Get Togethers

[lightwrangler]

Just a thought, there are many of us from the same areas. Has anyone given any thought to a social or shooting get together? Is there any interest in this? This could be a lot of fun.

just wondering....

[smunky]

Or we could do one big get together in say... Las Vegas baby!
If we did regionals, I think it would be me, Tom N, Capt JR, crabby and maybe seanmclain, looking at ppls local listings...

[Tom Nolle]

I'm all for it if it's somewhere nearby, or even a far place that I can talk my wife into! Vegas wouldn't work for me, though. Tahoe?

Tom

[Swampy]

Tahoe might be nice! Winter time!

Smunky - we got indian reservations close by here in So. Cal..... :)

[smunky]

I hate it when that happens 18 views and only 4 of us respond. If youre going to read it... respond!

[sandman]

Not much use me responding smunky , 4,000 miles away a get together's not much good to me , could put on my superman's outfit and find a phone box.
I'm lonely here , only Dave in essex , someone in devon, and Keith somewhere vague in the midlands .
No other brits out there, yep lonely , but you all could club together and send me the air fare (club class please). and i'll be glad to come along. Aready planning a trip on canadian pacific next summer , so you can pay for that as well ,if you like.
on the fredmiranda forum there's a group of texans who reguarly go on zoo trips.

[Tom V]

How about my house?

[Tom Nolle]

Personal exposure to the eyes will make me dizzy!

I did my Naval Electronics School in Great Lakes IL; I don't recall much photogenic stuff there. What have you got to offer?

Tom

[lightwrangler]

Initially I was thinking regional. But everyone's definition of regional is different I guess. :-) For instance we have a members who are from my neck of the woods (Toronto, Ontario) we could do a Sunday afternoon adventure somewhere. Wine country, Niagara, Octoberfest whatever.

But a grand meeting in some place like Tahoe? Invite the world of S2 owners? WOW! I wonder if Fuji would sponsor that? (I wonder if my account would sanction my trip!?). But hey, it's an idea!

On the other hand since Sandman seems lonely across the big pond and we do have a number of Dutch members, maybe the UK would be a good spot?

Keep those ideas coming!

[Tom Nolle]

By my rough calculation, a point equidistant from nearly all our forum members is the North Pole. For those who insist on having actual land beneath them, maybe Baffin Island, northern Greenland? Churchill on Hudson Bay (which I happen to be going to anyway)?

Tom

[lightwrangler]

And what month do you propose we meet in Churchill, Tom? I does tend to cool off there in the winter months.

(I'm liking Tom's House even with the eyes, but not in the winter!)
:D

[Tom Nolle]

I'll be there in early November. Still a bit far even for you, though. CaptJR lives in eastern PA; lots of open land to set up a tent pavilion. Not too far from Toronto, NJ, or even Chicago. Swampy can probably go to a telescope convention nearby!

Seriously, Niagra works for me. I've been there; beautiful area.

Tom

[Swampy]

Heck, I'll just sit at the Arco Tower in Downtown L.A. with my telescope and join you guys that way. :P

Vegas is always the great getaway. There's something for everyone. For shooting, there's media, people, lights, nature, The Dam.....

I've been near Tom's... Nothing real special there. Hahah. Lots of landscapes and maybe some nature, but that will get old quick, or lots of driving...

[okidoki]

If you guys end up around the LA area, count me in.
Too busy to even think of taking a few days off...

The rat race got me pretty hard...

Timo

[Igor]

I'm afraid I'd be alone at my "regional" get-together :)

[Tom Nolle]

Yours would be the only region with 100% participation, though!

Tom

[smunky]

Thats why i proposed vegas, cheap flights to and from vegas all over the world! Also cheap hotels, I could probably get a block at a good hotel for dirt cheap as I spend too much $ there.

[Tom Nolle]

What we need to do is to advertise our gathering through the S2 community at large (tens of thousands of users?), add a markup to each non-forum-member's charge (we need a kicker to get them hooked, how about "See Smunky, Woman of Mystery!), and cover our own expenses with the sum of these markups.

Tom

[bebop1065]

Well, it seems that all of my most recents posts have as a subject, my location in So. NJ. Actually, the NJ Shore. As the shore will become again surprisingly vacant after this weekend, we are happy to be residents of this area. Most of us are reluctant to leave until the summer vacationers return.

