POLL: Suggestions on Photo Tours? (Arlington, Alexandria: neighborhoods, school, living)

[ScranBarre]

Hello once again, everyone,

I'm going to preface this by saying that this is an intentionally innocuous thread not designed to cause tempers to flare. I apologize for being so "in yo face" over the past two days, and I can safely say that I've grown beyond that hang-up that was making me so irritable and prone to lashing out.

With that being said I want some honest opinions here into what you, Northern Virginians, ex-Northern Virginians, or prospective Northern Virginians-to-be would like to see photographed. I've posted thousands upon thousands of images of dozens of NEPA and North Central PA neighborhoods on this forum since I joined in mid-2006, some of which prompted relocation interest, and I hope to do the same during my weekends in NoVA.

I tend to enjoy urban photography more so than nature photography, but some images I've snapped of the Fall foliage up here has garnered me more praise than that of a busy urban street scape. I already have some ideas in mind of where I'd like to head to do some photo tours, but more suggestions are always very much welcome. I'm going to gauge interest in this poll as a barometer of where I should head, using the top-voted option as my first tour, and going on progressively from there.

This is a multiple-choice poll. Feel free to vote for as many options as you'd like, and please be specific (i.e. if you select "Reston" but really want to see the Reston Town Center more than anything else, please mention it).

Thanks, and I look forward to becoming a productive member of your community despite the feathers I've ruffled with my political musings.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Hello once again, everyone,

I'm going to preface this by saying that this is an intentionally innocuous thread not designed to cause tempers to flare. I apologize for being so "in yo face" over the past two days, and I can safely say that I've grown beyond that hang-up that was making me so irritable and prone to lashing out.

With that being said I want some honest opinions here into what you, Northern Virginians, ex-Northern Virginians, or prospective Northern Virginians-to-be would like to see photographed. I've posted thousands upon thousands of images of dozens of NEPA and North Central PA neighborhoods on this forum since I joined in mid-2006, some of which prompted relocation interest, and I hope to do the same during my weekends in NoVA.

I tend to enjoy urban photography more so than nature photography, but some images I've snapped of the Fall foliage up here has garnered me more praise than that of a busy urban street scape. I already have some ideas in mind of where I'd like to head to do some photo tours, but more suggestions are always very much welcome. I'm going to gauge interest in this poll as a barometer of where I should head, using the top-voted option as my first tour, and going on progressively from there.

This is a multiple-choice poll. Feel free to vote for as many options as you'd like, and please be specific (i.e. if you select "Reston" but really want to see the Reston Town Center more than anything else, please mention it).

Thanks, and I look forward to becoming a productive member of your community despite the feathers I've ruffled with my political musings.

Coming from a prospective ex-Northern Virginian. Two neighborhoods i would love to see get some photos are Shirlington and Fairlington in Arlington. I think these may be two most underrated neighborhoods in Northern Virginia and this is from someone who hates Arlington.

I would also love to see my neighborhood, the Landmark area of Alexandria get some photos. From the metro train near Van Dorn Station it looks awesome seeing all those hills and high-rises with a few trees mixed in.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Coming from a prospective ex-Northern Virginian. Two neighborhoods i would love to see get some photos are Shirlington and Fairlington in Arlington. I think these may be two most underrated neighborhoods in Northern Virginia and this is from someone who hates Arlington.

I would also love to see my neighborhood, the Landmark area of Alexandria get some photos. From the metro train near Van Dorn Station it looks awesome seeing all those hills and high-rises with a few trees mixed in.

This is exactly what I was looking for as a suggestion, and I thank you for it. I've never heard of any of these neighborhoods, so it would be fun to just jump right in as a first-time visitor myself to give other would-be residents some honest perspectives. I will be sure to head to Van Dorn Station to snap some angles from there as well. Old Town Alexandria is already on my list as a major tour, but a smaller tour will now be Landmark as well. Ballston was on my list for a major tour, but two smaller tours will now be Shirlington and Fairlington.

