Topic: Travelling to Europe to take photos?

[astrobeck]

I am considering a trip across the pond....
What time of year is best to take photos in Europe?
Average best light months?
Weather?

If this is too off topic, any replys can be sent to my
starzilla@gmail.com  address.

But others might like to know as well.

[LT]

it's certainly not off topic Becky.

Europe is a huge place covering a multitude of cultures/ conditions/ climates/ light  (compare the midnight sun in Norway to the oppressive intense summer sun in the mediteranean south) - it would be good to know where you're planning to travel so we can suggest some locations

If you're coming to the UK, I personally find the spring and autumn / winter offer best light for photography (certainly in the south at least - scotland is a different story all together) )- when there is any, one day could be glorious warming directional light with soft shadows and the next just dark gloomy wet grey grey grey (usually lasting for 6 weeks or more ), although it's all down to personal taste.  If it's warmth and sun you;re after - late June to August is probably a safe bet, but nothing is written in stone.

LEt us know when you plan to come, doubtless that  Damion, Ed and I would like to catch up with you if you're coming to our shores, and I'm sure there are oher who would also want to  

Attached is a colour (me - colour???) shot of the Ring of Brodgar on Orkney (off the North Coast of Scotland) taken in midsummer at about 11.30 pm.  It stayed lightish for about another 1/2 hour or so.

cheers!

[attachment deleted by admin]

[eddie]

On behalf of the Irish Tourist Board

If you are coming to Ireland i would suggest May, and the west and south coast is where i would recommend.  If you add it to your itinerary let me know and i will research some locations for you. I'm based in Dublin (east coast)so if you find yourself in the city i will show you around.


Dublin

[david b]

For the UK I'd suggest late Spring or Early Autumn for decent light and conditions (although the weather is notoriously changeable) - the days are very short in the winter, particularly if you're heading to northern England or Scotland, and high summer can be very busy if you're planning on doing any of the touristy things.

Other than that I'll just echo Leon's comments about needing more info on where you plan to go - any advice would be totally different for the Scandinavian fjords or the Andalusian coast!

[Janet_P]

Becky, I'd love to meet up with you too if you're in the UK.
Definitely Spring or Autumn for a visit as then you'll avoid the worst of the tourists and still get a bit of good weather (fingers crossed). If you're in Southern Europe - Spain, South of France etc - you'll have more of a guarantee of warm weather.
How long are you coming for? Will you have time to visit more than one place?

Janet

[Francois]

If you decide to opt for the South of France, November is pretty much the limit for warm weather. October and September are preferable; warm but not cooking. Avoid August at all cost. It's the month where all the Frenchmen go on summer vacation. You don't want millions of Parisian tourists bossing you around

I don't have a particular region to recommend. Food is always excellent, even in the smallest restaurant. People are very friendly in the South. I've been to the Languedoc and Midi-Pyrénées region. Very nice. Next time, it probably will be the French Riviera (Côte D'Azur).

If you want to pack in a big photography festival (one of the nicest in the world), check out (http://www.rencontres-arles.com).
For regional info, check out the Provence-Alpes-Côte D'Azur tourism board (http://www.crt-paca.fr/)
And for a really nice tourist view, the city of Menton has an excellent website with tons of pictures (http://www.menton.com) and they are situated directly on the Italian border... you could pack 2 countries in 1 trip

[astrobeck]

Autumn sounds like the best time, and by then I should have done more than enough research to narrow it down to more specific sites.
I look at some of the photos that have been posted from across the pond and want to see them in person...
and of course make a few photos myself.

thanks everyone for the inticing ideas!!

astrobeck