Does where you live affect your photography?

[Shadowman]

You have to think like a tourist or behave like one. Where would a tourist go to find interesting things to see in your area? Hotel lobbies, travel agencies, frommers website, Wikipedia, etc.

[jcuknz]

You have to think like a tourist or behave like one. Where would a tourist go to find interesting things to see in your area? Hotel lobbies, travel agencies, frommers website, Wikipedia, etc.

That would be no good for me as I try to avoid the places that have been photographed umpteen times .... even if the lighting was special I would probably enjoy it and save it in my brain rather than on my SD card

[IShootPeople]

I tasked myself yesterday with driving around my area and "getting lost." I took a few shots, nothing overly interesting, but it was nice to just get out and see things with the aim of sparking a little creativity again.

I finally got over to an area that I have been meaning to get to for a while and found some neat ideas. Again, nothing hugely amazing, but it was a nice outing!

[Shadowman]

That would be no good for me as I try to avoid the places that have been photographed umpteen times .... even if the lighting was special I would probably enjoy it and save it in my brain rather than on my SD card

If you are near a coastline than another option is to hop in a boat and photograph your skyline. Or you could always take one of those expensive 15 minute helicopter rides.

[RustBeltRaw]

You have to think like a tourist or behave like one. Where would a tourist go to find interesting things to see in your area? Hotel lobbies, travel agencies, frommers website, Wikipedia, etc.

That would be no good for me as I try to avoid the places that have been photographed umpteen times .... even if the lighting was special I would probably enjoy it and save it in my brain rather than on my SD card

It's true that it's harder to find unique perspectives on commonly-visited locations, but doing so can produce remarkable results. Most beautiful spots are touristy. That doesn't mean you can't get a good shot out of them, it just means getting a unique shot is harder. This is where ultra-wide lenses, fisheyes, good timing, and creative flash can pay serious dividends. These shots from Istanbul, for instance:

On the beaten path (Basilica Cistern / Yerebatan Sarnıcı):



On the road less traveled (unknown ruin off Kennedy Road:



I live in Detroit, which as I'm sure you're aware, is Mecca for urban grit photographers. I've done plenty of that work, but very little is published or will ever leave my hard drive. Getting the shots is a fun adventure, and I'm quite fond of a few of them. But Detroit urban decay photography has been done to death, and crucially, that isn't the narrative I want to encourage.

Fortunately, projects with my local roller derby team keep me on my toes. If I'm in a slump, guess what, bucko! You've got to get up and shoot anyway. I'm getting better at always walking away with a shot. That said, results from my last bout weren't exactly winners. But I believe it's important to keep shooting, even (or especially) on crappy days when inspiration's rare. Because if you can get decent results then, you can hit it out of the park on good days.

"I wish I had a camera". And yet, simple as it would be to keep one in the car all the time, I don't do so. Why? No explanation other than hard headed stupidity

My excuses are that I work in a camera-sensitive environment (automotive prototyping), and I am like hell leaving my camera in the car all day. It's been robbed before, and I'm not keen to deal with that again. But when I'm not working, my camera, one flash, and at least one lens are with me.

Zack Arias is my usual slump remedy. Among today's pro photogs, I believe he maintains the best perspective.

[HenkB]

I'm trying to decide if I have just become stagnant in my creativity, or if the area in which I live has been stifling me due to what I see as lack of interesting things to photograph.
Snip
But, do you get complacent or just "burnt out" on the things around you, despite being surrounded by what others might see as a photographers paradise?

Sure, why ever not? Each day I take two walks chosen from the three or four that are convenient. The dog and camera show, as it were. When things get stable, I get pretty desperate. Example: early this morning the field we normally patronize was mowed and, suddenly, after weeks of pretty-pretty grass and wildflowers (I was ready to be gagged with a spoon!), the whole landscape is changed, the swallows are patrolling en masse and I got some BIF practice in. Even if i didn't get anything close to a keeper, I'll still be satisfied for the opportunity and diversion. Some photos of the grass in its windrows, too. Thinking about it now, I realize I have to go back this evening and try some shots that have already come to me.

A while ago I came to recognize that it's up to me to manage change to keep things interesting. This could be different routes (even something as simple as walking the normal route from the usual finish, backwards to the start, taking a different camera or lens, calling today a 24mm or an 85mm day - minor Jedi mind tricks like that. Also, every landscape can be taken as an opportunity to photograph the weather. Overcast also changes the photographic landscape and makes some subjects much more photogenic (and some less so). I have also put in the back of my mind the concept of assembling a book of images of each of the different walks I take. Even if I never do anything about it, it can help give form to my efforts, provoking me to take images that might first-off seem visually uninteresting but that would have a story-telling value in the larger context. For me, though, the real biggie is never to consider that I have "done" any particular subject in a way that can't be bettered.