With that being said can any other urban photographers on here give me some insight into how the local law enforcement may react to someone taking multiple photographs of urbanized areas? Up here in Pennsylvania I've had my motives questioned a few times, as has a frequent photographer from Pittsburgh who posts photos on their forum. I can understand being leery of would-be terrorists doing some "research," but would I be likely to face any more of an inconvenience than a mere questioning?

[ScranBarre]

Nearly two dozen "views" and only one vote? Granted my first tour won't be posted until the first week of June, but I'd like to start doing some research now into mapping out my likely commute from Herndon to these locations, a lunch-spot in each area, a route to walk around, etc. a bit in advance.

[ScranBarre]

Interesting. You must all be mind-readers. The first photo tour that I had in mind was Old Town Alexandria, as I've never been there and think it would be along the lines of a place I'd enjoy living someday once I put in my dues way out in Herndon. It is currently leading in the poll with three votes. Keep them coming! As I will likely do one or two tours per week and post them on this forum for all to see, so this is YOUR opportunity to vote for what you'd like to see first! Only 6 voters out of dozens of views? I hope Election Day doesn't have this poor of a turn-out!

[janie01]

ScranBarre, Downtown Clifton, Va. is very small but quaint. It's in Fairfax County near Centreville. Old Town Fairfax is nice too. Warrenton is much farther out but is also nice. I've loved all your photos of NEPA which is where I moved from 20 years ago. I hope, like me, you find true happiness in NOVA. It is an unbelievable place and I'm sure you will take advantage of all it has to offer. Looking forward to you photos!

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by janie01

ScranBarre, Downtown Clifton, Va. is very small but quaint. It's in Fairfax County near Centreville. Old Town Fairfax is nice too. Warrenton is much farther out but is also nice. I've loved all your photos of NEPA which is where I moved from 20 years ago. I hope, like me, you find true happiness in NOVA. It is an unbelievable place and I'm sure you will take advantage of all it has to offer. Looking forward to you photos!

If all goes well I'll have at least twenty different extensive photo tours posted of this area by the time winter rolls around. I should have plenty of free time from June-August or so as my weekends will be largely unoccupied, but I may look into graduate school at GMU this Fall to start working towards my MBA so I can't guarantee that many Fall tours (although I would love to get out into the country a bit to snap some Autumn foliage photos---perhaps up to Point of Rocks, MD, Lucketts, VA, or Harper's Ferry, WV areas?)

I just wanted to add that it's sad that NEPA's largest export is its people. No matter where I've gone I've always managed to find an ex-NEPA resident. If our region could attract better-paying employers than Wal-Mart or Taco Bell then perhaps everyone wouldn't have to leave.

[normie]

Why not do a metro oriented photo tour? You could get on the metro every weekend, stop someplace new, and then shoot whatever you find in walking distance. Or maybe hop on different busses. Then you'd be able to promote mass transit as well as explore new neighborhoods.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by normie

Why not do a metro oriented photo tour? You could get on the metro every weekend, stop someplace new, and then shoot whatever you find in walking distance. Or maybe hop on different busses. Then you'd be able to promote mass transit as well as explore new neighborhoods.

I'd really like to do this, but for some of my locales utilizing mass transit won't be feasible. I plan to use the Metro and/or the VRE for some of my tours, but I don't exactly think I can hop a train to Winchster, Front Royal, or Fredericksburg. I'm going to try to learn the lay of the land the best I can though to get into Georgetown to see my cousin every once in a while though as best as I can WITHOUT driving though; that ought to be interesting!

[ScranBarre]

BUMP! If the weather is nice tomorrow (Thursday) I am going to head back into Old Town Alexandria to bring you a few hundred pictures of that gorgeous area, as that is what is now leading the poll. However, I will be headed out most likely on Friday as well for ANOTHER tour, and I'm hoping more of you will vote for what else you'd like to see after Old Town as well. Feel free to reply with your own recommendations/feedback as well. Please bear in mind that I'm an AMATEUR photographer, so no "you should have used this camera/zoom/angle" camera-snob remarks! LOL!