Best place for a landscape photographer to retire

[Landscapelover]

We've enjoyed the change although some things have been challenging. Amazon Prime with free shipping to Hawaii has been a Godsend. Still, some things are not as immediately accessible. All my photographic and printing supplies have to be shipped in as there are no distributors here worthy of note.

Shooting opportunities are many in the categories of water, waterfalls, rainforest, tropical botanical gardens, lava/volcanoes, night sky, etc. There are almost a dozen different climate zones here on the Big Island, so each area is visually different. I've even been to one location on the west side of the island where I found a 20' Saguaro cactus and I've been in snow at the summit of Mauna Kea.

We have two airports on the Big Island, both with connections to Honolulu and direct flights back to the mainland. Most visitors make the mistake of planing most of their stay on the west side which is mostly sandy beach and resorts, whereas the areas with the most photographic interests, in my opinion, are on the east side of the island, and could take a week or more to adequately explore and photograph. Similar mistakes are made by photographers trying to see all of Utah national parks in a week. You could take a month and barely scratch the surface. The same is true of Hawaii.

Charles,

Thank you very much for your insight coming from a photographer who lives there. I am for one, love the east side of the Island which offers unlimited photographic opportunities. I am glad you love it.

Best regards,
Pramote

 

[archivue]

https://www.google.com/moon/

 

[Jeffrey]

Graham: you and I should move into Ken Doo's house for 6 months a year (rent free) and then wander for the other 6 months. Now we're thinking!

 

[Landscapelover]

https://www.google.com/moon/

It's very cool! Thanks. Pramote

 

[bab]

Great thread!
Practically speaking the bigger city living is an option then making trips from the big city base, I would rather live on the Ocean somewhere the temperature is moderate and you have everyday opportunities for seascapes. National Parks, the Desert and Mountains have their specific seasons.

Alternatively a second home in the four corners, Rocky mountains, some city in Idaho, Utah, Montana or Arizona. Heck even in New Mexico! But to live in a small rural area for me I'd be bored to death, I prefer to make the two to three week trips and return to the beach.
Golf
Grandchildren
Restaurants
Ocean

 

[Landscapelover]

Great thread!
Practically speaking the bigger city living is an option then making trips from the big city base, I would rather live on the Ocean somewhere the temperature is moderate and you have everyday opportunities for seascapes. National Parks, the Desert and Mountains have their specific seasons.

Alternatively a second home in the four corners, Rocky mountains, some city in Idaho, Utah, Montana or Arizona. Heck even in New Mexico! But to live in a small rural area for me I'd be bored to death, I prefer to make the two to three week trips and return to the beach.
Golf
Grandchildren
Restaurants
Ocean

Thank you very much for your concise but very thoughtful comment. Looks like your current residence, CA, is a great choice for you.
May I ask a question? What places in CA will you choose to live (2 or 3) as a landscape photographer?

Best
Pramote

 

[danlindberg]

South of Spain - Costa del Sol - is not a bad option either. 8 regions in Andalucia with diverse landscapes/nature, in total around 80 smaller/larger nature parks, endless mountainroads.
We have the 'best' climate in Europe, over 300 days of sunshine a year. Malaga has a population of 600 000 people and was chosen the best turistic city last year. Big international airport with multimillion passangers per year, 2h flight to Paris and 2,5h flight to London. We feel confident in their healthcare, having had to use it numerous times!

Lazy, but friendly people, excellent food and atmosphere. Some are fascinated by the fact that you can take the ferry 30min to Marocco. (not me though)

Last but not least.....you would have me to show you around..... I have been to around 60 nature parks with my beloved Alpa.

 

[Landscapelover]

South of Spain - Costa del Sol - is not a bad option either. 8 regions in Andalucia with diverse landscapes/nature, in total around 80 smaller/larger nature parks, endless mountainroads.
We have the 'best' climate in Europe, over 300 days of sunshine a year. Malaga has a population of 600 000 people and was chosen the best turistic city last year. Big international airport with multimillion passangers per year, 2h flight to Paris and 2,5h flight to London. We feel confident in their healthcare, having had to use it numerous times!

Lazy, but friendly people, excellent food and atmosphere. Some are fascinated by the fact that you can take the ferry 30min to Marocco. (not me though)

Last but not least.....you would have me to show you around..... I have been to around 60 nature parks with my beloved Alpa

Dan,

Firstly, I'd like to let you know I am a big fan of your photography. I even went back to study your work from the first post (too bad for everyone your pictures linking to "Photobucket" is now unablevailable) to see how you evolve to be one of the best fine art photographers at GetDPI.

