Digital guide for plant lovers

Digital guide for plant lovers

Digital cameras have given photographers a new set of tools for capturing nature’s beauty.

Alan L. Detrick helps them use the technology to capture nature close-up in “Macro Photography for Gardeners and Nature Lovers: The Essential Guide to Digital Techniques.”

Detrick, an award-winning garden, nature and landscape photographer, tailors his book to people who use digital single-lens reflex cameras instead of the more common point-and-shoot models.

It’s intended to simplify what can be a complicated art form, covering equipment, providing technical and compositional guidance and educating readers on common mistakes.

“Macro Photography for Gardeners and Nature Lovers” is published by Timber Press and sells for $24.95 in softcover.

Improvements that green up your wallet

With all this talk about saving energy, you need all the information you can get.

“The Homeowner’s Handbook to Energy Efficiency: A Guide to Big and Small Improvements” by John Krigger and Chris Dorsi (Saturn Resource Management; $24.95; paperback) has a wealth of information on living a green lifestyle.

Beginning with a chapter on developing a plan for your home, the book explains the difference between energy consumption and carbon emissions and helps you analyze your utility bills.

Subsequent chapters focus on various aspects of energy consumption, such as lighting and appliances, water heating, and cooling and heating systems.

Other areas covered include insulation, windows and doors, and moisture management and ventilation.

A chapter on building a new home informs readers of the necessary components of energy-efficient construction.

A final section on resources includes online and telephone contacts of organizations that deal with energy issues.