Quick answer... No.

Photography is limited only by lack of vision and imagination, not location. Anyone who contradicts that is making big excuses for their failings as a photographer.

Ben

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BenBirchall:

Quick answer... No.

Photography is limited only by lack of vision and imagination, not location. Anyone who contradicts that is making big excuses for their failings as a photographer.

Or not trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...

Longer answer....possibly....but it depends on what you're asking.

The subject you are trying to capture must be in the vicinity of your camera. You can't take the breathtaking sunset shot of the wild sea and the coastal rocks in Birmingham (can you?). You are unlikely to take some interesting street photography at the top of Ben Nevis, and you certainly aren't likely to capture that elusive shot of a kingfisher in the Mohave dessert. That said, Crafty and OldBoy have taken some great shots in the nature parks in the vicinity of Brumchester, so there does seem to be some interesting landscape/nature there.

I think the underlying question that really was being asked is whether there is a preference by the general public for a particular type of photo, e.g. stunning coastal shot/rolling hills/street photography, or a type that they hold in higher regard and can relate to more easily. If this is the case, then some parts of the country would definitely have a harder time competing.  Of course, this argument then can be broadened to the further question (rhetorical...it's not a troll) of what style of subject leads itself to a greater photo...landscape, fine art, etc. This is a question that is entirely subjective and impossible to definitively answer.

Another question that springs to mind is what type of subject is "easiest" to take/get a stunning photo from? IMHO the sunset would be high on that list: find a nice-ish location with some kind of foreground interest and wait for a colourful sunset; there's plenty of time to set up and take several shots and most importantly: people relate to the shot and generally go "Ahhhh, lovely..." over sunset shots. One of the hardest (IMHO): people/street photography - time is very limited, have to get set up correctly ahead of the session (focus, exposure, must be guessed to a large extent), and to some extent it's serendipity if the right subject hoves into view at the right time - it's a matter of how much control the photographer can exert over the circumstances of the shoot. Of course, this also depends on the skills and training of the photographer.

H.

PS. There are some parts of the UK where the landscape is more stunning to view and visit than others (Lake district, Snowdon, Cornwall, Slough ), irrespective of photographing it, and we know this because these places are usually overrun by tourists - it's what people want to see. In Holland, the equivalents would be Kinderdijk, the bulb fields, the Veluwe and the Bijlmer in Amsterdam.

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hevans:

 You can't take the breathtaking sunset shot of the wild sea and the coastal rocks in Birmingham (can you?).

Well with my 400mm lens and a couple of teleconverters attached, I can get pretty close.

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SK
The Best Photographer in the world 4th November - 5th November 2006 & 17th-18 November 2007
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OldBoy:

hevans:

 You can't take the breathtaking sunset shot of the wild sea and the coastal rocks in Birmingham (can you?).

Well with my 400mm lens and a couple of teleconverters attached, I can get pretty close.

Oh no you can't - you've got the Bull Ring between your house and the horizon.

Whilst I cannot speak for the UK, I can speak about places in general.  I think that no matter where you go, there are landscape opportunities.  It all depends on how you look at it.  Not everywhere has breathtaking, expansive vistas which spread from one side of the horizon to the other, but most places have areas within the confines of the horizon which are conducive to great landscapes.

A large number of the landscape shots I take here in Hobart, Tasmania, are ones which are right on our doorstep, yet many people miss because they don't think that these sort of photos can be taken that close to home - not true.  One of my photos hangs at my local printshop, and the staff tell me that many people can't believe that the shot has been taken at a riverside suburb here in Hobaft, despite them living within a few km's of the place.  This has proved to me that good landscapes can be found just about anywhere.

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It seems to me that alot of people think that close to home is boring. People seem to think that they have to go somewhere far away and exciting to get good pics. As if there is some magical land where everything looks so much better. It's the same way that people seem to think that they can't get good pics in their own gardens (after all, all flowers are the same whether in your garden or in a botanical garden). To my flower photos, people have said, you wouldn't have thought that was taken in your garden would you? As if cos my garden is not a botanical garden or studio the pics should look rubbish. I also find it quite funny when I show my friends some of my photos. They say where's that photo from, did you get it off the internet? Did you actually take that photo though? I say yes of course I actually took it! It's obviously a compliment, they think it looks professional so some mythical professional who lives far from here must have taken it, not me. All professionals are just normal people and all places can give professional looking photos.

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Here's a landscape taken at Sandwell Valley this afternoon, to reflect the colour of the grass.

This shows you can take a landscape picture anywhere.

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

I was sure it was to illustrate that the grass is definitely greener on the other side

As has been said, if its landscapes you have to be in the right place at the right time ( be lucky) and I think the question was asked with that in mind, so YES location does matter.

