Photographer With Handicap Needs Advice

[douglasely]

<p>Good day all,</p>

<p>I would appreciate any help and advice you may be able to offer. I have a neurological condition that holds me back. I can no longer walk more than a mile at a time, carry much weight in a backpack, or travel comfortably at altitude. (Chronic pain is exasperated at altitude.) Typing is often difficult so doing research on the web is limited. I started to plan a trip to the southern National Parks of Utah, always wanting to go there, and learned late in the research that the parks are at altitudes above 5,000 feet. The end of that idea. The mountain states that I so love are now out of the question and may always be so.</p>

<p>So. . . it dawned on me to enlist the help of others and I am doing so in this thread. Would you please be kind enough to share your photography experiences at shooting locations that I can access. My constraints are . . . nature & landscape photography, any of the lower 48 US states, altitudes under 3,000 feet, shooting locations that are accessible buy car or bus, locations within a one mile walk from the car, camping or motels available, why you like the location(s) and worthy of a photography trip that will require extra effort. I'm certainly open to the idea of planning more than one trip from this information. I would however, like to make my first trip in May.</p>

<p>I really want to do this and if my medical condition continues on it's current path, a year from now I may not be able to do this. It is now, or possibly, never. Thank you in advance for your help, it is sincerely appreciated.</p>

<p>Best regards to all, Doug</p>

<p> </p>

[sandysocks]

<p>The Everglades and the Coast of Oregon come to mind. Most of the oregon coast is sea level and belongs to the State Parks system.</p>

[mikael_karlsson]

<p>Doug:<br /> <br /> If you'd be interested in visiting Nebraska I'd be willing to help in any way I can as far as research, contacting people to get you access etc. Just say the word. You can e-mail me at mike[a t]arrestingimages.com or contact me through my site, www.arrestingimages.com<br /> <br /> My mother suffered from MS and spent most of her time in a wheelchair and I would absolutely be more than happy to help you out in any way I can.</p>

[philipward]

<p>Doug,Yosemite will fit the bill at 2000 feet unless you decide to climb Half Dome{;~). Everything is accessable by car.Pacific coast highway has fantastic scenery while your over there.</p>

[zack_lau]

Roughly where do you live? Your condition may make plane travel difficult as well.

[charles_stobbs3]

I am unwilling to carry a camera (or much else) slung around my neck any more and find it much easier to use a light weight camera with a wrist strap in a pouch with a belt loop and a velcro flap.

[sarah_fox]

<p>My knees limit me a bit, and I figure I'm good for a mile too, with minor climbing. Here are two places I can still manage, even with my advancing years and declining joints:</p>

<p>The Hocking Hills area of Ohio, near the town of Logan. You'll have to do some very minor hiking (including steps), and you certainly won't be able to explore the whole area. However, you can descend into the Old Man's Cave trails pretty quickly. A few photos here:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phhockinghillsbridge2.htm">http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phhockinghillsbridge2.htm</a><br>

<a href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsunlitstream.htm">http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsunlitstream.htm</a></p>

<p>This one is a composite of two shots, so it lies just a bit:<br>

<a href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phwaterfallfantasy.htm">http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phwaterfallfantasy.htm</a></p>

<p>It's also a short, not-too-ambitious hike to the "rock house," but you'll have to be able to make a short, steep (maybe 10 ft?) climb at one point. It's also a beautiful drive and very scenic from the roadway, especially in the fall.</p>

<p>The Sedona area of Arizona is also very pretty and is totally accessible by car:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsedonaflowers1.htm">http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsedonaflowers1.htm</a><br>

<a href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsedonamountains1.htm">http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsedonamountains1.htm</a><br>

<a href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsedonacedar.htm">http://www.graphic-fusion.com/phsedonacedar.htm</a> </p>

<p>In fact I think you'll find the desert is a great place for photography for anyone who can't walk far. You mostly drive to your locations, and the vast horizons give you pretty easy visual access to most of the features you want to photograph. Arizona, Nevada, and California are all interesting places for roadside photography.</p>

