Great Maryland (and neighbors) Photo Expedition

Decide where and when and I can see what I can do. I have a Hybrid, won't even cost me much to get there. I just have to ask my husband to part with it, even though it's my car.

SuzyView

SuzyView wrote:
Decide where and when and I can see what I can do. I have a Hybrid, won't even cost me much to get there. I just have to ask my husband to part with it, even though it's my car.

SuzyView

So far, the most popular meeting place and time idea is between 9:00 & 9:30 in the Starbucks that is in Barnes & Noble at the Power Plant in the Inner Harbor. It is on E. Pratt St., and the building is an old power plant with tall smokestacks. On the side of the building is a giant guitar for the Hard Rock Cafe, and also in the building is the ESPNZone, with a giant sign to match. Here's a link to the Barnes & Noble store locator - it can give you driving directions:
http://storelocator.ba​rnesandnoble.com/store​detail.do?store=2881

Unless someone comes up with a better place to meet, this is it - Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace!

There are several parking lots and garages in the immediate vicinity. My favorite option is in the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. It is right across the street from Harborplace, and about one block from the Power Plant. This link will give you driving directions:
http://marriott.com …Code=bwish&WT_R​ef=mi_left

Have Fun,

A new addition for the day - Canon promotional trinkets! I only have a few at this point, and they come to us from Cooper's Camera Mart: http://www.cameramart.​com/ They also gave me some coupon books good for discounts at their two stores.

I tried to get some stuff from Penn Camera, but its not looking good. They handle that sort of thing from the corporate office in DC, and time is a little tight. If anyone closer to DC wants to give it a go, let me know and I'll give you the contact info.

So sign up, line up, and charge up your batteries!

Have Fun,

Did you decide a date. I looked above but didn't get a final.

SuzyView

Saturday, January 7.

We have been putting out information piecemeal, but I will put it all together in one post early next week. I will go ahead with what has been posted lately in this thread unless I hear major objections.

Have Fun,

So are we planning on splitting the group to go to B&O and the Aquarium then meeting back up for a trip to the Fort, or are we going to try to do all three as one group? I think two of the three sub-trips would be do-able for a day, but not three.

I can be there a little early to pick up tickets. I don't think we'll have to wait in line, but someone needs to be there as soon as the windo opens.

Also, everyone please post up your real names so we're not asking strangers if their name is "SuzyView" or "CoolToolGuy" . I am Tony, can't miss me. I'm tall and very, very skinny. Probably will have a hat on......and a camera

My vote is that we meet at Starbucks and group up as desired. Like you, I don't think the Aquarium, Fort McHenry, and the B&O can be realistically done in one day. My personal choice would be to go through the Aquarium first, then decide on the Top of The World based on the weather, and then go to the B&O. Then return to the Inner Harbor for dinner. If some want to go to Fort McHenry, they will probably have enough time to do either of the others casually, or have a little extra time for something else.

I sent an email to Fort McHenry asking if the boats are running and if not, what transportation is available overland from the Inner Harbor. The phone call I made was useless, and I haven't yet got a reply to the email. I know how to get there by car, but out-of-towners might not find it as easily.

We can chat about itineraries at Starbucks, but I'd be glad to try and work them out here ahead of time so we don't get too bogged down at Starbucks. My thinking is if you want to do the Aquarium, your best bet at getting unobstructed views is to go in first thing in the morning. Once it gets going, it will probably be filled with people until it closes. I have some techniques to get some shots before the people get there - I'll put them in a separate post to reduce the confusion.

OBTW, I'm Rick, and I'll be wearing my POTN hat. I'm 5'10", chunky, caucasian, with a moustache.

Have Fun,

Sounds good to me. So far we have:

Myself
CoolToolGuy
SuzyVies
Arpi
Jon
????



Meeting at 9:30 on the 7th at the Starbucks inside the Power Plant, then splitting up depending on who wants to go where.

