpph@rit.edu NEW YORK CITY ................................................................ While in New York Citywhy not do some of your own photography? Off the beaten track, you might spend a day at City Island and eerie spots on Roosevelt Island. Roosevelt Island has an ultra modern train station. Next take the D train to Sheepshead Bay, where you'll find a splendid sea food restaurant, Lundy's and a lot of fishing boats. There are short cruises you might find cooling and interesting. A stone's throw from Sheepshead Bay is Brighton Beach, now in a Russian renaissance. Walk along the boardwalk to Coney Island and back again. If you have a strong constitution, visit the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the great Brooklyn Museum. They're not open every day, so check with the NY Visitors Bureau. You might want to shoot the redevelopment of 42nd Street. It now has a Kafkian atmosphere that the camera can capture. Next year it may be gone. In Manhattan there are a lot of tourist traps (South Street Seaport, World Financial Center, Canal Street, 57 Street's fronts and Museum Mile along 5th Avenue). If you want a good vegetarian meal, try Ratner's between Norfolk and Suffolk on Delancey Street (free parking). Don't miss their strawberry short cake. A great new B&N bookstore done up in Victorian style is located at Union Square. You can get some great images from its windows overlooking the park. Uptown on the Westside, take the 1 train to 79th Street and inhale at Zabar's. An interesting place to shoot is Brooklyn Heights and Court Street. A subway map will find you many trains there. Then walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn Heights to Manhattan's City Hall and the great computer and music store on Park Row, J&R. A bus at Park Row will take you to Ratner's. If you want to see the grit of NYC, walk down 8th Avenue from 34th to 42nd Street. There's also a remarkable Subway Museum near Fulton Street, Brooklyn, in the Boro Hall district adjacent to Brooklyn Heights. In the same general area, along Atlantic Avenue, north of Hicks Street (a major avenue in Brooklyn Heights) are excellent Middle Eastern restaurants. Architecture photography is natural but challenging in NYC. Unless you have a vantage point in one of the buildings or you're shooting from the banks of the Hudson or East River, you're limited to canyon shots. A 35mm wide angle lens is useful. If you concentrate on the facades you can get extraordinary shots. I suggest your minimum shutter speed for NYC is 1/250, otherwise the scene changes too fast. In fact, I'm thinking about organizing a group of NYC photographers to be known as 1/250. Street musicians are great subjects in the NYC camera picture. The 90mm or 70mm lens is the ticket. NY's Finest are there to protect you. Since Rudy's reign at City Hall, they've really been visible and do their job. Don't jump any turnstiles, but enjoy. Bob Rosen - Afterswift@aol.com MONTREAL ..................................................................... >I will be in Montreal next month does any one out there know of any great >locations to shoot interesting sights of the city? A great location for a veiw of the city is at the top of Mount Royal, there you can shoot a nice cityscape. "Old Montreal" with it's cobblestone streets, old world architecture and street performers=8Amaybe not in March, but the buildings are interesting. From there continue to the ports, there you will find an area that is being 'beautified' as shoreline park=8Anot all of it is complete, but the port area has some veiws of the bridges. The Olympic stadium is a unique piece of design. In the downtown area there is a mix of new and old buildings. The area of Verdun are the only North American Triplexes with wrought iron spiral staircases on the facade. Very Montreal. Pierre Clemente, Imagepoint Photography, <pierre.clemente@odyssey.on.ca> ............................................................................ Well you are visiting what I consider to be one of the most photogenic cities in North America, that I have ever visited in my life and I've been very fortunate to have travelled quite a bit. Montreal is a very beautiful city combining Old World charm with a very new city. My brother and sister in law have lived there for the last 10 years so I try to get down there at least once a year. Unfortunately I think that you will be down there a little early because there may still be some snow around but you never know. As far as photo ops, I guess I would have to know what your interests are in photography. Whether they be landscapes, people, cityscapes etc. I have photographed in the following places with great results: 1) Old Montreal, the architecture, cobblestone streets, outdoor markets, street vendors, the carriage rides etc. You should go see Notre Dame Cathederal, very impressive, I have taken a number of time exposures inside the church that are very nice. 2) Walk along both St. Denis and St Laurent streets to capture incredible street scenes of everyday life there. Once again the architecture (how can you tell that I graduated out of Architecture?) is beautiful. When you walk along these streets it's like walking through minature countries. As you walk along these streets, you pass through Jewish, Italian, French, Greek areas as well as others, almost seamlessly. It's a fascinating time. You probably will be a little early for all of the outdoor cafes to be in full swing but you never know. 3) Walk along St. Catherines street anytime of the day or night there is always something going on. This city never sleeps. 