Masters of Photography

Topic Subtopic
Better Living Arts & Leisure
Masters of
Photography
Course Guidebook
Learn Photography from 12 National Geographic Masters

William Albert Allard, Stephen Alvarez, Ira Block, Jodi Cobb, Annie Griffiths,
Ed Kashi, Michael Melford, Cory Richards, Jim Richardson, Joel Sartore,
Steve Winter, and Michael Yamashita
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National Geographic Photographers
Photographer portaits: © National Geographic Creative.
William Albert Allard

A major force at National Geographic and in mainstream photography for
50 years, William Albert Allard has contributed to the Society’s magazine
stories and books as a photographer and writer
since 1964. He studied at the Minneapolis School
of Fine Arts (now the Minneapolis College of Art
and Design) and the University of Minnesota. Mr.
Allard is the author of six highly acclaimed books,
including the award-winning Vanishing Breed:
Photographs of the Cowboy and the West. His
latest book, William Albert Allard: Five Decades, a
retrospective and memoir, explores his long career
in both words and pictures. Among his worldwide
exhibitions, his one-man show at the Tehran
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exhibit of work by an American artist in Iran since
1979. Considered one of color photography’s most celebrated pioneers, Mr.
Allard is a former contributor to Magnum Photos, and his prints appear in
private and museum collections. Learn more about his work online at http://
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Stephen Alvarez
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produces global stories about exploration,
adventure, and culture. He has been a National
Geographic magazine photographer since 1995
and has published more than a dozen stories
with the magazine. Mr. Alvarez has won awards
from Pictures of the Year International and
Communication Arts. His story on the Maya and
their religious rituals was exhibited at Visa pour
L’Image, a renowned international photojournalism
i
festival in Perpignan, France. Mr. Alvarez also has produced stories with
NPR, including a story on underground Paris that won a 2012 White House
News Photographers Association award. He has appeared on NPR, PBS, and
CBS News Sunday Morning and at the Annenberg Space for Photography, the
Shakerag Workshops, National Geographic Live, the Atlanta Photojournalism
Seminar, and the Banff Centre. Mr. Alvarez is a founding member of, and
social media strategist for, The Photo Society, a group of contributing
photographers for National Geographic magazine. His work is on the web at
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Ira Block
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and workshop leader who has produced more than 30 stories for National
Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, and
National Geographic Adventure magazines. He
began his career as a newspaper photographer,
earning numerous press club awards. His momentous
coffee-table book, Saving America’s Treasures,
was a collaborative effort among the Clinton White
House, the National Geographic Society, and the
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Mr. Block’s
photographic exhibit Faces of Hope, portraits of
survivors and images of objects retrieved from
the aftermath of the World Trade Center tragedy,
is part of the permanent collection of the National
September 11 Memorial and Museum. As an expert
in lighting, Mr. Block is sought after for assignments ranging from shooting
ancient artifacts in Greece to photographing dinosaur fossils in the Gobi Desert
and documenting Moche mummies in Peru. View more of Mr. Block’s work at
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Jodi Cobb
Jodi Cobb’s groundbreaking career spans more than three decades as a
staff photographer with National Geographic, one of only four women to
have held that position in the magazine’s history. She has worked in more
than 65 countries, documenting closed societies and disappearing cultural
ii
traditions. Ms. Cobb is perhaps best known as the
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and rituals of the geisha, revealed in her book
Geisha: The Life, the Voices, the Art. The book
was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and won
the American Society of Media Photographers
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Geographic story “21st-Century Slaves.” Featured
as one of National Geographic’s Women of Vision
in a new book and exhibition, Ms. Cobb has
repeatedly received National Press Photographers Association Pictures of the
Year and World Press awards. In 2012, she was awarded one of journalism’s
most prestigious honors, the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service
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illustrious career and worked on dozens of magazine and book projects for
National Geographic. Her books include A Camera, Two Kids, and a Camel:
My Journey in Photographs, a memoir about
balance and the joy of creating a meaningful life, and
National Geographic Simply Beautiful Photographs,
which was named the top photo/art book of 2011
by both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. In addition
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of photographers who document programs that
empower women and girls in the developing world,
especially as they deal with the devastating effects of
climate change. Known for her warmth and humor
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share stories from her photographs that bring to life
both the people and the cultures she documents. Learn more about her work at
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iii
Ed Kashi
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he has pioneered the movement to multimedia
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projects on geopolitics and social issues. Mr. Kashi
has won numerous awards from World Press
Photo and Pictures of the Year International, as
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Prix Pictet commission in 2010, and honors from
Communication Arts and American Photo. He has
published seven books, including Curse of the Black
Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta and THREE.
His latest book, Photojournalisms, is a compilation
of journal writings to his wife, done over a nearly
20-year period from various locations around the world. View more of Mr.
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Michael Melford
Michael Melford is an internationally recognized photographer who
has worked with National Geographic for more than 30 years. He has
produced 19 feature stories for National Geographic magazine and more
than 30 stories for National Geographic Traveler. His work also has been
featured on the covers of Newsweek, TIME,
LIFE, Fortune, Smithsonian, GEO, Travel +
Leisure, Travel Holiday, and Coastal Living. Mr.
Melford has won recognition from World Press
Photo, the International Center of Photography,
the Art Director’s Club, and numerous other
arts organizations and publications. He also
has produced photography for eight National
Geographic books, including National Geographic
Treasures of Alaska: The Last Great American
Wilderness and Hidden Alaska: Bristol Bay and
iv
Beyond. Mr. Melford teaches photography primarily through National
Geographic; he leads one-day seminars around the country through National
Geographic Traveler’s photo seminar series and travels with National
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Cory Richards
A climber and visual storyteller, Cory Richards was named National
Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012, the same year the American
Alpine Club presented him with its Rowell
Award. At the 2014 National Geographic
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to the inaugural group of National Geographic
Photography Fellows, whose work combines
visual storytelling and exploration. Mr. Richards’s
camera has taken him from the runway to the wild
and remote corners of the world, from Antarctica’s
unclimbed peaks to the Himalayas of Nepal and
Pakistan, in an attempt to capture not only the
soul of exploration but also the beauty of modern
society. He is a passionate mountain climber on
The North Face athletic team and has carved a
niche as one of the world’s leading adventure
and expedition photographers. His photography has appeared in National
Geographic magazine, Outside, and The New York Times+LV¿OPZRUNKDV
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prize at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival for Cold. View more of
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Jim Richardson
Jim Richardson has been a photographer for National Geographic for
more than 30 years, specializing in global environmental issues and
landscapes. He also is interested in the Celtic world, with special attention
to Scotland and its remote islands. His documentary photography has
focused on the American Great Plains and includes extended coverage
of small-town life in his native Kansas. He has a 30-year photographic
v
relationship with the people of Cuba, Kansas
(population 220). This unusual body of work has
been excerpted in National Geographic, LIFE,
and many other publications worldwide. Among
his books is The Colorado: A River at Risk, which
has been recognized widely for its contribution
to awareness of water issues in the American
West. In addition to photographing for National
Geographic magazine, Mr. Richardson represents
National Geographic in keynote presentations,
media appearances, cultural enrichment lectures
for travel groups, and workshops. To view his
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Joel Sartore
Joel Sartore is a photographer and National Geographic Fellow, a speaker, a
writer, a teacher, and a regular contributor to National Geographic magazine.
His work has been recognized by the National
Press Photographers Association and Pictures of
the Year International. In addition to his work for
National Geographic, Mr. Sartore has contributed
to Audubon magazine, TIME, LIFE, Newsweek,
Sports Illustrated, and numerous book projects. He
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also has published several books himself, including
RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered
Species; Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky; and
Photographing Your Family: And All the Kids and
Friends and Animals Who Wander through Too.
His most recent book is titled Let’s Be Reasonable.
Mr. Sartore and his work have been the subjects
of several national broadcasts, including National
Geographic Explorer, NBC Nightly News, NPR’s Weekend Edition, and an
hour-long PBS documentary titled At Close Range with National Geographic.
He is also a regular contributor on the CBS News Sunday Morning show. His
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vi
Steve Winter
Steve Winter has been a photojournalist with
National Geographic for more than 20 years,
specializing in wildlife, particularly big cats. He
is also an adventurer who has been attacked by
rhinos, stalked by jaguars, and charged by an 11-
foot grizzly bear. Mr. Winter was named Wildlife
Photographer of the Year in 2008 and Wildlife
Photojournalist of the Year in 2012 in a competition
cosponsored by the Natural History Museum in
London and BBC Worldwide. He won the Pictures
of the Year International Global Vision Award in
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Press Photo in 2008 and 2014. Mr. Winter is the coauthor of Tigers Forever:
Saving the World’s Most Endangered Big Cat. He lectures globally on
photography and conservation issues and has been featured on NPR, as
well as the CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, and other programs. Mr. Winter
teaches workshops with Wildlife Photo Masterclass, a cooperative formed
by National Geographic photographers. He is on the web at http://www.
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Michael Yamashita
Michael Yamashita is a 30-year award-
winning veteran of National Geographic and has
photographed a vast range of topics and locations,
most notably in Asia. He has traipsed with
camels across the Taklimakan Desert, scaled peaks
in Tibet, and journeyed the length of the Great
Wall. He has published more than 30 National
Geographic magazine features, as well as 10
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credit, Marco Polo: The China Mystery Revealed
and Treasure Fleet: The Adventures of Zheng He.
His most recent book, Shangri-La: Along the Tea Road to Lhasa, took him
to the far reaches of western China and the Himalayas to capture the fast-
disappearing ancient culture of Tibet. Mr. Yamashita has taught at major
vii
photo workshops and art centers, including the Maine Media Workshops,
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, Tuscany Photo Workshop, and Palm
Beach Photographic Centre. He also has conducted hands-on workshops in
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viii
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
National Geographic Photographers ...................................................i

