The National Geographic Guide to Landscape and Wildlife Photography

Start your photographic adventure by grounding yourself in the essence of great landscape photography. How is it like fly fishing? What artists and photographers have influenced Mr. Melford's own work? What three elements and tools do photographers need to capture breathtaking shots of the natural world?

Shutter speed, depth of field, and ISO (a camera's sensitivity to light). Discover how these technical concepts work with one another to form the foundation of powerful landscape photos. Also, learn how to sketch "a shot with your mobile phone to see if it's worth pursuing."

Every image was captured with equipment found in Mr. Melford's backpack. Peer inside the landscape photographer's bag and discover when to use essential tools including cable releases, different lenses (such as the perfect landscape lens) and polarizing filters (which take the haze out of sky and water).

Every worthwhile landscape photo has three elements that make it powerful: composition, light, and content. Among the many topics you'll cover are compositional aspects (such as leading lines and frames within frames) and the four kinds of light (including diffused light and incremental weather light).

Colors abound in the natural world, so it's essential for landscape photographers to understand how they mix-and how people respond to them. Taking you to places like Acadia National Park and Adirondack State Park, Mr. Melford shows you how to play with color in your photos.

Aim your camera upwards with this lesson on shooting the sky during the day and at night. From sun-blocking clouds to the aurora borealis and star trails, you'll learn that shooting the sky (whether from the ground or up in the air) requires anticipation, perseverance, and patience.