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Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Every state has something to offer LF photographers, and good photographers can make great images anywhere, but the question is asked in our Large Format forum what the best state is for LF photographers to live in. Please consider following facts:
Weather
Cost of living
State income tax and |Real estate tax
Number of National Parks
Workshop or large format community
Death rate of coronavirus
and more you can think of ......
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
In my mind California ticks most of the boxes, except cost of living. Lots of variety there. Arizona would probably be second.
I’m trying to figure out how to make the most of my regional offerings.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tax888
Every state has something to offer LF photographers, and good photographers can make great images anywhere, but the question is asked in our Large Format forum what the best state is for LF photographers to live in. Please consider following facts:
1. Weather
2. Cost of living
3. State income tax and |Real estate tax
3. Number of National Parks
4. Workshop or large format community
5. Death rate of coronavirus
and more you can think of ......
1. Montana. Has a four season climate. That's like getting to live in four new places without having to move. Each season has its own mood.
2. Montana. Affordable housing, food is low, sales tax is low.
3. South Dakota. No income tax at all. One of the reasons i moved here.
4. Montana. Yellowstone, Glacier, plus some nice state parks. More than that you have the great plains in the east. The Missouri River valley is spectacular and few outside the region know it.
5. Montana. Long a destination for photographers. FJ Haynes lived in Bozeman.
6. Montana, North & South Dakota, Wyoming. I wouldn't worry about that anyway over the mid to long term. I'll mention that most of the states in region never overreacted with "lock downs." I took the month of April off work and was driving hundreds of miles a day taking photos. Motels and restaurants were open if I wanted to use them.
If I was single I'd buy a smaller RV and just wander the Great Plains. It's so big I would never get to all of it. As for California, the best place to live there would be Reno.
Kent in SD
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
I have to say Utah is pretty good. 13 national parks dept. units (5NPs, 3 NMs, and some recreation areas and historic sites), 43 state parks. About 80% of land is publicly owner, either federally or by the state. Ecosystems range from alpine marshes to the famous redrock desert. Taxes are reasonable, there's probably 300 sunny days a year. I like it here.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
California is totally messed up. Cost of living, hippies, earthquakes. Stay away.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Yep, stay away from California. Carnivorous deer, twelve-foot long venomous centipedes .... Forget that we have more National Parks and Wilderness Areas than any other state in the lower 48. Every inch of it is covered with million-dollar houses inhabited by Zombies and klepto surfers. Nothing to see here.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
If the question was posed more broadly: where is the best place to live for a photographer who takes landscapes in a large format, I would name only one place - the Republic of Tuva, located in Russia in southern Siberia near the border with Mongolia. My friend, an American photographer, visited there and said that Tuva is a mixture of Tibet and Wyoming, because Buddhist culture exists against the backdrop of untouched nature and a very small number of inhabitants ... For the past twenty years I have been there every year and take photographs. Some of my Tuvan pictures can be viewed here: http://rasfokus.ru/pechoretc/bestphoto.html
They can easily be identified by the plot among my other pictures - these are natural landscapes or some household items of Tuvans
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Shark attacks, Mountain Lions, blood thirsty fleas & ticks, blood thirsty disease spreading mosquito A-plenty in California.. Scared yet?
Bernice
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Ignoring the US-centric bias of the question the best State for landscape photography is the State of Mind that is open to, and welcomes, all types of vistas.
For instance, Russia, Antarctica and Canada are all bigger land masses that CONUS and Alaska combined, and have equally if not better/different type of topography suitable for landscape photography than CONUS and Alaska.
In terms of landscape photography, and leaving aside Russia, Antarctica and Canada, what about the Andes in southern South America, Iceland, Africa, Europe and Asia?
Regarding the question of the habitation, there are many locations that are more beneficial to quality of life than CONUS and Alaska.
A closed or limited mind-set is not conducive to landscape photography or any other aspect of human life.