What will be interesting is the results of our various days out, a group in one general location submitting their best shots of the day, will show how a camera in the hands one person will produce vastly different results to being in the hands of another.

Bob

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Um, not so much a difficult question as an awkward one. I suppose the answer lies somewhere in the middle and is also dependent upon what type of photographer any one individual classifies themselves as. By that I mean, is the individual capturing images for the sake and enjoyment of it and sees beauty and/or potential in just about everything, or is the individual more interested in capturing postcard type shots of huge vistas, rolling green hills with snow topped mountains in the background. In the latter case the photographer will certainly be limited or encouraged by their surroundings depending on how much imagination they possess. In the case of the former mentioned, they will more or less see potential in just about everything. I remember on a trip to Australia a few years back when the outback bus we were travelling made a convenience stop. Basically all I saw was the concrete road ahead, miles of red sand both left and right of the road that I'd seen for months by this time and plenty of dead and burnt trees everywhere. Another passenger saw this differently however, fired off a few shots and to see them later on the laptop back at the backpackers lodge was essentially an inspiration to us all. By the use of careful composition and a good eye she had managed to produce an image that was magical and in reality comprised of nothing more than red sand and a solitary dead tree.  I've also seen some magnificent black and white images taken in places such as car scrap yards of all places that again by good composition and careful darkroom work have produced images that I can only dream about.

So in short, I think in reality the only limiting factor in photography is the limitation we place on our own imagination.

Hi Train Man,

YORKSHIRE is the best place in the UK for photographing.

How can you be sure that it is? Have you really visited every tiny corner of the UK? it can be your personal favorite place, but there is no best place for landscapes as a rule in the UK, because it offers so much variety throughout, from moorlands and coast like yorkshire, to mountains in scotland and wales, and the to the flats in Norfolk. There is potential for landscapes everywhere.

I think to many people truck around the country going to locations and ticking boxes. Do the typical shot there and then to the next popular spot to do the next typical shot.

I think this has alot to do with why so parts of the country lend themselves to landscape than others. Because they have so much more coverage that other areas. How many times do you see a photograph and think it looks nice there? I bet if you think that, then a huge handful of others think that about the same location and then off some of them go there to get a shot of that place.

I recently have enjoyed photographing closer to home. I have seen no other photographs anywhere of my favorite local spot. This leaves it open to full interpretation. People dont have the typical shot there to do so they obviously dont visit it with there camera kit.

Anyway just my thoughts on how some places have become better thought of than other locations throughout the UK. I think we should all open our eyes and discover the landscape on our doorsteps. I love my local landscape, i used to think it was boring where i lived a few years ago, but now my thoughts have changed completely.

Cheers Edd

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www.eddfury.com - My landscape photography work!

Photographic opportunities are all around here are some from my gallery, and no they may not be technically perfect but I (and other people) like them and surely that is what really matters, I take photos because I want to, not to please other people. And don't get me wrong it is extremely flattering when someone says "Wow thats a really nice shot" but ultimately photography is a personal hobby and therefore what you like is personal to you...I love taking landscapes and wildlife shots myself (and freely admit I am far from being a good tog'), but admire a lot of the "Urban" and candid shots that are submitted by others.....You are only limited by your own vision, here's a couple of my favourites from my gallery...if you like them you like them if you don't you don't I can't persuade anyone what to like any more than they can persuade me what to shoot.

As for truly great areas in the UK....Anywhere....landscapes...Devon/Cornwall/Dorset/Wales/Scotland/Yorkshire all spring to mind....Urban.....choose any town/city.....picturesque.....choose a village....and coast well err we're a Island so take your pick (although for shear ruggedness I would pick the N Cornwall/Devon coast going from Tintagel up and round Hartland point round to Clovelly/Bideford Bay)

Deer in Richmond Park, approximately 5 miles from home and 20 min walk from where I work...

Cygnet on the River Thames, approx 3 miles from home and again about 20 mins walk from work

Falling Down Telephone boxes again about 3 miles from home 10 mins walk from work and in the town....

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Keith

Well...I suppose I do have just a few swans 5 minutes walk away....

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a few mediocre pics

If you look hard enough and try hard enough there's a photograph around every corner. All you need is a little bit of imagination, a little bit of patience and an idea what the final image is going to look like.

If you visit a place that is "photogenic" you will probably come back with the same picture that everyonse else has.

Set yourself a project,  "Within 50 Yards of Home", that'll test your photographic credentials.

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ABERS:

Set yourself a project,  "Within 50 Yards of Home", that'll test your photographic credentials.

and a good topic for the weekend comp.

H.

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