Course Scope .....................................................................................1
LESSON GUIDES
ADVENTURE
Cory Richards and Stephen Alvarez
LESSONS 1–2 ...................................................................................3
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LESSONS 3–4 .................................................................................17
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WILDLIFE
Steve Winter and Joel Sartore
LESSONS 5–6 .................................................................................31
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LESSONS 7–8 .................................................................................46
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LANDSCAPE AND NATURE
Jim Richardson and Michael Yamashita
LESSONS 9–10 ...............................................................................60
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Table of Contents
LESSONS 11–12..............................................................................75
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PEOPLE IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTS
Jodi Cobb and Ira Block
LESSONS 13–14 .............................................................................88
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LESSONS 15–16 ...........................................................................103
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COLOR AND LIGHT
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LESSONS 17–18 ...........................................................................116
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LESSONS 19–20 ...........................................................................130
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STORYTELLING
William Albert Allard and Ed Kashi
LESSONS 21–22 ...........................................................................145
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LESSONS 23–24 ...........................................................................158
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Table of Contents
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
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xi
xii
National Geographic Masters of Photography
Scope:
T
his course brings you the work of 12 National Geographic
photographers divided into six units: Adventure, Wildlife, Landscape
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and Storytelling. In each unit, you’ll hear from two world-renowned
photographers about their specialties and gain insight into the creative
process behind some of their iconic photographs.
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mountain climber, and Stephen Alvarez, an adventurer who explores caves.
In their lessons, you’ll learn how to tell the story of an expedition, including
the importance of setting the scene and showing the human side of the
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to home. The next unit is Wildlife, taught by Steve Winter and Joel Sartore.
Both of these photographers are interested in photographing animals in order
to save them and to encourage responsible stewardship of the natural world.
Mr. Winter shares ideas for applying the techniques of wildlife photography
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a number of interesting locations where you can interact with and photograph
exotic species. In the third unit, Landscape and Nature, Jim Richardson and
Michael Yamashita show you how to capture the unexpected in landscapes.
Mr. Richardson emphasizes the importance of adding new skills to your
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the middle of the night. Mr. Yamashita discusses the relationship of design
in general to photography, highlighting the shared concerns of landscape
designers and photographers: layering, color, light, and impact on the viewer.
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Ira Block. From these photographers, you’ll learn about gaining access to,
and building relationships with your subjects. Ms. Cobb takes you inside
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of the secret world of the geisha, and into heartbreaking scenes of human
1
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activities of people you’re photographing and how to include the element of
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of light that photographers look for—diffuse light, side light, backlight,
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and suggests numerous experiments you can try with color. Finally, the
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together all the lessons of the course to show how you can put together
photo essays to document your travels, your neighborhood, or your daily
life. Mr. Allard discusses the importance of conveying a sense of place
and intimacy with your subjects in your photographs and provides tips on
incorporating portraits into your stories and using available light. You’ll
also be challenged with a range of assignments to apply these secrets to
your own photography. Ŷ
Scope
2
Cory Richards—Adventure
Lessons 1–2
A
ll adventure is created through the people who engage in it, and
for this reason, an adventure encompasses much more than just
the challenges those people take on. It includes the people who
provide support, the local culture, the action itself, and the vulnerability and
humanness of the adventurers. As photographers, we have to engage with
all aspects of adventure. The more we can achieve that goal, the deeper and
more relatable our stories will be.
Elements of Adventure Photography

Adventure is often about being outside and taking on physical challenges,
but there’s much more to it than that. It’s about relatable human moments—
those times when the people on an expedition are carrying their gear in a
storm or taking shelter inside a tent. It’s also about relationships—team
members playing a board game or one team member learning from another.
In adventure photography, you want to give viewers a sense of wonder and
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give your viewers something to hold onto.
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uncomfortable, it’s probably not a very challenging adventure. But those
times when you just want to curl up in the tent are exactly when you should
take out your camera and start shooting; such moments of exhaustion and
discomfort are very relatable experiences.
As an experiment, try taking portraits of the adventurers or their support

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make those images tell part of the story without showing the adventure itself.
Look for a sense of immediacy in the scenes you photograph. Think of

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try to capture that urgency. How can you show what it feels like to confront a
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3
Strange or unexpected scenes or discoveries are sometimes present in
adventure photography. Such moments draw viewers into your photographs,
grabbing their attention and prompting them to wonder what’s going on in
the image.
One way to think about telling the story of an adventure as a whole is to

ask yourself a series of questions: First, how can you encapsulate the theme
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adventure itself with the local culture or other aspects of the surrounding
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incorporates many of the basic skills and concepts of photography, such as
creative use of composition and light.
Focusing on the Landscape

In addition to the human element, to tell the story of an adventure, you
also need to show the landscape. After all, adventure photography is about
incorporating the environment into the picture so that viewers start to
understand what it feels like to be there. Try putting small people in large
Lessons 1–2: Cory Richards—Adventure
landscapes to give viewers a sense of awe, or experiment with isolating one

person in the landscape to show hardship. You can also isolate a person by
using color in a monochromatic landscape.
Sometimes, you can put people in a landscape by using silhouette. This

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Silhouette also creates intimate moments—not with the human subjects but
with the landscape itself. This technique focuses viewers’ attention on the
landscape, giving them a sense of awe and wonder.
View the landscape in terms of form. How can you use lines and color to
create unexpected moments that are both engaging to the eye and move your
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Use large, open spaces—negative spaces—to isolate a single person and
show how intimidating the experience of an adventure can be.
Composition and Lighting in the Field

Look for leading lines to help compose your frames. This can be a rope or
even a ray of light. The idea here is to draw the viewer’s eye to where you
want it to be. Be aware of forms and the interplay between forms to add
graphic impact to your images.
Use composition to tell stories that are not necessarily immediately

apparent. In a story about climbing, show the equipment and the clothing of
the climbers. Focus on textures in the landscape or the human environment.
Show the gritty details of the expedition, such as a dirty, exhausted climber.
These elements help tell the story of climbing without showing the
action itself.
Try to use natural light as much as you can, rather than distracting viewers
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might also try experimenting with darkness in your images: Isolate a subject
in light and keep most of the rest of the frame dark. This technique often
gives a sense of vastness to an image.
Remember that with a truly great and honest moment, composition,

sharpness, and other elements of good photography come second. Such
moments will never happen again, and you have to try to anticipate them.
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environment. Always be aware of the light and the activity around you.
Observing without Being Present

As much as photography is about capturing the moment—just 1/500 of a
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building relationships with your subjects. You want your subjects to feel
comfortable enough with your presence to ignore both you and the camera.
That level of comfort comes about only by taking the time to get to know the
people you’re photographing and by respecting their lifestyles and values.
5
In most cases, photographers need to be observers who are not present.
Unless you’re making a portrait, you don’t want subjects to make eye contact
with you. Remove yourself from the activity around you as much as you can.
Communicating Larger Issues

Photography is a powerful means of communicating information to help solve
larger problems. For example, photographs can relate the story of a changing
culture, such as the sea gypsy people—the Bajau of Indonesia—or publicize
the dangerous effects of climate change on animal populations. Again, such
stories call on multiple skills for photographers. How can you show wildlife
in an impactful way—by isolating a single animal, showing large numbers
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details can you use to reveal the human impact on an environment without
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viewers the sense that we have the capacity to solve these problems, even if
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kind of photography—is about bringing together all your tools and skills to
create images with the power to move your viewers.
Assignment
1. Pick a skill set in photography that isn’t your best or most solid, such as
Lessons 1–2: Cory Richards—Adventure
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your skills. Push through your own boundaries to expand what you can
do with photography.
6
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Lesson 1
All images in Lessons 1 and 2 © Cory Richards.
Hikers isolated in landscape, Antarctica.
7
Climbers.
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Inside a tent, Antarctica.
8
Human experience of adventure.
Portrait of an adventurer.
9
Flurry of activity, Antarctica.
/HVVRQ5HGH¿QH$GYHQWXUH
Tent in mountain landscape.
10
Single climber.
11
Broaden Your View
Lesson 2
Lesson 2: Broaden Your View
Hikers isolated in landscape, Mustang (border of Nepal and Tibet).
12
Dirty, exhausted climber, Mustang.
Basket of human remains.
13
14
Gnarled hands.
Children, Choser village.
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15
Bajau man and children.
Abandoned building, Krenkel Station, Heiss Island.
16
Stephen Alvarez—Adventure
Lessons 3–4
A
s a photographer, you can cover any number of subjects, but what
gets many photographers excited is adventure. To go somewhere
that’s never been seen and share that experience with a larger world
through photography is what many photographers truly love. You can think
of adventure as anything that pushes you outside your comfort zone, such as
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(YHQZDONLQJGRZQWKHVWUHHWLQEHDXWLIXOOLJKWFDQEHDQDGYHQWXUHLI\RX
allow yourself to view the experience in that way.
Types of Adventure
Of course, adventure often requires physical exploration, such as climbing a
mountain or discovering a cave. These situations present the opportunity to
show people a world they may never have seen. In caves, for example, many
times, the only way you can see what’s around you is to make a photograph
of it; otherwise, there’s not enough light to even see the space you’re in.
As you take on more challenges, you’ll become better at both the physical
abilities needed for your particular brand of adventure and the knowledge
you need as a photographer. Keep a list of places you’d like to explore that
will enable you to broaden both skill sets.
In addition to photographing an adventure or expedition as it happens, you

can also try to capture a historical expedition. In this case, you’ll need to
conduct research to learn how the adventurers traveled, where they went,
and what they discovered.
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people. If you’re the leader of such an expedition, be compassionate and
understanding and lead by example to help people get things done. In
adventure photography, much of the story is about the expedition itself. Be
sure to shoot the food and equipment you take along, as well as the story of
moving it to the site of your adventure.
17
One of the most enjoyable parts of any sort of expedition is working with
the people who live in the places you’re exploring. You’ll be amazed at
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things done.
You can also, of course, go on adventures without traveling to the other

