Great Maryland (and neighbors) Photo Expedition

[Jon]

GM(an)PE? Considered Great Capital Photo Expedition, but GCPE's already been taken. GMPE it is. Open to anyone who lives in/is willing to trek into the DC metropolitan area.

Sometime after the first of the year. Location ideas and dates welcome.

Brookside Gardens (Wheaton Regional Park) will be in a slack period until March or so. Mid-March on it should be good though.

There's always the National Zoo, although there'll be Panda-monium to battle.

[Scottes]

Originally Posted by Jon

G...but GCPE's already been taken. GMPE it is.

Close, but we never had enough people to qualify as an expedition, so it's always been the Great Canadian Photo Shoot. I think we just had GCPS 6, but out of the entire crew only PacAce can count that high and he's not telling.

But GMPE is probably better - Ian's easily confused, and GCPE might be close enough to have him show up at your door looking for Elk.


I'll have to debate about joining you. I was in DC once and I'm pretty sure that I could spend a month there if I had a camera. Just the thought of the possible panoramics makes me drool. And the Zoo.... And the Smithsonian...

[hickory]

I could get there in about 6 hours. I might be interested...

[formula4speed]

I'd be interested when you guys figure out when and where.

[Todd Louis Green]

I'm definitely in for anywhere in MD or VA; probably count me out if it's going to be in DC.

[Jon]

I'll also toss in Huntley Meadows in Alexandria (VA) and the Blackwater NWR on the Eastern Shore as possibles.

Could also think about Chestertown and/or St Michaels. They'd be winter possibilities.

C&O Canal/Potomac River or Sugarloaf?

[CoolToolGuy]

Winter will be cold, and I can do that, but how about the B&O Railroad Museum?

http://www.borail.org/

Just a thought.

Have Fun,

[CoolToolGuy]

Just to follow on with the B&O Museum idea:

• Minus - no planned wildlife included. There may be the occasional duck or goose, and you might see a deer or fox or something on the (included) train ride.
• Plus - inside displays as well as outside displays
• Plus - big subjects to shoot (train cars, architecture) as well as small subjects (artifacts, people, train details)
• Plus - lots of room so we won't be constantly bumping into one another
• Plus - January may be their slow time after the big Christmas display - small crowds
• Plus - side trips could include the Inner Harbor, the National Aquarium and their new Australian Outback exhibit, others

End of propaganda/coercion.

Have Fun,

[Jon]

Now there's an idea - maybe we could lure Belmondo along for the occasion. There's also (about an hour between them) the Trolley Museum in Wheaton Regional Park. Or some of the other Baltimore attractions (Zoo, Aquarium, Constellation).

[CoolToolGuy]

Originally Posted by Jon

Now there's an idea - maybe we could lure Belmondo along for the occasion. There's also (about an hour between them) the Trolley Museum in Wheaton Regional Park. Or some of the other Baltimore attractions (Zoo, Aquarium, Constellation).

I read something recently in the Morning Fishwrap about the Trolley Museum and how they just recovered from a flood or something. Interesting. Not to take away from that, but Baltimore has one as well:

http://www.baltimorestreetcar.org/

The only concern is Wheaton to Baltimore is more like an all-day or weekend affair. The Baltimore Streetcar Museum is a little closer, but still requires a drive through town.

The Aquarium is making a big splash (sorry) about their new Australian 'Wild Extremes' wing that opens this week (Dec. 16). It is a permanent new exhibit that includes a 35-foot waterfall and some impressive stats:

http://www.aqua.org/australia.html

• 64,500 square feet
• 120 feet high at the tallest point
• 1 hand-knotted metal screen, measuring 15,000+ square feet, to keep the birds, bats and free-roaming lizards safely inside the exhibit
• 120+ pilings, driven 40 feet into the harbor, support the extra weight of the new building
• 150+ plants, all indigenous to Australia
• 1,000 gallons a minute will tumble over the 35-foot waterfall
• 1,800 Australian animals
• 6,000 cubic yards of concrete – more than the capacity of the Marine Mammal Pavilion’s dolphin pool
• 33,000 square feet of crystal clear, low-iron float glass in the walls and roof
• 60,000 gallons of freshwater will circulate in the seven Australian-themed exhibits

Our Aussie and Kiwi friends may be chuckling to themselves because they get to see this for real, but for some of us this may be as close as we get.

Even without the Australia exhibit, the Aquarium can be a good photo trip (as long as the crowds are thin). They have a Rainforest section with some intersting birds, reptiles, and such.

Let me come back to earth and say that there could be some good opportunities up here in Charm City.

Have Fun,

[PacAce]

Originally Posted by CoolToolGuy

Just to follow on with the B&O Museum idea:

• Minus - no planned wildlife included. There may be the occasional duck or goose, and you might see a deer or fox or something on the (included) train ride.
• Plus - inside displays as well as outside displays
• Plus - big subjects to shoot (train cars, architecture) as well as small subjects (artifacts, people, train details)
• Plus - lots of room so we won't be constantly bumping into one another
• Plus - January may be their slow time after the big Christmas display - small crowds
• Plus - side trips could include the Inner Harbor, the National Aquarium and their new Australian Outback exhibit, others

End of propaganda/coercion.

Have Fun,

Australian Outback exhibit? Does that mean KANGAROOS?

[Todd Louis Green]

Originally Posted by PacAce

Australian Outback exhibit? Does that mean KANGAROOS?

I was hoping for steak ...

[b16pwrdej1]

I will definately be interested if it's during a time when I dont have college or can get away for a day or two.

[CoolToolGuy]

Originally Posted by PacAce

Australian Outback exhibit? Does that mean KANGAROOS?

I don't know - the building is big, but there is limited hopping and grazing room. It looks like they have one example of the smallest species of wallaby to take around to local schools, but it won't be on display in the exhibit. They say they have these animals:

http://www.aqua.org/animalencounters.html

But I'll bet they have a plush miniature of one in the gift shop!

Have Fun,

[CoolToolGuy]

Originally Posted by Todd Louis Green

I was hoping for steak ...

. . .and some coconut shrimp, perhaps? Or a Bloomin' Onion?

Have Fun,