4) Mount Royal (for which Montreal is named) is another great site for photographic possibilities. It is a very large park at the top of the "mountain" that would take you a day to fully see IMO. 5) If you will have access to a car, I would suggest driving west around the island (Montreal and it's suburbs is actually on a large island) get directions to the Bord du Lac and take a very leisurely drive through the different suburbs that were once little towns all along the St. Lawrence. Some of these towns include Lachine, Dorval, St. Anne de Bellvue, Pointe Claire, Beaconsfield etc. The maximum speed on the Bord du Lac is around 30mph but it is very relaxing to drive on. I don't want to take up too much more bandwidth, I hope this helps and if you have any questions email me privately. Terry Graham - Freelance Photographer & Windsurfer PHILADELPHIA.................................................................. > can anyone suggest good photogenic scenic areas near Philadelphia (say > within a two or so hours drive). I'd especially like to find areas where > I can get some shots of mountains, rivers, wildlife, etc.. Two ideas: You can head north to the Delaware Water Gap, this is on the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the Pocono Mountains. You can go west on 76 to Dauphin/Cumberland counties. Near Carlisle there are mountains, lakes, wildlife. You might even spot a mountain lion in them hills. I remember a place called Waggoner's Gap near there...cool lakefront and mountain terrain. You could travel north to Hershey...lots of cool scenes there too. If you don't want to travel that far, there's always the Amish country near Lancaster. A little flatter, but luscious fields and some wildlife in the wood. From: FUNKSART@aol.com ........................................................................... Assuming you don't want to shoot in the city, though I'd try Fairmont Park especially north of Strawberry Mansion, you could try the Pocono's. Take the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to get there. On the Deleware River is the Deleware Water Gap National Recreational Area. Tall hills, what we in the east call mountains, and natural deciduious forest. The Park Service has gotten rid of any trace of human habitation in an area that was suposed to be a resivoir project that the government abandoned. Marshall Elpus - melpus@worldnet.att.net ............................................................................ I've lived and shot in and around Philly for much of my life. You won't find too much really untrammeled wilderness left in this part of the country. Except for birds, wildlife is hard to come by unless you want to do some serious day hiking or backbacking. The one exception is deer. We are overrun with deer and can't drive 2 miles from home (I currently live in Princeton, NJ) without having to dodge a couple of them crossing the road. I can often photograph them from my porch! Wilderness aside, there are some lovely areas to shoot in this part of the world. Here are some of my favorites: - Longwood Gardens - world-class arboretum with extensive outdoor gardens and a major indoor conservatory. This is located an hour or so south of Philly on Route 1. You can spend days here and not run out of subject matter. Check out the orchid room and the cactus room. Shoot the lily ponds in mid-summer when they are in bloom. The gardens are particularly beautiful at night in the week leading up to Christmas when everything is lit up. This is in the Brandywine area, which is itself beautiful and scenic. Many of Andrew Wyeth's most beautiful paintings are of this area. Check out his museum near the Gardens. Take some time and drive around. Stay in an old historic inn for the weekend. This will give you time to go down to Winterthur, the old DuPont estate, just across the border in Delaware. Winterthur is renown for its gardens and is open for tours. - The Pocono Mountains were already mentioned in previous posts. They stretch east-west across the state a couple hours north of Philly. They are particularly beautiful in October during leaf peeping season, and in the winter (4WD recommended). The aforementioned Delaware Water Gap is the easternmost point before crossing into New Jersey. Beautiful winding river surrounded by what the locals refer to as mountains (having lived for 4 years in a cabin 8,200 feet up on a 14,000+ foot mountain in Colorado, I tend to think of these more as speed bumps <g>). A longer ride (3-4 hours northwest of Philly - off of Interstate 80), but well worth the drive is Ricketts Glen State Park. This is famous for its waterfall walk. You hike down the mountain for a couple of hours along a wooded trail that skirts the edges of a cascade of 15 or 20 waterfalls. They range from a few feet high to 20 or 30 feet high. The path skirts several big drops and you have to be a bit careful, but you will be rewarded with some great photo opportunities. On hot days, you can stand under some of the larger waterfalls and cool off. I have a great shot of my wife standing in a shimmering sun-lit curtain of falling water. Then you have the pleasure of hiking all the way back up <g>. - The New Jersey Pine Barrens. I like renting a canoe and canoing leisurely down the streams and rivers. This gets you deep into the Barrens. Great piney woods rife with birds. - The Jersey shore. An hour or so east of Philly, the shore offers everything from deserted beaches with sand dunes, beach grass and weathered fences, to the beauty of the many Victorian mansions in Cape May. Check out the bird sanctuary in Stone Harbor - bring a long lens or two. I used to go down to the southern tip of Stone Harbor on gray days and shoot the Hobi Cats racing around. I used Varicolor - great silvery tones from the sky and sea playing against the brilliant colors of the sails. There is a neat lighthouse at the north end of Long Beach Island. - Bucks County - the county immediately north-east of the city. Bucks is a wonderland of old inns, weathered farm buildings, and one of the great concentrations of old wooden covered bridges left in the country. I've spend daytrips just going from bridge to bridge. There are many beautiful places up and down the Delaware River. Follow the river up to the Delaware Water Gap for a memorable daytrip. There are several locations along the river where you can rent canoes and get out on the water. I particularly like the area around Upper Black Eddy. - Valley Forge State Park - 25 minutes north of Philly at the end of the Schuylkill Expressway. Particularly beautiful in spring when the Dogwood Glen is in bloom. If you go here, get off the road onto the wooded hiking trails that circle the mountain with the lookout tower (Mount Misery I