However, I do have relatives in Vegas. I also have a buddy pass I need to use before the end of the year.

Sounds like a party!

SPN

[sandman]

One of my neighbours went to vegas last year, it was anything but cheap, cost him and his wife about £5,000 for a fortnight, and he got hooked on the moving pavements(sidewalks), won't walk anywhere now!

[bebop1065]

Hey, Sandman.

How many days are in a fortnight? I work with some Brits via frequent telephone calls and we ALWAYS have eplanatory discussions about terminology.

We never discussed 'fortnight" though.

Thanks,

SPN

[sandman]

yes i know what you mean , i have to remember the american for a lot of our common words.
I go into london a lot and talk a lot of ****ney rhyming slang, apples and pears (stairs), trouble and strife(wife),frog and toad(road) barnet(hair), these are some of the common ones , there are hundreds i use every day , and have to try not to use them in these posts , but anything i say that you don't understand ,please let me know.
Now after that rant, a fortnight is two weeks , 14 days

[smunky]

Im hoping that 5,000 was for more than his room and board. I typically pay nothing to go there, maybe airfare if i dont have miles saved up or a hotel that will pay for me :) But I do spend alot of $ gambling. Trust me, Vegas is cheap. When Ive had to get ppl rooms for them to pay for... can get them for dirt cheap.
Airfare as well. Of course you can always stay at the penthouse in the Bellagio (www.bellagio.com) for 1k a night if you wish.

[KeithM]

And if you could arrange to get together at a photography show/fair, it'd be like kids in a candy store ( note my attempts to use my American phrase book:) )

[lightwrangler]

KeithM said, "... And if you could arrange to get together at a photography show/fair..."
Photokina?? - wow! Now let's see if I don't retire until I am 90 and sell the car.... :D

That would be fun, I've always wanted to go. For us in North America, the PMA show (Photo Marketing Association) would be cool too. It has another name that escapes me at the moment. I believe last year it was in Vegas so if that's the case, this year (sorry Smunky) it's in Orlando, Fla. (they alternate each year) But that's not until February.

I was really hoping to hear more from folks in my area (still think regional is easier to arrange at this point), but my guess is that everyone is too busy using their wonderful cameras!

[Tom Nolle]

I think I agree that regional meetings might be the right way to start. We're scattered all over the world, and there's no single spot where everyone could be expected to meet. If we pick any US location as a gathering-place, we cut out all our international friends. On the other hand, if we pick a number of regional spots for meetings, those outside the region who happen to be in the area or are able to get there could still come. A regional focus might guarantee that we get enough interest to justify doing something; we'd never be sure how many would really attend a more distant meeting.

Tom

[Eugene]

Originally posted by lightwrangler

I was really hoping to hear more from folks in my area (still think regional is easier to arrange at this point), but my guess is that everyone is too busy using their wonderful cameras!

HI - I guess I'm from your area - ever hear of Walkerton??
On another forum, this get together idea was tried but it became a problem - time frames, costs, busy lives etc.
Anyhow - a regional get together might work a bit better - in the southern Ontario area, the fall is a great time to shoot some color, enjoy the beautiful fresh days etc etc - so I would be interested.
Cheers
Eugene

[Steve P]

This is message for Sandman,

You are not completeley alone. Us brits are growing. Im from Hampshire and been a member for a week now..

Yes it would be cool to all meet up but from our point of view hardly practical.


Steve

[LinhLe]

Hello Tom Nolle,
Do you mean Great Lakes naval training center at North Chicago?
I had been there for my Electrician mate class A and B too (1969, 1971). I still remember the Helm Club.

Lính Lệ

[Tom Nolle]

Gee, small world! I was there in 1963-64 for ET Class A. At that time, there were no local bars you could find...girls...in, so we had to go all the way to Wisc. to the Eagles' Club in Milw.

Tom

[sandman]

Steve
It might be impractical, but not impossible, hell if those yanks are thinking about it ,why not us. As far as i can remember, the brit members are from, Southampton, Kent, Norwich, Essex, Bishop;s stortford, Midlands,Tiverton. and London. Might be more (8), but i can't think of any , if there are any more out there who have'nt posted , c'mon do it now.