Aquarium Attack Planning

Note: All of the grayed- out information that was in this particular post is outdated - I will post the current info in a post below - Sorry for the confusion
[SIZE=2]There are 4 large areas to get open shots - most of the rest are tanks which you can only see from one perspective. If you want to get shots of the tanks, follow the recommended route up the ramps. If you want to get open shots, here are my best suggestions provided we get in early:

• The shark tank - It is a ring tank, and in the normal routing you go up until you get to the rainforest, and then down ramps inside the ring (like a doughnut) from the top of the tank to the bottom. If you want to beat the crowds, go left as soon as you enter the aquarium, go past the gift shop, and you will go through the exit from the bottom of the ring tank. go up the ramps, and you will probably beat the crowds coming the other way.
  
• The Rainforest - It is at the top of the main building, and normally folks go up level by level until they get to the top floor. If you want unobstructed shots in there, follow the normal routing but don't stop and look at the displays on each level - just keep on truckin' straight to the entrance of the rainforest. You can always go back and look at the displays on a second pass.
  
• Marine Mammal Pavillion - They only have shows, no continuing displays. There are plenty of seats, but if you want to pick your seat, get in the line early. Be aware that they have warning signs at the lowest rows about getting wet, and they aren't kidding - you are very likely to get wet in the lower front rows. There is a platform at the center of the seating area where the folks have the dolphins do some tricks, and I think there is another platform on either side. As I remember, there is a bridge or something across the middle of the tank where they do some tricks, and also at the far end, away from the seats - pick your seat and lenses accordingly.
• Australian Outback - This is the new exhibit that just opened this month. I haven't been there yet, so I can't say much. But you can probably expect it to be the most crowded exhibit there. Good luck with it.
  

CoolToolGuy wrote:
So far, the most popular meeting place and time idea is between 9:00 & 9:30 in the Starbucks that is in Barnes & Noble at the Power Plant in the Inner Harbor. It is on E. Pratt St., and the building is an old power plant with tall smokestacks. On the side of the building is a giant guitar for the Hard Rock Cafe, and also in the building is the ESPNZone, with a giant sign to match. Here's a link to the Barnes & Noble store locator - it can give you driving directions:
http://storelocator.ba​rnesandnoble.com/store​detail.do?store=2881

Unless someone comes up with a better place to meet, this is it - Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace!

There are several parking lots and garages in the immediate vicinity. My favorite option is in the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. It is right across the street from Harborplace, and about one block from the Power Plant. This link will give you driving directions:
http://marriott.com …Code=bwish&WT_R​ef=mi_left

Have Fun,

Quoting this so we can keep the active info all together rather than printing out the whole thread.
Jon (obviously), caucasian, moustache & goatee :{)# Grey Domke F-1x with likely a couple of POTN straps hanging out of it.

Earlier in the thread I posted my opinion on either Baltimore, or D.C..I am glad you guys and gals have chose Baltimore..I regret to say that I will not be able to make this, it sucks that I have to miss photographing my old stomping grounds..

To everyone that is going, have fun..I think you will really enjoy it, Baltimore has alot to offer, and it will be interesting to see how everyone views it..Do Baltimore proud...

Just thought that I would let you know that you can walk from Starbucks to the Aquarium in about 10mins, then the Trade Center (Top of the world) is about another 10min walk away..On the way between those, is the Constillation..

Also around the corner from those is the "Market Place"...Very cool inside, kind-of like that old fish market feeling..On the second level you will be able to walk outside, I think this is a good place to get some pictures..You will be able to see most of the Harbor, and also able to get a good vantage point on all the main bulidings..

Just some suggestions, I am very interested in seeing what everyone captures..If anyone happens to get near Camden Yards, it would be awesome to see a picture or a variety of pictures of the Stadium..