believe). If you are up for a serious hike, the Horseshoe Trail begins around here and goes west to the Appalachian (sp?) Trail. - Try the Lehigh River on the stretch between the Poconos and the Allentown/Bethlehem area. Scenic river vistas and great canoing, including some decent whitewater. - Hawk Mountain. I haven't been here in many years, but I recall a beautiful bird sanctuary, particularly rich with its namesakes, several varieties of hawks. I don't remember the directions to Hawk Mountain, but you should have no trouble locating it. Try asking at local birdwatcher supply stores or outdoor outfitters. They could also tell you the best times of year to go. - Don't forget the city itself. It has its own unique varieties of wildlife<g>. Philly is a diverse city, rich in history. I find photo opportunities everywhere I turn. Wander around the historic areas (try the Elfreth's Alley area). Explore areas of Wissahickon Park. The Park covers more than half the land area of the city. It is one of the largest - if not the largest - urban parks in the world (close to 70 square miles, if I recall correctly). Try walking the bridal trails in Valley Green, along the Wissahickon Creek. I once stumbled on an area with 40-foot sheer granite cliffs, replete with a group of mountain climbers practicing their climbing and rappelling. You would never have known there was a major city within a hundred miles, let alone all around you. - Outside of birds, you are not going to find a lot of wildlife close at hand, even in the relative wilderness areas of the Poconos and the Pine Barrens. Over the years, I have gotten some great wildlife shots at the Philadelphia Zoo. Careful planning and framing can sometimes eliminate all man-made artifacts in the open habitats. I have some shots you would swear were taken on safari across the Serengetti. Go on a weekday to avoid the worst of the crowds. - Not exactly wildlife (except at the post-regatta parties), but try shooting the crews racing on the Schuylkill River along Boathouse Row on the East and West River Drives. The various boathouses are all lit up after dark and pictures shot from the opposite side of the river (West River Drive) are a Philly mainstay. - If you have a weekend free, try a trip down to Assateague and Chincoteague in Virginia. It is a pleasant car trip down the DelMarVa peninsula and you will find a beautiful wildlife preserve full of birds and the legendary wild ponies. They are a bit skittish and its best to bring at least a 300 or 400mm lens for tight framing. A shorter trip, but still a weekend trip, is to the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Try the area around St. Michaels and Oxford, Maryland for some beautiful bayside and river scenery and some neat B&Bs. Great for birds, particularly ducks. - I have never been to the Great Adventure theme park in central New Jersey, but I believe they have a safari park where you drive through the animal habitat in your car. I think you may have trouble convincing friends that the giraffe is indigenous to central Jersey, though. Oops, I seem to have run on a bit here. My apologies to those of you who don't live in the area. John Novack - jnovack@njaost.ml.com UTAH ........................................................................ > I was wondering what phot opps I will get in Salt Lake and Bryce Canyon Parks > and Arches Parks in Feb or last week of Jan.? I was in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah last February (mostly skiing & some photography). It really gets overcast in the mountains. It seems like the clouds just "hang out" there all day long. When you drive into Salt Lake City, the weather clears up. In the mountains, we only had one sunny day out of the eight days we were there. I didn't have a chance to go to Bryce Canyon or Arches National Park, but just be prepared for a lot of snow in the Salk Lake City area. We received 60" in a week at Park City. It snows like mad. Get some good boots and put a snow shovel in the trunk of the car if you go into the mountains. Consider a four wheel drive or front wheel drive vehicle as well. The Mormon Church is a nice place to visit in Salt Lake City, but don't expect to enter the main church building unless you are a member of the church. In the mountains, you'll see a lot of deer and other wildlife. It's a very beautiful place. Salt Lake City is surrounded by the Wasatch mountain range and it's one helluva flight in and out of there. I recall the flight in at night. You could see the mountains and it was very foggy over the lake. I was seated next to a hydrologist. He told me that the Salt Lake contains three times more salt water than sea, hence, if the plane hit the water, it would not sink. That really made me feel good! It seemed as if the plane was constantly banking hard and losing altitude fast once we were on the final approach to the airport. That was one scary ride! Climbing out of Salt Lake City is an experience too. I've never been on a plane where the pilot had to climb and turn to clear mountains like that. That's where I got some of my best shots! From: VanGogh911@aol.com LONDON........................................................................ > I am travelling to London in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and > Northern Ireland this Summer. Can anyone tell me what there is to take > Photo's of, I'm particularly interested in Items, people and places linked > with the British Empire and Monarchy. I don't share your interest in the Windsors, but one obvious place not far away is their castle at Windsor. Hampton Court - an old royal palace - is really a lot more interesting. And of course the Tower of London itself, together with Tower Bridge. Also in London, don't miss Greenwich which has possibly it's greatest architecture - best viewed across the Thames late in the day. There is a lot of information about these aspects of London on the web - do a search - and also many tourist orientated books. You won't find this aspect of London much in evidence on my site - though I don't have Lloyds there yet (probably soon). I have to say that you would probably change your mind if you did actually