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has seen before. And you can go on adventures within just a few miles of
your home. Search out extreme landscapes or unexplored areas of a city,
challenging yourself to view familiar sites with fresh eyes. One of the goals
of photographers is to surprise people and bring them worlds they don’t
expect. Anyone can achieve this goal by applying the idea of exploration and
adventure to everyday life.
Scene Setters
In any set of photos, one of the most important things you need is a scene
setter. This would be the opener in a magazine essay, but it also applies to a
family album. It’s nice to have an image that sets the tone for everything that
follows. You might simply shoot a scene in the fog to give a sense of mood
or use a long exposure to capture the blur of lights and the frenetic energy of
a city. Whenever you’re traveling, look for a hotel room with a great view so
that you can shoot right outside the window.
Lessons 3–4: Stephen Alvarez—Adventure
If you’re doing a scene setter that’s a landscape, consider putting people

in the image to give viewers a human element to identify with and an idea
of the scale of the environment. You might also try adding a nonhuman
element, such as a plane, to prompt viewers to imagine what it would be like
to experience that landscape in some way. A panorama is another interesting
way to photograph a large landscape; you can assemble one out of multiple
still images or use a camera that shoots panoramas automatically.
6KRRWLQJLQ'LI¿FXOW6SRWV
In adventure photography, you often have to think carefully about where to
position yourself to get the image you want. Consider whether you want to
shoot from above or below. In some cases, you may not have much choice
about where to stand. For example, if you’re shooting a mountain climber
from a distance, you may be standing on a small ledge, and your instinct
18
may be to use a long lens to zero in on your subject. But if you can’t see
your subject well enough and you can’t change your position, it may be wise
to zoom out a little bit to show the climber in context and let the viewer
see more of the action. A 24-mm lens is a good one to use for adventure
photography because it lets you get close enough to your subject but also
include some context.
Another way to bring the viewer into the action is to use a remote camera
and a very wide lens. You can mount a camera on top of a car, on the front
of a motorcycle or boat, or even on the wing of a hang glider. You might
also use a remote camera when your hands are busy doing something else,
such as holding onto a raft. Remote cameras give you and your viewers a
unique perspective and often let you see things that would be impossible to
capture otherwise.
Strobe and Other Lighting

Of course, photographs are all about light. At National Geographic, it’s often
said that even if you have a picture of the Second Coming, if it’s in bad light,
LWZRQ¶WJHWSXEOLVKHG)RUSKRWRJUDSKHUV¿QGLQJJRRGOLJKWXVXDOO\PHDQV
getting up early and staying up late. You might also experiment with strobe
lighting, which goes off quickly and freezes the action in a photograph. Or
try to set up a tension between two light sources, such as strobe lighting in
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have a little bit of movement, lending it dynamism. Remember, you don’t
DOZD\VKDYHWRXVHH[SHQVLYHSKRWRJUDSKLFJHDUDKLJKSRZHUHGÀDVKOLJKW
or a headlamp may be just the right piece of equipment.
Planning and Building Images

Sometimes, good images are built over time, meaning that it may well take
more than one attempt in a place to make the photograph you want. Often,
you may revisit a site at different times, adjust the lighting, use a different
lens, or change small elements in the composition until you achieve the
effect you’re looking for.
Planning and close coordination are particularly important in adventure

photography. For example, you may need radios to know when your subjects
will be in position so that you’ll be ready for the action when it happens.
19
Work closely with experts who are taking you to a site or with the subjects
you’re photographing to get an idea of how much time will be available to
shoot and to choose the best position for yourself.
Of course, there are many situations and conditions that you can’t plan
for in photography, particularly those related to the weather. But don’t
automatically think that bad weather prevents you from shooting. Weather
can change a scene quickly—even from one frame to the next. You may,
in fact, make some of your strongest images in harsh weather conditions.
Nighttime also presents challenging conditions for photography, but with a
tripod and a cable release, you can shoot well after dark, opening up the
magic of the night sky.
Assignment
1. 8VLQJDZLGHOHQV¿QGVRPHDFWLRQDQGJHWDVFORVHWRLWDV\RXFDQ7KH
subject doesn’t have to be the feats of a caver or a mountain biker; it
could be a child’s birthday party. Fill your frame with the action.
Lessons 3–4: Stephen Alvarez—Adventure
20
Show What No One Has Shown
Lesson 3
All images in Lessons 3 and 4 © Stephen Alvarez.
Rappelling inside a cave.
21
First swim on the Gulf Coast.
Lesson 3: Show What No One Has Shown
Small plane.
22
Cave exploration.
Local guides.
23
Moving an expedition.
Lesson 3: Show What No One Has Shown
Extreme landscape.
24
Catacombs of Paris.
25
Set the Scene, Get Close
Lesson 4
Lesson 4: Set the Scene, Get Close
Climbing expedition, Alam Kuh, Iran.
26
Waterfall.
Mountain biker.
27
Motorcycle rider.
View from a hang glider, Outer Banks, NC.
28
Climber and waterfall.
Lightning.
29
30
Night sky.
Steve Winter—Wildlife
Lessons 5–6
T
he reaction of people to photographs of baby animals tells us that
there isn’t much difference between how we view people and how
we view animals. We get an emotional connection with the eyes in
photographs of both. We also have emotional connections with the activities
of animals, such as a female tiger playing with or protecting her young.
Wildlife photographers try to forge these emotional connections between
the subjects and the viewers of their photographs for a number of reasons,
perhaps most importantly, to interest the next generation in learning about
animals and to encourage responsible stewardship of the natural world.
Researching Animals
In photographing animals, it’s important to try to understand their behavior
and movement. Learn the times when the animal you’re interested in is
active, when it feeds, and where it sleeps.
Because many wild animals are extremely secretive, you might try using
a remote camera to photograph them. These cameras send out an infrared
beam; when the beam is broken, the camera shoots a photograph. If you use
DUHPRWHFDPHUDWDNHWKHWLPHWR¿QGWKHULJKWFRPSRVLWLRQLQWKHORFDWLRQ
where the image will be captured; you want the photograph to look exactly
as it would if you were there and shooting it yourself.
,I\RX¶UHVHWWLQJXSDEOLQGRUDKLGH¿QGDWLJKWDUHDWKDWLVDORFDWLRQWKDW
doesn’t allow the animal to move too much. A trail with a narrow choke
point might be a good spot.
Do research on the animals you’re interested in or talk to scientists or other

H[SHUWVWR¿QGRXWDERXWXQLTXHHYHQWVLQWKHQDWXUDOZRUOGVXFKDVZKHUH
and when certain animals lay their eggs. If you get a chance, photograph
researchers working with animals or animals in a protective facility. Not
only will you learn a great deal, but such opportunities show your viewers
how animals contribute to our lives outside of television or the movies. Any
31
time you can get a photograph of an animal that is accessible to people, both
the animal and the viewers win.
Many photographers focus on telling the story of animals and their relation
to humans in the environment. For example, a photo essay on a tiger reserve
might include images of the humans who compete with tigers for food or
WKRVHZKRKXQWWLJHUV6XFKSKRWRVRIFRQÀLFWEHWZHHQWKHKXPDQDQGWKH
animal worlds also evoke an emotional reaction in the viewer.
Practicing Your Skills

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LQ \RXU RZQ EDFN\DUG 1RW PDQ\ RI XV KDYH ÀDPLQJRV RU TXHW]DOV LQ WKH
backyard, but we all encounter birds every day. And photographing a bird
in an exotic tree in the jungle is actually no different than photographing a
ELUG RXWVLGH \RXU EDFNGRRU &RQVLGHU IRU H[DPSOH D ELUG À\LQJ DJDLQVW D
white sky. A silhouette is a great way to handle this issue, and this solution
applies whether you’re at a neighborhood park or on safari. You can also
practice the technique of follow focusing on birds by photographing your
children running in the backyard with a toy bird taped to a broom handle;
you’ll notice that the children switch directions rapidly, just as birds often
do. Photographing pets is good practice, too. Take pictures as your cat climbs
a tree, playing with the light or how tight you’re shooting.
Think, too, about drawing on other photography skills you’ve learned when
Lessons 5–6: Steve Winter—Wildlife
you photograph animals. For example, the same instincts you use to capture
an exciting moment in sports, such as scoring a goal or sliding into second
base, can be applied to images of animals in action. Set the camera to shoot
10 frames per second; this setting is often used in sports photography, but it’s
also wonderful for capturing animal movement.
Whether you’re on a safari and photographing a tiger or taking pictures of

your dog in the backyard, pay attention to your subject’s eyes. You’ll often
see the eyes focus on something of interest to the animal, and you can be
prepared for it to make a move.
32
Getting Something Different
T hroughout my career, I’ve worked with scientists that are studying

the species that I’m working on. Many of the species I work
with are extremely secretive, so I need to work hand in hand with the
VFLHQWLVWVZKHQWKH\¶UHLQWKH¿HOGWRXQGHUVWDQGWKHDQLPDO¶VEHKDYLRU
its movements, where it sleeps, where it lives, where it eats. One of the
ways that I do that is to follow the scientists when they are capturing the
animals for collared studies of big cats. …
Now, the scientists will dart the [animal], and these situations are very
tense. It’s high drama because the animal is the most important thing
there. We have to worry about its health. But my job in these situations is
to get a photograph instantaneously when the animal is darted and then try
to get an image of science and biology that is an interesting photograph
that we can put in the pages of National Geographic.
It’s very important in images such as this that your eye can move around
the frame. We have our subject, the tigress, that’s lying on the ground
33
under sedation. And it’s great to see the main scientist with his ear on
her belly listening to the heartbeat of the cub, as she’s pregnant. To move
around while they’re doing all the medical workup on the animal is vitally
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+H\HYHU\WLPH,ZDONRXWLQWKH¿HOG,KDYHWR¿QGVRPHWKLQJWKDWP\
editor has not seen before. … There’s my photograph. Something a little
bit different. And always coming back to the eyes.
Nature Photography Tools and Techniques

We all have camera bags full of gadgets, but we don’t always use all the
tools we have. These tools include different cameras or lenses, as well as
different ideas and techniques we’ve learned. For example, try using a wide-
angle lens when you would typically use a long lens or practice panning
a scene. Trying something a little different can often make an ordinary
situation extraordinary.
Lighting is as important in photographing animals as it is in shooting other

subjects. Try lighting a frame in such a way that the borders are dark. Also,
ORRNIRUVKDGRZVWKDWJLYHDQDQLPDOGH¿QLWLRQ7KDW¶VRQHUHDVRQWRVKRRW
at dawn or dusk, when the sun is low in the sky—to capture shadows. You
might even try over-lighting the bright areas of a photograph to achieve
Lessons 5–6: Steve Winter—Wildlife
WKDWGH¿QLWLRQ
When you’re photographing animals, it’s natural to focus directly on the

subject, but it’s often better to pull back a little bit and show some of the
environment where the animal lives. Also, get down on eye level with
animals, just as you do when photographing children.
As you’re shooting, don’t rely on editing your photographs later at the

computer. You will make yourself a better photographer if you compose the
scene carefully in the frame of the camera. Look for natural lines in your
images and don’t cut off any elements that will make an image seem out
of balance.
34
Whenever you have the chance to photograph an unusual animal or other
subject, spend as much time and get as many photographs as you can,
EHFDXVH\RXPD\QHYHUKDYHWKDWRSSRUWXQLW\DJDLQ(YHQDWQLJKWSXWWKH
camera on a tripod or use a high ISO and keep shooting. And never put
off until tomorrow what you can photograph today. Don’t rely on certain
conditions, such as fog, to reappear when you’re ready to take pictures.
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\RXUVHOI:KDWRWKHUSKRWRJUDSKVDUHKHUH"6KRRWIURPGLIIHUHQWDQJOHVRU
get in close for a tight shot. Try to see how you can take the blank slate that
is the photograph in your mind and create it in the real world.
Assignment
1. Observe the animals in your neighborhood or your own pets and try to
photograph them in a way that makes the ordinary extraordinary. Learn
how to photograph a bird on a branch in your backyard, but compose the
shot so that the eye moves naturally through the frame. Do a silhouette
of a bird that you can really look at or pan your dog or cat as it moves
through the yard. Think of your local park as the plains of Africa, the
mountains of the Himalayas, or the jungles of the Amazon. And don’t
just do portraits—do environmental portraits.
35
Understand the Animal
Lesson 5
All images in Lessons 5 and 6 © Steve Winter.

