I read various posts asking where to go for good picture opportunities in various locations around the country, then look at various galleries, and i wonder if maybe some parts of the UK do not lend themselves to greater picture opportunities?

Am i alone in that line of thinking? Is there a lack of photographers in various parts of the country? Or are there some geniunely dull places just not worthy of even a low quality jpg? 

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Never going to be the best photographer in the world...

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Yes - I live in the Nene valley - there is a riverside walk called the Nene Way. When it was featured on local TV they completely missed out the bit I walk, too dull to even mention To be fair, we do have some picturesque villages, just about, and some great views if you like expanses of fields and lakes....with the odd pylon or two...

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a few mediocre pics

Train Man:

I read various posts asking where to go for good picture opportunities in various locations around the country, then look at various galleries, and i wonder if maybe some parts of the UK do not lend themselves to greater picture opportunities?

Am i alone in that line of thinking? Is there a lack of photographers in various parts of the country? Or are there some geniunely dull places just not worthy of even a low quality jpg? 

If you want to photograph landscapes then obviously yes. But I think you can get great shots anywhere if you look. If you wana do details, wildlife, still life you can do it anywhere, that's what I like about it. Even the mankiest, most boring place, must have poppies sprouting up on some waste ground, butterflies flying round a self seeded buddleia bush. Landscapes I think are the only thing that are either there or not, but you can still find a suprising amount of outdoor stuff to photograph in farmers fields, trees, local woodland, local park etc. I don't think there is anywhere that is so dull it's not worth getting your camera out. Only the photographer who is dull to not use their imagination to find something. But like I said depends what you want to photograph!

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I think you are right, i do beleive that in more picturest places such as ; cornwall, scottland, wales there are more opportunities to take great photographs of landscape.

Also i beleive there is more work within photography in big cities like Edinburgh and London because of the training opportunitys. and because of these training opportunitys there will be more jobs avalible such as modelling and urban shots.

Whereas in East anglia, it is flat and boring, it's very hard to take interesting photo's, and there are only a few photography courses here. So that means there will be less work and money making opportunities.

Natasha

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Flash away.

Valentinecook:

Whereas in East anglia, it is flat and boring, it's very hard to take interesting photo's, and there are only a few photography courses here. So that means there will be less work and money making opportunities.

Natasha

Now that i find really interesting. Never thought of East Anglia as flat and boring. The Fens i could accept as being flat and boring but Norfolk alone always strikes me as having so much to photograph what with Norwich, the Broads, the North Norfolk Coastline (Sheringham, Cromer - home of a terminal moraine left over from the last ice age) or the smaller villages.

Maybe the real question is "do we struggle to photograph where we live because we become blinded to what it has to offer?"

Andrew

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Never going to be the best photographer in the world...

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Train Man:

Valentinecook:

Whereas in East anglia, it is flat and boring, it's very hard to take interesting photo's, and there are only a few photography courses here. So that means there will be less work and money making opportunities.

Natasha

Now that i find really interesting. Never thought of East Anglia as flat and boring. The Fens i could accept as being flat and boring but Norfolk alone always strikes me as having so much to photograph what with Norwich, the Broads, the North Norfolk Coastline (Sheringham, Cromer - home of a terminal moraine left over from the last ice age) or the smaller villages.

Maybe the real question is "do we struggle to photograph where we live because we become blinded to what it has to offer?"

Andrew

Yes, it's a question of the grass on the other side of the hill is greener!

I spend most of my time around Sandwell Valley Nature reserve, and always find things to photograph, regardless of time of day or day of year. Keep your eyes open wide and you'll be amazed at what you fine to take pictures of.

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SK
The Best Photographer in the world 4th November - 5th November 2006 & 17th-18 November 2007
Oldboy’s Gallery

Well, i agree the norfolk broads are quite pretty, and norwich is a very historical city with the castle and cathedral and you could take some quite good photographs.

But Cromer and sheringham arent the greatest of places any more. They have been taken over by alcoholic teenagers sitting along the pier whilst smoking just like great yarmouth. You are bound to walk past five 13yr olds pushing buggy's. ( Im not trying to insult anyone about where they live. Im a teenager myself .)

That question you asked has got me thinking. But when i think of beautifull scenery photographs, i think of rolling hills and waterfulls, which norfolk doesnt have. But scottland and Wales do.

Thats my opinion

Natasha

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Valentinecook:

Well, i agree the norfolk broads are quite pretty, and norwich is a very historical city with the castle and cathedral and you could take some quite good photographs.

But Cromer and sheringham arent the greatest of places any more. They have been taken over by alcoholic teenagers sitting along the pier whilst smoking just like great yarmouth. You are bound to walk past five 13yr olds pushing buggy's. ( Im not trying to insult anyone about where they live. Im a teenager myself .)

That question you asked has got me thinking. But when i think of beautifull scenery photographs, i think of rolling hills and waterfulls, which norfolk doesnt have. But scottland and Wales do.

Thats my opinion

Natasha

I live in the central belt of Scotland and there some magical scenery within Driving distance or you can get the train(Edinburgh-17 miles, Glasgow-30 miles, Stirling-30 miles).

Where i live there are some nice high Hills that you can get on top of and take some decent landscapes, however the Town Centre is just like any modern town.

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I think that Helen hit the nail on the head.

If you are specifically into a certain topic then obviously some areas are better than others.  You don't get lions or hippos in Durham for example, or glaciers and mountains in Lincolnshire. 

Today is a great example.  A job I was on was postponed until Monday, so I had a spare, unexpected day.  Headed into the city with the camera and a bag full of kit.  Watched the toursists, see what they were shooting, then got my camera out and started my own take on things.  It's surprising how differently I viewed the city as a "tourist".  Then a group of Sri Lankan dancers started a performance, an added bonus. 