visit it. Next door is a fine example of Victoriana (Leadenhall Market) and there are too many fine churches within the city to mention (I visited 31 of them on a Sunday afternoon a few weeks back on a sponsored charity walk, but not all are usually open. I think there were another dozen or so I didn't manage to get to in the time allowed.) That's just in the City of London of course, outside that you have the odd little place like Westminster Abbey! Not to be missed South of the River is the George Inn, off Southwark High St. The recreated Globe theatre is close by. I could go on for pages if I had the time. On books I think the Michelin Green guide is good value - get it before you come and plan your visit. All the places I've mentioned are I think in the first English edition I have, and also presumably in the current one. One small link to photography - have a look at 'Photographers' London 1839-1994' ed Mike Seaborne, Museum of London, 1996 ISBN 0 904818 50 0 for a view of London as seen by photographers through 155 years (including a couple by me). It is a bit on the expensive side, but nicely reproduced. The Museum of London is also worth a visit (again one of my pics used a couple of times in the displays, but apart from that!) There are many other fine books of photos of London, but most are unfortunately out of print (some many many years out). Plenty of books for tourists of course, often concentrating on royalty. From: petermarshall@cix.compulink.co.uk (Peter Marshall) WASHINGTON STATE ............................................................ > I'll be visitng the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Any photo tips? Photographing on the Olympic National Park provides the same problems as a mosquito visiting a nudist colony. THERE ARE TO MANY GREAT PLACES TO START !!! On the way to LaPush I have done well along cressant lake. Near sixth beach there is a very accessable portion of the rain forest (magenta filtration is sometimes helpfull when working in color as the vegitation acts as a green filter and can do weird things to skin toness) The first beach south of LaPush has some great Pinnacles in the water, but requires a bit of a hike. Sixth beach is easier to get to but has some pinnacles. Rialto beach at LaPush is easy to reach but (only?) has driftwood. If you are going on the beaches KNOW THE TIDES and get the free park map. People are killed every year because they went on a beach that is only accessable at low tide and stayed too long getting trapped between the Cold water and the cliffs. Lastly (as you know) it's a RAIN forest out there.... Expect to get wet, and wet equipment... From: "David A. Page" <davepage@acpub.duke.edu> AFRICA ....................................................................... >I have a friend who is going on a photo shafari vacation in Africa in a few >weeks and would like some tips on photographing in this type of environment. Take a tripod. Those lenses are not fast and the film is slow and the focal lengths are very long, so the steadier the better. She might also want to consider a mono-pod. I would recommend a back up body and plenty of batteries and film. Trips like this can be once in a life time and she doesn't want to miss out because the camera failed or the batteries died or she ran out of film. Re film: Some Airports are using a high power x-ray machine which is damaging film. Carry your film onboard and request a hand check of it. I don't think the carry on x-ray boxes are these high power ones, just checked luggage. It will be hot, take insect repellant, comfortable cotton clothing, sun block, etc. Take a towel and cleaning stuff to keep her and her camera gear clean. I sweat a lot here in Key West and I'm constantly having to wipe the back of the camera off where it picks up oil and sweat from my face. If she can rent a bigger lens (600mm) it might help, though its big and heavy and hard to deal with. 400mm is probably the minimal focal length to shoot a lot of animals. They spook easy or you don't want to get close to them. From: Rob Miracle <rwm@MPGN.COM> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DUST DUST DUST!!! Changing film is a nightmare unless you are "lucky" enough to go in the rainy season. So think twice before you change lenses and longer before you change films. Also, giving the kit a good dust off at the end of each day with a blower should help reduce the ingress of dirt. >Take a tripod. Those lenses are not fast and the film is slow and the focal >lengths are very long, so the steadier the better. Well meant, and I always recommend a tripod when possible, however we need to know exactly what is meant by "photo safari". I've only done the one and that was in Kenya but in the Game reserves there you are generally not allowed out of your vehicle. I found a beanbag most useful to gain what stability I could from the window or roof hatch. I took a tripod too btw but had very little opportunity to use it. On the positive side the light levels are quite good so you can usually get away with reasonably fast shutter speeds. Further, there are obvious differences in what type of safari is booked and no doubt to which countries. If it is built around a standard tourist trip (like mine was) then you will be working quite hard to get the guide to turn the engine off each time you want to take a photo. If it is on a more specialist photo trip then I would guess you get what you pay for (more than twice the tourist rate as far as I can tell) > I would recommend a back up body and plenty of batteries and film. Exactly, all that way and one body is chancing it somewhat ... batteries may not be available locally. >400mm is probably the minimal focal length to shoot a lot of animals. A few wider angle shots are well worth taking too though ... to put the animal and environment in context. Whilst head-only portraits are fine in many cases they can be hard to tell from those taken in a zoo. BobT (extremely jealous and looking forward to my next trip to Africa) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is one area that I happen to know a little about as a school teacher friend of my conducts Africa photo