Regards
Tony
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
My gosh, are we ever daydreaming now that we can't really fly anywhere! I must confess my own addiction to topo maps as a form of escapism, and printing old negs of wonderful places in the West I've been. But I can't complain. I had a great hike with my Norma yesterday, with wonderful natural softbox lighting over the velvety hills, with all the grasses transitioning as they dry out into luscious flavors of gold, green, and rust. No worries. Our vicious mountain lions and giant centipedes only eat people from out of state.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pechoretc
If the question was posed more broadly: where is the best place to live for a photographer who takes landscapes in a large format, I would name only one place - the Republic of Tuva, located in Russia in southern Siberia near the border with Mongolia. My friend, an American photographer, visited there and said that Tuva is a mixture of Tibet and Wyoming, because Buddhist culture exists against the backdrop of untouched nature and a very small number of inhabitants ... For the past twenty years I have been there every year and take photographs. Some of my Tuvan pictures can be viewed here:
http://rasfokus.ru/pechoretc/bestphoto.html
They can easily be identified by the plot among my other pictures - these are natural landscapes or some household items of Tuvans
Why don't you live there?
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pechoretc
If the question was posed more broadly: where is the best place to live for a photographer who takes landscapes in a large format, I would name only one place - the Republic of Tuva, located in Russia in southern Siberia near the border with Mongolia. My friend, an American photographer, visited there and said that Tuva is a mixture of Tibet and Wyoming, because Buddhist culture exists against the backdrop of untouched nature and a very small number of inhabitants ... For the past twenty years I have been there every year and take photographs. Some of my Tuvan pictures can be viewed here:
http://rasfokus.ru/pechoretc/bestphoto.html
They can easily be identified by the plot among my other pictures - these are natural landscapes or some household items of Tuvans
Incredible place!
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Viewing some of those shots does remind me both of Wyoming and our desert lake areas, like the Mono Lake area. But any place at least a thousand miles from the nearest McDonald's franchise would be photographic paradise.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
My best LF landscapes are from 2 municipal parks within the boundaries of Montreal, 1 is about 500 yards from my house and the other is about 4 miles away. 3rd is the area west of Montreal where I lived for 25 years. The best state for LF landscape photography is the one you're in when you decide to make images. I haven't seen enough of the USA to answer the question and in any case my criteria would be quite different from the OP's. I don't like hiking for 3 days to get to where I want to take photos, nor do I care to drive for 5 hours hoping the light will be good when I get there. I won't comment on the other named factors.
I will say I don't enjoy watching out for various animals that could kill me, though I have spent time in polar bear country without worrying too much and the cold is just as much a killer as rattlesnakes or scorpions. The devil you know, I suppose.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
A highway junction pancake house or sub sandwich shop can darn near kill you too. There's a reason you never see polar bears or mtn lions eating there.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Lots of people retire to the general Reno area, meaning not Reno itself, but more like the Carson City area slightly to the south, which has rapid access back into California via south Lk Tahoe and Hwy 50, usually even in winter. It's also right on Hwy 395 which runs the length of the east side of the Sierra, with rapid access to innumerable mountain trails and lakes. But poorer folk settle into scruffy mobile home communities further into bottomland sage areas, where it can get pretty hot and dusty. Nevada isn't for everyone, especially if you have allergies to rabbit brush etc. And most jobs there pay poorly, so most folks who do relocate there are retirees. But a bit up on the east side of the Sierras, around snowline and the aspens, it does offer certain scenic and outdoor amenities. But as far as the fact of Reno being in Nevada rather than CA, remember how Johnny Cash stated that if he had really shot a man in Reno, why would he have been in Folsom Prison in California - which he never was either, except for an entertainment event. My wife and I heard one of his last live events in Reno itself, which is only about 15 minutes from the CA state line.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
The best state (or country) is one you are familiar with and have the ability to spend time both photographing and exploring what it has to offer. Any photographs made on a trip or brief visit, and ones shot at the "usual suspects" are probably going to be nothing more than retreads of other photographers. Really getting your camera out there and shooting/exploring constantly is how to make the best landscape photos.
I once read a harsh criticism about something I said here, about "learning" the place I was living. For some reason this person I guess thinks a photographer should be able to make jaw-dropping, award-winning, top-notch photos of any place they go immediately upon first experience. I find that to be complete BS. After years of shooting I've found that on average, my best photographs of a place come the 2nd or 3rd time I visit. Sometimes it's the first, because I got lucky and bagged a great shot or two, or the light/weather was really good, and sometimes I go to a place I feel has promise 4, 5, or 6 times and never really get a shot I am happy with.