[Andrew1]

After living most of my life in Calgary Alberta right next to the Rocky Mountains and now living in Victoria BC on the ocean you'd think that being in two of the most photogenic places on the planet would inspire me every day. Not. After awhile things start to look the same. Routine shots don't make you want to get out and do the same thing all over again.

The best thing I did was join a very good camera club to force me to get out more often even if it was just to the meetings. As a result I get out on two topical photowalks a month with about a dozen others. I've also helped set up and teach a couple of classes, taken about twenty others, and also get out on other day-trip seminars. Everything from sunsets to lavender fields to storms to night photography downtown. Even just getting out at a different time of day. Things sure look different at 5 AM or 10PM.

Another thing I do occasionally is assign a task to myself. Go to park and take 100 photos or find something in the yard or the beach and take 20 photos of the same thing or pick a favourite landscape and over the course of a week take as many shots under different lighting as you can. I also tried table top for a bit. Got started viewing videos and getting into the basics of studio portraiture including making my own backdrops. etc, etc.

Photography does have lots of ways to stimulate your creativity, you just have to stimulate your butt. Well, I have to anyway.

PS. One thing most of us have over the usual touristy photos is we know the less traveled places where the tourists don't get to. Looking at the cities you all hail from I can only imagine all you have to photograph within a short 1 hour drive.

By the way my next venture is with waterfowl and I'm presently on the hunt for an affordable Jobu Jr. I'll have to review that with my in-home financial planner.

[HaseebM]

Kim, you have put into words what my thoughts have been lately.


Bruce

My thoughts for long Kim and Bruce. Everywhere I see only telephone, cable TV lines and its very distracting. I had enough of trying to edit them later. Some scenes are good but these lines spoil them and they are just tooooooo many to edit.

[Digital]

Somewhere in this thread there was mention that forming a project to work on was one of the motivators to get out to take pics.
I agree with this thought.
Last summer I started taking pics of rustic churches. It was a project, and it got me going photographically wise. So that was what I did. I drove around the county I live in, and I photographed rustic churches. What I was going to do with them, to this day I do not really know.
A few weeks one of the churches I took a pic of burned down. So if anyone needs a photo of that particular church - what it looked like- I have it on file.
For awhile I have been entertaining the notion of taking pics of the local fire stations (i.e. fire trucks, and the firemen).
I am currently in the process of obtaining permission from the local government.
Also, I have been interested in photographing people lately, and have asked several members of my church to pose.
In this vein, kids are much more inclined to allow you to photograph them than adults.
So for me projects are a good way to motivate myself to get out to take pictures.


Bruce

[Mito]

There is a saying "familiarity breeds contempt". Perhaps that should be changed to "familiarity breeds lack of interest". I'm in the same rut. What am I going to do? At the moment I don't know what direction to take but the first thing will be to levitate the maximus glutimus and put the brain into gear. I'm going off for a week with the "boss" at the end the month so hopefully that will get the inspiration going again.

[NorthernFocus]

You folks may be on to something with the project concept. A co-worker of mine who knows my interest in photography recently set a book on my desk with no explanation. It was obviously a book of photos with supporting text. As I thumbed through it some were quite ordinary while some were pure magic. Quite an odd collection it seemed. So I flipped back to the front of the book and started reading. The book is "Chased by the Light: A Ninety Day Journey" by Jim Brandenberg. It is essentially a book created from a self imposed challenge to go out and take ONE photo every day for ninety days. I don't mean pick one keeper a day, I mean TAKE ONE PHOTO A DAY. With film.

Between this thread and the book(stangely coincidental timing), I think I may challenge myself to get over a block that I've had for years. Namely, I don't shoot winter scenes. Or rarely do at least. Which of course sounds absurd for one living where I do. But there it is.

So there is an obvious photo a day project for me. Maybe I'll get over the hump this year....

[rtbaum]

I was just going to bring up Jim Brandenburg, that project landed him the cover of National Geographic.....twice!!
I have visited his studio in Ely, Mn. He left the wolves and moved down where the Buffalo roam in Luverne, Mn. He has his own prairie that was established in coordination with the US Fish and Wildlife. What some people will do for a picture of a flower.

[Donald]

But once it had been completed and published (link here, for those who may be interested in looking at the photos inside),

A published author in our midst. Fantastic. Excellent pictures, Arlen.

[dubaiphil]

Where I live has definitely affected my photography.

And it actually inspired me to start up photography as well.

