Amateur photographer in New England

[Tommyegan]

Hi everyone
I am a armature photographer going from New York to New England in the last week of September and the first week of October primarily to get pictures of this wonderful place in the fall.
Can anyone give me some tips on the area s to see from a photographic point of view.
I have 8 days to give it my best shot
landscape in New England is a dream I have had for a long time now and probably my one and only chance for this wonderful place
Any help and advice would be very helpful
Also can anyone tell me if there is an alternative to hotels and BB in Boston or New England

[Host Bonjour]

Hi Tommy,

Sometimes the best shot is the one not planned so while indeed there are many, many breathtaking places to take pictures in both NYC, NYS and New England....you really can't go wrong.

Of course it can depend upon what you are looking to photograph: historical sites, architecture/landmarks, landscapes, people, flora/fauna? I know some photogs have special interests, just like painters, but also like painters, can be very versatile and in choosing what they want to depict. There's also always the prospect of capturing a sight you may never have expected, which is really exciting. Some of my favorite pics are of things I honestly never expected to see - spontaneous moments, sightings - and so there's an interesting aspect of not planning everything and just being camera ready.

Which States in New England do you want to visit or are you asking for State suggestions? Again I would say it might vary depending upon what you'd like to photograph but they basically all have historic spots, natural beauty, modern aspects, people and nature. I was born in Newport and have visited back - it's full of history and on the Ocean plus there are magnificent mansions and more. Massachusetts has many historic places, from the Berkshires to the sea; Sturbridge village, Cambridge, Harvard Square, Boston Harbor, Cape Cod, it goes on and on. I personally love Vermont and it seems anyone who goes to New Hampshire either moves there or keeps going back because it is spectacular. Connecticut has some pretty places too; history......especially along the Long Island Sound. Mystic Seaport is lovely but very interesting in a different way is the Nautilus Submarine museum near Groton (big Navy base) and getting inside one of the very first nuclear submarines (it's been de-commissioned and de-nuked of course) which was very cool. Litchfield, CT is also a great spot to visit. New York State........been all over it and I love it. Lakes, mountains, waterfalls, gorges, more history, I could go on and on. Love it. In NYC, you might have to do what I did if you want to take pics there and then get moving along your trip. I kind of did a one day Paris in black and white shoot that I nearly collapsed from BUT, I had been there before and knew what I wanted to shoot but it was a challenge. NYC is bigger, but the metro can get you from section to section (forget about walking it all; you walk a section) where there are old buildings and cobblestone streets to amazing new modern architecture, the frenzy and BRIGHT Times Square, from the air on top of the Empire State building to Central Park (Belvedere Castle, that bridge - I gotta go there too!) and OH the people you'll see!!

As for alternate accommodations, three options: www.servas.org and www.couchsurfing.org (or .com?) With Servas, you join as a traveler and simply have to have an interview, then pay a deposit for the lists of Servas Hosts in the places you are going. How that works is you call Servas Hosts and arrange to spend a night (or more) in their home; some will include a meal but all are happy to have guests and meet new people from all over the world - yes it's international too. You receive your deposit back for the list after you return it when you're done traveling. The couchsurfing is kind of new, but essentially works the same way except you pretty much just get the couch, whereas with Servas, you'll get a bedroom. Last option? Hostels. There are many websites dedicated to hosteling so you'll find many websites for that. They offer either dorm style accommodations or semi-private or private rooms. I don't know how much photographic equipment you are bringing along and whether or not you'll carry it with you all day - I would think so - but at night, you'll want to be sleeping knowing your equipment is secure and while hosteling can be very great, if you have valuable items, you might want to try and reserve a private room, if a particular hostel has one, which will cost more but is still considerably less expensive than B&Bs and hotels.

So, I hope some of this is helpful. If you are looking for certain items to photograph, give us a shout back and we can try to direct you where to go. So will visiting State tourism websites; but again, the unexpected photo can often be the "money shot" even if you are an amateur, you get my meaning I hope! HAVE FUN!!

[soliteyah]

Hi there,

I took a trip the first week of October to check out the foliage in Acadia National Park, Maine, a few years ago. We actually missed the peak slightly -- we were too early! (The colors had changed inland, but not so much on the coast.) But it all really depends on the weather, how the summer was, all that sort of thing. My point being: you're going fairly early, so you'll probably have to go a bit more north to catch the peak foliage. The state tourism sites should have foliage calendars that will update you on when and where the peak is happening (though they probably won't know for another few months). In the meantime, this might be a good resource to check out: http://www.boston.com/travel/explore...ls/foliagemap/

All of that said, I agree with Host Bonjour that we could use a little more info on what exactly you're looking to photograph. I'm an amateur photographer as well, and I had lots of shots of hiking trails and carriage roads in Acadia, as well as shots of picturesque fishing villages. I found that some of my best shots were macro shots -- close-ups of a brilliantly colored leaf with a drop of rain, or apples strewn on the ground, that sort of thing. Also, and this goes for just about anywhere, try to shoot early or late in the day when the light is a little softer. On a bright sunny day, everything can get sort of bleached out.

Cadillac Mountain in Acadia is a great place to catch sunset shots.

Have a great time!