Lesson 5: Understand the Animal
Swimming jaguar.
36
Baby chimpanzees.
Baby turtle.
37
38
Quetzal.
Jaguar in the grass.

Charging rhino.
Tigers playing.
39
40
Cuban iguana.
Use All the Tools
Lesson 6
Quetzal silhouette.
41
Lesson 6: Use All the Tools
Flamingo feeding its young.
42
Running tiger cub.
Tiger’s eyes.
43
Jaguar.
Lesson 6: Use All the Tools
Elephants heading to water.
44
Zebras.
Crocodile hatching.
45
Joel Sartore—Wildlife
Lessons 7–8
M
any photographers focus on wildlife because they love nature,
but photographing wildlife is also a chance to make the world a
better place. Many species are on the decline; by some estimates,
we could lose up to half of all species by 2100. It’s tragic to lose any species
to extinction, and such losses can have serious repercussions for our own
survival. Photographs and photographic projects, such as the Photo Ark, can
help illuminate this problem and save many endangered animals on our planet.
Iconic Photographs
An iconic photograph is one that stands the test of time—perhaps even
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answer is: with thought and planning. You want to go beyond the obvious in
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for example. You want photographs that tell a story. And you can’t do that by
just getting off an airplane in some exotic location and looking for animals.
7U\VWRU\ERDUGLQJDVKRRWEHIRUH\RXJRRXWLQWKH¿HOGWRHQVXUH\RXPDNH
the most of the time you have on site.
The three key elements of photography—light, composition, and moment—

must come together to make an iconic photograph. Look, too, for anything
Lessons 7–8: Joel Sartore—Wildlife
that takes a scene beyond a simple, straightforward picture to something

PRUH LPDJLQDWLYH RU FRPSOLFDWHG VXFK DV VLOKRXHWWHV RU UHÀHFWLRQV $Q
iconic photo is not necessarily about using gear but about using your mind.
Consider, for example, a series of shots of wolves. You can take a

straightforward picture of a wolf, a more interesting photo of a large wolf
pack, or an even more imaginative shot of feeding wolves taken with a
remote camera buried in a deer carcass. All these pictures speak about
wolves, but they’re all done in different ways, and they all require thought.
Many nature photography magazines and books are full of the same standard
pictures: tight shots taken with a long lens of, say, bears in the water. If those
46
kind of straightforward pictures are what you like, by all means, shoot them.
But photography is also about how you think—how you see the world and
perceive things. You may get more interesting images if you try to stretch
your imagination and creativity.
Telling a Story in Pictures

When you’re creating a story with pictures—even if it’s only a few images—
make sure it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Try a long shot that sets
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RI\RXUVWRU\²SHUKDSVKXQGUHGVRIELUGVLQÀLJKW,QWKHPLGGOHEXLOGXS
your story with shots of the surroundings, including other people who have
come to view the wildlife. And don’t forget to try different techniques in
your photographs; use a remote or put the camera on a tripod and try various
time exposures.
Using Remotes with Wildlife

Photographing animals often requires different kinds of remote cameras.
Some remotes operate with a simple cable release, while others are radio
controlled. You can also set up a camera trap, which is a location with a
remote camera that sends out an infrared pulse or beam. The camera and
ÀDVK¿UHZKHQVRPHWKLQJEUHDNVWKDWEHDPLQRWKHUZRUGVWKHDQLPDOWDNHV
its own picture. Remotes are useful for showing animals up close but still
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that you don’t need expensive remote systems to get a good picture. Many
times, you just need to be in place with a camera and ready to shoot.
Finding Subjects
(YHQ VPDOO ]RRV DQG RWKHU FDSWLYH IDFLOLWLHV KDYH LQWHUHVWLQJ ZLOGOLIH WR
photograph. Look for wildlife rehabilitators in your area; these are facilities
that care for wild animals that have been injured or orphaned. Be sure to
visit the nursery at rehabilitation facilities. Museums and nature centers may
also offer access to wildlife. Sometimes zoos or rehabilitators have animals
that are habituated to humans, such as birds that have been used in bird
shows. You can get much closer to these animals to photograph them without
startling them or scaring them away. With the help of a handler, you can
often take your time and light the scene carefully. At the zoo, try using a long
47
lens to shoot through the wire of a cage. If you’re standing close enough, the
lens will blur the wire.
Of course, you don’t have to go to distant locations to photograph wildlife;

there are plenty of interesting creatures and plants in your own backyard,
LQFOXGLQJLQVHFWVDQGVSLGHUVELUGVWXUWOHVDQGÀRZHUV,W¶VVRPHWLPHVIXQ
to shoot subjects that are small in scope and uncomplicated. Or decide on
a project for yourself—a subject that’s fascinating or special to you—and
photograph it again and again over time.
Saving Wildlife
The Photo Ark is a project that grew out of the desire to increase the
appreciation of the public for animals—to get people to see that they have
beauty, curiosity, and intelligence, much as we do. Most of the photos in
this project are shot in studio or controlled conditions, with the animals set
against a black or white background. This simple backdrop draws viewers
into the eyes of the animals and lets them see details they never could in
nature. It also brings out the character of the animals—showing a turtle that
looks as if it’s smiling, for example, or a cheetah with soulful eyes.
With such projects as the Photo Ark—or any focus on wildlife photography—
the photographer becomes a messenger for the cause of saving animals
from extinction and setting aside some wilderness spaces for ourselves. The
pictures are tools to draw people in, to encourage them to care about animals
and learn about what drives species extinction. Such images have been used
Lessons 7–8: Joel Sartore—Wildlife
in campaigns to publicize the work of zoos and to educate people about

the impact of hunting and other human occupations on animal populations.
(YHQ LPDJHV WKDW VKRZ GHWDLOV RI ZKDW ZH PLJKW WKLQN RI DV LQVLJQL¿FDQW
animals—mice, snails, or sparrows—can bring about real-world results. A
photo of the Florida grasshopper sparrow that appeared on a magazine cover
prompted the Fish and Wildlife Service to devote resources to saving it. And
for many photographers, that’s the goal of wildlife photography: to educate
the world about saving endangered species.
48
Assignment
1. Do a complete picture story or photo essay—one that has a beginning,

a middle, and an end. Start with a wide or establishing shot to show
viewers where they are. Then, move into some sort of medium shot.
Go in for some tight shots to show details of your subject and to give
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Finally, look for a closing shot—maybe an animal walking away or
a sunset. Take your time and revisit the scene if necessary to create a
complete story.
49
Make a Difference
Lesson 7
All images in Lessons 7 and 8 © Joel Sartore.

Lesson 7: Make a Difference
Sleeping bear.
50
Wolf.
Rattlesnake.
51
52
Bats.
Mountain gorillas.
Lion.
Cheetah, Photo Ark project.
53
Florida grasshopper sparrow.
54
Go Back, Get It Right
Lesson 8
Bat.
55
Lesson 8: Go Back, Get It Right
56
Owl.
Box turtle.
Walruses.
%XWWHUÀ\VSHFLPHQV0F*XLUH&HQWHUIRU/HSLGRSWHUDDQG%LRGLYHUVLW\
57
Sandhill cranes.
Lesson 8: Go Back, Get It Right
Poisonous caterpillar.
58
Gibbon, Endangered Primate Rescue Center.
59
Jim Richardson—Landscape and Nature
Lessons 9–10
A
s long as people have been roaming the earth, we’ve been trying
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what’s going on in nature. Our senses evolved around taking in
the landscape and making sense of it. For this reason, landscapes speak
to all of us. Landscapes also bring us the joy of being in the moment with
the earth—of seeing the sun pour over a river or watching lightning bolts
shoot out of the sky. When we tell the story of the earth through landscape
photography, we are telling the story of ourselves and our relationship to
our home.
The Stories of Landscapes

Almost all landscapes have wonderful stories to tell—whether it’s the wild,
rugged Hebrides of Scotland or the great, sweeping plains of the American
Lessons 9–10: Jim Richardson—Landscape and Nature
West. The ancient rocks and swirling mists in Scotland have inspired tales
of witches, and the empty plains in the West evoke hardship and loneliness.
,QVRPHSODFHV\RX¶OO¿QGWKDWWKHJUHDWVFHQHU\VHWVWKHVWDJHIRUWKHVWRU\
you want to tell; in other places, you need to look more closely. But all
landscapes speak to us as humans.
Not surprisingly, landscapes are often sedentary, without much action. But
try to think about your landscape pictures as if you were putting on a play.
In the theater, you would need scenery and lighting for mood and emphasis.
You’d also need actors, a script, dialogue, and a narrative. Look for those
kinds of elements in the landscapes you’re shooting to tell their stories.
One trick to try in landscape photography is to go to the highest spot you can
¿QGLQDORFDWLRQRQFH\RX¶UHWKHUHORRNIRUDZD\WRFDSWXUHHOHPHQWVLQ
the foreground that give viewers some sense of where you’re standing, along
with the wonderful expanse of scenery in the background.
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WKH PLGGOH RI WKH ÀRZHUV RQ WKHLU OHYHO DQG ORRN DFURVV WKHP LQVWHDG RI
60
standing above them from a human viewpoint. When you’re down on the
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the symbiotic relationship they have with insects. You’ll be amazed at the
incredibly colorful landscape and the intricate details you can see from
the ground.
A famous saying about photography is this: If you want to be a better

photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff. Anyone is a better
photographer at the Grand Canyon than at the local car wash. Do research
EHIRUH\RXKHDGRXWZLWK\RXUFDPHUDWR¿QGSODFHVZKHUH\RX¶UHOLNHO\WR
capture interesting images.
Becoming a Better Photographer

