In the era before blogs really hit the mainstream, it was very unpopular in photography circles to share thoughts, techniques and insights about the craft as well as the industry/trade. It was taboo. Well, the monopoly on information has obviously crumbled and, while it upset a handful of ivory-towered folks in the photo, film and video industries, we’ve broken out of that paradigm to a new era of more democratized creativity.
Let’s consider doing the same thing with photo and video locations around the world.
It occurred to me some time ago that I’m in the remarkably lucky position of getting to shoot in some of the best photo and video locations in the world: the beaches of the South Pacific, the peaks of European Alps, the deserts of the Middle East, the markets of South America, the warehouses in Brooklyn, the streets of Paris and countless others. It’s a perk of the job, for sure. It also occurred to me that, it would be really cool to share the privilege of the knowledge of these locations with the world and, perhaps in return, get to learn about dozens, hundreds, even thousands of new locations that I’d never known of otherwise.
I’m admittedly in the very early stages of this idea, but I’d love to see if there’s an initial interest from this community such to spark–or help me motivate–a sort of crowd sourced aggregator of cool places to shoot images. If you have an interest, please take a few seconds and list a location or two you love that you’d like to share in the comments below. Whether it’s beautiful… [click 'continue reading' link below]
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…sublime, gritty, or downright dangerous but fascinating, let me know if this is a good idea by listing a couple of your favorites. I’m looking for not just popular ones, but remote, unknown, etc. Under a bridge, next to a stream, in a warehouse or in an alley, etc. No limits. And the more specific the better. And let go of your fears that this information should somehow be sacred. Let’s turn that upside down.
If there’s a small groundswell around this idea, I’ll put in some more effort. If not, then at least this post can be a cool list of some new locations for those not in the know.
To start it off, I’ll offer a beautiful place I shot some winter lifestyle images yesterday–atop Chairlift 12 at Telluride Moutain Resort in southwest Colorado. An utterly sublime snow scene, with a warming hut not more than 100 meters away to stash gear and get some coffee. The iPhone snap above is sort of dark because we’d just finished shooting, but you get the gist. This was just one view of the backdrop next to the open snowfield (looking northwest).
So do you have a few places you wanna share? Where do you love to shoot?
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You should check out Bugis Street in Singapore. Lotsa Asian flavor there. Shophouses and stuff
There is something very similar that is being done with a group on Linkedin called Location Scout. Same cancept and still in infant stage but aimed a bit differently.
you can find the group @http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=728907&trk;=myg_ugrp_ovr
Agrafa Mountain Region, Greece
Zagorochoria Region, Greece
Pineios River delta, Thessaly, Greece
Mount Olympus, Greece
Kalymnos Island, Greece
Landmanalaugar, Iceland
On the southwestern coast of Jamaica, near a place called Junction, there was an old, creepy hotel that was bought and renovated into a school for troubled teens. They named it Tranquility Bay and offered "crisis intervention" services. The place was rich — high walls, creepy interiors, intimidating exteriors, and gorgeous sunsets and turquoise waters through barbed wire fences.
I made a short film about it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwUmc_Aoykc
Google map of it here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source;=s_q&hl;=en&geocode;=&q;=tranquility+bay,+jamaica,+w.i.&sll;=18.020201,-77.809296&sspn;=0.243882,0.307961&ie;=UTF8&hq;=Tranquility+Bay&hnear;=Tranquility+Bay,+Jamaica≪=17.878778,-77.642441&spn;=0.488152,0.615921&z;=11&iwloc;=A&cid;=478921161229910463
I love this idea, I was just bemoaning the lack of this sort of information a couple weeks back.
I recently did a lot of film noir style portraits, very environmental. So I've dug up some places in San Diego that work for that style:
1. La Jolla Cove: the alley between Ivanhoe and Herschel, running from Prospect to Silverado. Lots of old brickwork and great texture.
2. Balboa park, along El Prado, in the buildings/courtyards north of MoPA.
About half of these:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tituswinters/sets/72157623131294254/
came from there.
few of my fav loc in India..
Kumartuli (in Kolkata), West Bengal,India – http://www.flickr.com/photos/akshath/3414162715
Pottery Town, Bangalore, India – http://www.flickr.com/photos/akshath/1029973622
Coonoor Station, Tamil Nadu, India – http://www.flickr.com/photos/akshath/2688586541
There are spots along Skyline Drive, in the Shenandoah Nat'l Park (VA) that are great at sunrise and sunset.
If you venture out into the mountains in Transylvania, you get great views, and decrepit mountain citadels, such as those in Rupea and Rasnov, near to Brasov. Sibiu, Romania is also a very charming city, well worth some street photography.
This project sounds like a Google Earth layer or Google Maps overlay….
Though it's an absolute pain in the ass to get out the them, the Pribilof Islands — smack dab in the middle of the Bering Sea, between Russia and the United States — are mind-bogglingly, jaw-droppingly stunning.
I highly, highly, highly recommend a trip to the St. Paul Island (the "tourist" island of the Pribilofs) for the wildlife, and then a visit to the St. George Island (the research island of the Pribilofs) for some of the most interesting landscapes ever — kinda' like Ireland meets the Arctic.
Just be forewarned that it's extremely difficult (and expensive) to get out to the Pribs, and that all travel is weather dependent.
Matt
Same idea is being used on a group at Linkedin called location Scouts, check it out.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=728907&trk;=myg_ugrp_ovr
Another great idea Chase!
Some of my favorites:
Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin, TX (especially near the Hill of Life)
The High Line in NYC (near the Meat Packing District)
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX (Bear Canyon and The Bowl)
The NJ Botanic Garden is picturesque
I see you've touched the desert already in Dubai. I myself have a fond memory of Timbuktu, Mali. If there is one location I've been where I would love to ever come back, it is the one.
The ride to Timbuktu is quite fun. Count eight to ten hours from Bamako. In a rush? Take the $100 direct flight from Bamako. It's an hour only. Even better ride there and fly back!
Check flickr's most interesting Timbuktu photos:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=timbuktu&ss;=2&s;=int
The beach near my place
Also this will help http://freephotoguides.blogspot.com/
Bay of Fires, Tasmania, AUstralia