I used to think GA was the most boring state in the world until I actually got off my ass and shot a few thousand photographs. Get out there and SHOOT wherever you are. Doesn't matter if it's Yosemite, the Everglades, or your neighborhood park.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bob Salomon
Reno, CA?
As in...What's the difference except who owns the casinos?
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Sometimes the same folks, Vaughn. Once the gambling interests in Reno and Vegas realized that they were going to lose some serious money to tribal gaming in CA, they decided to invest in them instead of continuing to fight them. But of course, that still involves competition. Among the many Indians kids I grew up with there were two 100% brothers who lived in the same shack, but are now respective treasurers of two completely different competing "tribes", which not only belonged to totally different language families in aboriginal times, but one of which was exterminated by the other over 300 years ago, and now has been resurrected by legislative fiat just to justify another immense casino. There's another casino right in the next city, within walking distance of us, which was a bowling alley before its history was reinvented by an act of Congress. No known authentic Indian habitation, and just another historical anomaly concocted for sake of casino taxation, and equally infiltrated by organized crime. Closed now, of course, due to the virus. So I guess the pimps, hookers, and loan sharks have applied for unemployment benefits.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
The best US state for landscape photography is the place that you like. I'll suggest that all 50 have much to offer if you keep your eyes open- even though there are some few I've never visited. David Plowden loves the midwest and has done great work there. Of course California has been a mecca since the days of Muybridge and Watkins. Paul Strand and Paul Caponigro (among many others) did great work in New England. I've spent most of my life in the beautiful, if unspectacular, landscape of western New York State- and realized after I'd moved away that I'd barely scratched the surface. The late John Pfahl did a wonderful series on the Susquehanna river valley in Pennsylvania. There are countless other examples...Corran's comments are spot-on. There's a lifetime of work in front of you wherever you are, if you can see it. So go where the landscape inspires you, regardless of national parks, tax rates, camera clubs, or anything else. You'll find a way!
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Drew Wiley
My gosh, are we ever daydreaming now that we can't really fly anywhere! I must confess my own addiction to topo maps as a form of escapism, and printing old negs of wonderful places in the West I've been. But I can't complain. I had a great hike with my Norma yesterday, with wonderful natural softbox lighting over the velvety hills, with all the grasses transitioning as they dry out into luscious flavors of gold, green, and rust. No worries. Our vicious mountain lions and giant centipedes only eat people from out of state.
I'm okay with becoming food for mountain lions, giant centipedes, or even realtors - all part of the ecological cycle. But it's the poison oak I can't stand!
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
I think it is tie between western South Dakota and Idaho. They both have unique and beautiful landscapes to offer without:
Crazy oppressive taxes and laws.
Huge populations of annoying people.
Expensive land.
Traffic.
The biggest advantage of these states is the character of their population. You want to live with good people. Also weather, variety is inspiring before your eyes and lens.
One caveat for Californians. Please do not consider these places because the locals will not accept you. Those who flee that state seem to want to turn their new state into California, or get home sick and return.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
I’m with two23 on this one, and would include Idaho. This is the area I grew up in and lived in my early life so yes in this case it’s US-centric. I’ve seen lots of cool photos from around the world, just not been there. We did take a trip to Israel 6 years ago and I think landscapes could be made there as well. I would see it as a challenge to work in an environment far removed from the inter mountain region in the US.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
New Mexico. Just over 2 million mostly hospitable people with 5 great cultures. So lots of lonely spaces. Many Hernandezes if you look closely. And--the light! Strong and mysterious.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
For me it would be any state in the southwest. I'm in Texas which is a good place to live and has many different venues for landscape. Mountains to oceans, desert to green forest and swamp areas and has one of the largest bird population. It's also a great jumping off point to travel to NM, Utah, & Colorado.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Ontario the last state to join has amazing lakes and rugged features.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
The short answer is it's all about taste. Pretty much like cameras....looking for ideal. Some people don't mind dealing with tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, extreme heat/cold, massive humidity and probably 100 other negatives. Some turn these into quite interesting photos.
Not a good idea to come to Washington (not DC), unless you are into "walls" (not political). I mean sink holes, rain...and more rain, pot holes (bigger than NJ Turnpike)....yes, for some this becomes a wall. Did I mention rain ?