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skills one at a time, just like everyone else. Decide on a new skill you’d like
to add to your repertoire. Practice that skill until you internalize it, then start
on another one. Figuring out what you can do with a new skill is part of the
process of learning, and it’s a great deal of fun.
For example, spend an evening with the same subject, experimenting with
exposure and lighting. See what happens if you use a 30-second exposure
and shake the camera on its tripod. Practice moving the light source as you
shoot. Keep working the scene until you get good at whatever technique
you’re trying and get some interesting results. Then, try the new skill you’ve
developed in other photographs.
One other reason to practice your skills is that you don’t always have a great
deal of time to get your shot. If you’re in a hurry or the action in front of
you is moving quickly, you want to have knowledge you can fall back on
and a trained eye. If you’ve practiced looking for multiple ways to frame an
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quickly when you need them.
If you have to choose between being dogged and being talented, dogged is
the right choice. Don’t stop; work every scene as long as you can. Try staying
in one spot for two or three hours and watching the light as it changes, or
YLVLWWKHVDPHVSRWPXOWLSOHWLPHV(YHQLI\RXWKLQN\RX¶YHJRWWKHLPDJH
61
you want, keep asking yourself what else you can do. Convince yourself that
the world has more to reveal to you, that you have more to learn, and that the
landscape will tell you more stories that you can share with others.
Working the Shot
O ne of those places I found doing a lot of research was the Isle of

Muck. … It’s a little island out there in the small isles off the west
coast of Scotland in the Inner Hebrides. It’s only got 39 people. But I
just fell in love with the name. I fell in love with the place, the idea of
going out there, and so I went. And I knew that it was owned by the
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Sure enough, when we got there, out across the one road that goes a
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the horses out there wandering down the road. You think, boy, you
know, if you can’t make a picture with horses on an island and another
island shrouded in clouds in the background, you’re a pretty poor

photographer.
So we stayed out there on the beach with the horses. Got to be real
good friends with them. They got to be a little obnoxious, and they
kept nudging around. But all of it was wonderful—wonderful pictures.
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picture. All of the pictures were good. All of the pictures were enough.
And yet, somehow, I just have this dogged sense that if I keep looking,
I can probably do something that even I didn’t think I could do,
something I didn’t expect I could do. So we followed the horses around
out on the beach. They went wandering out there toward the shore. The
clouds in the background were great. …
And then somehow or another, I got this idea of getting down low,
just getting a piece of the horses that came by. So I’m crawling around
62
there. I’m sticking the camera down on the ground. I’m shooting every
kind of angle I can.
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I always noticed this horse had a beautiful gray coat. It had this mane
coming down. The island was in the background. The colors all came
together. All of it came together.
And instead of a literal picture, it became a symbolic island picture.

… This [picture] is the one that always makes my heart sing when I
look at it, and it’s one of the special pictures that I feel I got out of the
Inner Hebrides.
63
Assignment
1. Go back to some location close to your home that you’ve photographed

before, some bit of nature that you love, some landscape that you’re
familiar with, or some landscape that you’ve done in a number of ways
in the past but want to explore again. On your return visit, take a new bit
of gear, practice a new technique, or raise your expectations about what
shots you can get. Work the scene as thoroughly as you can, in both
a metaphorical and a physical sense. Challenge yourself to come back
with something you never expected you could do.
64
The Joys of Nature
Lesson 9
All images in Lessons 9 and 10 © Jim Richardson.
Long road, Colorado.
65
Rocky shoreline.
Lesson 9: The Joys of Nature
Stone houses.
66
Shiant Isles.
Fingal’s Cave.
67
Lesson 9: The Joys of Nature
68
Windmills.
Ardmore, SD.
Flowers.
69
Exploring Landscapes
Lesson 10
Lesson 10: Exploring Landscapes
Gannets, Boreray, St. Kilda.
70
Callanish Stones.
Rocky coast.
71
Inner Hebrides.
Inner Hebrides.
72
Country landscape, aerial view.
0RXQWDLQVFHQHDQGUHÀHFWLRQ
73
Lawrence MacEwen, Isle of Muck.
74
Michael Yamashita—Landscape and Nature
Lessons 11–12
I
n a Japanese garden, the designer prescribes certain views for visitors.
In other words, the designer situates elements in the garden, such as a
bridge or plantings, in such a way that visitors are encouraged to spend
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to new insights. Photographers hope to accomplish the same thing with their
photographs—to prompt viewers to exercise their imaginations in looking at
an image and gain a different perspective on the world. For this reason, the
elements of photography are the same as the elements of design: concern
for the foreground, middle ground, and background; composition; color;
and so on. In these lessons, we’ll see how these design concepts are applied
to photography.
Good and Bad Light

You sometimes hear photographers talk about “bad light,” but a professional
can’t always afford to wait for the perfect light. Working photographers have
to shoot at all times of the day; thus, it’s important to observe and understand
the qualities of light throughout the day. You also need to know how to
work with the light you have. For example, the solution to shooting in harsh
midday light may be a greater awareness of subject placement. For some
subjects, midday light may even be the best. For example, midday is the best
time to capture the aqua color of the sea in the Bahamas or the prismatic hot
springs in Yellowstone Park.
What photographers call “magic hour” is the time of day when the cool light
of night meets the warm light of day. Of course, the best time to capture this
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your images, rather than just an element that illuminates the scene.
If you’re in a city, don’t put your camera away when the sun goes down.
Focus on combining the electric lights of the city and cars with the cool light
of the evening. Or photograph a scene very early in the morning, when the
street lights are still on but the warm light of day is advancing. Don’t put
75
your camera away when it’s cloudy, foggy, or raining either. The “hide-and-
seek” light of a cloudy day often provides dramatic impact, while fog lends
an air of mystery, and rain results in wonderfully saturated colors.
Composition, Lines, and Patterns

If you want to see the best of classical composition, look at Japanese
woodblock prints from the 15th century—that’s how long the rule of thirds
has been existence. According to this rule, you should divide your frame into
thirds and place your subjects at the intersection points, both horizontally
and vertically. In other words, avoid placing your main subject in the middle
of the picture, which tends to be static and boring. Using the rule of thirds
can, of course, result in beautiful images, but we also know that rules are
made to be broken. In general, as long as you keep the eye moving around
the frame and taking in each area of a photograph, use the composition that
you feel looks best.
Lessons 11–12: Michael Yamashita—Landscape and Nature
Look for natural frames to put around your subject and direct the viewer’s
attention. Frames can be anything—part of a manmade structure, the
branches of a tree, the ropes of a boat—whatever focuses the eye on the main
subject of an image. Use leading lines in the same way—to bring viewers
into a photograph. You can use light or color as a leading line, as well as
other elements in the image, such as a bridge or road. In addition to straight
lines, S curves also provide a guide to take the eye into a frame.
Patterns and textures make interesting elements in a photograph, particularly

when they’re broken or interrupted in some way. Consider, for example, a
pattern of frost on the windshield of a car; your eye is directed to the largest
frost crystal because it breaks the pattern of the smaller ones. The same thing
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Unrepeatable Moments
Often, what makes a photograph special is the fact that it captures an
unrepeatable moment in time. And it’s the photographer’s job to be in the
right place, at the right time, with the right subject—and to know when to
press the shutter—to record those moments. When you’re shooting a scene,
visualize the elements you want in your image. If you’re looking at children
running on a beach, for example, ask yourself how you want to see them:
76
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WKHZDWHUUHFHGLQJRUFUDVKLQJLQWRVKRUH".HHSVKRRWLQJDV\RXZDLWIRUDOO
the elements to come together to give you that unrepeatable moment.
Assignment
1. Capture an unrepeatable moment in a landscape. As you shoot the scene,

look for the element that will set one particular image apart from any
others you take in the sequence.
77
Guide the Eye
Lesson 11
All images in Lessons 11 and 12 © Michael Yamashita.

Lesson 11: Guide the Eye
Waterfalls.
78
Japanese garden.
Sevenfold bridge.
79
80
Koi.
Horses in snow.
Vermont road in winter.
Camels in desert.
81
82
Mountain in clouds.
Moment in Landscape
Lesson 12
Great Wall of China.
83
Container port, Hong Kong.
Lesson 12: Moment in Landscape
San Marco Square, Venice.
84
Bridge, Matsumoto Castle.
Kawagebo, sacred mountain.
85
Tibetan pilgrims.
Lesson 12: Moment in Landscape
Great Wall and sheep.
86
Forbidden City.
87
Jodi Cobb—People in Their Environments
Lessons 13–14
A
lways keep in mind that photography is communication: You are
telling a story in every image. And you need to be clear about what
that story is and what the message is that you want to convey. Some
photographers have a passionate curiosity about people; they’re attracted to
stories that explore the human heart and condition. Others are interested in
ideas, cultures, and traditions—particularly those that may be disappearing
in the modern world. In these lessons, we’ll look at the challenges of gaining
access to the private worlds of other people for those who are drawn to these
subjects.
Approaching Subjects
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Lessons 13–14: Jodi Cobb—People in Their Environments
many photographers. In these situations, your attitude is important. Don’t be

WLPLGRUDSRORJHWLF<RXQHHGWREHFRQ¿GHQWWRZLQ\RXUVXEMHFW¶VWUXVW$W
the same time, you need to be honest with the people you approach. Tell them
what you’re doing, and don’t make promises you can’t keep. Treat potential
subjects with respect. And remember, you’re not the only photographer in
the world. If you aren’t nice to potential subjects, someone else will come
along behind you and get the images you want.
The more time you have to spend with a subject, the better your photographs
will be. But even if you have only a very short time with someone, try to
establish a relationship. For whatever reason, you’ve singled certain subjects
out for your attention; show them that they’re special.
Working with People

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is to outwait that pose and wait for the real person—or dog—to emerge.
Learning to become invisible is also important for photographers who
specialize in photographing people, as is being able to anticipate when a
moment will happen.
88
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between people—a couple whispering or a man gently touching his wife. Such
ordinary moments often make extraordinary photographs. And remember that
you don’t have to have a face or even a person in a picture to imply humans
and humanity. Sometimes, just a gesture or a shadow is enough.
Composition and Shooting Tips

