Help me choose title for National Parks book [Archive]

QT Luong

8-Feb-2016, 23:06

This summer, to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial, I will publish a book where photographs of the 59 US National Parks are augmented with photography locations notes. I'll let you know more about the book in a few months, but for now, I am asking your opinion about the choice of titles.

A bit of context for the choice of words: The book includes, among about 400 images, the 59 large format photographs which form my traveling exhibit "Treasured Lands". The project took over 20 years to complete, and over 300 visits to cover almost each corner of each park, some quite difficult or eventful. Besides inspiring through images, I share some of my experiences and guide photographers with practical information to the locations seen in the images.

Michael Mutmansky

8-Feb-2016, 23:21

The number 59 is mostly irrelevant, so should be removed I believe.

I'm not sure about the term "photographic". If you couldn't see the book, it would be helpful, but I suspect that most people would be able to tell it is a photography book from the cover or preview, so I feel it is also unnecessary. Can't decide on that, though.

Put me down for a copy!

Darin Boville

8-Feb-2016, 23:51

Will the text and book as a whole focus on your personal "Odyssey" to photograph all of the parks? If so then I woulds place that idea foremost. Something like:

Bucket List: My 5-year Odyssey to Photograph the National Parks

Golden Hour: Five years in the National Parks

Yosemite to Acadia: Photographing the National Parks, Coast to Coast

My Best Idea: Photographic Portraits of America's National Parks

--Darin

Mark Sawyer

9-Feb-2016, 00:23

Personally, I'd go with Holy Crap, It's the National Parks! :rolleyes:

Light Guru

9-Feb-2016, 00:51

Something simple like
"QT Long In The National Parks"

scheinfluger_77

9-Feb-2016, 05:11

This sounds awesome, you can put me down for a copy as well.

David Karp

9-Feb-2016, 07:12

Treasured Lands: America's National Parks.

Bill_1856

9-Feb-2016, 07:45

Add "ALL" before the first title to get your book alphabetized where it will be more visible,and make it stand out from the uncounted others of similar names.
(All The U. S. National Parks, a photographic odyssey)

Bill_1856

9-Feb-2016, 07:47

Oh, yeah -- and congrats on a job well done.

matthew blais

9-Feb-2016, 07:53

What I would suggest too out of the choices

Treasured Lands: America's National Parks.

John Kasaian

9-Feb-2016, 07:58

Congratulations!
I can't wait to buy a copy. Please let us know of any scheduled book signings.

DrTang

9-Feb-2016, 08:03

Park It! America's National Parks

cowanw

9-Feb-2016, 08:10

Is that North America, South America or the Americas.
Outside of The United States of America, the word "America" may have a different meaning.
Of course, depending on your expected distribution, that may not matter.

Kirk Gittings

9-Feb-2016, 08:34

In order to separate this from the tsunami of other books on the NPs it needs to point to the unique content-which is that it covers them all and offers photographic tips without being too wordy but maybe that is unavoidable. I love the phrase "Treasured Lands" but don't really like the subtitles offered-definitely don't like the use of 59.

Treasured Lands
A Photographic Odyssey through all America's (all our?) National Parks.

BTW my father would have loved this book. A hobby of his was finding Joseph Muench's tripod holes all over the SW and he would have done the same with you.

Drew Wiley

9-Feb-2016, 09:11

Kirk Gittings

9-Feb-2016, 11:43

There have been lots and lots of picture books purporting to represent the Natl Parks, many based on stock image from a variety of sources. I like "59" because
it stands out just how many places you've been - a real project, with all of em represented. That is different!

59 does not mean to most people "All the NPs". I think ALL is more important than a big number. Everyone knows there are a bunch of them.

Drew Wiley

9-Feb-2016, 12:32

Gotta disagree, Kirk. You and I might know there's a lot of em, but most of the public could probably recite about three. Oh well, it's his call. There is still one NP
here in Calif there I have never even been to (Channel Is), of technically, in Calif waters. I haven't even been to all our official regional parks just on the East
Bay side of SF Bay. There's about forty of those, and new ones popping up, even within a ten minute drive of my house. I thought it might be cool to do a theme
of all the official Wilderness Areas just in Calif, but there's way too many of them too! What is a kid to do in such a big candy store? What does "59" mean to me?
Not nearly as old as it once appeared!

Drew Wiley

9-Feb-2016, 12:35

I'm looking at 59 in the rear view mirror, that is, way back there somewhere. Global warming and gravity - I notice both increasing over the last decade. Explains
why 4x5 is starting to feel more like 8x10.

mdm

9-Feb-2016, 12:40

The number 59 is a prime number, it should be the title, or at least in the title.

Sal Santamaura

9-Feb-2016, 13:39

I voted for "Treasured Lands: An Odyssey through America's National Parks" for two reasons. First, Tuan's goal, like that of all published book authors, is to sell as many copies as possible, i.e. not limit his potential market. That means including the word "photographic" in his title would instantly eliminate anyone who's not sure they want what would sound like purely a photo book. A more general title keeps the door open for more people to consider purchasing.

