Photography and the Cost of Gas

There is no getting around the cost of gas these days, so what do you do as a passionate photographer, stop going out? The fact is that just as your using the internet to reed my blog, you can also use the power of the internet to narrow down or even pinpoint your next destination. 
I myself love the idea of discovery, going out and exploring , just to see what I might find,and though to my naturally cheap disposition, I found  $2 per gallon gas to be less than pleasant, the idea of $4 per gallon gas is simply painful. The simple reality is; at $2 per gallon I would bite the bullet and pay the price to explore, the fun and adventure, along with the end result of many sell-able images seemed to make it worth while. Today that is simply not the reality, at $4 per gallon, I either take fewer trips, stay closer to home, or figure out exactly where I'm going ahead of time (far less exploring). So what is the passionate (explorer) photographer supposed to do in order to get great shots in possibly remote areas, without wasting a ton of gas finding that ultimate destination? Simply put, the answer is to become a researcher. Today the internet affords us the opportunity to research just about everything, and with all of the people in the world today that love to snap and post pictures, many of the sites that you can use to research, also include pictures. One of my favorite sites to us is Google Earth. Google Earth allows me to virtually visit the area that I am interested in visiting, it provides pictures that others have uploaded, so that I can get a better idea of the terrain, the feel, and the attractions in the area, it literally allows me to take the trip before I get into my car. You can also research the area through Google or Bing,
key in the name of the area or town, research using the local chamber of commerce website, or the States tourism website. Last but not least, seek out other photographers websites, by using keyword searches that take you to photos of the area. By doing a little homework first, you can map out the shortest routes that get you to the destinations that you would have otherwise found, but at a much higher cost. I hope this helps you to save money, or allows you to get back out on the road, visiting the destinations that you had hoped to explore. I'm including some shots that I have been able to capture at a savings, thanks to research ahead of time.