Les
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Wherever you go, there you are.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Depends on what kind of landscape you want to photograph, I guess. If you're into the grand vistas of the Great Plains, you'd be wise to move there, or at least close by. If you want the Rockies, ditto - move there. Not sure what the tax questions have to do with landscape photography - If you want to photograph Yosemite, you're probably better off not living in Texas, no matter what the tax situation might be.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Yeah, the tax thing is a little strange, but I photograph light -- and that's everywhere. So it gets down to where I want to be...and I am here.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bob carnie
Ontario the last state to join has amazing lakes and rugged features.
I agree with the amazing lakes and rugged features but I thought that Ontario and all Provinces west would join the US in the 1970s after Charles De Gaulle's Vive le Québec libre on the balcony of Montréal City Hall. It caused a diplomatic uproar with Canada and inflamed the Quebec sovereignty movement.
At that time I was resident in Toronto; and it has not happened yet.
regards
Tony
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tonyowen
I agree with the amazing lakes and rugged features but I thought that Ontario and all Provinces west would join the US in the 1970s after Charles De Gaulle's Vive le Québec libre on the balcony of Montréal City Hall. It caused a diplomatic uproar with Canada and inflamed the Quebec sovereignty movement.
At that time I was resident in Toronto; and it has not happened yet.
regards
Tony
Well right now we are considering letting Oregon, California, Washington to join Canada all immigration welcome up here.
I kind of like the Carolina's so they can come up here as well
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
For me New Hampshire. Recommend the book: Among the White Hills, the life and times of Guy L. Shorey. Especially admire the work he did with his 7x17 Korona in the early 1900s. Think of him driving around the White Mountains in 1906 in an open windowed car in the dead of winter to photograph a mountain view with his 7x17.... we have it so relatively easy now.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
State of Financial Readiness.
But seriously, as I read over all the responses, I was reminded of the fact that since retiring in 2014, I have taken jobs three times that have caused me to move west. I live in North Carolina, having always called that "home". But in 2015 I moved to Las Vegas to take a job. Nevada just doesn't inspire me. Sorry! And going somewhere interesting involves just too much driving. Although not as far as if I were to drive from NC! Then another job took me to the Central Coast of California. That was interesting. But that job didn't last and before I knew it I was back on I-40 to NC. Most recently I took a job that led me to the south burbs of Seattle. True, it's a beautiful area. If you can see it for all the cars. Then there was the cost of living... yikes! Didn't matter 'cause I got laid off in February.
How about my home state of NC? Well, yes. We do have some fairly scenic and visually interesting areas here. The Appalachian mountains are beautiful. But I've always found it extremely challenging to find a scene, a composition, that moves me. We do not have the Grand Vista that the Southwest and so many other venues offer. No, we have the haze, humidity (and the bugs). And the first two destroy contrast such that detail is lost. It can be worked around. But I've always run out of time before I've come up with a solution.
I did make one of my favorite photographs on the other end of the state, interesting to say. But it took me literally three days of scouting, looking, setting up and then striking my equipment until I found the composition and the conditions which caused me to commit it to film.
And, living again in NC, I miss the West and its beauty. But every time I've moved west, I have missed the East coast with its trees, hills and dales and especially New England which I miss whichever place I'm living. I've spent a fair amount of time one place or another in coastal New England and I fell in love with it. One of these days I'm going back!
So, I think culture has a lot to do with the answer. The southern Appalachians definitely have their culture. Some of it I definitely do not find attractive. But then, the local folks there are descended largely from the Scots-Irish who settled in this area. Those are my people as I share that heritage with them. So it feels like home... sometimes rather oddly.
New England has its cultural distinctions - very strongly! - and that makes the landscape that much more interesting (it seems to me, anyway).
The West (again, to me) is about space, isolation, big skies and strong lighting. But then Coastal California begins to take on its own character, sometimes in ways reminiscent of New England.
These are my own reflections on places I've lived... my own experiences. I don't expect anyone to agree with them. But one thing I think is indisputable is that from a US-centric point of view, the the US has an incredible diversity.
So throw a dart at the map. You'll find your vision and your images wherever you go. Maybe more so if you go somewhere you've never been before.
And that applies to the rest of the world, too. Maybe even more.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ironage
I think it is tie between western South Dakota and Idaho.
