I received a couchsurfing message (couchsurfing is an online service where locals offer travelers a couch/room for the night), and this guy was asking if I had a place for the night as he was traveling the U.S. taking photos for his website http://photamerica.com. I didn't see his request in time but just now went back and looked at the photos he took while he was here and thought they were incredible.

Check them out: http://photamerica.com/see-the-states/oklahoma/

That photographer has a really interesting eye for shapes, framing, and in some cases irony. I got a kick out of a couple of those photos. Thanks for sharing.

BTW... couch surfing? I am intrigued by this. Have you used this service before? How has that worked out?

I used couch surfing extensively in Europe, and was happy to host foreigners at my flat in Uppsala, but I didn't think it was as common in the U.S., because I would think you have to be a bit more careful with strangers here.

Not to hijack this thread but Couchsurfing is awesome and I've yet to have any bad experiences (that's not to say bad things can't happen and, yes, you have to be careful about people you host and the people you stay with.) But I've met some cool people through CS that I wouldn't have met otherwise and many of them have talents, like this photographer, that I would never have experienced.

The biggest difference between Couchsurfing and Air B&B is that no money is supposed to change hands. It's all strictly volunteer. And there are many, many Couchsurfers in the US (it started in the US after all). I just looked and it's showing around 400 in Oklahoma City and more than 300 in Tulsa. (And, if you're uncomfortable hosting or being a guest, you can sign up just to show people around town or offer advice on things to do.)

On topic: yes, these photos are pretty sweet

Not to hijack this thread but Couchsurfing is awesome and I've yet to have any bad experiences (that's not to say bad things can't happen and, yes, you have to be careful about people you host and the people you stay with.) But I've met some cool people through CS that I wouldn't have met otherwise and many of them have talents, like this photographer, that I would never have experienced.

The biggest difference between Couchsurfing and Air B&B is that no money is supposed to change hands. It's all strictly volunteer. And there are many, many Couchsurfers in the US (it started in the US after all). I just looked and it's showing around 400 in Oklahoma City and more than 300 in Tulsa. (And, if you're uncomfortable hosting or being a guest, you can sign up just to show people around town or offer advice on things to do.)

On topic: yes, these photos are pretty sweet

Yes, I've used Couchsurfing.com/.org multiple times. First ime I used it was in the U.S. in 2006. I used it much more extensively in the Summer of 2009 across Europe.

Sid's right that Airbnb is a great resource for travelers but it cost money (not too much) but Couchsurfing is completely and the host you stay with usually wants to show you around and give you tips on the best places to visit in the city. You get to meet locals and everything.

Great source for those wanting a "local" feel while out traveling.