Preliminary Vote: For interest sakes

a show of hands(or clicks) for your proposed non-national ,non-regional---bunch of people photogathering in 2007

AZ in Oct 07!!

It's the Completely Haphazard Gathering! We don't even have to agree to meet in the same place!

Woot! :)

see now your just playing dirty with that shot!...nice shot---<sticking fingers in ears> "lalalalalalalalalalala....":D

I only voted for October. How's that for decisive? I guess the place isn't that much of a concern - should be good photo possibilities anywhere, right? Either that or I can be bribed...:p

Steve, if you vote Nashville, I'll buy you a beer next time I see you.

Steve, if you vote Arizona I will buy you a brewery next time I see you.

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Originally Posted by natatbeach

"lalalalalalalalalalala....":D

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Play dirty?! Lil ol me?! Perish the thought!

Yeah, but Steve, I will probably see you in November in Chicago. Rick, well, you'll be waiting years for that brewery!

Steve, don't listen to her. I will build you your own custom brewery with ground breaking set to commence... as soon as you click that "vote" button...

Why wait till November?

I'd rather go see the Great Smoky Mountains, but I don't think that will happen if we go to Nashville. It's just too far. So, I had to vote for Arizona. "Other" = Ralph Nader. October is a must for Az.

Rick, I'd like to request for the brewery to make a hefeweizen. :D

Paul

August 07 and other...
The other being Salt Lake City, Utah...
Brian
:thumbsup:

Keep 'em coming. Paul and Brian, anything to sway the vote? :D

Adina has a good point about me actually being able to collect on this one. I'm printing off a copy of this thread and putting it in my camera bag as a reminder...

Hey, I'm close to Chicago, what can I say? :p

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Originally Posted by another view

Keep 'em coming. Paul and Brian, anything to sway the vote? :D

Hey, I'm close to Chicago, what can I say? :p

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Come On!
There has never been a PR.com gathering here in SLC, and there have been how many in Chicago?
I'd love to be a part of one as well as help with one.
Come On everyone write in Salt Lake City, Utah that is...
:rolleyes: :D :p
Brian
:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by mtbbrian

Come On!
There has never been a PR.com gathering here in SLC, and there have been how many in Chicago?
:

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That's because those of us who gather in Chicago are an exceptionally fun bunch. And we're cool. Everyone wants to come to Chicago. We're like the cool kids on the playground. :D

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Originally Posted by adina

We're like the cool kids on the playground.

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Yeah, and I'm there too. Oh, wait... :eek:

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Originally Posted by adina

That's because those of us who gather in Chicago are an exceptionally fun bunch. And we're cool. Everyone wants to come to Chicago. We're like the cool kids on the playground. :D

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I see!
If I didn't know any better, I'd say you are implying that people from Utah are a bunch of fuddy duddies!
I for one, am the funniest person I know!
:rolleyes: :D :p :crazy: :ihih: :out: :wink:
Brian
:rolleyes:

I voted Arizona, but either AZ or Nashville I wouldn't mind, I know people in both states. Plus in Nashville I'd actually have a place to stay for free, and a chance to do some Urban Exploration.

Hell I know people in most of the US states.

October 2007 seems to be the overwhelming choice.

Now, let's meet on the east coast....

The Seafood Festival is the first weekend in October, and the lovely wife has a birthday on the 2nd. First three PR members to sign up get free rooms at my house.

;-)

Amen Paul!!!!

Actually, I am going to the Blue Ridge Mountains the last weekend in October (2006) with a couple of my old college buddies who are also photographers. Trying to talk a local friend/phtoographer into going, and if anyone brings their wife/girlfriend then Dawn says she'll go!

Here are a few shots from previous outings.

Then so be it!

Two can play at that game!

Speed, that lighthouse shot is just fantastic!

Ooh, is SHE part of the gathering? North Carolina it is then! :D

A custom brewery for everyone who votes AZ! With a vinyard in your backyard!