safaris, I've seen hundreds of the results from the people that have gone on them, and I've been on an animal park safari. From what I understand, the rules are pretty much the same for an Africa or animal park safari: you stay in the vehicle at all times. The only real difference is the animals are more confined in the animal park and you can usually get away with a shorter lens. Tripods are mostly useless on safari as you're going to be in a vehicle; it's far too dangerous to get out of the vehicle when you're that close to wild animals. You'll definitely need a bean bag to lean your lens on for stability, the bean bag will conform to fit the vehicle & the lens. I've used a monopod in the back of a jeep once with good success, the monopod didn't encroach on the other photographers space. Considerations: - Probably take SOME fast film too (200,400). You probably won't get a lot of action during the heat of the day when 100 ISO film works best. all the big cats & such will be resting. - Long fast lens 300mm 2.8 with a 1.4x or 2x converter is a good start, 600mm & 1.4x or 2x converter has a better chance of getting close-ups. The safari vehicles aren't allowed to drive off road and many of the animals will be a considerable distance away. - Take a very high powered flash with a fresnel lens in order to get good fill flash at a considerable distance. - Time of year: Right after the rainy season there will be lots of greenery (and bugs) vs. summer and all the dry grass. Which season appeals to you? - Don't forget to check the local situation; many safaris go from Tanzania to Kenya, and some friends of mine were blocked from entering Kenya last year due to civil unrest. - Most of all, use a safari tour that has come recommended. Some are better than others and you should ask around to make sure you're getting a good one. - Last but not least, take a LOT of the film and batteries for all your equipment, a back-up camera if possible. The price of film, batteries and a backup camera body is always cheaper than the price of the trip. Never assume you can get the supplies you need where you're going, or at a price you're willing to pay. From: Bill Atchison <bill@inetbiz.com> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have to disagree with the tripod suggestion, unless you are on a walking safari. They are useless in the Land Rovers - a bean bag for the roof window, or a window mount is what works. I buy a couple of cheap cotton pillow cases and sea in a zipper on the open end. When you get there, buy some rice or beans and fill it 2/3 full. There's your beanbag, and when you leave, the grain makes a nice gift to your guide. The reason you want cotton is that nylon is a dust magnet, and there is lots of it. I cover anything I want to keep clean and grit free. If they get real bad you can give them a rinse and they dry overnight. Otherwise, just give them a good shake once in a while. Baseball caps or 'Tillys' will keep the bright burning sun off you nose and allows longer more comfortable viewing. 100speed film is typical, and can be pushed to 200 in a pinch. I carry a dog whistle around my neck. A quick note will get a nice look from most predators. Those cheesy little red bird calls work too, but your companions may leave you to the lions after having to listen to that too long. Tripods are good for early morning scenics, and maybe in the 'hides' near the waterholes. Otherwise the beanbag or a monopod rules the Serengeti. Here is some more tips: I like to keep valuables in a small fannypack, worn under a shirt and in front. A piece of duct tape keeps the 'quick release' losses from the buckle being played with. A small can of compressed air is handy. SPF 30 sun lotion. A 'Lenspen' is great for keeping the dust off the front element. When the truck is moving, keep your camera bag covered in a cotton pillow cover. And wrap the camera/lens too when moving. It will unwrap fast enough if you come up on some action. From: Jeff Boucher Photography <boucherphoto@earthlink.net> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For a recommendation... tripod tripod tripod... sort of like location location location... Dust and heat are also issues, especially with transparency films and cameras which are not so well sealed against these things... keep things dry and cool, including your self, and especially film, and keep all out of the sun as much as possible... balck camera bags are heat sinks... Use flash... even if only to create highlights in the eyes of cats and other wildflife, and often to reduce the shadows and high contrast in the scenes when you are close enough for the effect to work... but for eye highlights, proximity is not so much an issue. When the foreground is several stops darker (or lighter) than the background, is nice to use a graduated neutral density filter to compress the brightness range, yielding much better tonal quality... Polarizers add dimmension and color as well... be careful around water though... the beautiful blue lake looks muddy when the reflection of the sky is removed... Otherwise, these things are often a string of vehicles lining a path, and animals rarely act naturally... look for the unusual, and look for light... after all, light is what you are photographing... I have been involved in several safaris to the areas you mention... dust is a big issue, as I mentioned earlier. Most of the time there are lines of vehicles these days... not like ti used to be. The vihicles kick up a great deal of dust. Mold can be an issue if you are going in the wet season, which I doubt. Heat is the next biggest issue re: film. I store my film in coolers with ice packs when possible, both before and after exposure. Many of the parks have what almost could pass for the larger Zoological parks in this country (USA) where a road traverses an area, and the road is wall to wall cars... monkeys of various types often come up to the vehicles and even climb onto them... a danger for the unwary. Other times reproduction/mating can occur right in front of the vehicle... sometimes uncomfortable for some of the guests, but a great photo oportunity. From: Paul Silver <psilver@silver-light.com> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Little Wrote: "Coolmax(ski or hiking) Socks to help keep the moisture off your feet." I would argue contrary to what one post said... "bring cotton..." that it would be best not to bring any. At night, it is not warm, and even in the Summer, the plains and savanna are cool. Wet from sweat, cotton kills... it is not unusual for hypothermia to set in in the Spring and early Summer in hikers wearing cotton in the New England mountains... it is comfortable, but not the best choice if you are going to be sweating... wear some of the high tech stuff... Patagonia calls it Capillene, but it is poly propylene whatever the brand name, and it is warm, breathes well, comfortable, dries quickly, wicks moisture away from the body, and generally inexpensive. Polartec sweaters and the socks that randy mentioned are all good choices... but not cotton. Rashes develop commonly, and are very irritating... this from the sweat and dampness that come along with cotton. If I read the question correctly, I will assume this is a Photo Safari, and not a basic tourist trip... in which case many of the vehicles that I have been in have platforms where you can set up a small tripod on the roof of the vehicle... I prefer these to other pseudo-photo safaris where such is not the case... if this is what you have, then definitely a bean bag or window mount is needed... In the wet season, bugs sound like an airport, and little helps short of netting (bugs and me are tight... at least they think so) but long sleeves are helpful... sun is also strong, so block is important... and a good hat... (I have little natural head shielding) From: Paul Silver <psilver@silver-light.com> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dust in the dry season - is a real problem and I keep all my gear in dust proof Pelican cases until I need it. I always carry an air pump to blow dust of the lenses. This should be somewhat bigger then your standard little brush and eject a strong stream of air. Humidity during the rainy season is also a problem solved by Pelican cases and lots of these little paper bags filled with silicon. If you can, stay away from organized groups. The real images lie hidden in the savanna away from the roads and the only way to get to them is by hiring your own 4 wheel with driver and guide. Camping out in the wild is a must since most animals will come to the waterholes and for that mater hunt only at dawn or dusk. This accounts for most predatory animals anywhere, Carry 2 bodies ( even better 3 - one spare) - one with at least 400mm and the other with a Zoom somewhere around 80-200mm or so and use 200 ASA film if your 400 mm is f/4 and the 80-200mm f/2.8 . Those lenses will allow you to react quickly to situations. Animals (real wild ones and not the ones being used to be fed by tourists) have a knack in not turning up when you wait for them, all gear ready, but turn up when you least expect them. From: Hermann <crystal@loxinfo.co.th> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let me jump in and say that I found a 500mm mirror lens VERY handy at times in a similar situation, with fast film because of the f8 aperture. A longer focal length is nice at times, but the bulk.... . From: Jack Winberg <jwinberg1@home.com> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The only time you will NEED an extreme telephoto is if you want to get close in on birds or if you like those "stacked up" scenic shots. My favourite shot from my trip was of a lone Gazelle taken from about half a mile away with a 1000mm (500 + doubler) against a background of sand, dried up salt lake Nakuru and the distant shore. Oh, 1600 ASA film for grainy effect too. This was not a head and shoulders shot. The animals are NOT tame where you are going but are accustomed to vehicles. If anyone steps out of their minibus for any reason ... they stampede: they do fear man. By all means take the 1000, but for mammals the longest you really need is 300-500 (but with access to shorter focal lengths of course for context shots) From: bob.talbot@aeat.co.uk (Bob Talbot) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Regarding security, there is one thing may be worth to mention : take your own syringe with you and keep it always near in case of road incident or other problem : the medical supply of most hospitals and dispensaries are short and syringes are reused many times. I got this advice from a guy loving Africa and travelling there many times every years (he does consulting work on developping projects); he didn't say that out of prejudices but because he happens to know the situation of the countries. May be it's not the same in every African country; he used to visit the poorest ones, like Rwanda or so. Any way, check with the specialised medical staff (when you get the requested vaccinations) and see what they think about it; they do often have sheets explaining the medical situation of the various countries (at least this is so here in Switzerland). Good luck with the safari.I wish I could come along too :) Christiane From: rohcris <rohcris@vtx.ch> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Boucher is right about the differences between Capillene and PolyPro... both are plastics, nylon, as by Patagonia, works better and is more comfortable, and it is what I use. As for the 1000mm mirror lens, yes, bring the long stuff... aside from the donut specular highlights, which most people will never notice, but which show up like Spaghetti O's in the Savana on grasses etc, the length is the thing... the most natural behavior, if any, will occur in dawn and dusk situations, so the donuts wont be as evident. Things are a long way off, so length is a benefit where ever and whatever you are shooting... But as has been pointed out by many, the dust thing is an issue, not just for lenses, but for bodies and film as well... as some one pointed out, it is a noticable hindrence while loading film... and it gets into everything. You will feel like a cowboy after a trek on the range, and walking will disperse clouds of dust... Canned air is good, but it is often impossible to get onto an airplane... they dont like compressed