Photo Ops in Columbus Ohio?

snake · 11-12-2012, 08:27 AM

I'm planning my next photo weekend to Columbus and was hoping for some tipoffs. First, are there any towers with observation decks that one can visit and photograph from?

Any other cool spots?

If things work out, I might even try to hit a concert. My Cincinnati weekend worked out great, so I want to keep it going, in order to avoid feeling boxed in a small town.

lammie200 · 11-12-2012, 11:06 AM

Originally posted by snake

I'm planning my next photo weekend to Columbus and was hoping for some tipoffs. First, are there any towers with observation decks that one can visit and photograph from?

Any other cool spots?

If things work out, I might even try to hit a concert. My Cincinnati weekend worked out great, so I want to keep it going, in order to avoid feeling boxed in a small town.

There is a german town area that might be good. There is also the Wexler Art Center. Interesting but very poorly constructed.

snake · 11-13-2012, 07:37 AM

Thanks, I looked into it and German Town looks to be a nice recommendation.

It also, coincidentally, appears to be that Columbus is a sister city of Dresden, Germany, the city in which I lived for almost five years. So I contacted the people responsible for cultural exchanges to see if they can point me to things and if there are any events to keep aware of that might interest me for photography.

cardinal43 · 11-13-2012, 08:21 AM - **1 Like**

You might find something interesting around the Ohio State campus. I spent a week in Columbus one night.

**dtrego** · 11-13-2012, 06:52 PM

Columbus resident (ok, well, I live in one of the 'burbs surrounding Columbus) here. German Village (just south of downtown) is interesting, as is the Short North area (just north of downtown). Unfortunately, I'm unaware of any observation decks but in the block between downtown and the Short North are a couple of elevated walkways over High Street (one of the main north/south streets through Columbus). As mentioned earlier, OSU is also nice. There is a riverside walking/bike path that goes from south of downtown up past OSU and beyond - it has several parks along the way and some observations decks overlooking the river.

Feel free to contact me for any other info you might be interested in - I'll see what I can dig up.

snake · 11-13-2012, 09:05 PM

Will check out the LeVeque tower to try and get panos of the skyline

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeVeque_Tower

If it's still open is another question.

atupdate · 11-14-2012, 05:46 AM

About an hour and 15 minute drive southwest from Columbus is Hocking Hills State Park. One of the more scenic places I've found in southern Ohio.

Tim

snake · 11-14-2012, 06:01 AM

I'll keep it in mind, but it's a bit far off and I will already be short on time with Columbus. Also, my goal is to not go and see a state park, it's to see Columbus

Basically, I live in Pikeville right now, which means 2-4 hours in any direction away from anything. So for weekends, I drive out to the nearby cities, since it's not feasible to go home to NYC in only two days due to travel and expense. I'm traveling to not feel so isolated in Pikeville during the week and a state park (Breaks) is something I have only 30-40 minutes from here anyhow.

Oh, for those who have been to Columbus, what parts do I stay away from?

atupdate · 11-14-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by snake

I'll keep it in mind, but it's a bit far off and I will already be short on time with Columbus. Also, my goal is to not go and see a state park, it's to see Columbus

Basically, I live in Pikeville right now, which means 2-4 hours in any direction away from anything. So for weekends, I drive out to the nearby cities, since it's not feasible to go home to NYC in only two days due to travel and expense. I'm traveling to not feel so isolated in Pikeville during the week and a state park (Breaks) is something I have only 30-40 minutes from here anyhow.

Oh, for those who have been to Columbus, what parts do I stay away from?

Hocking Hills is unlike any other state park in Ohio that I know of. You might want to plan a day trip if you get the chance. Old Man's Cave has a great hiking trail with lots of photo-ops. Or you could try the Columbus Zoo.

Tim

lammie200 · 11-14-2012, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by snake

...Basically, I live in Pikeville right now, which means 2-4 hours in any direction away from anything. So for weekends, I drive out to the nearby cities...

You might want to check out Columbus, Indiana, some weekend if you can. It is a small town that has put a priority on using many somewhat famous (and very good) architects for works through out. Wiki / google / etc. for more info. A bit of a treasure for that part of the country IMHO.

There is also New Harmony, Indiana. The antheneum building there is pretty neat.

There is also the G & R Tavern in Waldo, OH. If you like fried bologna sandwiches, that is. Oops, didn't think so!

Me neither for that matter.

snake · 11-14-2012, 12:09 PM

Can you start a new discussion topic for that, since it's a different location than Columbus Ohio.

Thanks.

