Nashville, TN photo ops?

<p>At the end of this month I will be moving to Nashville for four months in order to have a bone marrow transplant. At first I won't be able to do much, but as I improve, I'd like to go out and make photos. The two main caveats are that I can't be more than thirty minutes to an hour away from Vanderbilt and that I can't be in enclosed spaces for a long period with lots of people (such as seeing a movie.) I know about the Parthenon in Centennial Park. Any suggestions and ideas for photo ops would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Downtown Nashville is only about ten minutes away from Vanderbilt (as long as it's not rush hour). During the evening, there's a fair amount of street life along Lower Broad and Second Avenue. The Shelby Street Bridge over the Cumberland is also a good place to walk and enjoy the view of the river. The Frist Arts Center is a beautifully restored art-deco building, and it usually has some interesting exhibits.</p>

<p>Hillsboro Village is a few minutes from VU. It also has a fair amount of street life, shopping, cafes, and restaurants.</p>

<p>The Vanderbilt campus itself is also very nice.</p>

<p>I live in Nashville/area it is know as a 30 minute town, you can drive 30 minutes in about any direction and your out of town, then you hit suburbia, then another 20 minutes youre in the country, so you can shoot urban downtown, and country within a 60min range.. Beaman park is fairly new and has some good creeks and lots of trees.. Murfreesboro is a big college town that is interesting in the old south clashing with the new hip malls and shopping areas, east Nashville has alot of interesting street scenes and the Shelby Park has a good water fowl area..the little towns just outside Nashville are interesting in the area like Lebanon,Franklin,Gallatin,Smyrna,Cottontown,Watertown,Manchester...,,there is Nashville and then there is Middle Tennessee, which is more interesting visually to me than Nashville, check out these links<br>

<a href="http://www.nashville.gov/parks/locations/beaman.htm">http://www.nashville.gov/parks/locations/beaman.htm</a><br>

<a href="http://www.tnbirds.org/birdfinding/ShelbyBottoms.htm">http://www.tnbirds.org/birdfinding/ShelbyBottoms.htm</a><br>

<a href="http://www.franklin-gov.com/visitors.html">http://www.franklin-gov.com/visitors.html</a><br>

<a href="http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/default.aspx?ekmenu=126&id=4168">http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/default.aspx?ekmenu=126&id=4168</a><br>

<a href="http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/parks/OldStoneFort/">http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/parks/OldStoneFort/</a><br>

<a href="http://www.rutherfordchamber.org/cvb/visitors/what-to-see/what-to-see-detail.php?PRKey=4">http://www.rutherfordchamber.org/cvb/visitors/what-to-see/what-to-see-detail.php?PRKey=4</a></p>

<p>Definitely the VU campus itself, Bicentennial Park, the Capitol, War Memorial Plaza.<br>

When I was there I like to visit Radnor Lake, can't be more than 20 minutes from VU.<br>

Like Mike said, downtown area for some street photo ops. Good luck.</p>

<p>There are some great old homes and mansions in Nashville, and a lot of the neighborhoods have an abundance of old south character. Take a look at the Belmont Mansion on the campus of Belmont University. And the Bell Meade neighborhood has some wonderful old homes with beautiful grounds. Nashville is a great city. Good luck with your procedure.</p>

<p>Downtown Nashville, a couple of blocks from the Frist on Broadway, will be a great opportunity to photograph musicians on the street corner. There will be half a dozen there on most any day of the week. You can't miss it, that whole section is restaurants and bars (get to feeling better, they won't meet your enclosed requirement). If you need free parking, about two blocks east (downhill) of Broadway, on the sidestreets, there's usually on street parking. Depending on what day of the week you are there, this can be cheaper than the parking garages.</p>

<p>I mention this also because most of the parking garages are a block west, and uphill, of Broadway. If you are in a wheelchair, you are going to need someone to push you a little. The parking garages will all have elevators, and generous access. Really, the parking garages are a better choice; but if you are new to a wheelchair or feeling weak, you will do better with a helper, I think.</p>

<p>You will be required to sing Karoke in at least one bar. If you get to a place that doesn't have a ramp or something, just back the chair up backwards against the steps, and call out for a man to give you a hand. They'll get you up the steps, for sure. All of the streetcorner crossings will have ramps, I think. Bathrooms in bars will not have monekybars, but bathrooms in restaurants will.</p>

<p>At night, on weekends, they'll usually block off a good portion of those streets because there will be a lot of people walking around. If you can't walk too far, I'd go to the Frist. The have complimentary wheelchairs, a cafe, and plenty of elevator service and ramps throughout the facility. The cafe will have outdoor, shaded seating, also. Might be a good spot if you're not up to par yet. They have their own parking lot out back, and there are ramps all the way, to and from the parking lot. The Frist would really be a good spot if you can't get around well. Air conditioning, too; some bars and restaurants are open air.</p>

<p>Get your parking validated, and it will be cheaper. This month, on the ground floor corridor, is an interesting exhibit done with a Holga; photos of children. Usually that hallway will be works of children or charities. The remainder of the museum will be traveling exhibits. I want to say that at the end of the summer Georgia's (O'Keefe) works will be there.</p>

<p>If you go into the countryside, around Murfreesboro, you almost have to find a farm with low stone walls. There will be several. These flat rocks just lay around in the fields; farmers have to remove them to plow; frequently they'll build walls and fences with the cleared stone. Looks kind of like Ireland or some place in Europe.</p>

<p>If you want to drive out into the country, I think you will find one of the main rural highways will be called The Murfreesboro Road. It has some contemporary highway number, I forget what it is, but it takes its name from an older, historic road. It will parallel some of the larger Interstate highways for a little bit, but go more into the country. In those rural areas, though, it will be hard to find structures with proper wheelchair access, so you may want to save that part for when you can walk better again.</p>

<p>Good luck and get better.</p>

<p>If you arrive at the Frist, and don't have a wheelchair, but need one, tell the attendant in the parking lot booth. They have communications with the people inside the building. There is always a welcoming security staff. I'm sure they'd bring a wheelchair to you, if you need one to visit the museum. The whole place is generously funded, and fully accessible. </p>

<p>Thank you all so much for the great ideas and advice! This is all a big help and i really appreciate it.</p>