Your Favorite Spots For Taking Photos (hobby, camera, ISO, birds)

[LauraC]

I was wondering whether you have a favorite location or locations, somewhere in the vicinity of where you live (not longer than half a day away by car/boat), that you visit a few times a year or maybe even a few times a season or a month or a week and why you like that particular location for taking photos. What is it about that spot that keeps you returning to it?

Examples: It may be as simple as "my backyard" because I don't have a lot of free time for my hobby and it's convenient or it may be "my backyard" because you can take photos in your pajamas there and no one will see you or it may be "my backyard" because all kinds of critters show up at dusk. It might be the town square if you're a people watcher and a lot of events take place there. Or it may be an athletic field where you can take baseball photos one season and soccer, track and football in other seasons. It may even be a studio with assorted props.

[Bydand]

I have a couple favorites in my area. My #1 place is along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

With any area along the Pere Marquette River coming in a close #2. The river runs right through my little town and is awesome for both photography and fishing (1st place in the US where German Brown Trout were introduced). Both of which are my favorite two hobbies so what could be better?

#3 would be the Ludington State Park in Ludington, MI. Sandwiched between Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake with sweeping sand dunes, beaches, forests, hills, populated areas as well as isolated areas, lighthouse, wildlife, rivers, a dam, boardwalks, islands, etc.... It has a bit of everything I could want to photograph.

All of these are, at MAX, 15 miles from my driveway. 1/2 a days drive would put me in Chicago, Detroit OR the solitude of the Lake Superior shoreline depending on the mood for the trip.

[Brill]

I like the Air Force Academy chapel. I like the architecture of it. Everytime I go there I find a different way to photograph it.

[LauraC]

I like the grounds of the local community college. It's closed on Sunday so that's my favorite day to go because I can stop in the middle of the road if I spot something. There are all kinds of small birds that you can even photograph from your car. This is a good time for it now because with no leaves on the trees, you can see the birds in the trees (mockingbirds, cardinals, sparrows, tree swallows, bluebirds, finches) as well as on the ground (kildeer, red winged blackbirds, grackles, starlings, crows, robins). In the summer and fall there are nice flowers in the gardens so at that time of the year, it's a great place to photograph bees and butterflies.

I also like the Museum of Appalachia, not as much for the buildings but for the animals and birds that roam the grounds, unpenned, in a farm-like setting. I feel safe wandering around with my camera there, too.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Since I primarily take macro photos of bugs and flowers, my favorite spots are:

My backyard garden/flower beds
Santa Monica mountain trails
Malibu Creek

[TriumphOfTheSprint]

My favorite spot is the Dallas Arboretum - a great place to go throughout the year, with different subjects each time: http://www.city-data.com/forum/dalla...um-photos.html

[sanspeur]

One of my favorite spots is in and around Hatley Castle. The grounds are over 500 acres not including, the lagoon. It is a wildlife sanctuary with over 15 kilometers of trails, has beautiful gardens, especially the Japanese garden.

[docindigo76]

Philadelphia City Hall and Center City--great for people watching and architecture!

Also the University of Pennsylvania campus. A feast of color during spring and autumn. I just love college campuses period.