National Geographic Photo Basics

For digital camera and smartphone users, this fun, easy how-to guide reveals the essentials of taking great pictures from an experienced National Geographic photographer. Written by star National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, this entertaining book shows aspiring photographers how to take great pictures, from framing and F-stops to editing and archiving. Whether you're using your phone or your first DSLR camera, you'll learn the fundamentals of photography--and how to put them to work every day.   Presented as a series of short lessons, Sartore starts with camera and gear and moves on to focus, exposure, composition and lighting. Using examples from his own collection, he explains how to apply the basic rules of great photography to family, pet, travel, nature, and street photos. Each chapter is enhanced with pointers from the experts, quick assignments, and the behind-the-camera stories of great photographs. Both fun and informative, this book will be your gateway to taking great pictures.

Beloved for his sense of humor and midwestern work ethic, Joel Sartore is a photographer, author, teacher, conservation-ist, regular contributor to National Geographic magazine, and the founder of the Photo Ark, a 25-year documentary project to save species and habitat. He has also contributed to Audu-bon, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, Smithsonian, and numerous book projects including four other Photo Ark books. Joel lives with his wife, Kathy, and their three children, Cole, Ellen, and Spencer, in Lincoln, Nebraska.