I really appreciate your insight about the "Costa del Sol" (and Malaga) and your kind for offering to show me around. I've heard about it but after I did some research in Google, you convince me !!

What is the cost of living in Costa del Sol?

We are opened for the option of living aboard as retirees (not for work) but have no clue about the visa. Anyone in this forum know about this issue?

Thank you very much Again Dan for your kind.

Best regards

Pramote

 

[bab]

Thank you very much for your concise but very thoughtful comment. Looks like your current residence, CA, is a great choice for you.
May I ask a question? What places in CA will you choose to live (2 or 3) as a landscape photographer?

Best
Pramote

San Francisco gets you far enough north to make the drive East or North to nice happy hunting grounds for landscapes you just have to put up with the weather. Southern CAL were I live now is a schlep by car anywhere but the ocean. My idea would be to get some type of overland vehicle and map out two trips one in the spring then one in the fall. This gives you best chance weather permitting best chance for images. July, August and September are extremely hot and crowded maybe late August early September head up to Tombstone mountains out of Whitehorse up to Daeson city, or Alaska.July stay home hate traveling in July. November southern New Mexico or Arizona or Late November and December best seascapes killer sunsets. January and February mountains and deserts, then March desert blooms. April May hit the parks.

Newport Beach might have one of the best climates in the world. Sorry just was in Denver last week it was 97 too hot for me, Snowmass area crowded, top of the rock insane traffic.

 

[k-hawinkler]

NM :grin:

 

[Landscapelover]

San Francisco gets you far enough north to make the drive East or North to nice happy hunting grounds for landscapes you just have to put up with the weather. Southern CAL were I live now is a schlep by car anywhere but the ocean. My idea would be to get some type of overland vehicle and map out two trips one in the spring then one in the fall. This gives you best chance weather permitting best chance for images. July, August and September are extremely hot and crowded maybe late August early September head up to Tombstone mountains out of Whitehorse up to Daeson city, or Alaska.July stay home hate traveling in July. November southern New Mexico or Arizona or Late November and December best seascapes killer sunsets. January and February mountains and deserts, then March desert blooms. April May hit the parks.

Newport Beach might have one of the best climates in the world. Sorry just was in Denver last week it was 97 too hot for me, Snowmass area crowded, top of the rock insane traffic.

Bab, Thanks very much for your insight regarding CA. I really appreciate it. Pramote

 

[Landscapelover]

NM :grin:

More please.

 

[GMB]

South of Spain - Costa del Sol - is not a bad option either. 8 regions in Andalucia with diverse landscapes/nature, in total around 80 smaller/larger nature parks, endless mountainroads.
We have the 'best' climate in Europe, over 300 days of sunshine a year. Malaga has a population of 600 000 people and was chosen the best turistic city last year. Big international airport with multimillion passangers per year, 2h flight to Paris and 2,5h flight to London. We feel confident in their healthcare, having had to use it numerous times!

Lazy, but friendly people, excellent food and atmosphere. Some are fascinated by the fact that you can take the ferry 30min to Marocco. (not me though)

Last but not least.....you would have me to show you around..... I have been to around 60 nature parks with my beloved Alpa.

Dan,

As Pramote, I am a big fan of your work. I've spent a good 10 days in the Algarve in April (not far away from where you are). I may swing by in the new future and take you up on your offer.

Georg

 

[GMB]

Interesting thread. I am from Germany, my wife from France, and we live in Belgium. For a long time we thought the ideal retirement was a country house in France and a city apartment in Germany. But as closer as we are getting to retirement, the more difficult we find it to make the decision.

• Landscape photography. I do love it, but I think several other considerations are more important. As a retiree, you have time, and as long as you are not living in a completely remote place, you can travel to the places of your photographic dreams and stay there for weeks in a row. (I personally would like to do an extended RV trip into Alaska). You can also rent houses in your destination of choice and explore the area. Also, I think one can do landscape almost everywhere. While some places are more obvious (US South West, Norway, Scotland, Island etc.), they are also more photographed and you risk taking shots that have been taken already by thousands of others. Other, less obvious places, can be as attractive and indeed more challenging.
  
