Annapolis, Maryland must be one of the most photogenic cities in America. The home of the U.S. Naval Academy and one of the great boating sites anywhere in the world, Annapolis is one of those places where old and the new have struck an apparent seamless coexistence. But what really distinguishes this Capital City of the State of Maryland is indeed its naval tradition. To say that Annapolis is about water and sailing would be a gross understatement. Expensive yachts, suntanned boat hands, and nautical paraphernalia are everywhere. What’s more, walking its many quaint, narrow streets lined with wooden row houses will transport you to another era when these houses must have been occupied by sea-fearing sailors who found freedom in the open oceans. Of course, the expensive BMW and Lexus luxury sedans in front of them now will quickly remind you that poor, blue-collar boat hands don’t live there any more; but hey, what’s wrong with a little daydreaming.
The heart of Annapolis remains the downtown dock area, bordered on one side by Dock Street and on the other by Compromise Street. Here is where you will find the greatest concentration of boats and people, all mixed into a somewhat overwhelming visual experience. Photographically, you really don’t want to be caught there around noon, as the blinding glare coming off the water and the surrounding buildings pretty much washes away the colors of this most colorful city. Get there early in the day (and before the few public parking lots in the city get full) or head on down to the area late in the afternoon during the summer months if you want the best sunlight for your photos. And if overhead city photos is what you are after, then head on out to the top deck of the public parking lot sitting between Gorman and Main Streets. This tip came thanks to a local gentleman who stopped me down Main Street to give me some well-intended photographic advice. Not mentioned by my new-found friend, but well deserving a visit was the well-off section of Eastport right across the short bridge connecting Compromise and 6th Streets. Only about a five-minute walk from the downtown dock area, Eastport is replete with restaurants, bars, and marinas, not to mention multimillion dollar waterside properties that will make you wish you would have paid more attention to your business courses in college. It’s very easy to fall in love with this place.
