Photography Field Trips

[jmonhollen]

I work on an Army post where we have around 18,000 Soldiers leaving for deployment by the end of September. I want to get a photography club together, but I have very limited ideas on field trips. I know that one of our outdoors animal habitats has a photography tour, but I was wondering if anyone had any creative ideas they'd like to share. I'd really appreciate it! I think there's only so many times that we could go to Mt Rainier and the like, and I'm kind of looking for something that we can do locally and conveniently (as in, not driving for hours to get there). We do live in Washington, so sometimes doing things outdoors, especially during the winter months, can be a harrowing and wet experience.

[PnwGuy]

Howdy neighbor! First, I'm a little confused on your opening sentence and how it applies to what you want to do. Are you being deployed as well, or are you trying to get a club together with them, or are you just letting us know where you work in case we have an idea for you?

Have you driven the hour up to Seattle to do any shooting?

I would recommend you read "the photographer's guide to Puget Sound & Northwest Washington" by Rob Barbee. He co-wrote another book on photographing the Oregon coast. Both books will give you plenty of ideas. I've also seen a book on NW waterfalls that I may buy.

Have you considered doing some sort of shoot related to the big deployment? Something that you can give (or possibly sell) to family members of those being deployed? Can you shoot the goodbyes? A lot of emotions going on there. I'm all for being a part of a shoot for that.

I ran your zip code through meetup.com and searched for photography and saw a couple of groups in your area that might interest you.

I have not taken the time to shoot Mt. Rainer but would love to spend a weekend doing so. I know we have a few other Washingtonians on DPS. I'm up for organizing a shoot in the Seattle area and being part of one down in your area as well. Lemme know.

[Jim Bryant]

Pikes Place Market is always a good photo shoot and it doesn't costs to get in

[jmonhollen]

Originally Posted by PnwGuy

Howdy neighbor! First, I'm a little confused on your opening sentence and how it applies to what you want to do. Are you being deployed as well, or are you trying to get a club together with them, or are you just letting us know where you work in case we have an idea for you?

Have you driven the hour up to Seattle to do any shooting?

I would recommend you read "the photographer's guide to Puget Sound & Northwest Washington" by Rob Barbee. He co-wrote another book on photographing the Oregon coast. Both books will give you plenty of ideas. I've also seen a book on NW waterfalls that I may buy.

Have you considered doing some sort of shoot related to the big deployment? Something that you can give (or possibly sell) to family members of those being deployed? Can you shoot the goodbyes? A lot of emotions going on there. I'm all for being a part of a shoot for that.

I ran your zip code through meetup.com and searched for photography and saw a couple of groups in your area that might interest you.

I have not taken the time to shoot Mt. Rainer but would love to spend a weekend doing so. I know we have a few other Washingtonians on DPS. I'm up for organizing a shoot in the Seattle area and being part of one down in your area as well. Lemme know.

Hi! Nope, just letting you know where I work! I work for a Field Artillery unit in 5th Brigade, and my husband's in 4th Brigade. I was looking for a little something for the wives to do while their husbands are gone.

I was thinking about shooting the goodbyes, but these guys arrive so early in the morning that I don't know that I'd get any good shots. I'll definitely shoot them when they come back. Also, I've been working for this unit for a year and a half, and I feel an emotional attachment to just about all of the 400 Soldiers now, so I don't know if I can handle saying goodbye to them and then to my hubby in September. Also, I don't know that I'd even get any pictures with the sheer number of people trying to talk to me. And I wouldn't want to sell any pictures of them leaving or coming back. Sort of my "thank you," to them.

I did think about doing Pike Place, but that's one of those areas that's just been done to death, you know? Then again, a lot of these wives aren't from Washington, so they might enjoy the Pike Place/Seattle Center kind of thing. I've got a million pictures of Safeco since I love baseball.

I guess what I was thinking was more "theme" ideas. Like the theme for one field trip could be children. For another, it could be smiling.

I would definitely be down for some shooting with people on DPS...it just has to be on the weekend and I'm probably not really going to get out there until after my husband leaves. We have to make the most of the few weekends we have left since we both work!

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by jmonhollen

I did think about doing Pike Place, but that's one of those areas that's just been done to death, you know?

Just because a place has been photographed a lot doesn't mean that it's not worth photographing. After all, there's a reason that it's photographed a lot I'm sure. And it gives you an extra challenge, which is to create a shot that's uniquely you and has never been seen before. After all, I'll walk the same route dozens of times to capture different things that I never noticed before or never saw in that way before.

No specific hints for where you are, but remember that it's not always about going somewhere new, but looking at things in a new way. It opens up so many more places for photography field trips.

[jmonhollen]

Originally Posted by Nicole

Just because a place has been photographed a lot doesn't mean that it's not worth photographing. After all, there's a reason that it's photographed a lot I'm sure. And it gives you an extra challenge, which is to create a shot that's uniquely you and has never been seen before. After all, I'll walk the same route dozens of times to capture different things that I never noticed before or never saw in that way before.

No specific hints for where you are, but remember that it's not always about going somewhere new, but looking at things in a new way. It opens up so many more places for photography field trips.

Thanks for the advice! I think a part of it might be that I really don't feel like dealing with the crowds this time of year either.

[Rolling Stone]

You have a lot of small towns around you. You can pick for one trip, another for the next, etc. Get to know the area your living in. You also have the ports of Tacoma close by. Interesting things there. Oly is not to far. Maybe you can get a humvee from the motor pool and roll through the woods! ; )