The rule of thirds is a classic guideline of composition. According to this rule,
you should mentally divide an image into nine equal parts using two horizontal
lines and two vertical lines and place important elements in the image either
along those lines or at their intersections. Although these guidelines can be
helpful, photographs that break the rule can also have impact.
When you’re focused in on one small part of a picture, it often helps to keep
pulling back to see how much you can get in the image and still have it hold
together. Try to include as many elements in the picture as you can, as long
as they’re all relevant. Be aware, too, of layering in photographs; look for
something that’s happening from the front of the image all the way to the back.
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environment, use them, but make sure that anything going on in the mirror
adds to the picture, rather than detracting from it.
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that your camera is smart enough to sort out pictures and interpret colors in
very low light.
The difference between a photographer and a tourist is the amount of time

you spend shooting something. Professional photographers stay with a
situation and keep working it. You’re often experimenting and making
decisions as you’re working, but don’t stop shooting; you can never return
and re-create the same situation and conditions.
89
Changing the World with Pictures
I got into photography because I wanted to change the world, but

this [story] is the closest that I’ve actually come. It’s a story on 21st-
FHQWXU\VODYHVWKHWUDI¿FNLQJRIKXPDQEHLQJVDURXQGWKHZRUOGZKLFK
is now the world’s second largest criminal activity, a $150 billion a
year industry. It’s a story about how 27 million people are bought and
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I proposed the story to the Geographic after reading about the passage
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NQHZWKDW,QHHGHGWRH[SORUHDQG¿QGRXWPRUHDERXW%XW,KDGQR
idea if National Geographic would publish it or even if I could do it.
It was the hardest story that I ever tried to do. And I was in danger, in
fear, or in tears the entire time.
There are more slaves today than [during] the four centuries of the
African slave trade combined. Tens of thousands of children are
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kids used to be sent to the cities to live with relatives and work as
domestics in exchange for an education and a chance for a better life.
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sold by destitute parents or kidnapped. And they now become actual
slaves, like this little mechanic in Benin. …
Huge numbers of women are sold, lured, and tricked into the
commercial sex industry worldwide. It’s true that some do enter
knowingly, but they have no idea what’s in store for them. And they
have no knowledge that they’re going to end up enslaved. They live
and work in these cages. [A woman’s] entire world is this one little area
where she sleeps and entertains her clients; her kitchen is underneath,
where she cooks her meals. …
This story got the biggest response in the history of National

Geographic until then. And it wasn’t just people writing and saying,
90
“great story.” But it was people who were wanting to help and give back
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LQWKHLURZQZD\V,WZDV)%,DJHQWVDVNLQJWREHWUDLQHGLQWUDI¿FNLQJ
issues and people who were sending in money to the organizations
that are working to help. These are people who now don’t think of
prostitution as a victimless crime. And they don’t think that buying stuff
really cheap is as fun as they used to—who now realize that there is no
cheaper labor than a slave.
91
Assignment
1. Photograph love or beauty and what it means to you. Don’t look for an
illustration of what you think it is but explore what it means. Your image
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some sort. Feel the emotions of love or beauty and interpret them in
your own way, in your own style, and in the way that you want to show
to others.
92
Gaining Trust
Lesson 13
All images in Lessons 13 and 14 © Jodi Cobb.
Santas, New York, NY.
93
Queen’s garden party, rooftop view.
Lesson 13: Gaining Trust
Saudi Arabian woman.
94
:RPDQUHÀHFWHGLQZLQGRZ
Public performance of geisha.
95
Geisha laughing.
Lesson 13: Gaining Trust
Geisha.
96
Child weavers, India.
97
Uncover the Human Condition
Lesson 14
Lesson 14: Uncover the Human Condition
Baseball player and coach, Los Angeles.
98
Woman reading Italian newspaper.
Young couple.
99
Mass wedding, Taiwan.
Cowboy and pickup truck, Texas.
100
Boy selling jewelry, Ethiopia.
101
102
Cowboy shadow.
Brothers in truck.
Ira Block—People in Their Environments
Lessons 15–16
M
any photographers start out shooting landscapes rather than
people. Landscapes enable you to practice composition, learn to
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different way. But it’s also true that you can make more emotional pictures
by adding people. Of course, one of the keys to photographing people is to
interact well with them. Talk to your subjects about what they know or what
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become invisible, allowing you to get natural shots of people in their
everyday environments.
Light, Composition, and Moment

When photographing people in their environments, don’t just point and
shoot. Think and shoot. You still need good light, good composition, and a
good moment or gesture. Working with light—for example, using silhouettes
and shadows—adds drama to your photographs. Sometimes natural light
is all you need, but you don’t have to depend on it. Add your own light
sources—even candlelight or headlights from a car—or put lights in odd
places to add interest to your images. Introducing your own light sources
helps you balance your subjects with the backgrounds. These days, you can
boost the ISO on your camera up to a high number and shoot in any kind
of light, but be aware of the quality of the light: harsh or soft, scattered or
focused, and so on.
Of the three elements of a good photograph, composition is the one you have
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small positive elements that can help make a good image. If you’re shooting
a portrait, try having the subject look both into the camera and off to the side.
Shoot subjects from a low angle to eliminate a cluttered background, and
get down on the same eye level as children. Remember, too, that an angular
composition has more impact than a horizontal or vertical one.
103
Besides light and composition, moment or gesture is important in
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odd or strange elements, such as masks or stilts, in the environment. Such
elements intrigue viewers, prompting them to wonder what’s going on in
your photographs. Keep in mind, too, that you don’t always need a face;
some images can be emblematic, showing the tools of your subjects’ trade
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story without ever showing a face.
When the right light, composition, and moment come together, you know
you will have a good image. But you need to be ready for those situations
to occur. Sometimes, you may get lucky, but for the most part, you need
to make your own luck—be aware of your surroundings and be on the
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background, then waiting for someone to walk into it.
Environments and Activities

Lessons 15–16: Ira Block—People in Their Environments
Like any story told with pictures, those that include people should capture
the feeling of their environments and activities. With an explorer, for
example, you want viewers to see the lonely and harsh environment in which
he works, as well as his jubilation when he reaches his goal. Photographing
people allows you to step into different cultures and lifestyles, broadening
your own perspective on the world and the perspectives of your viewers.
If you’re shooting at an event, look for images that are a little less obvious,
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¿OWHULQJWKURXJKDWUHHDJURXSRISHUIRUPHUVWDONLQJEHIRUHJRLQJRQVWDJH
the activity of a waiting child, or beautiful costumes. Again, you might
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interesting to happen in front of it. Such shots don’t capture the event itself,
but they tell viewers about it.
Surprising Images
When you’re photographing people, you need to be ready for surprising
expressions or other great moments to happen. In a sense, a photographer is
like an athlete—warmed up and in tune with the rhythm of the sport. When
the ball comes, the athlete is ready to catch it. The same thing is true for a
104
photographer. You don’t want to be fumbling with your camera when a great
moment occurs. Wherever you are, keep taking pictures to keep yourself
warmed up. With digital cameras, you can shoot much more when you’re in
the action and later eliminate the pictures that don’t work for you.
On many occasions, you may have a preconceived notion of the kind of

images you want to shoot, but it’s important stay open-minded. For example,
you might be interested in the colorful costumes of a group of dancers, but you
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Shoot in different ways and from different angles; sometimes, only slight
differences can make a stronger image. When you’re in the heat of shooting,
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look through your images quietly to see which ones speak to you.
Assignment
1. Use someone you know as a model and try photographing that person
in front of different backgrounds and from various angles. Be aware of
the light and what’s going on in the background. For a second challenge,
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of pictures you can make.
105
Build Relationships
Lesson 15
All images in Lessons 15 and 16 © Ira Block.

Lesson 15: Build Relationships
Monk lighting candles.
106
First haircut ceremony.
Woman washing her face.
107
Portrait of a woman, Buddha series.
Monks having lunch.
108
Three masked boys, Peruvian Andes.
Young woman and shadows.
109
110
Emblems of olive growing.
Use the Background
Lesson 16
Man with blanket, Abu Dhabi.
111
Dancers before a performance.
Lesson 16: Use the Background
Soldier kissing queen’s guard.
112
Rodeo.
Native American women.
113
Dancer, Thailand.
Lesson 16: Use the Background
Girl and bus, Cuba.
114
Girl with doll.
115
Michael Melford—Color and Light
Lessons 17–18
(
very great photograph encompasses three elements: subject or
content, composition, and light. You don’t need any particularly
complex gear to make a great photograph, and you don’t need
anything more than natural light, but it’s helpful to understand the different
kinds of light photographers look for and the effects light can lend to your
images. In these lessons, we’ll look at four kinds of light: diffuse light, side
light, backlight, and magic light. We’ll see which type of light is best for
VKRRWLQJYDULRXVVXEMHFWVDQGZH¶OOOHDUQVRPHVSHFL¿FWLSVIRUZRUNLQJLQD
range of lighting situations.
Diffuse Light
Beautiful, soft diffuse light is found on rainy, overcast days or foggy days.
This is also the type of light you sometimes see after a storm has cleared and
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sun comes up—or in the evening—just before it gets dark. At dusk, the sky
Lessons 17–18: Michael Melford—Color and Light
lends an intense blue color to everything in the environment.
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you photograph in a forest on a sunny day, you will not get good results.
On sunny days, our eyes can see the difference between shadowy areas and
bright areas, but the camera cannot. The result is overexposed images. If
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to create a shadow and your own diffuse light.
On days when you have diffuse light, try putting your camera on a tripod.
If it’s windy, experiment with various slow shutter speeds to blur certain
elements in your image and show motion. This is a good trick to try when
photographing animals, too.
Side Light
Side light is found on sunny days—generally early in the morning or late in
the afternoon—when the sun is at a right angle to you, rather than directly
116
overhead. This light often gives you nice detail in the foreground. Because
it provides more contrast than diffuse light, side lighting can lend a kind of
chiaroscuro effect to your images.
Side lighting is excellent for photographing people and animals. When

you’re shooting people and you can control the situation, try to have the light
come across part of their faces, if possible.
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light in the atmosphere, eliminating the scattering. They cut glare in your
images and enhance colors, particularly of the sky or water.
Backlight
Backlight is also interesting to work with, but it’s a little tricky because
you’re looking at the source of light. This type of lighting gives you
interesting shadows and silhouettes. Keep in mind, though, that when you’re
photographing backlit people or animals, you may need to open the exposure
a bit to get detail.
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the camera. To eliminate this, cover up the sun with your hand as it falls on
the front lens element. If you use a tripod, you can step out in front of your
lens so that your shadow falls on it. You might also try hiding the sun behind
something, such as a tree. When the sun is just coming up or going down,
WKHDWPRVSKHUHLVVRPHWLPHVVRPRLVWDQGGHQVHWKDW\RXGRQ¶WJHWOHQVÀDUH
and you can actually shoot right into the sun.
Backlighting sometimes results in a situation where the sky is much brighter

than the foreground. Again, your eye can see the difference between the
highlights and the shadows, but the camera, in general, cannot. In these
VLWXDWLRQVWU\DJUDGXDWHGQHXWUDOGHQVLW\¿OWHU,WZLOOGDUNHQWKHVN\VRWKDW
you can actually record it in the camera and avoid having to adjust it later
with software.
117
Magic Light
Magic light occurs when the sun comes through the clouds and puts a
spotlight on the landscape, lighting part of a scene in the same way that
spotlights are used in the theater. It can happen at any time.
Capturing magic light results from a combination of luck and readiness.