gasses, so at best you will have to carry it on, but be careful... I use the squeeze ball dusters, and I bring a big one and a little one... wrap the lenses in cloth (I use micro fiber) and change film in a bag or in the vehicle... Bugs wont be so bad that time of year, but can be an issue around watering holes, so bring insect repellent ... I have not used the clove/mint stuff somebody mentioned, but it sounds like great stuff... Deet not only softens plastics, which it does, and in a hurry, but I have seen people poor the stuff on themselves and carry a daypack over their shoulders, only to find that it softened their skin to an excruciating degree as if it were also plastic... the stuff is definitely poison, and as much for you as for the bugs... it is not so much a repellant as a killer, so the bugs still show up. I bring two bodies minimum, and one should be a straight mechanical one if you have it... electronics work fine, most of the time... bring batteries... I hope your camera uses AA batteries, as other types will be difficult if not impossible to find in Africa, even in big cities... tell your folks that they should bring extras... If the cabins are musky, try to keep people from hanging their clothes around, even inside... there are little mite like bugs that love cotton (underwear) and seem to hide in all of it durring the night... they are nearly invisible UNTIL you put the clothes back on... these are not so much a problem in really dry environments, but in the caboins it can be slightly damp, as much from the sweat and exhaling of the visitors as from the ground and building itself... if you have wet stuff, and it is not cotton, hang it in the sun for a few minutes in the evening or in the morning to dry it... the capillene stuff dries in minutes and this way you will not have to host those biting little mites... if you must have cotton and you hang it to dry over night, beat the crap out of it before you put it back on to shake out the bugs... Otherwise, get up early, sometimes things happen right around your site at dawn, and take great pictures, which I am sure you will, and share them with us when you get back... I have not used your sponsor, but I am sure that they are all very similar. Have a great trip... have fun, drink lots of water to stay hydrated (I mean lots, a gallon a day is not too much) and watch the sky... gorgeous things happen with the dust in the ceiling at sunset/rise... Paul Silver From: Paul Silver <psilver@silver-light.com> ALASKA ....................................................................... >I will be going to Alaska Late August and eraly September. Fairbanks, Denali, >Achorage, Seward, Sitka, Juneau, and Ketchican are places that I will visit. >I would appreciate suggestions of photographic opportunities that I should >not miss. Also to reduce weight and baggage I was considering taking only >my 80-200 zoom and 35mm lenses. One on a Nikon FM and the other on a Nikon >Nikkorex and not take a 50mm lens. Does that make sense? I visited Alaska, Seward, Homer, Anchorage, and Denali National Park in late August 1995. On your choice of lenses-I would say it depends on what you want to shoot. If you want to shoot wildlife in Denali, for instance, take along the lens with the farthest reach as possible, 300 to 600 mm, if possible. It will be hard to take closeup pictures of say, grizzly bears, with a medium telephoto. I found a macro lens to be also helpful. Alaska abounds with flowers and mushroom in summer (with its long days and bountiful sunlight). It's also handy to take close-ups of the Denali National park tundra, with its gorgeous array of colorful berries (blueberries, cranberries, bear berries, etc.). In terms of sights, your itinerary only partially matched mine. However, some "photogenic" places I visited included, north outside of Anchorage, the Eklutna Spirit houses, Thunderbird Falls in Chugach State Park (large, plentiful, colorful mushrooms), and the Palmer demonstration garden (unbelievably huge vegetables, beautiful landscaped gardens, profuse with flowers). If you are lucky, you can catch the Portage Glacier with ice floes near the visitor center. When I was there the wind had blown them to the other side of the lake. If you can afford it, I would suggest that you stay at either Camp Denali or the Northface Lodge, which is located near Mt. McKinley. Your chance of photographing wildlife will be much greater. Although you do not include it on your itinerary,one of my favorite experiences was photographing Gull Island (on a chartered boat) in Kamechak Bay, near Homer. Viewing the thousands of seabirds on the tiny island was a stunning experience. I have a few of my Alaskan photos in my web site, if you are interested. Enjoy your trip! Daniel Kinoshita -- http://www.hgea.org/~kino ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have been there 4x in three years. Your choice of lens makes sense to me...assuming you want scenes and animals. The bull moose look great that time of year, as do the bear. Take a tripod. I'd skip Fairbanks, Seward & Juneau and get out of Anchorage as fast as you can. Thats my choice. I haven't been to Wranglel, so I can't add to Jeans comment. I do know there is some good bear viewing out of Wrangle. Tell us what you consider a photo opportunity? Take a head net for the mosquitos...in areas they are ABSOLUTELY unbelieveable. By then though the frost may have knocked them off. Relative to the comments I saw on the net about the zodiak, I was in Prince William Sound a month a ago and it was like glass. I can't comment what the norm is. Look for "rafts" of sea otters and killer whales. For day trips to the sound, I would recommend Whittier vs. Seward. My preference. Talk to the locals. From: susied <susied@hsonline.net> ARIZONA.................................................................... >Can anyone suggest a good location in the Sedona AZ area for photographing the sunrise in that part of AZ. Did you want to step out of your car or take a hike to make the sunrise picture? Are your pictures to be made for fun or profit? An Assignment perhaps? A good rock filled view looking East may be a tough assignment. As