PERSPIRATION AND INSPIRATION: IS GPS AN ASSET TO OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Have you ever stopped to think how much a global positioning system might help you on your next "photo safari'? I have never actually gone on a photo safari or a safari of any type, but after deciding on where you are going a GPS unit can ease the stress of actually getting there. Suppose you live in the Winter Haven, Fl. area and are going to the Allegheny National Forest for a nature shoot / vacation. You arrive at the Kinzua Dam area , take a few Photos and head for your campsite at Dew Drop, Pa., or one of the other camping and recreational sites. After you get set up and settled in you pull out your map of the area and start planning your shooting itinerary. The next thing to do is check the batteries in your handheld GPS unit and let it calibrate before comparing it to your map to make sure it wasn't damaged on your trip. While there many brands of GPS units, the top three that came up in my latest Google search for "top three GPS companies" were: TomTom, Garmin and Magellan. In addition to helping you not get lost, it could come in handy for logging an accurate location in your photo record when you take your pictures. Should you become injured or incapacitated during your trekking it will allow you to give an accurate grid location to the Emergency Services dispatcher. I am sure that there are many more possible uses for a GPS unit when photographing in the wilds.