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From the Publisher
How to use this Book
In National Geographic Photo Basics, you’ll find knowledge, advice, and useful tips for beginning photographers. With National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore as your guide, you’ll learn the fundamentals of great photography and how to put them to work in your own photos.
Photo Basics
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Great Photography
This entertaining book from beloved National Geographic photographer and Photo Ark founder Joel Sartore shows aspiring photographers how to take great pictures, from framing and F-stops to editing and archiving. Whether you're using your phone or a DSLR camera, you'll learn the fundamentals of photography--and how to put them to work every day. In a series of short lessons, Sartore explains the basics, from choosing a camera and gear to understanding focus, exposure, composition, and lighting.
- Part One: The Basics
- Part Two: Practicing the Basics
What you need to get started
For most people, everything you need to make great photographs can fit into a backpack. You’ll always want to have the following: a camera you’re familiar with, a lens or two, extra memory cards, batteries or a battery charger, and a lens cloth—but a clean T-shirt will do in a pinch! Depending on your goals for the shoot and your camera, you may also want an external flash. In all of this, it’s important for you to invest in the equipment that’s right for you. Consider your goals, the amount of time you have to devote to photography, and what your budget will allow. Ultimately, you’ve got to put together a kit that will go with your style—of work, of shooting, of storytelling. If you can tell the story with less, don’t drag around extra gear just because a book tells you you should. As in life, you’ll be most successful in photography if you’re true to yourself.
Smartphone Cameras
Point-and-Shoot Cameras
Mirrorless Cameras
DSLR Cameras
Lighting Tools
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Built-In FlashMost compact and DSLR cameras come with a built-in flash unit. These are small and relatively low-powered. In our opinion, this little flash will only cause you trouble, adding dreaded red-eye to your photographs, and making them look more like snapshots. We say, leave it off. |
UmbrellaBy bouncing the flash into an umbrella, you enlarge the size of your light source and produce much softer light on your subjects. This is ideal for portraits. You can get a similar effect by bouncing your flash off a reflector, white poster board, or even a white wall or ceiling. You can also use a translucent umbrella and have the light pass through it (rather than bounce off it). Both bouncing and diffusing work to soften the light in slightly different ways. |
ReflectorA reflector is an object used to reflect light onto a subject. Although you can buy a tool for this purpose, you can also use what’s available to you, like a wall or even a T-shirt. Keep in mind that the color of the object will impact the reflected light. White reflectors bounce neutral light, while silver yields a cool tone and gold gives a warm tone. |
Lens FiltersIn general, it’s good practice to have a filter on your lens to protect it from dust and scratches. Filters can also impact the image. A polarizing filter will darken skies and reduce glare off of reflective surfaces like water. Filters may also impact your exposure, so choose wisely.These days, most filter effects can be applied relatively easily in your digital darkroom after the fact, so don’t sweat it if a filter isn’t in your budget. More on postproduction of your photos later. |
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National Geographic Photo Basics Book Review
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 14, 2023
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 22, 2020
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 17, 2022
I like that study book helped me how to myself learn from camera 📸 it’s pretty smell fresh alike new book. You should buy that book is good.
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 22, 2022
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Dipayan
For starters to intermediates!
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on December 22, 2022
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Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on December 22, 2022
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