I recall, from having spent two days in Sedona in '97, the best views are to the West and South. I did some sunset pics from Airport road from right next to my car. It is high ground near the center of town. Did not follow it around to the top (where the airport is) to see if there was a view looking East. For a spectacular view with stacked ranges, drive up Schnebly Road, (about a 45 minute drive). Any rental vehicle can do it in good weather, except in the winter the road is closed as it winds its way North about 4000 ft. up towards Flagstaff. The great view looking back is facing South and West. The Chapel of the Holy Cross just East of town is high ground facing South / East and many of the best rocks are to the West, but it might work out. So much for veiws looking South and West. As for looking East. My suggestion would be to ask the people who make their living in Sedona in the tourist trade. I can make some suggestions but my reference literature is about 3 years old so I only have phone numbers to give you. By now all establishments in Sedona will have a web page or at least email. Yahoo probably will list them all. So try the camera shop in Sedona and ask them about a sunrise view location. Rollies Camera Shop 520-282-5721. Call Arizona Helicopter Adventures and ask them 1-800-282-5141. Their airport is atop a high plateau and maybe that is the place to be. Also Call Pink Jeep Tours, 1-800-999-2137. They would probably drive you to the perfect location ($$) unless it would be too early for them. Or you can rent your own jeep at several places. One is, Sedona Jeep Rentals 1-800-879-JEEP. A publisher of Sedona view books such as "Go Take a Hike" is Sedona Publishing at 520-282-9022. They already have the pictures you probably want and may see your inquires as potential competition. The Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Chamber of Commerce, 520-282-7722, may also be of help. Walter From: NETHERHOLT@aol.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MEMPHIS ..................................................................... >I will be in Memphis, Tennessee - anybody from there or having been there >advice on what, where, music, barbque, or anything else of interest going on? I have enjoyed several trips to Memphis - lived there one semester too. They have a very good art museum - the Brooks, and it is in a nice park. There is a trolley down town that takes you to several attractions. Go see the ducks at the Peabody Hotel just to see the people seeing the ducks and of course the beautiful hotel. Go see Graceland - it ain't so bad. Mud Island is interesting but very hot - go late in the afternoon. The Civil Rights Museum located in the Loraine Motel where MLK died is a must see - excellent and moving exhibition. Beal street is so-so but if you are a blues fan.... The pyramid is fun to photograph. Try to bomb down to Oxford Miss., about 75 miles, it is well worth it. You will want to see Wm.Falkner's home, Ol' Miss, kudzu, Square Books, what else?? There was a first class photo gallery there a couple years ago. Can I go?? Elvis is leaving the building. From: Alan Zinn <azinn@netbox.com> http://www.keva.com/lookaround ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Definitely check out the "Peabody Hotel". It is called "The Grandest Hotel of the South". My wife and I were there this past 4th of July. It is kind of expensive but really great. Every morning at 10:00 am they have 4 or 5 Mallard Ducks come down from the roof top and get into a little fountain in the main lobby, where they play all day long. The "Duckmaster" comes and rolls out a red carpet and puts up steps for them. they take their walk and then jump in the fountain. Then again at 5:00 pm they do it again to return to the roof. It is a great photographic opportunity, however there are usually about 100 people watching taking pictures. Also check out Mud Island. Good luck. From: Kristoffer J Buquet <Aperture@netzero.net> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Memphis is famous for it's Bar-B-Que, and one of the most famous is the Rendezvous Restaurant. It is downtown on an alley. I don't know the address, but you go out the front door of the Peabody Hotel, walk across the street and a half block down the ally, and the Rendezvous is on your left, in the basement. Have the Ribs they are really good. Bar-B-Que in Memphis is pork. From: Tom Walker <trwcpa@idsmail.com> www.interdestination.com/~trwcap/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWFOUNDLAND ............................................................ Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada The newest province of Canada , yet the oldest in terms of European settlement, the province provides a bonanza of opportunities for photographic enthusiasts. I have lived here for most of my life and am still awed by the beauty. Most spectacular might be the leviathons of the North Atlantic - the largest being in the thousands of tons. Ice Bergs which visit the province each spring on their trek southward. Each of these is a sculpture of its own, and provides wonderful "water" colors of blues and greens . The province is also home to a milieu of wildlife including , Caribou, Moose, and whales. The colorful Puffins and Northern Gannetts are just some of the many species of seabirds found in the many Sea Bird Colonies on land and on the numerous islands tha t dot the coastline. The occasional Polar Bear or Walrus also appear. The region features rugged landscapes with coastal scenery and Appalacian Mountain charateristics. Gros Morne National park features Fjords and Sounds which rival Norway's. The coastline is dotted with tiny fishing communities, and the built heritage str uctures including old Lighthouses and fishing premises blend nicely with the stark natural terrain. The Labrador coast, a sparse, desolate but breathtakingly beautiful region affords visitors with unmatched scenery. For further info, feel free to email me. From: Terry Maddox <maddoxterry@hotmail.com> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- XXXXXXX ................................................................. .... MORE TO COME MAYBE??? |