Have a good time everyone..I can't wait to see the results..!

well, I am 5'11'', have black hair, Hispanic, and I'll be wearing, hmm... a brown crumpler shoulder bag and a tripod. I guess we will stand out from the rest by the bags and the equipment. I think Formulated_One is talking about a different starbucks in the previous post. If I am not mistaken, the starbucks in the powerplant is inside (top level) the Barns&Noble store and it is 30 seconds walking distance from the aquarium (not 10 mins.). But I guess there are lots of things to do in between, like take pictures., which can make the walk 10 mins

Cheers

Edit: I forgot to mention my name: Rafael

I did a recon mission at the Inner Harbor today, and I have some updated info:

• Due to changes at the Aquarium, most of the 'attack planning' info is out-of-date. (What's the matter with them? Don't they know that once they set something up they're supposed to leave it that way forever? ), Anyway, I will prepare a new 'attack planning' post in the next day or so.
  
• There are no boats to Fort McHenry at this time of year, nor is there a tourist shuttle. The 'only' ways to get there are transit bus (not recommended) or drive yourself. The drive is not long or difficult (easy for me to say, I'm a local boy), but you will have to deal with multiple parking stints. It is still doable, but a little more trouble.
  
• I spoke with folks at the Aquarium, they said we have to wait in line to buy the tickets (no surprise there), but they might be able to take us in 'the back way' to help avoid the crowds. One guy took my cell phone number, and he said he will call me on Saturday morning to let me know if it can happen.
  
• I spoke with folks at several restaurants about having dinner and using a TV to critique/review our shots from the day. I think this could be a great thing if we can make it happen. I'll put that info in a separate post.
  
• I verified with Barnes & Noble that they will be open Saturday morning, and as mentioned above, the Starbucks is on the second level - You go in the door, straight back to the escalators, then turn right to go to the 'up' escalator. It is basically next door to the Aquarium, and you can look right over at the ticket area (where the 'poor slob' will be waiting in line for tickets )
  
• I spoke with folks at the Top of The World and they don't think there will be a delay if we want to go up there. Purely optional, and the weather will be a factor.
  
• I went to the tourist center, and I got a bunch of tourist brochures we can look over in Starbucks. I got multiple copies in case we break up and you have another interest. I also got several copies of the official MD road map (just another service provided by the CoolToolGuy)
  

Thanks, Rick, for all you're doing for this. The event's success will be a direct result of your efforts. And I'm sure glad it's you, not me - I hate organizing things!

Dinner/Critique Session Info

To take it from the top, here's the idea: At the end of the day, we have dinner at a restaurant. They have a TV available for us. I have a Sandisk Photo Album display device that accepts memory cards (CF, SmartMedia, xD, Memory Stick, SD & MMC), and displays the images on a TV as a slide show. So we show off all the shots we took during the day, and critique them. Of course, the crowd will build if the other restaurant patrons notice all the outstanding artwork being displayed.

Below are the options. All of them are in the immediate vicinity of the Inner Harbor. Check the Web link for the menu if that makes a difference. One thing they all mentioned is that we should do this before the crowd comes on Saturday night. I mentioned 6:00 or so, and they all thought that would work.

• Uno Chicago Grill - http://www.unos.com/gr​eat.html This is a chain. The guy I talked to was very friendly, and he said they can set us up with a TV that they have there.
  
• ESPNZone - http://espnzone.com/me​nu/fullmenu.shtml This is the first ESPNZone in the chain. If you don't know of it, imagine a Sports Bar on Steroids Huge, multi-floor, they occasionally do national broadcasts from there. The guy I talked to said they could put us in the 'Private Box' and they would have all we need for TV, etc, but the room would only hold 15 max. At the current rate, that won't be a problem. The want us to be in the private room because they don't want non-sports stuff to be shown in the open area.
  
• Tir Na Nog - http://www.tirnanogbal​timore.com/menu-dinner.php This is one of a small chain - an Irish Bar & Grill. They were very friendly, and they have several TVs mounted around the restaurant. We would not have a separate room, but I didn't ask them for that.
  
• Phillips Harborplace - http://www.phillipssea​food.com/pdfs/PHP_menu​.pdf - Part of a chain - the classic MD seafood restaurant. They told me they have a private room they might be able to set up for us, but I need to call them next week to arrange it.