The second reason is that, while 59 might be the number of US National Parks today, it won't be forever. New parks are added to the system from time to time. It wouldn't be wise to adopt a title that has a good chance of being stale in the foreseeable future.

invisibleflash

9-Feb-2016, 14:07

Treasured Lands: America's 59 National Parks.

Maybe not the best choice but I like all the facts summed up in a short title.

Tin Can

9-Feb-2016, 14:22

Short titles are good. I still vote for #3, but remove the unnecessary 'A' and then change 'through' to 'of' which is inclusive of all without stating it. And use American which can mean all Americas, but is usually used to denote the elephant in the room, USA.

Photographic Odyssey of American National Parks

Kirk Gittings

9-Feb-2016, 14:54

John Layton

9-Feb-2016, 15:19

I think #3 is great. Plus, the phrase "odyssey through" is a bit more indicative of an actual journey/process than would be the phrase "odyssey of," IMHO.

Leszek Vogt

9-Feb-2016, 20:19

I think bad-ass or bitchin' would qualify, but I'd go with Our National Parks. Really, I wanted to interject magnificent, extraordinary, bla bla, but that's a mouth full. By the way, there are some other parks that qualify under the banner of "national"....like several historic parks.

Les

Drew Wiley

10-Feb-2016, 10:27

I think I've already seen a printed title, Our Magnificent National Parks. I'm sure the Parks were magnificent, but some of the pictures certainly weren't.

QT Luong

13-Feb-2016, 13:01

Thanks to everybody for the suggestions.

The book has two unique features compared to competition: it is comprehensive, and it has a built-in "photography guide" which is mostly location information with a bit of my experiences thrown in. The first reason is why I tried "odyssey" and "59". I see 59 as double-edged. If successful, there can be a "60" book latter. Wondering if "photographic" would increase interest by photographers or not ?

Tin Can

13-Feb-2016, 13:07

I suggest you keep testing titles.

Your 'Look Book' with image capture 'Tips', sounds very interesting.

Your tips have pre-sold me!

Steven Tribe

14-Feb-2016, 05:22

"Lands" should be removed as it could be understood as excluding water (especialy lakes and waterways). "Treasured" is a bit tired in my view. "Our" would a good word to include - think of Woody Guthrie!

One of the problems in finding at title is due to the word park. Because of the US national "parks", the original meaning of the word park in American English has been extended to include pristine nature whilst originally it was reserved for near habitation areas that had been "landscaped"!

rich815

14-Feb-2016, 07:58

When I see or hear "Odyssey" I think mini-van. As do many people. "Treasured" seems too cheesy to me and not very unique. Can we see some of the work to get an idea of what's unique or special in your work's portrayal of the National parks? That might help....

Thad Gerheim

14-Feb-2016, 08:56

One of the problems in finding at title is due to the word park. Because of the US national "parks", the original meaning of the word park in American English has been extended to include pristine nature whilst originally it was reserved for near habitation areas that had been "landscaped"![/QUOTE]

I have always thought the original meaning of a "park" was- an opening in the forest, simalar to a meadow.

"Your Wild National Parks" or "Images of the Public's National Parks" would convey some ownership to the reader/viewer and hopefully some responsibility to preserve and fund the nations public lands. There is a real threat of the western states trying to have federal land turned over to them for ill-conceived monetary gain.

Sal Santamaura

14-Feb-2016, 10:06

...Can we see some of the work to get an idea of what's unique or special in your work's portrayal of the National parks?...You must not be familiar with this forum's founder's work:

http://www.terragalleria.com/

Steven Tribe

14-Feb-2016, 10:19

Perhaps 59 is too close to the ubiquitous 57 of Heinz fame?

Chauncey Walden

14-Feb-2016, 17:32

Without "all" or "59" most people would think it is just another book covering the most famous dozen or so.

rich815

14-Feb-2016, 18:09

You must not be familiar with this forum's founder's work:

http://www.terragalleria.com/

No, I am, I mean specifically for this book he wants suggestions on....

QT Luong

19-Feb-2016, 14:21

No, I am, I mean specifically for this book he wants suggestions on....

Of course it's not up to me to say whether my photographs are unique or special. What I can say with some confidence, is that the book itself has two unique features. First, it is comprehensive, with more than 400 images from each of the 59 US National Parks, in a beautiful design. Second, it doubles as a photography guide (location notes, and my experiences and impressions).

I don't have a specific edit for the book which is online, but almost all the images from my travel exhibit are in the book, you can check them out at http://treasuredlandsproject.com/artwork-and-texts/thumbnails-2/

Bob Salomon

19-Feb-2016, 15:20

I'm surprised how few actually voted.

Tin Can

19-Feb-2016, 15:20

I just studied your link. Wonder locations, images and useful text.

What really surprised me, is how many Parks were established recently and that I had been to some of those areas before they were Parks. Many more, I have never seen.

Eyeopening indeed.

Great work!