Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Some good, some bad., March 30, 2010
This review is from: National Audubon Society Guide to Photographing America's National Parks: Digital Edition (Paperback)
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. There is little about this book that justifies calling it a "Digital Edition." A preliminary section on "Photography Essentials" provides a cursory description of digital point-and-shoot cameras vs. digital SLRs, and there's a reminder to check your histogram. That's about it for digital. On the other hand, there are numerous references to film in the discussions of the parks (eg., on p. 62, "Fine-grained, saturated films such as Fujichrome Velvia will produce the highest quality results..."). Not exactly what a digital shooter wants to know. It appears that the park descriptions may have been taken from an earlier edition without editing out references to film and incorporating tips for digital photographers. If that's the case, shame on all involved for such laziness. Now for the good news. If you are interested in learning the best places to photograph in the 21 national parks featured, this is a fine place to start. Even if you're just trying to decide which parks to visit without photographic ambitions, the excellent photos in this book will help you decide. Or maybe not -- they all look enticing in Fitzharris's images. Each park is given 6-8 pages with several photography "hot spots" described and located on small maps. The author also tells you which season is best for a visit and the best time of day to shoot at the various locations. In the case of several parks, "excursions" are described to other photographic locations in the region. For example, Bryce Canyon is briefly described as an excursion in the section on Zion National Park. Those who have been to Bryce might argue it merits its own section, but this book is not trying for inclusiveness. In short, this book is fine as a guide to photo locations in the parks included, but falls rather short in the digital department.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring!, April 20, 2009
This review is from: National Audubon Society Guide to Photographing America's National Parks: Digital Edition (Paperback)
You will not find a better advertisement for the US National Parks than this book. The photos are outstanding and alone worth the price. From scenic landscapes, to close up macro shots, to wildlife, the photos provide a great example of what to expect at each of the 21 featured US National Parks. In addition to the gorgeous photos, there are detailed overviews of every featured National Park, including photographic hot spots (scenic and wildlife viewing areas and what time of day is best for each spot), seasonal information (When are the flowers blooming? When are the elk or bison rutting? What time of year are the parks least busy but still offer the best photographic opportunities?), and useful logistical information (such as typical road openings/closures, basic lodging information and an overview map of the park). All of this is written from the perspective of an experienced photographer. Obviously there's not room for everything or every National Park, but there is sufficient depth on each featured National Park that this book is useful for everyone and not just photographers. But for photographers, it's especially useful, and will definitely have you looking at the calendar and planning your next vacation.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love the parks, love this book!, April 14, 2009
This review is from: National Audubon Society Guide to Photographing America's National Parks: Digital Edition (Paperback)
I love our National Parks, and have visited seven of them so far. I wish I'd had this book before I started. It has coffee-table book quality images, providing the views that we all aspire to. There's good photography tips in here, as well. You'll enjoy looking through this book even if you've never stepped foot in any of these parks -- but I'll bet after reading it, you'll schedule your own trips, post haste.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
