As I write this on All Hallows Eve, it seemed appropriate to illustrate it in kind…
One of the wonderful things about photography is the attendant travel and the people one meets. On our return from an assignment in Philly some years back, we met a gentleman from Germany who shared our passion for photography and cars! At lunch, while others were discussing business, we were oohing and aahing over the photos of his really neat classic car collection on his laptop. Bit by bit, people in the room decided that our conversation sounded much more interesting than widgets and orders!
In the course of our discussion, we discovered many places we knew in common. We also talked about travel, and when I mentioned one of the largest raven rookeries in the world in Munchen (Munich), he remarked that he knew much more about our country than he did his own.
Two days earlier, when I was transferring one of our camera bodies to its new owner, a charming Frenchman, there was a similar conversation. We talked about travel, and I mentioned that I have spent time in all 50 states and all but two territories in Canada. He said that most people never fully explore their own countries before traveling elsewhere and cited himself as an example. He had looked at our website and read about our workshop in Bourgogne. It turns out, that he had not yet visited that province, as he vacationed with his family on the Atlantic coast as a child. He commented that he often found that foreigners knew more of his country than he did.
As photographers, we often forget to explore our own back yards. The trick is to do it with a fresh eye. Go out at a different time of day. Get your DeLorme atlas and try some new back roads. Scout for new locations, just as a pro scouts for a photogenic location.
The above two images were made this Halloween as we were scouting for new locations in our own extended back yard.
For more information on our workshops, go to Barefoot Contessa Photo Adventures.
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Great blog, Margo. Thanks for sharing. When I traveled, I found it very rewarding to take the time to talk with the locals and learn something I wouldn’t have known without those impromptu conversations. As I learn to be a better photographer, it will be even more fun to travel.
Thank you, Susan. Like you, I do not travel to be with a gaggle of gawkers. I much prefer to travel quietly, enjoying the local scene and meeting local people. To me, that is the wonder of travel, learning about other countries and other cultures.
Thanks for chiming in, and
Take care,
TBC
Susan,
You are welcome, and I could not agree more about absorbing the local culture wherever one travels. We can’t wait to see you next time.
Take care,
TBC
Margo, I always enjoy your blog, but this entry especially resonated with me! Thanks for reminding me to explore the secrets and stories around my current home town and state. Fantastic images! 🙂
Sandra,
We so often get up in the travel that we love that we forget about our local surroundings. Our local is another person’s travel destination.
Thanks for writing, and thanks for the compliments on the images!
Take care,
TBC
Margo, this is so true. I have traveled all over the world during my parent’s military career and my own military career. My wife and I have made a point to “see the world” over the past several years. It’s interesting, as I prepare for full retirement next year, our focus is going to be on taking extended road trips to see this wonderful country of ours. Our plan is to stay off the Interstate highways as much as possible to experience the “local charm” of America. As your foreign friends indicated, we often know more about other countries than our own. We plan to have a blast insuring we don’t fall into that category. Thank you for a wonderfully written and very timely blog.
Bill,
I am so glad that this blog rang true for you. We have an amazing country with so much diversity, both in people and landscape. The geology alone is like nuggets of gold with all its manifestations.
We can’t wait to hear about your travels, and taking the back roads is the way to go. Get DeLorme road atlases for every state you plan on visiting. GPS units are great, but they do not give you the big picture when you are on the road.
Happy travels and happy photographing!
And thanks for commenting.
Take care,
TBC