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  1. #1

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    Two years in the US. Top locations?

    Later this year I'm moving to Washington DC from London. I'll be in the States working for two years and I'm planning to spend my weekends and holidays out of DC making photos.

    I enjoy LF above all for landscapes and as a relative newcomer to LF I've found the experience most satisfying when away from crowds - the presence of passers by can be a little distracting when shooting LF in London. Not a phenomenon I've ever really experienced in other formats. So in the city I'll probably stick to my 35mm and medium format kit.

    But I figure if I have two years in the US there must be some magnificent opportunities to get out into the sticks and shoot some landscapes in LF.

    Where to go and when? Also, I guess I need a car right? I'm hoping that there should be some nice coastal vistas not too far from DC and that at some point I'll be able to visit some of the famous national parks. Any tips for timing to avoid the crowds would be much appreciated.

    Finally, I've found that there are a couple of labs in DC who process 5x4 but as yet haven't tracked down anywhere offering hand prints. In London I use a printer for BW fibre based prints who also does a fantastic job of colour printing from colour neg. The latter seems to be a really dying art.

    Never shot E6 in large format but it's something I may try if I can't find anyone to print my colour negs.

    Are there any good darkroom printers in DC?

  2. #2
    jp's Avatar
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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    Yeh, you'll want a car. Public transportation is focused on the urban areas of the US, with the exception of a few train routes.

    I'd personally recommend in New England the white mountains area of New Hampshire, it's a huge national park area, the coast of Maine, including Acadia NP in the fall. There's a lot of scenic potential in the small area of Acadia. In the summer if you're adventurous and strong, Maine's Baxter state park offers a mix of beautiful closeup and landscape variety with a hike of Mount Kahtadin that includes the table lands area. Read up on Thoreau in the book, "The Maine Woods".

    Elsewhere, rocky mountain NP is a short drive from Denver CO, and there are plenty of places there with few people.

    As far as crowds go, avoid school vacation schedules, which tend to be fairly uniform around the country and cause big increases in traveling.

    I have not traveled the southern US or west coast, but there is obvious potential there perhaps others could summarize.

    For close to home, take a train ride as far as you can go in a day, and you'll see lots of things you can't easily see from the road. Note them and drive back and visit them on another day.

  3. #3
    falth j
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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    You can’t go wrong by taking some time to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park anytime of the year.


    And even make several trips at different times of the year most notably the fall, when the leaves turn color, the winter, and the spring when everything begins to bloom.


    Another experience is to take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, to visit the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.


    Investigate all of our beautiful national parks online, and stop at a bookstore a look at the various books that give a good review of these parks, as well as other scenic spots in our country.

  4. #4

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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    everywhere! i suggest you do not go to work and spend the 2 years on a photo trip. you can hit most of the hot spots for sure...

    start close by and work your way out. you can not go wrong at any of the national parks out wets. pick some. utah, idaho, colorado, ca. the list goes on. do not try and do too many too fast.

    come up to NY if you like. we shoot LF all the time. i am 90miles N of NYC. wouyld be happy to shoot around with you.

    Philly, is great. you might as well hit georgia too. blue mountains sound great!

    are you looking for landscapes or city views.

    there are plenty of labs in NYC that do C41 and E6 processing. fast turn aound and easy to deal with. they ship to me no problems.

    have fun.

    eddie
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  5. #5

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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    That about sums it up!
    The US is so unbelievably geographically diverse, you have to slowly try and visit every corner!

    If you get the chance, Newfoundland, a distinct society and geographically, a wonder.


    Quote Originally Posted by eddie View Post
    everywhere! i suggest you do not go to work and spend the 2 years on a photo trip. you can hit most of the hot spots for sure..............

    have fun.

    eddie

  6. #6

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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    Mail Order: http://www.4photolab.com/

    Try to go carless and just rent. Then scour the internet for last minute deals on airfare and such. There is a good enough train system between DC to Boston.

    Create a minimalist kit and just go as often as possible. Sometimes there are cheap flights to Las Vegas for gambling but you can just rent a car and hit the desert. LA, San Fran, Portland, Denver, Salt Lake, etc. are all great stepping off points, Denver is a hub and often fares are reasonable. Fares to the rainy NW are less during the rainy months.

    If you are a hardy and brave air traveler, you can leave for the West Coast at 6am, arrive late morning thanks to the time change, shoot and then catch the red-eye home, take a sleeping aid, and get in at 5am -- shower and go to work. However this strategy can sometimes be befuddled, especially in the Winter, by delays through Chicago or other hubs that get bad weather, etc. so you need to have an understanding boss/clients.

    If you factor in that you'll spend $300 per night in a major city for a cheap hotel and a sit-down meal, you can rationalize going West for the weekend and staying in a $65 motel with take-out as being a cost savings measure, even with airfare.

  7. #7

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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    The really good photography comes from people who don't seek out the well-trammeled "hotspots" and instead blaze their own trails. Look at the work of Robert Adams, Robert Frank, Stephen Shore, Helen Levitt, Walker Evans, Sally Mann and Minor White for some examples.

  8. #8
    kmack's Avatar
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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    The DC area has a lot of different LF photo locations fairly near by, You can easily find something within a few hours drive, or walking distance; depending on your kit, any weekend.

    Assateague and Chincoteague islands on the shore, only a few hours away to the east.

    Baltimore, Oxford, Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay area, Tillman Island.

    North and West you have Frederick County, Harper Ferry, West Virginia, the Catoctin and Blue Ridge Mountains.

    To the North: Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, (Amish Country), Gettysburg, The Mon Vally and Ohio Pyle.

    To the west the Shenandoah, Skyline Drive is spectacular, particularly in the fall.

    In DC: Rock Creek park, Great Falls, and the C&O canal through Georgetown.

  9. #9

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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    Quote Originally Posted by kmack View Post
    The DC area has a lot of different LF photo locations fairly near by, You can easily find something within a few hours drive, or walking distance; depending on your kit, any weekend.

    Assateague and Chincoteague islands on the shore, only a few hours away to the east.

    Baltimore, Oxford, Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay area, Tillman Island.

    North and West you have Frederick County, Harper Ferry, West Virginia, the Catoctin and Blue Ridge Mountains.

    To the North: Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, (Amish Country), Gettysburg, The Mon Vally and Ohio Pyle.

    To the west the Shenandoah, Skyline Drive is spectacular, particularly in the fall.

    In DC: Rock Creek park, Great Falls, and the C&O canal through Georgetown.
    Thank you for these suggestions near DC. A quick google image search for Shenandoah has whet my appetite!

  10. #10

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    Re: Two years in the US. Top locations?

    Domestic flights are fairly cheap, (but don't check your equipment) and you can easily rent a car at your destination.

    Don't miss the major US national parks: Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon etc.

    Laurent Martres has a series of guide books that cover places of photographic interest in the US Southwest.

    Careful driving on the RHS.

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