LeeMc Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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While I agree that the web has become invaluable, it’s not always available when I’m on a photographic trip. For me guide books written by photographers are also very helpful – especially ones written about a specific area.
For a recent trip to Seattle from the SF Bay Area via the Oregon coast a friend loaned three guides that I used daily:
Photographers Guide to the Oregon Coast by David Middleton and Rod Barbee
Photographing Oregon by Greg Vaughn
Photographers Guide to Puget Sound by Ron Barbee
These were of great help in planning the trip. They describe the best spots to photograph and also provide advice on how to get to the best vantage points -- which is sometimes not obvious.
Michael Frye’s Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite sets a gold standard for photo guides. It's available as a book or as a iPhone/iPad app which is more useful than the book. He covers the well-known vistas and also provides maps of short hikes to spots away from the roads and crowds. For each spot he lists the months and the hours for best view and light. His blog at http://www.michaelfrye.com/ has outstanding photos from his current work and tells where and how they were taken. It is a must for photographers interested in the Sierras.
Then there is Galen Rowell and his incredible photographs. His books are not travel guides, but he does identify locations. He was an accomplished mountain climber. I am not, but many of the spots he photographed can be reached without technical skills. While much of his work focused on the Sierras, one of his books, North America the Beautiful has photos across the continent. It’s out of print, but still available. By the way, if you are in the Sierras spend some time at the Mountain Light Gallery in Bishop, CA. It has an inspiring collection of Galen & Barbara Rowell’s photos and books.
These guides are all for the states on the Pacific coast where I live. There may also be comparable photo guides for other regions and countries. If anyone has some to recommend, please post them.
Lee
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