The common link for me is London . easy for everyone , i know ,Tiverton, and the midlands are difficult, but again not impossible.

The hard part is communication, we could all post P.M.'s to each other over the coming months and plan something for next spring. and would proberbly be over a weekend (easter, whitsun). would be hard but lets see over the coming months what reponse's we get.

Brian

[toners]

It would be cool to get together. Think I saw Tahoe mentioned a couple of times, which would be great for me as it is just up the hill a bit from here. Beautiful Mars/Moon conjuction going on over there now as seen from my office window. Hey, maybe its happening in the Ukraine as well. But the coolest thing is chatting about our work with you folk from all around the world. Which reminds me, I'd better flip my bathroom mirror avatar because sharp-eyed Theo Lumens from the Netherlands caught me with a left-handed S2.

Tony

[Topngu]

Tom V...
if u supply beer & bat so i can drink & shoot all day...i'll go for:D

[Linda G]

Igor,

Mel and I are headed to Romania in November....that's a lot closer to you than Las Vegas! Well, maybe not even yelling distance, but same continent!

Linda

[pappapratt]

Igor,
We could meet, say, in Poland. Anyone else in Europe want in on this?

[Igor]

Thanks, but I can't leave Ukraine at least this year. Sorry.

[LiVe]

Well I guess it might work out good for me I live in Gainesville fl thats about 140 miles from me

[RacerX]

I'm up for Vegas. Like Bryan said, allot to shoot day and night.
Count me in for a weekend adventure. :D

Rick

[S_Leeper]

I say we all meet at Front Royal, VA in about two weeks... in Smunky's neighborhood & then we can go for a drive down the Skyline/Blue Ridge Parkway for peak color...
Might have a bit of a problem getting a hotel...

[smunky]

That works for me, there are plenty of hotels/motels down the drive and also in varying neighborhoods surrounding.
Im about a 30 min drive from there.

[CaptJR]

I guess you can never get it to suit everyone. Va. wouldn't be that far for me to go, but two weeks puts it about the weekend of the 18 and 19th in which I'm completely tied up with family stuff that I just can't get out of.

JR

[smunky]

My area is famous for ppl coming out around this time in the next 2 weeks. The leaves turn rapidly and everyone wants to take a stroll/drive along the beautiful range that is Skyline Drive through the blueridge mountains. There are also quite a number of waterfalls to be caught if you know where to look.

[S_Leeper]

Well I doubt that I will be able to meet anyone, but the current plan is to do a two night drive in the very near future. October is a very busy month for me, so planning a trip is a bit tough.

Hopefully, I will be able to persuade my 8 & 10 year old sons to carry my equipment once again on the numerous hiking trails...

[proberts]

I was planning on going to Skyline drive next weekend, which day would depend on the weather. I was hoping to get an early start- trying to get there around 5-5:30am.

I'm interested in knowing where to go for waterfalls, I've typically gone out to hrmmmm, Big Meadow or something like that and caught the deer walking around at dawn.

Anyway, I'd love to spend at least half the day out there, and if anyone else wants to get together, I think it'd be fun.

Paul

[smunky]

I could go maybe, depends on what day next week. I just live out in Loudoun County.

[proberts]

It's a little too early for even a bad forecast for the weather- I was thinking that Saturday might be best though. Although, the more I consider it, the more I think that taking a weekday off might be better to keep out of the crowds- or just taking half a day off since I normally don't get in that early anyway (oops!.)

It takes me about an hour and 20 minutes to get to the Front Royal entrance to the park. I'm not sure where the best photo ops start from there though.

Now if I can find the charger to the 30G drive, I won't have to lug a laptop. Maybe it's also time to get a 2G microdrive or two...

Paul

[proberts]

Looks like Sunday will have better weather than Saturday, so I'm going to plan on Sunday morning. Anyone interested in going, please let me know here, or via e-mail at proberts@patriot.net.

Thanks,

Paul

[Sleeping Bear]

Who wants to get together in the spring for a shoot of the Colorado Rocky Mountains? We'll also catch all the great waterfalls that happen only in the Spring.

[Don65Stang]

How'd the Skyline drive go?

