I'm pretty new to photography. I just bought a Nikon D50 about two weeks ago, and picked up a case, some filters, and additional memory today. Now that I've got a decent setup, I want to start finding locations and planning to shoot at those locations.
When thinking about places locally that I could go, I was posed with a dilemma (I suppose you could say). This may sound like a silly question, but do I just show up, set up, and start shooting? I know that sounds nutty, but let me give an example:
There's an old store front down the street from my home that I want to shoot at night, some long exposures. The building is really old, the paint on the walls is peeling, there are some really nice textures, and a single light in the back that reveals broken glass and other materials on the ground. I think I can get some really cool shots. Can I just walk down there, break out my kit, and shoot away or will a cop get on my case should one drive by?
I think a big part of the problem is that I'm shy and I would just feel really awkward walking down the road carrying a tripod, but I also want to do this as safely and legally as possible. Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions?
Sorry if this is a really dumb question