Dallas Travel Photography: The “Big D” Brand of Culture and Entertainment
To create a portfolio of Dallas travel photography, start by experiencing and photographing the city’s numerous arts and entertainment districts instead of trying to capture all of Big D within your camera’s frame. As the ninth-largest city in the U.S. and one of the cities in the fourth-largest metro-complexes, it’s simply too big to be defined by one or a small set of pictures. Dallas may conjure images of big business and big money, but, surprising too many, it is a city where arts and culture are equally celebrated. With years of development and re-development and billions of dollars invested, many areas of the city have come to represent the great diversity of the arts, culture and entertainment to be enjoyed and photographed there.
The showcase is the Dallas Art District. Its 68 acres of 19 city blocks ranks it as the largest such arts center in the entire country. To capture much of what you’ll see and experience there in your Dallas travel photography, follow the Public Art Walk Dallas. During your 3.3-mile self-guided tour, you’ll be able to photograph 30 pieces of art and architecture in the District and downtown Dallas. Not only will you find an amazing collection of outdoor sculptures, but also some of the city’s most prominent buildings. These include the Winspear Opera House, Whyly Theater, Nasher Sculpture Center and Meyerson Symphony Center. All have been designed by architects who have received the Pritzker Prize, a major architectural award.
Deep Ellum is another distinctive district of Dallas that has grown from its roots as where the city’s first jazz and blues musicians congregated and played to the city’s lively music scene. Located just east of downtown, Deep Ellum will afford you with much subject matter for your Dallas travel photography: clubs, restaurants, shops and galleries and the eclectic group of people who live, create and visit there.
The annual State Fair of Texas may dominant nearby Fair Park during the fall, but it is a district to visit with your camera any time of the year to create interesting compositions of its art deco architecture. Few places in the world offer such a diverse and comprehensive collection. Contrast your art deco architectural images with the botanical world presented at Texas Discovery Gardens. Then, take your camera indoors to the African-American Museum to discover their lasting contribution to the city and the Hall of State to photograph the history of the state in its exhibits.
A stroll on Greenville Avenue with your camera will provide you with an entirely different set of images for your Dallas travel photography. Greenville Avenue is the center of one of the cities oldest neighborhoods. It’s a great place for people photography, as the upper end of the Avenue attracts more of a family crowd while the lower end reflects alternative lifestyles and the matching cultural and entertainment venues.
The Oak Lawn District is also a good spot to capture two very distinct groups of people attracted to the area’s arts, entertainment and nightlife. First, it is the home of Dallas’ gay and lesbian population, but, second, it’s also enjoyed by the wealthy residents of neighboring Highland Park, which is known to many as the “Beverly Hills of Texas.” The mansions and street life of Highland Park is a 180-degree contrast to the activities in Oak Lawn. Highland Park is not just where the wealthy live, and spend their money; it is also where you’ll find the Meadows Museum. You and your camera would have to go to Spain to find a larger collection of Spanish art.
The Design District and the South Side/Cedars District are also special artistic communities within Dallas. The Design District is a recently developed neighborhood that features many art galleries, world-famous interior design studios and showrooms and the accompanying restaurants, nightlife and entertainment. The South Side/Cedars District attracted many artists to the loft residences that were created from older industrial and commercial structures. It has developed a unique cultural atmosphere, as influenced by the area’s artists and is sure to offer many compelling subjects and images for your Dallas travel photography.
When you’re ready to experience and photograph the most modern presentation of Dallas’ cultural and entertainment scene, then spend time in Victory Park. Within its 75-acre development is a glittering array of trendy shops and restaurants and entertainment venues that party late into the night.
Even as you try to focus your Dallas travel photography on these distinctive arts and entertainment districts, you’re sure to find many other exciting places that will broaden your understanding of why Big D is such a great travel destination.
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