Looking for desert area in near NY or NJ

<p>Hi, guys!<br /> I'm planning to take pictures to build up my portfolio.<br /> I'm looking for place which is similar mood like desert in Nevada<br /> Unfortunately, I'm living in NYC, so it's hard to find out that kind of desert place<br /> Does anyone know some like that near NY or NJ?</p>

<p>Freshly covered municipal landfills.</p>

<p>How about Sandy Hook (NJ). This is a National Park and a beach. Not quite the desert but there is a lot of sand and great pictures around Fort Hancock.</p>

<p>There are also huge forests done in the Pineland's area. Again not the desert.</p>

<p>Forget anything desert like in NY or NJ. But do try the Pine Barrens, very unique landscape.</p>

<p>I hate to say it, but I don't think you're going to have too much luck. As someone who currently lives in NY, and lived for years in the SW...you might find a sandy area with sparce vegitation, but it really isn't going to look the same. I can't think of a single place in NY that a dirt or sandy area would pass as the desert of AZ, NV, or NM.</p>

<p>Two of the responses have good suggestions - Sandy Hook and the NJ Pine Barrens.<br>

Another idea is sand dunes on Cape Cod, especially in Truro and Provincetown.</p>

<p>But keep in mind that the nature of the eastern landscape is very different from the western landscape. In the west you have dramatic vista (think Ansel Adams, Wagner's operas, etc), but in the east, the landscape is more intimate. There are still fabulous opportunities in the east, but you have have to look for different things.</p>

<p>Nevada deserts are the result of terrain and climate (aka geography), something you won't find comparable places in NY or NJ, and the only desert-like places are the coastal dunes, which are more similar to west coast beaches and dunes than Nevada. Not even the neighboring states of Nevada have Nevada-like deserts except the immediate adjacent lands (state boundaries being arbitrary). I agree with the suggestions given for the other areas unique to them.</p>

<p>Yes, coastal dune areas are as close as you're going to get,</p>

<p>unless you want dessert areas like what are known as the "Dairy Queen waists."</p>

<p>Also in some of the great mansions of the city you will find evidence of the "Robber barons."</p>

<p>Sorry. I have no excuse; I hardly knew what I was dune. :)</p>

<p>For the obvious climatological reasons stated above, there simply are no deserts in the east. So, how about we stay with the isolated / barren / forlorn look of a desert, but switch to boulder fields (some without vegetation) and cliffs that one *can* find in abundance near NYC, particularly, in the Hudson R valley, the Pocono highlands in nearby PA, the Catskills, etc.:</p>

<p>

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2194/3540986212_3f03450ceb_b.jpg<br>

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_iklHwZrkvBI/SdF-3vLIckI/AAAAAAAADCs/flgNPiX2FFE/s720/DSC04121.JPG</p>

<p>If this sort of look appeals to you, let me know and I can point you in the right direction -- I used to live on top of one of the mountains near Beacon, NY.</p>

<p>Cheers,<br>

Tom M</p>

<p>PS - My photo and some of the cited pix are from a bit further away, e.g., the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Adirondacks, but one can certainly find similar (albeit smaller) boulder fields closer to NYC - I just couldn't quickly put my hands on examples them.</p><div></div>

<p>Is there an arboritium/conservatory near you? You could try the one near Willimington-Philadelphia area (sorry the Garden name escapes me right now). I would suspect there is some sort of conservatory in NY that would at least have desert plants.</p>

<p>Searching for that mood - then you will need to keep your images tight and smallish. You'll want small segments. Sandy Hook can offer some of that. I've taken quite a number of desert like images with simple rocks and sand with no trace of vegetation.</p><div></div>

<p>another example</p><div></div>

<p>Not too close, but there is a small area in Maine called "The Desert of Maine". It was the result of overgrazing by sheep perhaps a century ago. Interesting sand dunes</p>

<p>Also, there are no glaciers or valcanos anywhere near NYC. But the owls are there for you to depict in Athens ...</p>

<p>There are no stop flights going to las vegas leaving every day I think you can get a flight for $300 or so. A rental car will see you threw a week. So for $600 or so you can go and and get some real shots of the desert and a week of shooting. A bit much fore some one starting out but you will get what you are looking for. </p>

Island Beach State Park in NJ has impressive stretches of natural, undeveloped sand dunes. It's illegal to walk on them for conservation reasons, but you can photograph them from the roadside.