<p>Good luck! :-)</p>

[douglasely]

<p>Thank you so much for your ideas. </p>

<p>I live in Metro-Chicago.</p>

<p>Doug</p>

 

[jtk]

<p>Consider possibilities involving Amtraks routes. </p>

[jtk]

<p> California's wine country and Coast (Napa & Sonoma Counties, and Mendocino County/Mendocino-Pacific Coast, driving north up Highway One to Seattle/Olympic Peninsula). Death Valley.</p>

[vrankin]

<p>Doug:<br>

You have some nice possibilities on the Mississippi with river towns, bluffs and tourist attractions like the Dubuque River Front Museum and a number of beautiful B&B's close by. The town of Galena IL across the river is wonderful for historic architecture and people pictures downtown, too.</p>

[wallywolfe]

<p>You aren't completely shut out of the Rockies. The peaks in Glacier National Park are at 7-8000 feet, but most of the park is in the 3-4000 foot range. There are more photo ops within 100 yards of the highways than you can imagine. (One ranger told me that most tourists in Glacier never get more than 50 feet from their car.) The area around the park is also photogenic......Flathead Lake, Thompson Falls, etc. Kalispell is a nice town with all the services and some cool old (for this part of the US) buildings. </p>

[craig_gillette]

<p>Unfortunately most of Yosemite, even the valley, is over 3000 feet so it may not be suitable location. If you Google Map Mariposa, California, for example and go to the terrain option on the map you can track the elevation on Highway 140, it crosses 3000 feet after you enter the park past El Portal and the 4000 ft contour line pretty much runs along the base of the cliffs through most of the valley and the east end village area is right about 4000 feet.</p>

<p>Death Valley is road accessible but the drive in may require some higher elevation driving over mountain passes depending on the routes you select. JOshua Tree is going to be around the 3000 ft level in much of the park as well.</p>

<p>However, coastal California, say the Big Sur region and the area between San Luis Obispo and Monterey on Highway 1 isn't going to involve much higher elevations nor would the drive from Los Angeles or San Francisco.</p>

[dbcooper]

<p>Cumberland Falls, in Kentucky near Somerset. It's one of the few places in the world you can shoot a <a href="http://www.2geton.net/martin/moonbow/moonbowschedule.html">moonbow</a> . Accessibility fits your requirements. http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/cf/</p>

[richard_lyman1]

<p>Doug,<br>

Please consider the mountains of coastal Maine, particularly Camden Hills State Park, and Acadia National Park. They have pretty low elevations ,and yet offer unbelievably beautiful and stunning views. Camden Hills has Mount Battie, which has an auto road, roughly 1000 ft. and literally steps from your car you can look straight down over incredible panoramic vistas of Penobscot Bay. I believe Acadia has a similar situation with Cadillac Mt. not sure about an auto road there but the park in general has amazing beauty easily accessible by car. The White Mountains of NH, Green Mountains of Vermont and even the Berkshires in MA are beautiful if not as dramatic as their Western counterparts, but there are many opportunities that could work within your restrictions. Also the Appalachian chain in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, i.e. "The Smokies" are beautiful and have elevations that work within your restrictions. I remember the first time I drove through the Appalachian chain being stunned at how beautiful they were, and thinking "how could I have not known about this, they're right here!" </p>

<p>Additionally, Petite Jean State Park in Arkansas is beautiful and mountainous within your elevation restrictions, many views accessible by car or very close. A little more of a Western feel and has a gorgeous waterfall you might be able to manage, though it's a bit of a hike. Can't recall the exact name of the park, but in Lawton Oklahoma there is an incredible park with Mount Scott. I think it's 1200 ft. and sticks up out of the plains, rugged and a real Western feel. Buffalo living wild in plain sight. I love this place, drive right up and I swear you can see 100 miles!</p>