Places to take Photos...
 

Do you just go by yourself to wherever? The pictures I've taken are mainly close to where I live.

I don't really know where to go or who to go with.

I think I like landscape photography mainly and nature etc.

I'm also shy of taking pictures around other people, how do you get over the feeling that people are watching and wondering? maybe thinking you're silly even? Especially when you want to take pictures of something to you can look interesting from certain angles/lighting, but to passers by...they might think 'why does she want to take a picture of THAT, stupid person...' etc ._.

Hello Eternity, I have the same feelings as you about people watching me, but luckily I don't get a lot of people around when I go out to take photos....I stay close to home as I live near a river & beach with interesting coast line for when I want to take seascape shots,but my real passion is creating images on my kitchen table,if I am feeling creative I can take photos any time of day....I think you just have to get out and take photos and see what you like doing best, don't take any notice of the people who may look to see what you are doing, enjoy yourself & have fun with it, you will get a more in depth critique if you add an image into the critique section on the home page.
welcome to WPF,look forward to seeing your progress

Hi Eternity. There are so many people taking photos with cameras and phones that I doubt that anyone will notice you. When I've been out with my camera, it seems that people barely notice me. The only times that people have acknowledged that I've been taking photos is when they have stopped so that they don't get in the pic. Don't worry about what others might be thinking - it just doesn't matter, just get the shot.

hello Eternity,
agree with Mike ,but just be a little careful,especially early morning /evening,but generally people either ignore you or have a chat..... strange but true especially around buildings/private property etc you will get more grief from security guards,but tend to find humour works...lol

As to people thinking and wondering what you are doing ,as Mike said get your shot , only you know what you are trying to achieve,so other people in that respect don't matter...

But always enjoy...

Hi Eternity,

My photographic passion is landscape and the natural world too. I'm lucky enough to live within walking distance of the Peak District national park, so getting to the honey pot views is quite easy for me. But I actually spend far more time out locally in small venues off the beaten track, looking for the detail shots and smaller scale landscapes where it is easier to express my own interpretations.
The local venues are easy to find - even in cities we are surrounded by wildness (as opposed to wilderness, which is really very scarce in these crowded islands), so just get to know you local parks, patches of waste ground, canal paths etc. There will be a wealth of detail to explore, and it doesnt take much investment of time or money to find it.
Big views and iconic landscapes are a different thing. When planning a photography trip to somewhere new, I will look for coffee table books and postcards of the area to get a feel for likely honey pot locations, then get out an OS map and look for secondary locations in the area that will suit different times of day or weather conditions, to give myself plenty of options to fill a day whatever conditions I am faced with. I tend to think about what 'big shot' I want to look for - what weather, time of day, tide state etc I will need for it, then plan around that, bearing in mind I need venues for rainy, windy (from different directions too), overcast, bright sun (!) etc, and come up with a menu of places to choose from. This gives me a good chance of having a productive trip and coming home with some keepers, even if the 'big shot' doesnt happen.
Other people's reactions to a camera on a tripod usually make me smile - the general assumption seems to be that there is a very rare bird around, even when the camera is pointing at a flower from a distance of a few inches... That said, I usually meet with curiosity and interest rather than negative reactions, and have had some very interesting conversations with passers-by as a result. Locals will often know of good places to go which may not have figured in your research as well, so a bit of chat can get you into places you wouldnt have got access to as well. (I have been invited into private estates and closed beaches before now as a result of a friendly chat over the tripod)
Going in company is fun, and on trips away I tend to go with a group of photographer friends, but I find that with a group of landscapers, we will spread ourselves around the area, and generally get engrossed in our own visions until we meet up again at the car at the end of the shoot. The companionship comes before and after the shoot, sharing ideas, enjoying each others' images, chatting in the pub about new and old locations, people we have met there etc. My local trips and day trips away are usually solo, and it does give a lot of freedom to change plans according to whim.
Hope that helps.

Gordon

Hi Eternity and welcome.
I always go by myself (Arthur no mates). Know how you feel but to be honest 99% of the time people are not that interested in what you are doing. I find if they are most are friendly and want to talk about photography. As for thinking you are silly people will think what they want to think. If they don't know you or what you are trying to do then thay are the ones being silly, by thinking you are. Just have fun, enjoy and please yourself.
If anyone says "that is a silly thing to photograph" Say something like, "yes it is but I just sold the last one like this for £500". Not that I think they will say anything.

On a recent trip out to the seafront, I was suprised at how many others were taking photos (Probably mainly trying out Christmas presents!).
On the whole people totally ignored the camera, but I did notice one person going to have a look at some plaques just after I'd snapped them. I got the impression he hadn't noticed them before...

The only comments I've ever had have been along the lines of pleasant interested chat, though I do some rather odd photography. I wouldn't worry about comments, they are usually a benefit!

In some parts of london you'll probably be in the minority without a camera :)

Thanks for the advice guys!

I braved it about a week ago and took my camera and went to a touristy place in London by myself. Took it little while to then take my camera out actually take a few pictures, they weren't particularly good, but I think having that experience of just taking pictures without caring that other people might see was good for me :)

And that place happened to have quite a few people with DSLRs so after a little while I didn't feel so shy.

WELL DONE! Keep it up.

First time I went into our local village with my 'new toy' I was ready to 'chicken out' and not take the camera out of my bag when 3 tourist busses pulled up and the place was crawling with 'snappers'. I could hardly take a photo without people in them!

Hah! Yeah, that's the thing with touristy places.


Thanks :)