Nature Photography in Shenandoah National Park: a Guide for Couch Potatoes

Nature Photography in Shenandoah National Park: A Guide for Couch Potatoes By Shirley R. Collins and Patrick M. Collins ShutterSpudz Publishing 91 pages, illus, $15.99 http://www.shutterspudz.com

First in a series of guides for the photographer who would like to travel light, Nature Photography in Shenandoah National Park: a Guide for Couch Potatoes presents informative information about where and when to go for photographic opportunities in the Shenandoah National Park, and it does so with a sense of humor. The authors have created a word, "ShutterSpudz," which simply is a combination of the words shutter and spudz, which they say is a plural version of couch potato-like behavior. The book is meant for the couch potato photographer who desires to make the process of photographing easier.

The authors discuss the equipment needed, including a table of popular tripod ball heads and their weight plus how much weight the ball heads will hold securely--information which is not easy to find. There is additional information about cameras including digital cameras and lenses, filters, gadgets, plus film and developing labs. The information provided for digital camera photographers is very basic, so the reader should not look for specific recommendations for traveling with a digital camera.

The most informative information is the chapter on what, where, and when to shoot, telling what to expect, where and how to reach the productive places to photograph on the Skyline Drive. There are guides to those waterfalls that adhere to the basic tenet of "couch potato photography--never walk any further than necessary to take a picture." There is also helpful information on the best time of the year for the various wildflowers that can be seen in the Park. Also included is information on how to get there and where to stay.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Photographic Society of America, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group