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“I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful- an endless prospect of magic and wonder.” ~ Ansel Adams
Sunrise at Clingman’s Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
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| As I’ve been getting ready to head west, I’ve mentioned my upcoming trip to several people. And they all seem to have one question – how do I find enough information about the places I’m planning on visiting to feel like I know what to expect?Part of the answer is – lots of research. And the rest – is being willing to be flexible and see what happens. |
Avalanche Creek, Glacier National Park |
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West Thumb Lake, Yellowstone National Park |
I’ve figured out some great ways to find the information I need for my trips.For any trip – the first place I check are the websites for any National Parks, Wildlife Refuges and National Seashores in the area I’m visiting. This usually gives me the basic information I need. Most of the National Park websites have information about local wildflowers and native plants under the Nature & Science tab in the left hand column. |
| My next stop is usually Amazon.com. I’ve found all sorts of books about wildflowers and where to find them by searching for “wildflower” and the name of a state or national park. The books not only help me identify the flowers I photograph, but they also often suggest trails or scenic drives where I can find wildflowers.I’ll also usually get a general guide to a park since that will give me an overview of the park and what I can hope to find. I also have the National Geographic Guides to National Parks and State Parks. These two books are invaluable for helping me identify other locations to visit on a trip. |
Wild Horse, Roosevelt National Park |
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Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park |
And then I start asking questions! Some of my photographer friends are amazing sources of information about places to photograph. I can usually get recommendations on where to stay, where to eat and what are some lesser visited places to photograph from my friends. I’ll also ask for suggestions on Twitter and Facebook – I’ve got hundreds of connections on each. So pretty much anywhere I’m planning on visiting, someone either lives nearby or has visited recently. My online friends are a wonderful resource. |
| Pretty much my first stop at any National Park or Wildlife Refuge is the Visitor Center. The Park Rangers always have the most up-to-date information on what’s happening in the park – including letting me know which trails are likely to have the wildflowers I’m looking for.And then from there – I just follow my intuition. Often times I’ll just head out from the hotel in a general direction – and stop where I feel like stopping. If I see a splash of color in a field – I’ll circle back to see what’s in bloom. That’s how I found the Few-Flowered Shooting Stars at Grand Teton National Park last summer.Sometimes I’ll have plans to head to a specific trail – and along the way – a little voice says no – try that trail instead. Or how about heading up this road even though it’s in the opposite direction of where I was planning on going. And without fail, every time I’ve listened to my intuition – I’ve found something wonderful to photograph. |
Few-Flowered Shooting Stars, Grand Teton National Park |
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Everglades National Park |
Have there been times when you’ve followed your intuition and found something wonderful to photograph? Did you head up an unexpected trail? Or decide you just had to go out and photograph, even if you were tired? If you have, I’d love to hear about it. |
