Geocaching and photography

[Cashoo]

I'm wondering if anyone else does geocaching. I find it's a great way to find places to take photos since you go to many beautiful places while looking for the caches.

If you don't know what it is:
Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.

So basically it's "using million dollar satellites to find tupperware boxes."

Geocache website (http://www.geocaching.com/)
Explanation video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FxrMY91jJU)

[k8et]

*waves* - first post here :P
I love both, but don't often take my big camera just because of the weight/risk! And no expensive GPS here, just my iphone, which is difficult to get a good signal in some terrain.

[golfecho]

Big time Geocacher here! You are right-on in your comment on finding neat places to shoot . . . although I lived in Europe for 2 years, and they are WAY better at hiding a cache! It could be that they have much better scenic/interesting locations (mostly because their history goes much farther back . . . what with hundreds of castles, etc). I almost always take my camera, but I seldom go after the "difficult" caches. I usually try for the 2 of 4 variety. My GPS is a standard Garmin hiking version, and works great . . . one of my favorite "mindless" past times is scrolling through the pictures posted on the Geocaching site.

[Jon Foster]

We're big on Geocaching too. I even taught a class on it for a couple of years. My students loved it.

Jon.

[Clueless163]

hmm...too bad i don't have money to travel

[Clueless163]

looks like fun!

[Cashoo]

hmm...too bad i don't have money to travel

The good thing is, there's is cache everywhere so just put in your area into this search (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/default.aspx) and set the radius to about 10. You should be able to find a few in your area.

[johnaengus]

I have not Geocached in a couple years. It seemed that all the caches around here were: get out of your car and look at the end of the parking lot for this cache. I like the fairly long caches that take some hiking to get to.

[MikeFairbanks]

We have a lot of caches where we live. Hundreds, and some are very difficult and/or multi-staged. Some have taken us hours. Personally I find it quite boring, but my family likes it, so I tag along every once in a while.

[quasparagus]

They're a great combination!

[AlexMoPhotography]

Geocacher right here!

I just got my first pathtags in the mail yesterday:

http://photos.imageevent.com/alexmophotos/random/pathtags1.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/alexmophotos/random/pathtags2.jpg

Whatya think? Here's my public profile on Pathtags.com if anyone wants to entertain trades. :)

http://www.pathtags.com/community/publicpathtagprofile.php?id=17773

[icopus]

~~ Thread resurrection ~~

I just tried this using my first Android phone with c:geo, but found it not accurate enough. It just didn't feel right searching through a 10' section of hedges at the edge of a grocery store parking lot next to a major road. The large area also is difficult in wooded areas.

Or am I doing something wrong?

So for the Android using geocachers - What is your geocaching app of choice?

Geocaching profile (http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=7581255b-26e3-4c76-b88d-e34a6fb4e944)

[golfecho]

~~ Thread resurrection ~~

I just tried this using my first Android phone with c:geo, but found it not accurate enough. It just didn't feel right searching through a 10' section of hedges at the edge of a grocery store parking lot next to a major road. The large area also is difficult in wooded areas.

Or am I doing something wrong?

So for the Android using geocachers - What is your geocaching app of choice?

Geocaching profile (http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=7581255b-26e3-4c76-b88d-e34a6fb4e944)

A couple of thoughts . . .

If your particular GPS has accuracy issues, only search out the easier caches. They are usually in the obvious hiding spots once you get close. Even the best (public) GPS can only bring you into 10 ft or so, and that all assumes the person hiding the cache had an accurate GPS and transfered the coordinates well onto the site. You just have to accept that different caches will have a chance of being a bit "off the mark". (They call that CEP, or Circular Error Probable).

Also, if you are in a wilderness area, the signals that your GPS receives may be interfered with by trees and other blocking structures. That is not necessarily the fault of your receiver. Hang around a bit, because the satalites move (department of the obvious, I know), and the signal strength may get stronger in a few minutes. Lastly, look for the "un-natural" in the area. Are there a bunch of rocks piled up in a un-natural way? Look under them!

Don't forget, half of the fun is in finding your way to the cache site, and adding the enjoyment of shooting the scenery along the way . . .

[mbellot]

Or am I doing something wrong?

My best suggestion would be to find someone in your area with more experience and see if they will teach you some of the ins and outs.

My oldest daughter was introduced to geocaching through a teacher at school. I thought "how hard can it be?". LOL.

We have gone out with her teacher a couple times as a group and I'm finally starting to feel like I understand.

She uses nothing but her Android cell phone for GPS. It's really more about getting close and then learning to "see" the hiding places than about using the GPS to land right on the hide.

[Yno]

I use a Garmin Oregon when I am out specifically caching, but I have used the geocaching.com app on my Droid Bionic and it works very well. I have used my camera as a way to hang around without looking TOO suspicious....

[Strangely Brown]

I use a Dakota 20 and the official geocaching iPhone app for spur of the moment caching.

WRT to photography when caching. I normally take my kit with me in a backpack :)

Completed a 8 mile/25 cache circuit today and apart from the sunburn had a great time.

[icopus]

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