Kim, I have good friends in Strasburg, so VA works for me.

Anyone else?

When?

[Linda G]

Colorado Rockies in the spring......define spring. :)

When do you classify mountain spring starts? I've been there in June and had roads closed for winter weather.

Lovely, though!

Linda

[Sleeping Bear]

Spring can begin as early as May and go as long as August, depending on the mountain. I've been surrounded by spring Columbines in middle August at 10,000 feet when it's been a cold, wet spring. It all depends on the year. Around the middle of this July a friend and I tried to drive up to the top of Treasure Mountain (12,500 feet), near Marble, Colorado, in order to get a shot of the marble quarry. We had to stop the jeep about 1,500 feet from the summit due to hardpack, deep snow. (We crawled on all fours up the side of the mountain to get the shot. That's another story.) Winter up top, summer down below. Maybe yes, maybe no. It's better to call ahead of time. :)

[proberts]

Originally posted by Don65Stang
How'd the Skyline drive go?

Kim, I have good friends in Strasburg, so VA works for me.

Anyone else?

When?

It wasn't that good, got some ok sunrise pictures, but there wasn't a lot of color, I think the hurricane spoiled it by taking a lot of leaves.

I'm half-considering this weekend again, just for the sunrise shots.

Paul

[Don65Stang]

Maybe we shold hold off the VA idea if the leaves are gone. I've never been to the rockies. Sounds good.

Is there any trade shows on the schedule anywhere?

[smunky]

Plenty of trade shows in Vegas as usual.
The leaves arent gone here yet, but last weekend was kind of BLAH
I didnt do much for the wind.
VA has plenty of cool places to shoot in the winter in my opinion, I love to shoot in the winter around here

[proberts]

I got an annual pass, so I'm thinking about going out again tomorrow morning or Sunday. If I take 211 in, I can go further south this time. I really need something wider than 35mm for landscapes though.

Paul

[S_Leeper]

"...need something wider than 35mm for landscapes though."

Or you can stitch several together... something I don't have the patience for.

[Ross]

Sandman said 'No other brits out there' - there's Gary and I! We're in the Midlands.

Ross :)

[sandman]

Since i posted that thread , we've expanded.
Some of us ought to think about a day out later on.

Brian

[woza]

Sleeping Bear,


As long as I can pitch a tent in your back yard
Im In.

Kind Regards

Warren.

[KeithM]

We're slowly growing in number... especially the Midlands it seems ( one of my colleagues is a Redditch resident !!) although our members in Scotland are dragging the centre-of-gravity in a northerly direction :)

I think we've enough to fill a table in a pub/whatever somewhere so what do you all think ?

Keith.

[sandman]

Anywhere that sells real ale, and is within 2-3 hours drive of me , and i'll stand the first round . :) .

Brian

[Sleeping Bear]

Woza,

Your on!

And I thought my backyard was big.

Ron


Sleeping Bear

[Topngu]

woza...
my back yard only 2x2...ok may be 2x4 so what size yuor tent?:mad:

[Bilbo]

Hey! I'm here as well now! Oxford is fairly central for the UK guys isn't it...?

However, I like the idea of a "World S2 Summit" - how about Florida? Only 8 hours flight for us Euros, good weather, pictures of Mickey and the Gang, cheap hotels ... a chance to meet Smunky (;) - what more could you ask for?

[hotrodjefe]

I'm new to the S2pro.com group, and live in Annapolis- I'd love to do a get togther with other S2 folks in this area for an afternoon or something- maybe meet in DC. any thoughts?

[KeithM]

Hi Bilbo - Oxford is pretty good for most of us - well us deep southerners that is !! :) ( M40 / A34 / etc )...

I guess that being pragmatic, we could try a meeting sometime in the spring ?

Thinking more nationally, Penrith / Lake District sounds good ! ?

Keith.

[sandman]

Keith
''deep southerners'' you're in Birmingham, come on try telling Steve in pompey or Dave from Southampton you're from the deep south.
I guess it was a joke for the scotts .
Penrith? it's a 5-6 hour drive 350 miles up the M6 from here , futher for the ''real ''southerners.
I'm all for a get together in the spring but it's got to be practical.
The ''Midlands'' being just that.. are favorite maybe Stratford , Warwick, Even Oxford itself are not beyond a days outing for most of us .
Maybe a few responces in this thread would help us find out who's in and who's out .

