National Geographic Complete Photo Guide: How to Take Better Pictures

Photography is a fundamental skill with the power to enhance our lives, and this next book in National Geographic's revamped how-to photography line shows how to create great pictures--from composition and camera basics to smartphones, social media, and digital editing.

With more than two billion pictures taken every day, everyone is a photographer now--and we all want to get better at it. This definitive guide shares top secrets and skills from National Geographic's most talented photojournalists, all sure to help you capture the best pictures of what matters most.

Easy-to-follow, step-by-step pages take you through every technique you'll need to create stunning images, from exposure to flash to image enhancement. You'll also discover the broader dimensions of composition, photography history, and how to look at the world like a photographer. Engaging how-to features include "assignments"--such as photographing a single object to explore angles, lighting, and context--and "Why I Love this Photo," with penetrating commentary from National Geographic photo editors on iconic photos and what makes them great. Finally, a fascinating illustrated time line of photography tracks progress from daguerrotypes to smartphones.

Practical and inspiring, this is the perfect how-to, how-it-works, and how-to-get-better guide from National Geographic, the ultimate source for everything photographic.

HEATHER PERRY is a freelance photographer and writer whose first passion is photographing people in and around water. Her work has been published in National Geographic's magazines, books, and online content, as well as in the New York Times, Smithsonian, and elsewhere. With Joel Sartore, she coauthored National Geographic Photo Basics. She also travels on National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions, sharing her photographic knowledge.
MARK THIESSEN has been a photographer with National Geographic since 1990 and on staff since 1997. He is widely published in all areas of National Geographic, including National Geographic and Traveler magazines. Recent articles include "The Hunt for Life Beyond Earth" (July 2014) and "Deep Sea Challenge" (June 2013). In 1996, Thiessen began a personal photography project on wildland firefighters, becoming a certified wildland firefighter and photographing on the front lines of wildfires every summer.