Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area -- Taking Photos?

[AperturePriority]

I’m coming to Dallas (Las Colinas/Irving) next week for business and plan on getting there this Saturday and Sunday to go out and shoot some photographs around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

Could you folks in the area recommend some cools places to shoot? I’ll have a car and two whole days to shoot, so don’t hold back!




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[AperturePriority]

I have heard a good vantage point for shooting the Dallas skyline was from the Trinity River. Does anyone know, where along the river, a good spot to take these photos?



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[VGP]

I have heard a good vantage point for shooting the Dallas skyline was from the Trinity River. Does anyone know, where along the river, a good spot to take these photos?.

There are a few good places to shoot downtown, but yes there is a park where you can get some nice shots. If you drive west some ways ( follow the hills ) you can drive on the hill to get a little bit more elevated shot.

Here is a quick map snapshot....the location is marked with an X ;)

[AperturePriority]

There are a few good places to shoot downtown, but yes there is a park where you can get some nice shots. If you drive west some ways ( follow the hills ) you can drive on the hill to get a little bit more elevated shot.

Here is a quick map snapshot....the location is marked with an X ;)

Thanks, VGP!

How is that area after dark? Is it safe to be out there with camera gear? There will be two of us (two guys).



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[VGP]

Thanks, VGP!

How is that area after dark? Is it safe to be out there with camera gear? There will be two of us (two guys).

That area is not a bad bad area, but near by is OakCliff where it gets pretty crazy at night. I would say its safe out there to take some pictures. The park is a small park with a little pond and soccer fields. If you go there as the sun goes day you can get several pics. Like I mentioned I would drive westward and find a spot to get on top of the hills. It will be a beautiful day for pictures today!

[littleman23408]

I went out over in that area this afternoon. I was at Competitive Camera to pick up a 17-40 L. Went over the Continental Bridge. Never saw a park, Also the roads that led up to the hills were closed off. Saw someone park a suv on the curb, next to some generators and saw him walking up the hill. I had a car so couldnt get to the same place as he did. I ended up driving up and down Canada Dr/Beckley Ave, and never saw a decent place to park or park and walk. Found the court house and the multilevel parking garage which I would have thought had a nice view, but when I pulled in the garage, you had to pay to park. No cash on me ( I was by myself), so I ended up driving around downtown, looking for a free space to park. Towing was enforced at all times, so I ended up heading back home. Going back tonight though, taking the Dart train this time. I did see 3 people taking pictures of the W hotel (atleast thats what it looked like they were trying to photograph) from the West End parking structure. I tried to find that garage as well, but no luck. Any other areas around dallas? Maybe we should do a meet sometime? Dont know how many of us are from around here.?

[VGP]

I went out over in that area this afternoon. I was at Competitive Camera to pick up a 17-40 L. Went over the Continental Bridge. Never saw a park, Also the roads that led up to the hills were closed off. Saw someone park a suv on the curb, next to some generators and saw him walking up the hill. I had a car so couldnt get to the same place as he did. I ended up driving up and down Canada Dr/Beckley Ave, and never saw a decent place to park or park and walk. Found the court house and the multilevel parking garage which I would have thought had a nice view, but when I pulled in the garage, you had to pay to park. No cash on me ( I was by myself), so I ended up driving around downtown, looking for a free space to park. Towing was enforced at all times, so I ended up heading back home. Going back tonight though, taking the Dart train this time. I did see 3 people taking pictures of the W hotel (atleast thats what it looked like they were trying to photograph) from the West End parking structure. I tried to find that garage as well, but no luck. Any other areas around dallas? Maybe we should do a meet sometime? Dont know how many of us are from around here.?

Im running out the door, but quick note....my lady says the park was on Sylvan that turns in Wycliff. You can see it just north of my X in the pic above. I'll be right back!

[littleman23408]

I see now, I pulled up mapquest, and found right before Sylvan Ave turns into Wycliff, Sylvan intersects Irving Blvd. According to Mapquest there is a park right off Irving, and also some kind of park off Sylvan before it gets to Irving Blvd....just changed street view to satellite view and found them. Thanks! I will be going back out during the day to check this out!

[AperturePriority]

Here are the photos I took over the weekend during my visit to Dallas (and I’m still here for the rest of the week). Let me know what you think of them—any and all feedback and questions are welcomed.

For you photo techies out there, I captured all images in RAW format. Out of the 43 photos total, all were shot using Manual mode (except for two). The two longest exposure shots were “Mirror Image” with an exposure time of 1 minute, 20 seconds, and “Dallas Skyline (5:47 p.m. on 2/9/2009)” which was exposed for 20 seconds.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/2256669731_3618fba4be_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gainous/collections/72157603891079679/)
(click on image to view all the photos) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gainous/collections/72157603891079679/)




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[littleman23408]

Those look great! I really like the photo of your hotel in Irving. Makes me want to go check that out. On the Reunion Tower ball picture, did you just take a picture of that and then just zoom in when you edited? Almost looks like you shot the picture at the same height from a rooftop...If so which roof top?

[AperturePriority]

Those look great! I really like the photo of your hotel in Irving. Makes me want to go check that out. On the Reunion Tower ball picture, did you just take a picture of that and then just zoom in when you edited? Almost looks like you shot the picture at the same height from a rooftop...If so which roof top?
Thanks. The hotel is the Marriott over on Las Colinas Blvd.

The Reunion Tower ball image was taken from the same spot as this full skyline shot:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/2256669731_3618fba4be_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gainous/2256669731/)
(click to enlarge) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gainous/2256669731/)

The skyline shot was taken at a 56mm focal length (equivalent to about 90mm on a 35mm film camera).


The ball photo:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2027/2256670073_2092331fa1_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gainous/2256670073/)
(click to enlarge) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gainous/2256670073/)

was taken with a focal length of 300mm (equivalent to 480mm on a 35mm film camera).



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[VGP]

Nice pictures! I enjoyed the whole set...i only wish my pictures would come out as good! Glad it worked out for you!

[AperturePriority]

Nice pictures! I enjoyed the whole set...i only wish my pictures would come out as good! Glad it worked out for you!
Thanks VGP.

This is where (http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=6881D9767E3614D2!1514&encType=1) we actually parked and walked to get these skyline photos. When the page appears, click on the "Hybrid" link and zoom out to get a better perspective on where we were.

I wouldn't go there at night alone--there were two of us then.



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[littleman23408]

Thanks for the map, When I was down there during the day, I wasn't to sure if we would be allowed to park along the side of the road during the day. I will definately be going back again this weekend and taking somebody with me.

[AperturePriority]

Thanks for the map, When I was down there during the day, I wasn't to sure if we would be allowed to park along the side of the road during the day. I will definately be going back again this weekend and taking somebody with me.
So, did you make it there this past weekend?



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[littleman23408]

Nope sure did not make it out there. Camera failure. But my XT has been replaced with a 40D, Im going back down to the camera store this weekend to pick up a lens or two. Maybe the sun will peak out tomorrow afternoon....*looks out office window*

[VGP]

I here its going to be nice from here on out for the next week getting warmer and warmer each day

[littleman23408]

That sounds great, thanks for the heads up VGP