How Far Do You Go?

[AcadieLibre]

Being photographers finding new and interesting subjects is a never ending search and eventually will never complete, but that is the goal to keep striving for the image until your last click.

What do you consider the maximum distance are you willing to travel to look for photos? It is just something when I saw Marko we had a brief discussion on driving, those like me who fid it exhilarating and those like Marko where it is a mode of transportation.

If drive to Montreal and back just for a few photos, so 11- 14 hours just to get some photos but thats only if I have a destination. I have driven around 20 + hours just running back roads looking for new stuff to photograph. I used to walk 25-30 k's just hunting down a chance for a photo pre September.

So do you travel to get photos, do you have a certain stomping grounds? Or do you do like me look and try to go and as far as I can for a day's shooting . It is not so bad in Southern Ontario, within 5-6 hours any given way there is Montreal, Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Windsor, North Bay, New Liskard, and on and on. Just before the incident I was doing runs at least 2 times a month and now just getting back at it.

So again, stomping grounds, explorer, long trip shooters (week or more) or what is convenient? If it wasn't for my wife's damn common sense I would have been in Quebec City Saturday Morning, I wake up and get these urges just to go for a long drive and take some photos, but with my beast gas can be costly but I guess I need to sell more prints then eh lol. Wasn't the gas that was her concern it was my health and if I should be doing 16 hours runs just yet. I thought it was a fabulous idea, it was midnight, I could be in Quebec City by 8am do my shots, 5-6 hours and run home, so 21 hours, I don't think thats all that long? Oh I always have credit card with me just incase I stay longer and need a hotel for the night and in the summer always bring blankets and pillows and other gear, in the winter also, I know how bad it can get getting snowed in and the roads are blocked off, so I do use common sense.

[casil403]

Not having a vehicle I'm kind of limited by Public transit which sucks at times because the mountains are so close, but at the same time it has allowed me to explore our local parks and get more intimate with finding things within them.
In the summer I get up early or later in the day and get out and on my bike and take the camera. Calgary has a lot of great natural spaces/parks within city limits so it's always fun to explore them.
I discovered Banff a few weeks ago and can take the bus out there, stay overnight and shoot in the morning as well which is great. I can also take the first bus out and the last bus back and still get in a whack of shooting also.
Every once in a while I go with a buddy (Greg this past weekend for instance) with a vehicle and do a shooting trip. I am hoping to get back to the prairies with my friend who has the old '39 Dodge truck and do some re-shooting on his old stomping grounds....that was a great day and I have a few re-shoots I want to do. It's great because I will give him a photo printed and framed from the trip as a thanks.

[Fortytwo]

Why travel far when even the most ordenairy thing around you can be turned into a beautiful picture... if you're creative enough...

[Bambi]

I've been sticking to my area and there is lots to photograph. Hence the large number of beach pictures I've been inflicting on all of you
I have gone to Halifax and plan to again. I want to go to Peggy's cove. I am thinking of booking a vacation on the bay of fundy and I think I can get spectacular pictures there (at least I'll have the opportunity, we'll see about the execution).

I am travelling to Austin Tx in May for work and will see what I can add in for photos.

I guess I'm more of an opportunity photographer: taking my camera when I travel for work and then seeing what's available. My planned photo jaunts are within a 100km radius.

[SLRer]

I like to travel as far as I can on foot and get the best shot. Kinda tiring but works out more often than not!

[jjeling]

I have often thought about this myself. It really depends on my mood that day and also how much money I have in my pocket. I am still at a time in my life post college where money still doesnt flow in the way I would like but it doesnt stop me.

If it is a nice day out, sometimes, I will ride my bike around town and explore that way. This way of shooting helps you slow down and take notice to things you wouldnt normally see if you were in a car.

Even more so, if I really feel like noticing the city, Ill just walk around. Then you really start paying attention to the little details, plus its cheap.

Other days, I will really just think, and contemplate what kind of story I want to tell. I rarely leave home for this. Once I get the idea, Ill try and figure how to set it up. This is what I was doing when I was photographing the money, and the deck of cards with the knife in them. They are ideas and stories that take time to visualize and require a little extra thought.

If its a great day for some landscapes, then its time for the car, Jeep really(permitting I have the money to drive around all day). Having a Jeep has also allowed me to go places a car might not get me. 4WD is a key, plus, with a sturdy roof, I can climb on top and set up the tripod and get a view from a little higher up than a couple meters. Being in a vehicle, you pass by subjects so fast that generally you will miss a TON of stuff, however, I will also just drive around taking a few pictures here and there as research as to where I might want to focus more time in the future.

Regarding the length I will go to get a picture, consider that question irrelevent. There isnt much I wont do for that. I cant say how many times put myself in some sticky situations in order to get a decent shot. You cannot be afraid to push yourself. I think the harder you work for a shot, the better the shot will be. I am a thrill seeker to the extreme, so not only is the picture worth it, so is the adrenaline rush.

[AcadieLibre]

Why travel far when even the most ordenairy thing around you can be turned into a beautiful picture... if you're creative enough...

Sometimes it the joy of the unknown, exploration is just human nature, but so it staying in your surroundings. Driving, music and photography are all my tied for seconds in passion. And I can drive 20 hours just because. I want to see everything I can while I am alive, I want to show others the vision I have of what I see. Nothing wrong in your environment, my first years in photography I stayed on Toronto or a Greyhound Bus at 15 years old to Hamilton to take photos.

I just am amazed at what people see, it is not where it is shot, it is who shot it, the passion and pure pleasure in your art is what should inspire at first. Where you end up shooting is as always something we all do differently, I am just curious. If everyone travelled, or everyone stayed in local areas photography would suck, it is the vast varieties of photography that drew me to it.

There is such a vast array off wonderful photos on this site I wanted to know where people shot,I just think it is cool that people can be creative in any environment. When I started in photography I was at a loss why people didn't shoot their environments, surroundings, etc. so I shot for years and years what was very close to me and still do. To see the unknown at times is fun if you can do it. We all agree we shoot what we desire to shoot, the act of taking a photograph is a creative process at home, far away, wherever.

[Greg_Nuspel]

I have backpacked to many places that were breath taking, sometimes I get an image of it sometimes I just get a memory. I have learnt one thing is that when I just don't seem to be inspired, sit down relax and stop looking for the shot. Soon the subject appears and I'll be off on a tangent, even if the images aren't great the moment is almost zen like where everything else is left behind.