11 November 2008
Online Resources For Planning A Photo Trip - TWIP
Posted by
Scott under:
Articles
Photo by Scott Bourne
If you are planning a photo trip, there are numerous online resources you can use to make sure you improve your chances of success.
Right off the bat I want to tell you about Google Maps. Just go to http://maps.google.com/ and you can learn all the fine details.
But here’s the big picture. If you want driving directions and you’ve used Mapquest, you probably got where you wanted to go, but not as fast. And Google’s maps let you get closer using dynamic real time technology that lets you click and drag rather than wait for new downloads. Heck you can even get a satellite image of your destination.
I planned a recent trip and was able to see into each nook and cranny of each location with amazing detail. In addition to getting directions, you can map to a specific point and you can find destinations like hotels, free wi-fi, pizza joints or any other business such as a camera store.
Using online maps is fun, free and fast and a better way to plan your photo trip than an old static fold up map.
There are other online resources you might want to consider.
PlanetEye helps travelers organize their trips by letting them “clip” interesting photographs, attractions, hotels and restaurants.
TripAdvisor is the place I usually trust the most when it comes to hotel reviews. They rank hotels in most destinations in order of user preference and I’ve found the reviews to be mostly accurate and helpful.
Photo Traveler at www.phototravel.com and www.phototraveler.com or phone 323-660-8600 or 800- 417-4680 are very specific guides for traveling photographers, focusing more on the shooting than the hotel/transit issues.
Photograph America Newsletter by nature photographer, writer, and traveler Robert Hitchman tells you where, when, and how to discover the best nature photography in America. E-mail him at hitchman@photographamerica.com or phone 415-898-3736.
This post sponsored by Audible. For a free downloadable book, go to Audiblepodcast.com/TWIP.
4 Comments so far...
Scott Says:
11 November 2008 at 9:51 am.
@Sarah we had a database error so it reposted. There will be another post today as well. Sorry for the confusion.
[Reply]
Arthur, THE Official Nikon Fanboy Of TWIP Says:
11 November 2008 at 11:14 am.
What a sweet, beautiful photo, Scott.
[Reply]
Gregg Says:
14 November 2008 at 3:38 pm.
One additional resource I think might really be useful for photo travelers would be some sort of guide that would show photography and tripod policies for popular photo destinations. That way you could plan a sequence of photography friendly stops without getting hassled as a “terrorist” because of you tripod. Maybe a good idea for a Flickr group….
[Reply]
