Calgary (Canada) Cityscapes Suggestion

[Len Eselson]

I will be leaving soon for a weeks stay in Calgary and would appreciate suggestions for city-scapes to shoot. I will be working with 4x5, B&W and would like to work reasonably close to the car.
Thanks
Len Eselson

[Ron Marshall]

Don't forget to hit Banff and Lake Louise.

[redrockcoulee]

TWo years ago asking such a question about Calgary would have been pointless as the entire city scape would have changed during your visit :)

Never did it but always thought the Calgary Tower being dwarfed by the buildings around it would make an interesting composition. The bridges and trails along the river on both sides and the business section next to Ramsey is great Forget the name of it but it starts with I. The Saddledome where the Flames attempt to play and I love the 11th Ave SW area for warehouse buildings and it is also the location of theCameraStore if you need film.

[sienarot]

Here's some good locations that may be of interest to you (in no particular order).

Crescent Hill (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=51.059038,-114.067655&daddr=&hl=en&geocode=&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=15&sll=51.059685,-114.067483&sspn=0.01942,0.038581&ie=UTF8&ll=51.058255,-114.068084&spn=0.019421,0.038581&z=15) overlooks the north side of downtown Calgary. It's a very popular location to get photos of all the downtown sky scrapers. If you're up for a short walk and a closer shot, you can also walk down Lions Gate Bridge on Centre Street from there just a few minutes away.

If you want some city-scape photos from within downtown, here are some parkades you can get up onto (free at night or just go up the stairs).
9th Ave SW and 3rd Street (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=51.045003,-114.070975&daddr=&geocode=&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=51.045495,-114.06957&sspn=0.002428,0.004823&ie=UTF8&ll=51.04563,-114.070916&spn=0.019426,0.038581&z=15)
6th Ave SW and 3rd Street (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=51.047364,-114.070702&daddr=&geocode=&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&sll=51.047532,-114.070337&sspn=0.004856,0.009645&ie=UTF8&ll=51.047977,-114.070873&spn=0.019425,0.038581&z=15)

A couple spots from further back if you want some wide view shots:
Nose Hill Park (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=51.113362,-114.115019&daddr=nose+hill+park,+calgary+alberta&geocode=&hl=en&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=13&sll=51.084224,-114.141254&sspn=0.07764,0.154324&ie=UTF8&ll=51.1157,-114.115334&spn=0.077587,0.154324&z=13)
Strathcona (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=51.045549,-114.168591&daddr=&geocode=&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=15&sll=51.042905,-114.173055&sspn=0.019427,0.038581&ie=UTF8&ll=51.046008,-114.16842&spn=0.077704,0.154324&z=13) - There's lots of condos in this area, but it's a really nice view at night. This might be a hit or miss, since the view I saw was from a friend's condo. I don't know any exact good spots to park and photograph from. Guess it depends on how far out you want to go :)

[walter23]

Message removed - better to look at the next one of mine.

[walter23]

I just made a map with a list of a whole bunch of good vantage points for photography. I probably have shots from all of them (more often than not crappy ones) but there's no way I'm digging through the archives to find them!

Enjoy! If you don't get directed to google maps with a list of my placeholders let me know and I'll get you a better link. Best in Satellite view so you can see the surroundings.

http://tinyurl.com/muezlz

In terms of recommendations: Nose Hill provides many good vantage points for the city as a whole with downtown in the distance. Good at night.

Rotary park and crescent road provide closer views of downtown with the river in the foreground and are very nice spots to visit (though probably the most common spots from which to photograph the city core).

If you want downtown from up close, with the river water in the foreground, the pathway along memorial drive between 10th street NW and Center Street is a good bet.

The rest of my spots are perhaps a little more interesting in some respects (less cliché), possibly disappointing if you trek way out of your way to get to them... but I promise there's at least an interesting view from every one of them :)

[Len Eselson]

Thanks for all your replies, and especially to Walter23 for his incredibly detailed map.
Len Eselson