You really want to live in Idaho with all the mad anti-govt nuts, EOTW preppers, and mormons that are too Mormon for Utah? I like Idaho to visit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bob carnie
Well right now we are considering letting Oregon, California, Washington to join Canada all immigration welcome up here.
I kind of like the Carolina's so they can come up here as well
Don't know if I want to move to a country that wants the likes of me...but if the geologists have plate tectonics down, you'll have California up your way before you know it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BxnIkqK1J4
Quote:
You really want to live in Idaho with all the mad anti-govt nuts, EOTW preppers, and mormons that are too Mormon for Utah?
And a high concentration of retired southern CA police officers...
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Clearly the most pointless and interesting thread I have read in a while.
And the answer is simple. It is not a state, it is an island. Monhegan
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
William Whitaker
How about my home state of NC
I'm not sure if you got to kick around Washington State much, but there was actually a pretty substantial emigration from WNC to the Darrington area back in the first half of the 20th C with folks following the timber industry back West as the North Carolina hills were cut-over. (A lot of people made the trek West, too, in the early 1950's--a period of time my people in Arkansas/Oklahoma, at least, always claimed was tougher economically and "climatically" than the Dust Bowl era.)
At any rate, I definitely concur with your love of NC even though I'm across the hill in Knoxville--I did work in Whittier for a couple of years, however...Newfound Gap Road makes for an interesting commute.:)
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
William Whitaker
You'll find your vision and your images wherever you go.
I'm fond of my own story about a time back in about 1984 when I walked out the door of my apartment and was struck by the arrangement of trash cans next to the driveway. I went back in, grabbed the 4x5 and made a photo of those trash cans on some Polaroid Type 52 (ah, the good old days!). It seemed weird, and does today, but it was an oddly satisfying subject. But was it a landscapes? Maybe more of a still life. But technically it was a landscape.
That was New Hampshire. There's so much more landscape in New Hampshire, I know. But someone we all admire once advised to "photograph that to which you respond emotionally", or very similar words. It could be anywhere.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
C. D. Keth
You really want to live in Idaho with all the mad anti-govt nuts, EOTW preppers, and mormons that are too Mormon for Utah? I like Idaho to visit.
Idahoan: “Move along, nothing to see here.” (Accompanied by Jedi hand wave)
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Try flying over the central Calf coast range at night. Other than the beach towns, less lights than the Mojave Desert, far less than the Dakotas or southern Idaho. No surfers or palm trees or roller skaters - in fact, almost no one. You guys and your stereotypes! All of Appalachia is lit up by comparison. I grew up in California right next to hundreds of square miles almost completely uninhabited just because the terrain was so steep. Not much about that has changed since except for whitewater rafting. Yes, I now live on the coast and real estate is expensive. But there are massive sections of CA where land is quite affordable and property taxes close to non-existent. It's a big highly diverse state. And believe me, we have our share of anti Gov nuts and heavily armed survivalist types too.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
I am a lawyer, I teach at the university, I have to live in a big city. Photography is my hobby. But I am always very drawn to Tuva ...
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
I'd say the the four corners area: wonder, curiosity, freedom, and openness :)
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
The actual Four Corners monument area, at the exact intersection of four states, is now pretty much surrounded by ugly oil and natural gas infrastructure. A lot has changed, especially air quality. Tiny little towns are now meccas for hundreds of cyclists and paved over with motels and fast food operations. One more reason to throw away all of the postcardy "must-see" places and go out, micro-explore, and find special places of your own. I really wanted another trip to the Utah canyon country this fall, but don't know if it will work out under present circumstances or not. I came back from Utah last Sept over the backside of the Wasatch Range after many years, and oh my gosh the changes - endless subdivisions and horrific traffic where once there had been only meadows and trees. And air quality along the Wasatch Front around Salt Lk City etc is even worse than LA in its bad ole days. It was a relief to get into the true wide-open spaces of Nevada, which is increasingly beckoning more quality camera time from me. It's just hard to adequately control dust issues when so many tempting A to B destinations involve dirt roads.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Once again moving away from the US-centric bias that pervades this thread. Why has nobody mentioned Australia?