You have to move quickly when magic light occurs, but you can sometimes
anticipate it by closely observing the clouds. Look for holes in the clouds
where the sun is likely to peek through, then set up your shot and wait for the
magic light to appear.
Preparing and Previsualizing

Before you travel to someplace new or even visit a new site in your town,
do some scouting of the location. Go online and learn about the weather
FRQGLWLRQVVSHFLDOHYHQWVWKDWWDNHSODFHDWWKHVLWHDQGVRRQ2QFH\RX¿QG
a good location, previsualize an image you would like to make there. For
example, if you’re photographing a river, you might want to get an image
RIVRPHRQHÀ\¿VKLQJWKHUHDWVXQULVH<RXPD\QRWJHWWKDWH[DFWVKRWEXW
previsualizing will help focus your mind.
Lessons 17–18: Michael Melford—Color and Light
Patience and Perseverance

One of the most important qualities of a photographer is patience. It’s very
rare to walk into a scene, take a picture, and capture a National Geographic
moment. Most of the time, when you see a scene you think might make a
good image, you have to stick with it. Settle down, watch the light change,
and adjust your position with the light. Often, when you’re shooting a sunset
and the sun hits the horizon line, other photographers will pack up their gear
and leave. But that’s the time when the lighting usually starts to get good.
Your best bet is to stay put and keep working the shot.
As you’re working a scene, use different lenses—wide angle, telephoto, and

normal—to try to see something different. Observe the clouds to anticipate
the light. Adjust your own position to shift the composition. Keep checking
the display on the back of the camera and ask yourself: How can I make this
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to capture some movement.
118
You may have to stay at a site for several hours or revisit it over the course
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a short distance away and look for a new location. Your perseverance and
patience will pay off. At the very least, you’ve spent some enjoyable time
experiencing nature and at the best, you have a beautiful image to frame and
hang on your wall.
Assignment
1. Find a subject near your home and photograph it repeatedly in different

lighting situations—early sunrise, middle of the day, sunset, and so on.
Try this assignment with a tree in your backyard. Get out of bed at 5:00
a.m. and start photographing the tree—it’s a great way to start the day.
119
Good, Bad, and Magic Light
Lesson 17
All images in Lessons 17 and 18 © Michael Melford.

Lesson 17: Good, Bad, and Magic Light
Side-lit owl.
120
Water droplets on leaves.
Side-lit sand dunes, Glen Canyon.
121
Guide boat, Adirondacks.
Backlit deer.
122
Calving glacier, Alaska.
Light coming under clouds.
123
124
Magic light on water.
Wait and Work the Shot
Lesson 18
Death Valley.
125
Winter scene, Delaware.
Lesson 18: Wait and Work the Shot
Mountain stream.
126
Mountain scene.
Beach, New Zealand.
127
Lesson 18: Wait and Work the Shot
128
Moving surf.
Crashing waves.
Moving clouds.
129
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Lessons 19–20
A
s we all know, light is the most elemental part of any photograph, yet
it’s easy to neglect. The word photograph actually means “writing
with light,” and we can all learn to write better by exploring and
understanding light. We’re also all familiar with the color wheel that shows
primary colors and complementary or clashing colors. Strong colors of either
kind provide powerful bursts in your images, but primary and complementary
colors also come in softer hues, lending images a sense of quiet and elegance.
As you experiment with light and color in your photographs, you’ll come to
appreciate the range of emotions these two elements can communicate.
The Effects of Light on Color

We all know that the light in the morning and the evening is very colorful,
especially if it’s been dusty or after a storm. That’s because the atmosphere
actually comes through the dust or water in the sky and refracts light,
creating colors. Dust tends to create oranges, and water tends to create pinks
/HVVRQV±$QQLH*ULI¿WKV²&RORUDQG/LJKW
and purples.
Bad weather often makes great pictures, in part because certain colors that
can set a mood appear only in bad weather. Think about the feeling of cold
conveyed by pure white ice or the intimate softness created by a snowfall. In
a blizzard, the snow can blow so hard that it actually washes out the colors in
the environment, again, showing viewers how cold and threatening the scene
really is.
Experimenting with Color

Try putting a very vivid color against its opposite color in the spectrum. But
be careful in your composition to ensure that nothing competes with the
colors. You don’t want anything to distract from the palette you’ve chosen.
Try to plan where you place color in an image as much as possible.
Softer hues create a different kind of palette from strong primary or

complementary colors—one that is often a little more elegant. You can
130
XVXDOO\¿QGVRIWHOHJDQWFRORUVEHIRUHWKHVXQULVHVRUDIWHULWVHWV6LWXDWLRQV
in which there isn’t much color can also be lovely; think of the limited
palette of the desert and the quiet mood it conveys.
There are times when just a small pop of color will complete an image or
liven up a scene that’s not particularly interesting. Imagine, for example, a
dull, gray sky with a blue balloon sailing by. In a scene with a limited palette,
look for a dash of color to make the image stronger. A pop of color can draw
the eye to something that viewers might otherwise miss or serve as a leading
line through an image. Color can also be used to frame the edges of an image
that has a monochromatic palette.
If you want the focus of an image to be a person’s expression or a moment in

time, you may want the palette of that image to be very simple. In fact, it’s
always smart to eliminate anything that will distract from a beautiful moment
in a photograph. Sometimes, the only way you can limit your palette is by
JHWWLQJYHU\FORVH([FOXGHGLVWUDFWLRQVLQWKHVXUURXQGLQJVE\PDLQWDLQLQJD
tight focus on your subject and the color you’re trying to capture.
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just wait there for something interesting to happen. Visit the spot at different
times of the day—in the early morning before there are too many people
or cars around, at night if you know the scene will be lit, or in the late
afternoon as the light gets softer. Stay with the scene, follow the light and
the colors throughout the day, and look for different compositions to present
themselves.
The Personalities of Color

Of course, color provokes emotional reactions in viewers and can
communicate subtle messages. For example, images of a quinceañera might
feature pink because such celebrations signify the coming out of a daughter
among Hispanic populations. Learning to understand the feeling that
colors evoke in people will help you know how to deliver information with
color alone.
Have fun exploring the different personalities of colors. For example, a deep,
frosty blue makes viewers shiver; other blues can be calming or cooling. Red
131
LVSDVVLRQDWHSRZHUIXODQG¿HU\7U\SOD\LQJZLWKUHGDWDVORZHUH[SRVXUH
and letting it move. Photograph some dancers costumed in red, and let the
colors be imperfect and blended. Use the personalities of color to your
DGYDQWDJHE\FKRRVLQJDFRPSRVLWLRQZLWKLQDVSHFL¿FFRORUSDOHWWH
Two colors that are often neglected in discussing color photography are
EODFNDQGZKLWH(YHQZLWKFRORU¿OPEODFNDQGZKLWHFDQFUHDWHDPRRG\
or frightening image. Using white can lend an elegant, soft feel to images,
evoking innocence, stillness, simplicity, and beauty. Black and white can
be useful in an image because they don’t distract viewers from the point
you’re trying to make with lots of competing colors. There are also many
tonalities within blacks and whites, and those tonalities can help you learn
about tonalities in other colors.
Following the Light

An interesting challenge to set for yourself is to follow the light in the scenes
you’re photographing and allow it to choose what you shoot. You’ll often
¿QGWKDWOLJKWFDQOHDGYLHZHUVWKURXJKDQLPDJHDQGVHUYHDVWKHHOHPHQW
that holds a composition together. Try placing your subject in a puddle of
light and allowing the rest of the image to go dark. Or shoot a landscape on
a cloudy day, when the light is coming and going; photograph different parts
of the scene as the light touches them. Another fun exercise is to look for
balance in light—when the inside light starts to match the outside light.
Light is imperfect—it moves and changes; it can be dappled or fractured.