Brian

[KeithM]

You're not wrong Brian ! :)

So, so far we have Kent, Oxford and 'the Midlands' ( :) )

Which puts the middle somewhere just east of Oxford so far, yes ?

Next bid please ! :)

Keith.

[smunky]

Hey hotrod I live in loudoun county, and we have a few others around here.
Annapolis is lovely, I love going to Ramshead and also that mexican joint across the street, something about a crazy bull? El Toro Buco?

[frankgh]

Let me know if anyone gets out to Okinawa, I'd be glad to show you around if I'm in town!

[hotrodjefe]

Originally posted by smunky
Hey hotrod I live in loudoun county, and we have a few others around here.
Annapolis is lovely, I love going to Ramshead and also that mexican joint across the street, something about a crazy bull? El Toro Buco?

Si- El Toro Bravo

I'm agreeable coming out your way if there is a bunch of you out there, and only one of me out here- however, weekdays work better for me-

I'm flexible- let me know what you have in mind-

[smunky]

Weekdays work for someone? I dunno about you but I work Monday thru Friday so I cant do anything at all on weekdays :(

[hotrodjefe]

Originally posted by smunky
Weekdays work for someone? I dunno about you but I work Monday thru Friday so I cant do anything at all on weekdays :(

i know- i work mon- fri but I work for myself so I have some flexibilty, and I like to keep weekends free for family.

Maybe after the Christmas holiday season i could do something on a saturday

[smunky]

What is it that you do for a living?
I slave for a software company.

[hotrodjefe]

I own an investment advisory firm, and work out of my house. I've been doing this for about 18 years so the company is fairly well established-

I certainly did my slave time however- I used to work for Prime Computer in the 80's, which was a drag, as I drove to Shady grove Road in Gaithersburg from Annapolis every day- a real nightmare. After that, i decided i would work for myself...

Are you a software developer? Who do you work for?

[Sneakyracer]

Originally posted by smunky
I hate it when that happens 18 views and only 4 of us respond. If youre going to read it... respond!

I will obey :cool:

[Sneakyracer]

Originally posted by Sneakyracer
I will obey :cool:

Wintertime is good here: (I live in San Juan PR)

[hotrodjefe]

Originally posted by Sneakyracer
Wintertime is good here: (I live in San Juan PR)


Not fair! It's freezing near wash DC.

[toners]

That beach looks might fine, sneakyracer, and a fine photograph as well. Up here in the north we have to put up with seasons, but they do provide some photo opps. Anybody up for a get together over here on the gentler slope of the Sierras?

[Chris M.]

I live in Deltona - fairly close to Orlando, New Smyrna Beach and Daytona. I work in Orlando. Some of the best shooting can be had at our local wildlife parks (if you are into nature), St. Augustine is wonderful for architecture and old gardens, and even the amusement parks have some great shooting opportunities (my favorites are Sea World, Busch Gardens, going to try Animal Kingdom soon).

By far, the best shooting I've had is in the late February to April time frame when great egrets, herons and blue herons are nesting at The Alligator Farm in St. Augustine. There's a boardwalk through the marsh areas where you can literally reach out and touch a few of the hundreds of nests with a broomstick if you don't mind risking falling into the waiting jaws of 12-15 foot alligators below (I'm not joking). The courting rituals are exotic and just unbelievable. Full frame shots of baby egrets and other young birds are possible with even a 200mm lens, the same goes for in flight shots of snowy white egrets as they fly beside the boardwalk to their nests. Once you are done at the Alligator Farm, shooting the city of St Augustine is an absolute blast (especially the Spanish military reenactments), as is the gold sand and rock formations at Washington oaks State Park (tis is the stuff of art shows, unreal infrared and color shooting).

If any of you make it down to Central Florida, get in touch with me. I'd love to get together and meet for a day or two of shooting, or even just dinner if you are here on business! I can act as a tour guide just as long as I'm not scheduled to shoot a wedding . I can be reached at mccallisterphoto@mindspring.com:D

[deMille]

Have any of you gotten together for these get-togethers? Have I missed the photos?

Party-on!