Away from the coastal cities, Australia has some of the strangest landscapes in the world. It is worth noting that the painters and artists that accompanied Capt Cook on his voyages had to resort to making their images of Australia more English than England. This was because their patrons would not believe the strange, but true, landscape the painters and artists had encountered.
In many ways it is similar to the fall colours of eastern North America, which until you have seen it with your own eyes, make the visual representations, painted or photographed, difficult to accept as being true.
The Canadian Group of Seven artists tried to display North Americas fall colours but, in my mind, failed due to their method of painting - which hides the simplistic and awesome beauty of eastern North America fall colours.
Once more I suggest that it is the State of Mind, not the geographical area of one country or another, that attracts people to view, visit and perhaps record landscapes be they mundane or spectacular.
Regards
Tony
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Drew Wiley
Try flying over the central Calf coast range at night...
Lots of light pollution in what should be nothing along the backside of the King Range of the northern CA coast. Hum of generators and the light from massive greenhouse grows. The wilderness I worked in is due east of there and sitting on the top of Shell Mountain (6700'), I have watched the sun set behind Kings Peak (4091'), 55 miles away with a little glimmer off the ocean, but fortunately at night it was too far to notice any lights.
I advise no one to backpack and/or photograph in the Yolla Bollys. I spent ten years getting 150 miles of trails up to spec, only to find them, 30 years later, in even worse condition than I started with. I use to maintain the spring boxes...often the only source of water for miles of dry ridges and seasonal creeks..some are just mud holes now. If it is marked as a 'Lake" on the map, it is probably just another mudhole. My favorite, Minnie Lake, is a mini mudhole. By mid-July, one needs to know where the next water might be.
Some of the trailheads and the roads to them are not maintained -- heading up the main road access into the area I had worked had two abandoned and stripped cars about 5 miles up it...reassuring. One 16" drop in the road was interesting in my Eurovan. Because I can read a map and know the territory, I only have a little trouble finding my way around the wilderness when the trail disappears for awhile -- not enough hikers to keep a visible path. Fires have come through, leaving a whitethorn and manzanita maze to find your way through, if you can figure where the trail goes. If you get in trouble or get lost, no fellow hikers will be within weeks (if you are lucky) to help...and with the steepness of the terrain, there is no direct route from somewhere to anywhere. And of course plenty of bear, coyote, rattlesnakes, and scorpions. So go elsewhere. Please.
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Re: Which State is the Best State for Landscape Photographers to Live?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tax888
Every state has something to offer LF photographers, and good photographers can make great images anywhere, but the question is asked in our Large Format forum what the best state is for LF photographers to live in. Please consider following facts:
Weather
Cost of living
State income tax and |Real estate tax
Number of National Parks
Workshop or large format community
Death rate of coronavirus
and more you can think of ......
Someone mentioned Monhegan...
1. Poor weather >1/2 the time for large format photography. I've been there all times of the year.. The common impression is the idyllic summer sunny calm day.
2. It'd be difficult to buy a modest house there. Most year around people don't afford to live there year around and rent their places out for the summer to visitors.
3. above average
4. n/a
5. minimal unless you like painting
6. probably 0, you could be the first if you visit without quarantine, but the death might not be technically from coronavirus.
Maine as a whole fairs well. NH would do better for cost of living, taxes, etc...and a good portion of the state is a national forest. Eastern NH would be my suggestion; a quick drive into Maine. Southern NH is essentially tax free Massachusetts.
Maine would have:
1. I like the weather... Mild on the coast, more of every weather inland.
2. above average depending on where in the state.
3. above average
4. Acadia NP, part of White Mountains National Forest, Kahtadin Woods and waters national monument (named as such to avoid the political process involved in creating a national park). I don't visit these often. I have two state parks and several preserves all within a few miles, and ten beaches in town, lighthouses, islands, etc...
5. Some independent workshop people, Maine Media Workshops & College, tons of creative people loosely/formerly associate with things like MMWC and Kodak Center for Creative Imaging, etc... Maine more than a hundred years ago was home to the Clarence White school of photography which taught or relied on much of the influencers of the modernism.
6. Depends on where in the state you live.
I watch different photographers on Flickr and would likely enjoy the Scandinavian countries and Russia as well. Some beautiful areas! I'd be quite challenged to learn another language to be honest.