Small Park Big Blooms

“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.” – Josh Billings

I know I cannot travel to exotic destinations on a weekly basis. My public school education salary doesn’t allow it. With the demands of the school year, having the time to travel to new destination can be difficult as well. I could take that reality in two ways. I could sit there and be envious of all of these people showing off their wonderful adventures, or I can do a more healthy alternative. While I might not travel to a new city on a daily basis, I can take advantage of where I live, and practice my photography at home. During the start of the pandemic, I decided to explore more of the city I call home on my bicycle. I found that Charlotte, N.C. has amazing places and sights just waiting to captured on my camera. Even in the last few months, I am still discovering amazing places in my city.

These are just one small spot I found last week. This little spot is the Robert Hayward Morrison Memorial Gardens. It is located by the Little Sugar Creek Greenway near the hospitals. This is a little small section of Charlotte set aside with some blooming beauties. I rode by bicycle here the other day when I was heading down to the Uptown Farmers Market. I took the long way, and decided to stop here and snap some photos.

Just because you cannot travel often does not mean you have nothing to photograph. Here are some helpful ways to capture the beauty of where you live.

💻 Google is a great resource. Simply search for attractions near me. This is a great way to start.

📱 Instagram and Facebook are excellent places to look at online too. Go to Instagram and search for the name of your city, and it will show you all of the recent and most poplar posts in your area. This will show you some great places to check out.

📷 Follow local photographers on social media. I have found so many great locations to take pictures just by seeing the work they post. You will also see different ways you can capture the same location.

🚴‍♀️ Just go out and explore. You might be surprised what you find. Some of my favorite places to take pictures at I found just by riding my bicycle around town. If riding a bike is not your thing, there is nothing wrong with driving around town.

🌦 Be willing to check out the same place, but during different seasons or weather conditions. Every place looks different in each season, and each time it might present an opportunity to capture a photo with a different perspective.

Hopefully these tips are helpful. What tips do you have for photographing your hometown? Let me know in the comments.