• Family and friends: New Zealand is great, but if you have 3 daughters in Europe, moving there is simply is not an option until they offer supersonic air travel at low cost. Also, if you move to a new place, you need to build a new social life and circle of friends. (As great as the internet and this forum is, I cannot live on on-line only but need off-line friends.)
  
• Language: Linked to the friend point above. If moving to a new country, I would only wish to go somewhere where I either speak the local language, am prepared (and able) to learn it, or find a large enough group of people who speak a language I speak. Otherwise, you will not be integrated.
  
• Weather and light. Island and Norway are great for landscape. But what about winter when there are only a few hours of light? Not for me.
  
• Cost of living: If you have unlimited funds, forget this. But otherwise, there are places where you get more or less for your money. And the less you spend on living the more you can spend on photography. Also, don’t forget that if moving to another country you may have an exchange rate risk.
  
• Taxes: Again, when moving abroad, this can have serious tax implications (good or bad) as far as your pension or income from savings are concerned. Some countries, such as France, also impose a wealth tax (if it is your primary residence, it applies to your world-wide assets). Inheritance taxes are another issue.
  
• Other legal issues: The place of your primary residence also affects other legal issues, such as your ability to freely determine your will.
  
• Health services: Availability, quality, cost, insurance coverage.
  
• Others: How likely will local people welcome you? Do you need a visa and will you get one? Are there restrictions on buying a house?

One final advice I was given from friends who took retirement. Don't rush things. Stopping to work is already a big disruption to your life. Don't at the same time move to a new place as well. Take time. Most of use will fortunately have quite of number of good years after retirement. Do some travel. And if you consider a new place, try it out first. Of course, fi the new place is one that have been to often and that you know well, things are different.

Anyway, just my 2c.

 

[k-hawinkler]

Great advice. Thanks.

Speaking as an retiree there doesn't seem to be ever enough time for all the things one wants to do. :facesmack:

 

[Landscapelover]

Interesting thread. I am from Germany, my wife from France, and we live in Belgium. For a long time we thought the ideal retirement was a country house in France and a city apartment in Germany. But as closer as we are getting to retirement, the more difficult we find it to make the decision.

• Landscape photography. I do love it, but I think several other considerations are more important. As a retiree, you have time, and as long as you are not living in a completely remote place, you can travel to the places of your photographic dreams and stay there for weeks in a row. (I personally would like to do an extended RV trip into Alaska). You can also rent houses in your destination of choice and explore the area. Also, I think one can do landscape almost everywhere. While some places are more obvious (US South West, Norway, Scotland, Island etc.), they are also more photographed and you risk taking shots that have been taken already by thousands of others. Other, less obvious places, can be as attractive and indeed more challenging.
  
• Family and friends: New Zealand is great, but if you have 3 daughters in Europe, moving there is simply is not an option until they offer supersonic air travel at low cost. Also, if you move to a new place, you need to build a new social life and circle of friends. (As great as the internet and this forum is, I cannot live on on-line only but need off-line friends.)
  
• Language: Linked to the friend point above. If moving to a new country, I would only wish to go somewhere where I either speak the local language, am prepared (and able) to learn it, or find a large enough group of people who speak a language I speak. Otherwise, you will not be integrated.
  
• Weather and light. Island and Norway are great for landscape. But what about winter when there are only a few hours of light? Not for me.
  
• Cost of living: If you have unlimited funds, forget this. But otherwise, there are places where you get more or less for your money. And the less you spend on living the more you can spend on photography. Also, don’t forget that if moving to another country you may have an exchange rate risk.
  
• Taxes: Again, when moving abroad, this can have serious tax implications (good or bad) as far as your pension or income from savings are concerned. Some countries, such as France, also impose a wealth tax (if it is your primary residence, it applies to your world-wide assets). Inheritance taxes are another issue.
  
• Other legal issues: The place of your primary residence also affects other legal issues, such as your ability to freely determine your will.
  
• Health services: Availability, quality, cost, insurance coverage.
  
• Others: How likely will local people welcome you? Do you need a visa and will you get one? Are there restrictions on buying a house?

One final advice I was given from friends who took retirement. Don't rush things. Stopping to work is already a big disruption to your life. Don't at the same time move to a new place as well. Take time. Most of use will fortunately have quite of number of good years after retirement. Do some travel. And if you consider a new place, try it out first. Of course, fi the new place is one that have been to often and that you know well, things are different.

Anyway, just my 2c.

Thank you very much Greg for your in-detail and very thoughtful advice. It's extremely useful and I really appreciate it. Pramote