A Photographers Companion to Central California
Your Guide to the Most Beautiful Travel Photos in the West!

California—countless longings and unfulfilled dreams of prosperity and happiness resonate within this single word. And for quite a few fortune seekers, the land between the Pacific and the Sierra Nevada has indeed become an El Dorado. Taken on its own, California today represents the fifth-largest economic power on Earth. And alongside this concentrated economic diversity, California also captivates with its remarkable scenic contrasts.

The coastline provides a natural setting for a remarkable metropolis: San Francisco captivates visitors with its distinctly un-American winding streets and its rather European atmosphere. In the heart of the country, deep gorges cleave through the granite-studded rocky realm of the Sierra Nevada. Kings Canyon is one such awe-inspiring gorge; Yosemite Valley is another—one whose name possesses an almost mythical power. On the slopes and ridges of the mountain range, impenetrable forests rise skyward, their mightiest inhabitants being the giant sequoias. With their warm, textured bark, these sequoias and redwoods soften the harshness of the cold rock. Stretching along the eastern slopes of the Sierra lies the Owens Valley—an impressive expanse that harbors such landmarks as Mono Lake with its bizarre rock formations, ancient bristlecone pine groves, and—at its northern end—the blue jewel of Lake Tahoe. A little further still toward the border, Death Valley transforms with every sunrise from a barren, desolate basin into a shimmering spectacle of color, form, light, and shadow.

Such contrasts evoke dramatic visual worlds—providing a wealth of subjects to fill your photo album with real eye-catchers. Jeder Tag in dieser Umgebung ist eine aufregende Herausforderung und hält Abenteuer, frische Erfahrungen und spektakuläre Motivwelten bereit. The Photographers Companion to Central California is there to lend you a hand. It complements the classic travel guide with a photographic dimension, giving you a feel for the landscape—as well as the most rewarding locations and best vantage points—before you even leave home.

Across 136 pages,The Photographers Companion to Central California offers you the very essence of California, featuring such renowned destinations as Death Valley National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Yosemite National Park, and, of course, San Francisco. Furthermore, it opens up to you the spectacular subjects lying east of the Sierra Nevada, including the Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains, Mono Lake, Bodie Ghost Town, and Lake Tahoe. Point Lobos and the magnificent coastal stretch of Big Sur complete the tour along the ocean. 36 detailed color maps and 113 color images illustrate the text, vividly depicting the landscapes and their photographic subjects.

In addition, the book features practical explanatory texts on photographic techniques and a wealth of helpful tips, rounding out the content to create a resource that offers just as much to the casual photographer as it does to the dedicated amateur and the professional. An appendix containing climate data, information on sunrise and sunset times, and dates for full moon days further complements the package.