Any good "photo ops" around Rochester, NY?

[JonathanSQ]

Hey guys...

I'm going to be in Rochester until the end of June for business.
Every other weekend, granted, I'll be back in Florida. But that still
leaves 2 weekends every month where I can grab the camera.

I don't have access to a car, however. Any good (safe!) places to go?
If it is within 10-30 minutes of downtown, I might be able to talk my boss
into driving me somewhere for about an hour or so...

[Woolburr]

Rochester has decent public transportation and a ton of things around the city to shoot. Lilac season is just beginning. There is the Erie Canal....the Eastman House....the Genesse River....Lake Ontario....you might even find a reference to Kodak. As far as safe.....I wouldn't list Rochester as a hotbed of crime.

[JonathanSQ]

Rochester has decent public transportation and a ton of things around the city to shoot. Lilac season is just beginning. There is the Erie Canal....the Eastman House....the Genesse River....Lake Ontario....you might even find a reference to Kodak. As far as safe.....I wouldn't list Rochester as a hotbed of crime.

Really? No offense to anybody living here but downtown just seems... not safe.
I mean, seeing 2-8 cops on every corner between the hotel and work just doesn't
give me a "warm fuzzy feeling" :lol: But then again not used to being downtown in a city...

I heard of the Eastman House; weekend after next me and a few coworkers are supposed
to go to that museum plus a gallery of some sort that is near by...?
The Genesse River might be the key. I'm actually a block or two away from it.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

Really? No offense to anybody living here but downtown just seems... not safe.
I mean, seeing 2-8 cops on every corner between the hotel and work just doesn't
give me a "warm fuzzy feeling" :lol: But then again not used to being downtown in a city...


Some parts are ok, some are just horrible. Last year, the majority of my trips for work were to pick up cars in Rochester. Let's just say it's right near the bottom of my list of places to visit. Go up north more, just outside the city, and even up toward the lake. It's very nice there.

[golfecho]

Find a buddy with a car and go to Letchworth State Park, and/or Ithaca.

[Woolburr]

Find a buddy with a car and go to Letchworth State Park, and/or Ithaca.

Ithaca is one hell of a hike from Rochester. Watkins Glen is closer and much nicer scenery. Letchworth is even closer still and has some decent sights.

[JonathanSQ]

Find a buddy with a car and go to Letchworth State Park, and/or Ithaca.

I finally got the boss to sign off on taking one of the cars to Letchworth.
This was yesterday of course and it had to rain and be windy as all get out.

I did end up exploring around Chili, Victor, Pittsford, Churchville, Bergen, East Rochester, Penfield, and all through Rochester itself.
I think the weekend after next me and one of the guys are going to try, again, to go to Letchworth.
I would shoot for this weekend but its "home weekend" so I'll be back in FL.

The only bad thing about using the company cars is I have to talk someone
else into going with me as I am not allowed to drive them (not 25+ yrs old)...

[bigarchi]

lilac festival (http://www.lilacfestival.com/)starts soon. go earlier rather than later. thanks to that aweful weather we had last weekend, a lot has blown away!
but there is still some good stuff there:
http://www.mitchsgallery.com/img/v15/p636300454-2.jpg

letchworth is def. worth the drive.
http://www.mitchsgallery.com/img/v7/p1009763787-2.jpg
obviously will have different colors this time of the year :)

and if you can swing a trip to see niagara falls, bring your passport and get over to the canandian side!

what kind of things do you like shootin'?
have you gotten to the high falls area yet? that is pretty much downtown.

[lettershop]

http://www.meetup.com/naturephotography/

My wife and I are in this group. The Lilac festival begins this weekend, but it is butt cold right now. Sunday there is a meetup at the Public Market. Send me a PM and we can arrange to pick you up somewhere and bring you back and forth to the public market meetup.

[bigarchi]

Yeah that's a great group! I've only been on one outing with em but I'm hoping to meet up with them more

[JonathanSQ]

Lettershop - bout to send you a PM. My boss is taking us to the Lilac Festival on Tuesday after work.

Bigarchi-
As far as what I like to shoot... not 100% sure. Kinda still exploring to find out what I like most.
I would say nature and wild life are probably my favorite right now. I usually avoid cities so I haven't
really "tried" or gotten into urban photography so far. I want to go to Letchworth but I also want to
meet some of my NY counterparts who are 3 hours away. And it looks like I'll probably only have
next weekend to do it. Kinda torn about which option I want to pursue :(

As an update though- I'll only be here for the 17th-28th and then June 7th-18th.

I did post some photos here (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=872785) and here (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=872789)

[Darsk47]

Go east along hwy 31 Palmyra Rd towards Palmyra. Find the little towns along the Erie Canal.

My gang and I were there last fall. Very Norman Rockwell.