What a region to visit with your camera. I’ve driven through the valley many times, on my way to North Carolina or points south. While the valley is picturesque with much to offer a photographer, Skyline Drive, through Shenandoah National Park is the real prize in my opinion.
I’ve only had the opportunity to spend one expended period in the park and we timed it a little early. We had hoped to capture a budding spring but we arrive as the foliage was still climbing up the mountainside and much of what we saw on the trail was still late winter. Locals told us that that special spring green climbed the side of the mountains at about 100 feet a day. So, we settled for hiking down the mountainsides to meet it part way.
A few dogwoods and other early blossoms greeted us and offered spectacular photo opportunities, as did small patches of wild trillium and many gentle streams and small waterfalls.
However, my favorite has to be narrowed to three subjects: morning fog that blanketed the valley below and moved in and out providing constantly changing terrain for us to focus on, sunsets that painted the distant horizon across the valley variations of blue and magenta mixed that I doubt the best painters would find a challenge, and the contrasts when we could find fresh spring foliage against a backdrop of a still brown winter landscape. You gotta love it all.
-
007407-0836 Early Spring Greens $14.95