Originally posted by atupdate

Hocking Hills is unlike any other state park in Ohio that I know of. You might want to plan a day trip if you get the chance. Old Man's Cave has a great hiking trail with lots of photo-ops. Or you could try the Columbus Zoo.

Tim

normhead · 11-14-2012, 12:32 PM

Someone take him to an Ohio State football game. (Someone has to take you because there probably isn't a tougher ticket to get ahold of in America., from the ticket office in any case. I here you can pay for your education hawking the tickets you can get real cheap as a student.)

**gaweidert** · 11-14-2012, 08:56 PM

In the ancient days I had a friend who used to volunteer to teach photography at a juvenile detention center. He taught them his ball and chain theory of photography. He theory was that you can actually shoot a whole roll of film and get good photographs by never moving more that 15 feet in any direction from where you are. So he positioned the teens around the grounds with a camera and had them shoot a roll of film. It really taught the kids a new way to look at the world. Some of the came up with some pretty amazing shots. So my advice is to simply head out and look around.

normhead · 11-15-2012, 06:39 AM

Quote:

He theory was that you can actually shoot a whole roll of film and get good photographs by never moving more that 15 feet in any direction from where you are.

There's back yards in Columbus where you might be able to do that but watch out for big dogs.

This theory of shooting is expounded at length in Freeman Paterson's "the Art of Seeing" which is one of those books every gear head should memorize. It's a whole book about taking pictures that doesn't once mention what lens you should use or MTF of CA or purple fringing. Hard to believe but it's true. I haven't lived in Columbus since I was 10 years old, but if they're still there, there were some awesome moguls down by the Olentangy River to risk death on a mountain bike.( IN those days we didn't have mountain bikes , I'm anachronistic. I also remember hitting 3 point shots in game played before there was a 3 point line). I'm sure they (the moguls not the 3 point lines) weren't really that big, but when you're 10, everything is bigger.

lammie200 · 12-10-2012, 09:43 AM

Cincinnati Union Terminal Architectural Model By Chisel & Mouse

Don't know how the OP's trip to Cin City turned out but I ran across this. A nice momento albeit on the luxury side of consumer goods. Made in Great Britain, me thinks.

11-12-2012, 08:27 AM	#1
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	Photo Ops in Columbus Ohio? I'm planning my next photo weekend to Columbus and was hoping for some tipoffs. First, are there any towers with observation decks that one can visit and photograph from? Any other cool spots? If things work out, I might even try to hit a concert. My Cincinnati weekend worked out great, so I want to keep it going, in order to avoid feeling boxed in a small town.

11-14-2012, 10:46 AM	#10
lammie200 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Francisco Photos: Albums Posts: 1,033	Originally posted by snake ...Basically, I live in Pikeville right now, which means 2-4 hours in any direction away from anything. So for weekends, I drive out to the nearby cities... You might want to check out Columbus, Indiana, some weekend if you can. It is a small town that has put a priority on using many somewhat famous (and very good) architects for works through out. Wiki / google / etc. for more info. A bit of a treasure for that part of the country IMHO. There is also New Harmony, Indiana. The antheneum building there is pretty neat. There is also the G & R Tavern in Waldo, OH. If you like fried bologna sandwiches, that is. Oops, didn't think so! Me neither for that matter. Last edited by lammie200; 11-14-2012 at 02:28 PM.

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11-12-2012, 11:06 AM	#2
lammie200 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Francisco Photos: Albums Posts: 1,033	Originally posted by snake I'm planning my next photo weekend to Columbus and was hoping for some tipoffs. First, are there any towers with observation decks that one can visit and photograph from? Any other cool spots? If things work out, I might even try to hit a concert. My Cincinnati weekend worked out great, so I want to keep it going, in order to avoid feeling boxed in a small town. There is a german town area that might be good. There is also the Wexler Art Center. Interesting but very poorly constructed.

11-13-2012, 07:37 AM	#3
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183 Original Poster	Thanks, I looked into it and German Town looks to be a nice recommendation. It also, coincidentally, appears to be that Columbus is a sister city of Dresden, Germany, the city in which I lived for almost five years. So I contacted the people responsible for cultural exchanges to see if they can point me to things and if there are any events to keep aware of that might interest me for photography.

11-13-2012, 08:21 AM - 1 Like	#4
cardinal43 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,412	You might find something interesting around the Ohio State campus. I spent a week in Columbus one night.