Come on let's go! I don't want to have to drive to Tennessee!! :D

Speed, more pics of the Blue Ridge Parkway please!!!! I have been wanting to take a motorcycle trip through there for a long time now.

Rick, I voted for Nashville, but I would be equally happy with Arizona. I've never been to Nashville, other than driving through at night, and it's a lot closer for me.

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Originally Posted by adina

Steve, if you vote Nashville, I'll buy you a beer next time I see you.

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I voted for Nashville, can I have a beer. Oh wait, :( I don't drink. Guess you got a freebee! :D :D

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Originally Posted by dmm96452

I voted for Nashville, can I have a beer. Oh wait, :( I don't drink. Guess you got a freebee! :D :D

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I can make yours a root beer. All you have to do is come to Chicago in November to collect.

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Originally Posted by adina

I can make yours a root beer. All you have to do is come to Chicago in November to collect.

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Cool! :cool:

I can't find the post now, but someone mentioned the concern that we wouldn't make it to the Smokies from Nashville, that they're too far apart. I just mapquested the distance and from Nashville to Gatlinburg they say it is a 220 mile drive, which they estimate at 3 1/2 hours. From Gatlinburg, we would have to drive further into the park to get to any good sites (I would assume.)

I am still not sold on the whole "Nashville" thing. Can somebody please post a couple pictures from there? I don't see what the draw is...

To be fair, there will be a lot of driving in an Arizona gathering, too. From Phoenix (the main airport; you could always puddle jump up to Flagstaff to save some driving time) it's about a 5 hour drive to the south rim, about an hour to Sedona, and about 4 hours to Lake Powell/Antelope Canyon. So we'll be driving either way.

And to be fair again, what happened to Denver? Is that out of the question now?

Rick

Let's go some place there has never been a PR.com gathering.
Like Salt Lake City!
Some place new is good!
Brian
:thumbsup:

I think the big draw to Nashville is the central Mid-West location. Pretty easy to drive for most of the South, East and Midwest. The ones that would suffer would be the Far west guys. Also not everyone is a landscape photographer. Many people would prefer a more urban scene. I can go either way as long as I get to take lots of pictures. With Arizona the majority of those that want to come will have to fly, adding to the expense of the gathering for them. Take a look at Gene's map and you'll see most of the responders are in the eastern half of the country. Plus as you point out there will be a lot of driving once we get to Arizona to access the photo sites. Of the western sites Denver would be a better choice since it is so close to RMNP. Keep in mind that all this is coming from someone that is in awe of your Arizona images and would love to have some of his own.

Just thinking out loud some more.

It looks to me like either Arizona or Nashville is going to be a 4-5 day gathering, so we can fit everything in comfortably. For example:

Nashville:
Day 1 - people fly in, we meet for dinner that evening
Day 2- we do Nashville
Day 3 - we (or anyone who wants to) drive to Gatlinburg, get set up in hotels there. Do Gatlinburg/Smokies
Day4 - do Smokies, drive back to Nashville in afternoon/evening
Day 5 - say goodbyes, do last few things in Nashville area, fly out

Arizona:
Day 1 - fly in, dinner
Day 2 - drive to destination (Sedona, Grand Canyon, or Lake Powell, depending on what the gatherers want to do!), get checked in
Day 3 - explore area
Day 4 - explore, drive back to Phoenix
Day 5 - goodbyes, fly out

I think 5 days would be a minimum to get everything done, but of course we could always extend our stay to take in more of the areas if we wanted!

And - for the heck of it - Denver is a little more central to the surrounding natural sites. We could easily do a day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver, without having to rent hotels at a new location.

Denver:
Day 1 - meet & greet
Day 2 - Rocky Mountains
Day 3 - open? more mountains/red rock ampitheater? folks could fly back out at this point, if they could only stay for a weekend.

Timing: I just looked up fall color guides for the Smokys and it says (from nps.gov):
"The fall color display usually reaches peak at mid and lower elevations between mid-October and early November. This is the park’s most spectacular display as it includes such colorful trees as sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, and the hickories." So the Smokys would be a must-do for me. For Arizona, we do have color changes around Sedona and Flagstaff, but the main draw of an October Arizona gathering would be the cooler weather. As for Denver, Colorado.com says that September is the best time to catch the Aspens ablaze, so we might as well factor out fall colors out there.

