Shenandoah National Park is located along the Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. There are 105-miles of road through the park with 75 overlooks that offer many photographic opportunities. We will stop and enjoy some of the many beautiful vistas along the way. As we drive to our destination, at the lodge at Big Meadows, we will pass rock cliffs, drive thorough tunnels of trees and pass the mountain laurel and other wildflowers and ferns growing along the banks of the road. We will definitely see deer and other wildlife along the way, so keep a watchful eye when heading up the mountain.

We will arrive on Friday night at 6:00 PM for dinner, followed by a presentation on photographing fawns and does. In the morning we will go out into the meadow where you will surely see and hopefully photograph fawns in the open meadow or the mother nursing her newborn fawn. This is really exciting to see for the first time or any other time for that matter.

The doe usually leaves her fawn bedded down in the meadow while she goes off to feed, so you must be careful when walking over the meadow. It is very easy not to see the fawns until you are practically right on top of them. The fawns will lie perfectly still and not make a sound unless it feels threatened. We always want to keep a reasonable distance from the newborn fawn, so we do not get this little creature stressed. Remember, mom is always close by and they have ways of communicating danger.

Friday night reservations are recommended at the Big Meadows Lodge as the safari starts Friday evening for dinner.

We will spend part of the trip photographing the many wildflowers and other wildlife we may encounter. We will also drive to one of the overlooks to photograph the sunset.

Saturday night you will learn the fine art of light painting at one of the overlooks.