Hey Gang!

I started a new job back in March, and while I've been working in NYC, the plan all along was that I would be based in the Charlotte, NC office. That time has come, and I'm getting ready to leave Long Island and head south. I hit the road next week, and with a detour to the NASCAR weekend at Pocono, I'll be driving down to Charlotte.
I had a chance to visit Charlotte back in May to check out the office and the city, and it seems like quite a place. I'm looking forward to new places to visit and photograph, and I welcome any suggestions on places to go and things to shoot, and would be glad to meet up with any DGrinners in the area.



It should be quite an adventure!

I'm from Rock Hill and went to Belmont Abbey college, which are both in the "Metrolina" region.

Gastonia
About 20-30 minutes west of Charlotte. Much of the region was once a great textile producer, so there are many old, abandoned, shut down factories in this city. Great if you would like to get some nice industrial shots. Also, the York-Chester district is a nice neighborhood full of great Southern Victorian homes.

Belmont
Right in the middle between Gastonia and Charlotte. Home to Belmont Abbey College which itself offers interesting scenes. The stained class windows inside the abbey church are award-winning, though the interior itself has been renovated and resembles a viking mead hall. You may even capture a few of the monks if you're lucky. The town itself is a small town, but the downtown area has been revived nicely. There's Stowe Park which may provide some nice shots. Main street is usually occupied by students from the College and locals. Even if you don't spend much time taking pictures, stop by Caravan's for some of the best coffee around. There's also some train cars parked permanently downtown that are sometimes open for exploration.

As for the Queen City, I don't know much about it. It's your average small-town city that's learning to wear big-boy britches, so you have the best of both worlds: small city skyline with skyscrapers and ample outdoorsy environments within a reasonable distance. And since it's the South, the average random person you meet will be amicable enough to indulge your desire to photograph them...

Hey Moose, welcome to NC. I'm still finding places (up in Greensboro), but there are a lot great spaces just laying around so to speak. Old mills, great parks and the like. Lots of open spaces. If you are stopping off for NASCAR, you are definitely headed in the right direction with the NASCAR museum just up the road and Charlotte Motor Speedway (and many smaller ones) around. Winston-Salem has an airshow each year, so you'll be up for that....

Oh, I completely forgot a major place:

The NoDa district. It is the area near North Davidson College, and is the "artsy" neighborhood of Charlotte. There is a lot of street art to be seen in the form of murals, stenciled spray-paintings, and mixed media stuff along the roads and alleys. There is also a variety of interesting, diverse, and alternative individuals who would make nice subjects for candid photos. They also have live music in many different pubs/bars/clubs in that area, as well as sometimes at people's houses. Many weekends have a block-party atmosphere and folks from outside NoDa come up for the evening to hang out and take in the sights. My friends and I went there a few times for the great tattoo artists and to catch a live viewing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Definitely worth the drive.

Thanks for the ideas, folks. It gives me some things to look for. I actually arrived in early August, and was able to attend the WS air show. I haven't spent a weekend wandering the streets of Charlotte with the camera, but that's on my list. I've hit parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway on a couple of occasions - I went up this past Saturday to the area around the Linn Cove Viaduct. Not quite prime time for fall colors, but it's an interesting structure, and neat to see and shoot.



I'll probably head up to the Parkway again in a week or two when they get a little more color in the trees. I have spent some time at the airport overlook - it's a great spot for shooting airplanes, although I wish there was just a little more variety. And I'm still scouting out places for good city skyline shots after dark.

Again, thanks!

Make it a point to go to the Light Factory. Very close to the Museum of the New South.

That sounds interesting, Kurt. I'll have to check it out - thanks!

Well I see you have found the observation point at the airport, I spend a good bit of time there...just watching planes. I and my fiancee are both photogs and we love aviation and are in the military. We are currently in Matthews not too far from Charlotte if you ever want to meet up of take a photowalk.