Looking forward to everyone's feedback :)

Okay, done thinking! :wink:

Larry, thanks for the feedback. I think you're right, the draw of Nashville is the proximity to the majority of members. For myself, and maybe a few other out-westerners, I'd like to "see" Nashvile before I drive in. What makes Nashville "Nashville?" I am hoping someone will come through with some pics so I can see what the draw is! On the other hand, the Smokys in the autumn sound like a spectacular thing, and something I would come in for alone! :D

And, I would love to give you a tour of Arizona's natural beauty so you can capture your own photographs anytime :)

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Originally Posted by payn817

Speed, that lighthouse shot is just fantastic!

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Thank you. The wife thinks so too. She's asked me to find a place to make 20X24 canvas prints to give out as Christmas presents to our family. After hearing the prices, she's thinking 16X20's should be big enough for the family - but she still wants a 20X24.

BTW, D200, Sigma 28-70mm f2.8, Bogen 3011 tripod, Manfrotto 486RC2 ballhead.

Alright buddy! Sell us on it! Let's see some pics! :D

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Originally Posted by walterick

Ooh, is SHE part of the gathering? North Carolina it is then! :D

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That's right buddy! And when it's confirmed for North Carolina, then be sure to be the first to ask to stay at the Speed B&B. Not only is she good looking, and intelligent, but she cooks too!

A couple of thing that I do know about Nashville is that they have a Micro brewery and there is plenty of red neck beer in some of the most famous honky-tonks in the world on Lower Broad. All kinds of music but country is king in Nashville. Music in every honky-tonk and on every street corner in town.

Live music is definitely a love of mine :) That's definitely something to look forward to!

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Originally Posted by natatbeach

a show of hands(or clicks) for your proposed non-national ,non-regional---bunch of people photogathering in 2007

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First of all, I think we have enough diversity and energy here for at least two get-togethers, one in the east and one in the west.

This is precisely why I think the idea of a "National Gathering" is a bit flawed: IMO all gatherings are NATIONAL in that everyone from around the country (heck from around the world) is invited, and all gatherings are REGIONAL, in that any chosen location will exclude some members because of travel costs and time constraints.

For me personally, Nashville in October is a no-brainer, and here's why. One, the weather should be near perfect that time of year. Crisp but not too cold. Two, I can drive there fairly easily, as I have friends both on the way as well as in Tennessee.

But most importantly, because it's a city. As beautiful as Rick's shots have been (and everyone else's), I really have NO desire to visit any place of natural beauty and no desire to take photographs of it. Sorry, but those images are no incentive for me to make a trip to that part of the country.

I want to spend a weekend (or longer) in an urban environment with a great energy and things to do at night that involve neon lights, and Nashville certainly fits the bill. Ironically, I really enjoy going to these things to take a break from my photography, and primarily meet and socialize with the friends I've made here on this site.

If something presents itself as a photo subject, that's all well and good, but that in itself is not the reason for getting together...

Fianlly, I would love to do a bit of networking with the Nashville music industry, as that's one of the markets I'd really like to explore for commercial jobs. Rick's idea of a 4 or 5 day event might be perfect, as when you nature-lovers are off to "the mountains", I could be doing my business thing (or even a photo shoot) in the city... :cool:

Sounds like a plan... :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Old Timer

A couple of thing that I do know about Nashville is that they have a Micro brewery and there is plenty of red neck beer in some of the most famous honky-tonks in the world on Lower Broad. All kinds of music but country is king in Nashville. Music in every honky-tonk and on every street corner in town.

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Ahhh...sounds like home. :)

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Originally Posted by Speed

That's right buddy! And when it's confirmed for North Carolina, then be sure to be the first to ask to stay at the Speed B&B.

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I change my vote to North Carolina...That seafood fest sounds great.

Z