Also, getting to know your area is important.  Wondering around and looking for photos is good, but seeing potential photos and remembering them for another time or day is even better.  For example, if we have a strong easterly, heavy cloud and with high tides at sunrise I know to head straight to a spot on the coast with my tripod and filters.  So a previous snap shot is turned into a photo for the wall.

 

 

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martin_hurton:

 or glaciers and mountains in Lincolnshire. 

The way the summer has been so far this year, nothing would surprise me!

 

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SK
The Best Photographer in the world 4th November - 5th November 2006 & 17th-18 November 2007
Oldboy’s Gallery

I should really get some more photos in my gallery to show you guys what I do. Only got this one so far which I used for my avatar.

Actually looking at it now I see a few flaws (have progressed a bit since then), but it was taken on a self seeded buddleia bush round a field behind a supermarket. Not a glamourous location but I think it's a pretty good shot and wouldn't be any better if it had been shot in a nature reserve or botanical garden.

If you wana do travel photograph, yeah you need exotic locations. If you wana do landscape photography with mountains and waterfalls, you obviously need the mountains and waterfalls. But I really can't see how people are bored of the places they live! I see photo opportunities everywhere I go! If you are really that bored and you've got a garden, head out there. If you have no nice plants, go to the garden centre, plant some and photograph them plus whatever wildlife they attract. No garden, buy a plant or bunch of flowers and photograph them indoors. Just have a wander around your village. There must be some green space with plants, wildlife, tree bark, leaves. You can shoot detail of anything, a rusty doorhandle, churches have character, there's so much stuff, just look! If in a town, go to a local market, crop in on crates of fish or fruit. The only place I would be bored with nothing to photograph would be a white room with nothing in and no windows! I can see your point if you have a particular interest but I still think there are loads of other things to photograph everywhere! It's not what you photograph, it's how. Just look at some of the pics in the mags after some photoshop work, toning or whatever. They look so much better than the before, flat images. In fact I think it makes you a better photographer just working within a certain distance, you really make the most of it. A great photographer can make something ordinary look amazing, same a dull photographer will make something amazing look boring.

As for job opportunities, maybe there is more fashion work in London etc. But there's also a lot of places out of London, you just have to find out. Plus with technology these days you can live anywhere. If you photograph objects, not people and don't have to meet a client, the work can all be sent through the net or in the post, it doesn't matter where you live. Want to chat to a client, skype them! In the end I think people make their own opportunities. "I live in the wrong place" means nothing to me, turn that to a positive and find out how where you live gives you an advantage! No grand landscapes? then find out what it does have to offer!

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Valentinecook:

...............Whereas in East anglia, it is flat and boring, it's very hard to take interesting photo's, .....................

Natasha

I'm not entirely certain that Ian would agree, although he does travel the country for interesting shots, he seems to do more than OK in East Anglia:

http://community.dcmag.co.uk/photos/ian_flindts_gallery/picture183976.aspx

I personally think that any part of the World can yield good photographic opportunities, it's just a case of spotting them and then being there at the right time to take advantage of them. Just my humble opinion.

Cheers, Peter.

P.S. my Brother-In-Law was a member of the "Norfolk Mountain Rescue Team" when he lived there, apparently they met up on the last Thursday of every month at a Pub in Kings Lynn. They were ready to down pint's at a moments notice should the "shout" go out that someone was in distress on one of Norfolk's many mountains - apparently they were a very dedicated group and were on call the last Thursday of "Every Month"

 

yes and no, no and yes...interesting question, but then again...

I also agree with helen.

at risk of sounding daft, you can't take good landscapes in a city and you can't take good cityscapes from the lowerslopes of Mount Snowdon. People are everywhere. some are interesting but might not make for a good picture, some are ugly and will make for a stunning image...texture and beauty is everywhere. you just have to identify the parts of it that make a good photo.

and its also about what floats your boat.

my local beach is stunning to walk on and to behold...but photographically I sometimes think its just sand, some sea and a mountain in the background. yawn.

you can, I figure...take a good picture anywhere, and take a bad picture anywhere too. The guidelines to good composition apply equally, regardless of location. The craft is to seek that moment which captures most meaning and pleasure.

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shelfpics

shelfy:

my local beach is stunning to walk on and to behold...but photographically I sometimes think its just sand, some sea and a mountain in the background. yawn.

Our local beach is sand...an expanse of sea that usually undulates more than the land behind. No 3rd dimension and so only lends itself to a particular type of landscape - one with a local object to attract the attention.

Like the broads, Holland is stunningly flat, which means there are no viewpoints from which you can get a sweeping vista - so you only get localised shots (total depth to the shot of maybe a kilometer or two at the most).

But in the end Shelfy's hit it on the head where the guidelines to a good composition apply universally and regardless of location.

However, if you want to take that stunning shot of the sun rising over a tumultuous  sea, crashing into a ragged rocky shoreline, then I'd advise you steer clear of Holland - the sun rises over the land and there are really no rocks, and the shoreline's not craggy.

H.

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I would love to live nearer the coast. I could spend ages on the beach photographing rock pools, crabs, shells, seaweed etc. Or if there's a harbour photographing lobster pots, fishing nets, buoys, rusty steps and anchor points. Or if there's a funfair photographing rides, lights, sweets, arcades etc etc etc. Lucky for my kind of photography I can find things in most places. I can't stand lanscapes anyway, they bore me rigid so I guess that's why I don't mind the location. If all you do is landscapes then obviously location is the number one priority.

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