11-13-2012, 06:52 PM	#5
dtrego Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Grove City, OH, USA Posts: 105	Columbus resident (ok, well, I live in one of the 'burbs surrounding Columbus) here. German Village (just south of downtown) is interesting, as is the Short North area (just north of downtown). Unfortunately, I'm unaware of any observation decks but in the block between downtown and the Short North are a couple of elevated walkways over High Street (one of the main north/south streets through Columbus). As mentioned earlier, OSU is also nice. There is a riverside walking/bike path that goes from south of downtown up past OSU and beyond - it has several parks along the way and some observations decks overlooking the river. Feel free to contact me for any other info you might be interested in - I'll see what I can dig up.

11-13-2012, 09:05 PM	#6
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183 Original Poster	Will check out the LeVeque tower to try and get panos of the skyline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeVeque_Tower If it's still open is another question.

11-14-2012, 05:46 AM	#7
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	About an hour and 15 minute drive southwest from Columbus is Hocking Hills State Park. One of the more scenic places I've found in southern Ohio. Tim

11-14-2012, 06:01 AM	#8
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183 Original Poster	I'll keep it in mind, but it's a bit far off and I will already be short on time with Columbus. Also, my goal is to not go and see a state park, it's to see Columbus Basically, I live in Pikeville right now, which means 2-4 hours in any direction away from anything. So for weekends, I drive out to the nearby cities, since it's not feasible to go home to NYC in only two days due to travel and expense. I'm traveling to not feel so isolated in Pikeville during the week and a state park (Breaks) is something I have only 30-40 minutes from here anyhow. Oh, for those who have been to Columbus, what parts do I stay away from?

11-14-2012, 10:25 AM	#9
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	Originally posted by snake I'll keep it in mind, but it's a bit far off and I will already be short on time with Columbus. Also, my goal is to not go and see a state park, it's to see Columbus Basically, I live in Pikeville right now, which means 2-4 hours in any direction away from anything. So for weekends, I drive out to the nearby cities, since it's not feasible to go home to NYC in only two days due to travel and expense. I'm traveling to not feel so isolated in Pikeville during the week and a state park (Breaks) is something I have only 30-40 minutes from here anyhow. Oh, for those who have been to Columbus, what parts do I stay away from? Hocking Hills is unlike any other state park in Ohio that I know of. You might want to plan a day trip if you get the chance. Old Man's Cave has a great hiking trail with lots of photo-ops. Or you could try the Columbus Zoo. Tim

11-14-2012, 12:09 PM	#11
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183 Original Poster	Can you start a new discussion topic for that, since it's a different location than Columbus Ohio. Thanks. Originally posted by atupdate Hocking Hills is unlike any other state park in Ohio that I know of. You might want to plan a day trip if you get the chance. Old Man's Cave has a great hiking trail with lots of photo-ops. Or you could try the Columbus Zoo. Tim

11-14-2012, 12:32 PM	#12
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Someone take him to an Ohio State football game. (Someone has to take you because there probably isn't a tougher ticket to get ahold of in America., from the ticket office in any case. I here you can pay for your education hawking the tickets you can get real cheap as a student.)

11-14-2012, 08:56 PM	#13
gaweidert Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rochester, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,325	In the ancient days I had a friend who used to volunteer to teach photography at a juvenile detention center. He taught them his ball and chain theory of photography. He theory was that you can actually shoot a whole roll of film and get good photographs by never moving more that 15 feet in any direction from where you are. So he positioned the teens around the grounds with a camera and had them shoot a roll of film. It really taught the kids a new way to look at the world. Some of the came up with some pretty amazing shots. So my advice is to simply head out and look around.

11-15-2012, 06:39 AM	#14
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Quote: He theory was that you can actually shoot a whole roll of film and get good photographs by never moving more that 15 feet in any direction from where you are. There's back yards in Columbus where you might be able to do that but watch out for big dogs. This theory of shooting is expounded at length in Freeman Paterson's "the Art of Seeing" which is one of those books every gear head should memorize. It's a whole book about taking pictures that doesn't once mention what lens you should use or MTF of CA or purple fringing. Hard to believe but it's true. I haven't lived in Columbus since I was 10 years old, but if they're still there, there were some awesome moguls down by the Olentangy River to risk death on a mountain bike.( IN those days we didn't have mountain bikes , I'm anachronistic. I also remember hitting 3 point shots in game played before there was a 3 point line). I'm sure they (the moguls not the 3 point lines) weren't really that big, but when you're 10, everything is bigger.

12-10-2012, 09:43 AM	#15
lammie200 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Francisco Photos: Albums Posts: 1,033	Cincinnati Union Terminal Architectural Model By Chisel & Mouse Don't know how the OP's trip to Cin City turned out but I ran across this. A nice momento albeit on the luxury side of consumer goods. Made in Great Britain, me thinks.