Living in an area with high tourist numbers and lots of architectural 'icons' has its pros and cons.

On the negative side there are thousands of people taking photographs of the same things and familiarity can breed contempt, or at least complacency. Things that you see every day become the norm and you have to push yourself to become more creative by shooting with different angles and compositions to make your images stand out from the crowd. It's amazing how many people you see taking shots from set areas of certain buildings. Just moving viewpoint 50 metres or so can create a far more strong composition. With the very nature and speed of social media and image sharing there's not that high a percentage of shooters (on whatever device/camera they're using) who'll go that little bit further to make images stand out, so instantly by taking your time you can elevate your image quality comparatively.

On the positive side, you have all those cliched views at your disposal 24/7. Weather's a problem, then revisit. That can further elevate your photo quality comparatively. In an urban environment building relationships with security in buildings, property owners and businesses can gain you access to a different point of view to create a more considered composition.

Another idea - how about making a series of photos from a set location, and creating a seasonal 'montage'. That's an added advantage of living locally and can inspire you to do something different.

Once I got to the point of complacency with my architectural shots, I changed tack and decided to plunge into street photography. If you get into it then every walk will reveal something different, even covering the same ground as before. Sure, there are walks when you finish up and feel deflated with not many good shots on the memory card, but that's balanced by the times when you know you've got two or three great shots and can't get home quick enough to start the digital darkroom process. It's the photography equivalent to golf. You might have shot 24 over par, but that 7 iron approach you hit to within 4 feet on the 14th will keep you going back for more...

[Letrow]

Kim, without even reading the other posts I can guess that a lot of people experience the same thing. My best example of this is always to ask people where they go on holiday. In my experience almost everyone wants to get away from where he lives. In a lot of cases (I am a good example) locals haven't even bothered to visit some of the spots that tourists find so interesting.
When I mention to English colleagues that I love holidaying in Sussex they always act a bit surprised. They know the region is nice, but wouldn't go there themselves.
This goes on and on of course.

What surprised me a little while ago was that my own hometown was so beautiful and I did some shooting there. I needed a wide angle lens to bring out the beauty for myself though. With a normal lens I still found it a bit dull.

Probably something wired into our brain, too much of a good thing makes you insensible to its beauty I think. It's like eating chocolate every day, it gets boring (well, perhaps this is a bad example after all).

[AB26]

Hi Kim,

No, it should not. Even living in the middle of the Namib (if it would be possible) there is always another new photographic opportunity. Nature and people constantly change and with every change there is a new photo opportunity. No matter how many times any subject has been photographed you can always find a new way of photographing it. Light constantly changes, use it. Try looking at your subjects from new angles of view.

Think of it this way: a captured image, of any living or moving subject, can never be repeated – no matter what, the next shot will be different. Even if only one leave has fallen from a tree, if your subject has moved, if the light has changed – the next shot will be different. A captured image of a sunset with cloud in the sky can never be repeated.

Don’t look at area you live in, SEE it, and see the opportunities.

[Arlen]

A published author in our midst. Fantastic. Excellent pictures, Arlen.

Thanks Donald. And Christina. It was great experience, but I try not to let it go to my head.

[Ady]

No, it should not.

I suspect we all know it shouldn't, but in practice (as evidenced by the posts so far) it clearly does make a difference to a significant proportion of people, and not necessarily just in their photography (but environmental psychology is probably best left for the Community Lounge).

I like landscape, so when I'm back in Devon/Cornwall I'm spoilt for choice; ocean, cliff tops, moors, wooded valleys, rolling hills, beaches and more. However, I'm currently living on the opposite side of the country with nothing but flat, featureless agricultural land as far as the eye can see, I hate it. I know some people love it but it's really not for me.

Obviously my feelings about the local landscape don't encourage me to go out and shoot, I know I should treat it as a challenge or as a means to develop some affinity with my local landscape, but I don't. When there is so much to get done in a day and so little time it's difficult to motivate yourself to do something you don't enjoy in those few hours you get to yourself.

Cheers,
A

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks Donald. And Christina. It was great experience, but I try not to let it go to my head.

Excellent photography indeed. Interesting book to combine your passions for photography and fishing. Or bugs as the case may be

[xpatUSA]

I guess where I live affects the range of available subjects rather than my photography. I live in the woods in a country environment. Mostly thick undergrowth, I can't just wander around shooting pics. Here's a shot of the street, looking south:



Not a great variety of trees and the soil is boring sand. So the best pics around here are mostly macro; springtime brings a good variety of wildflowers.







Wild life exists, plus screens to keep it out:





Shots of scorpions, poisonous snakes and large wasps are often influenced by camera shake . . .