Dappled light—like that coming through the leaves of trees—can be
particularly appealing, adding little sparkles of light throughout an image.
When you’re photographing a person, remember the importance of capturing

a catch light in the eye. To viewers, this little bead of light feels like a
window to the soul and makes them feel closer to the subject. Have your
VXEMHFWIROORZ\RXU¿QJHUDV\RXPRYHLWXQWLO\RXVHHWKHFDWFKOLJKWLQKLV
or her eyes.
Silhouettes and Backlighting

Backlighting is among the most beautiful kinds of light. Silhouettes are, of
course, the ultimate use of backlighting, but it can also be used as a kind of
132
rim or frame for a subject. Nature photographers often use backlighting on
days when the sun is harsh, and fashion photographers also use it frequently,
for example, lighting a model from behind to show the softness of her hair.
Backlighting and silhouette sometimes lend an intimate, spiritual feel to
subjects and can show details that you might otherwise not notice.
If you’re making a silhouette, look for a moment when the subject comes
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7U\VKRRWLQJVLOKRXHWWHVZKHQ\RXKDYHVXEMHFWVWKDWFDQEHGH¿QHGE\FRORU
and light. For example, shoot right into the sun to get a deep, deep red, and
let your subject turn to silhouette completely. If the subject is a recognizable
shape, you can often underexpose the frame to get richer color. Try working
on either side of the correct exposure to play with colors.
Other Lighting Considerations

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LVXQQHFHVVDU\LI\RX¶UHSD\LQJDWWHQWLRQWRQDWXUDOOLJKW7KHJRDOZLWKÀDVK
should be that the viewer doesn’t realize that it’s been used in an image.
/HDUQWRZRUNZLWKVKXWWHUVSHHGDQGSRSMXVWDOLWWOHELWRIÀDVKRQWRWKH
scene if necessary.
Open shade exists where there is shade apart from the sun. It’s even and
beautiful—very much like studio light. Usually, if you can move people into
a doorway or beside a window, you’ll get open shade and a much lovelier
SLFWXUH([SRVHIRUWKHIDFHDQGÀHVKWRQHVDQGOHWWKHEDFNJURXQGEHGDUN
behind your subjects.
Finally, whenever you’re photographing an event or you’re in a staged

setting, remember that a lighting engineer has usually been there before
you. Your job is to capture the light that the engineer has carefully designed
and created.
133
Assignment
1. Choose a subject you’re passionate about, perhaps your children or even

your pet. Then, try out some of the color and lighting concepts discussed
in these lessons. For example, try a silhouette; play with exposure of
the silhouette during the daytime and in the evening. Or see what you
can do with open shade. Try photographing your subject in the light of a
window or door. Put your full passion into your work and try to stretch
beyond anything you’ve done before.
134
Compose with Color
Lesson 19
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Silhouetted giraffe.
135
Lesson 19: Compose with Color
136
Dancers.
Performer.
Fireworks, Sydney harbor.
Moody scene.
137
Spider web.
Lesson 19: Compose with Color
Man and horse in snow.
138
Saint Louis arch.
139
Write with Light
Lesson 20
Lesson 20: Write with Light
%XWWHUÀLHV
140
Girl in dappled light.
Boy in hammock.
141
Men working, silhouetted.
142
Man at Victoria Falls.
Church.
143
Mother and children.
Rancher.
144
William Albert Allard—Storytelling
Lessons 21–22
P
rofessional photographers often travel the world to produce
photographic essays, but anyone can tell a story with pictures without
buying a plane ticket to a faraway place. You can tell a story about the
neighborhood you live in or your own backyard. The elements of lighting,
composition, and other aspects of photography discussed in this course apply
to wherever and whatever you decide your story will be.
Building Stories through Pictures

When you’re building a story through pictures—whether it’s about a country,
a neighborhood, or a subculture—look for images that give the viewer a
sense of place. This is vital to the story. You need pictures that say something
about where you are, what it’s like to look around the place you’re in, what
others might see there, and—if the picture is good enough—what it might
feel like to be there. Think, too, about what the people who live in this
place are like—not just how they dress, but how they look when they reveal
themselves while working, at play, or in quiet, intimate moments.
+RZGR\RXJHWDFFHVVLQDQHZHQYLURQPHQW"7HOOWKHVXEMHFWZKR\RXDUH
what you’re doing, and why you think it’s important to tell this particular
story—perhaps to show a way of life that may be dissimilar to many others
but may explain how certain people live, even though they’re vastly different.
Using Portraits in Stories

Portraits are a wonderful addition to a photographic essay. You can think of
portraits in your work as either found or produced. Found portraits include
those of people you see in a café or on the street and with whom you usually
have no communication. Produced portraits are those of people you approach
and make arrangements to photograph. Many times, these are made in an
interior, as opposed to outside. Very often, the strength of a portrait is found
in the eyes, but that doesn’t mean your subject always has to be looking at
WKHFDPHUD$JRRGSRUWUDLWPD\¿QGLWVVWUHQJWKLQDPRPHQWRUDJHVWXUHRU
145
it may show good use of negative space. Look particularly to see where your
subjects’ gestures lead the eyes of the viewers.
When you make a portrait of someone in your story, do it with the hope
that the viewer will connect with your subject in an intimate way. That’s
aiming high, but if the portrait is well made, it can introduce the person
in the photograph to a viewer who may live a continent away or speak a
different language. Somehow, if the connection is strong enough, viewers
may feel as if they have come to know something about the person in the
photograph—perhaps even what that person might be like to know as a
friend. When working on a photographic essay, your primary intent should
be to show the people and the place with a sense of intimacy—to show the
environment and the ambiance, whether it’s a landscape, a cityscape, or the
interior of a home or café.
Using Available Light

Of course, light is really what photography is all about. It’s a fact that some
of the most attractive light for photography can be had in the early and late
hours of a sunny day because at those times, the shadows are long, and that
Lessons 21–22: William Albert Allard—Storytelling
low, skimming light can give form to your subject and bring warmth to
color. The French have a wonderful saying about the soft light of dusk, with
its subtleness and its questioning. They refer to dusk—the time when it’s
neither light nor dark—as the time between dogs and wolves.
%HDXWLIXO OLJKW FDQ DOVR FRPH IURP GLIIXVLRQ :KHQ OLJKW UHÀHFWV RQWR
subjects, it carves around the shapes of their faces. But it’s also true that
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the shadows are hard and harsh, try to use them. In essence, there’s no such
thing as bad light; the key is to know how to use the light you’re given to
get a good picture. One of the most interesting aspects of photography is
discovering how to use the available light in any situation.
Staying with the Shot

When you are in an environment with strong visual stimuli, it may seem that
pictures are everywhere. It’s in those moments that you have to be careful as
a photographer. Remind yourself to slow down and think about the pictures
\RX¶UHPDNLQJ,PDJLQHDTXDLOKXQWHU¿ULQJKLVJXQDVDEHY\RIELUGVWDNHV
146
ÀLJKW,IKHGRHVQ¶WSLFNDWDUJHW²DELUG²KHPD\QRWJHWDQ\JDPH:KHQ
you’re surrounded by good pictures, pick a bird—stay with that picture for
a while. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes. All photographers make
mistakes, but the key is to look at your mistakes and see what makes them
interesting so that you can learn from them in the future.
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<RX JR RXW ORRNLQJ IRU VRPHWKLQJ DQG \RX ¿QG VRPHWKLQJ HOVH WKDW¶V
beyond your original expectations. You need to be able to react quickly to
these situations. You should also remember to keep looking and moving the
elements in your picture. Don’t make the same picture over and over again.
7KHGLIIHUHQFHEHWZHHQD¿QHSLFWXUHDQGDWUXO\¿QHSLFWXUHLVRIWHQDPDWWHU
of inches. Bend your knees or take a half step to the left. And always get
rid of anything extraneous in your photographs. Think of a photograph as a
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Assembling the Puzzle

:KHQOD\LQJRXWDSKRWRJUDSKLFHVVD\ORRN¿UVWIRUDOHDGSLFWXUHWKDWLV
some image that sets a tone, presents a place, or announces a theme. This
is the image that might best bring a sense of place to the story. Then, look
for an image that seems suitable to bring the essay to an end. In between,
think of yourself as assembling the pieces of a puzzle—one that might
FRPHWRJHWKHULQDQLQ¿QLWHQXPEHURIZD\V(DFKRIXVPD\SXWWKDWSX]]OH
together differently because we don’t all see in the same way.
Assignment
1. Take your camera to a place that you have never been before and
where there are people you don’t know. Try a city block, a store, or
a public park. Do a photographic essay on that place and the people
who are there, making sure to get permission from the people you will
SKRWRJUDSK'RQ¶WWU\WR¿QLVKWKLVDVVLJQPHQWLQDIHZKRXUVGD\VRU
HYHQDPRQWK3XUVXHWKHVXEMHFWIRUDVORQJDV\RXOLNHWU\LQJWR¿QGD
VHQVHRIFRQQHFWLRQDQGH[FLWHPHQWDERXWWKHFKDOOHQJH,IWKH¿UVWSODFH
you choose doesn’t seem to work out, try another, but only if you think
\RX¶YHH[KDXVWHGWKH¿UVWFKRLFH:RUNKDUGEXWHQMR\WKHDVVLJQPHQW
and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
147
50 Years of Telling Stories
Lesson 21
All images in Lessons 21 and 22 © William Albert Allard.

Lesson 21: 50 Years of Telling Stories
Melvin Stoltfuz, Amish farmer, with his children.
148
Amish barn raising.
One-room school.
149
Man with frock coat, Paris.
Rainy street, Paris.
150
Luther Allison.
Willie Seabery, owner of Poor Monkey’s Lounge.
151
152
Blues club.
Moment, Gesture, Place
Lesson 22
Self-portrait.
153
Three Peruvian girls.
Lesson 22: Moment, Gesture, Place
Dinner boat, Paris.
154
Lovers in Paris.
Henry Grey, rancher.
155
Hands of a cowboy.
Lesson 22: Moment, Gesture, Place
Three matadors.
156
Clarence Brown.
157
Ed Kashi—Storytelling
Lessons 23–24
C
aring, passion, and curiosity are the key elements to great storytelling.
You must be genuinely interested in the stories and images you are
pursuing; otherwise, you will not have the commitment needed
to stay focused and engaged in your work. For many photographers, the
overall goal of their work is to tell stories that illuminate the world and raise
awareness of issues they care about.
Planning a Story in Pictures

Stories usually start with one idea that piques your interest, such as the
desire to learn about another culture. With that idea in mind, do as much
research as you can to gain in-depth knowledge about your subject. If you’re
LQWHUHVWHGLQDFXOWXUH¿QGRXWDERXWLWVKLVWRU\SROLWLFVUHOLJLRQOLWHUDWXUH
art, and more. You might then create a shot list for yourself, derived from
conversations with experts and other information gleaned from your
research. Some ideas on your list may not pan out, but the list will serve
as an ideal to work toward. Be open to serendipitous moments, too, where
elements come together that you couldn’t plan but that say something about
your story. Telling a story in photographs is a combination of thinking in
Lessons 23–24: Ed Kashi—Storytelling
advance about what you need and recognizing and seizing on opportunities.
An all-important image for every story is a sense-of-place picture. What does

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of your subject, such as the main issue you’re trying to call attention to. To
deepen your story, include details and close-ups, as well—perhaps just the
hands of your subject. Think of your images as a road map that takes your
viewer on a visual journey.
Layering and Lighting

An important aspect of telling stories with photographs is to create layered
images. Use the foreground, middle ground, and background of your
photographs to tell a story within a story. For example, in a story about a
158
family being displaced by the construction of a dam, integrate the dam into a
portrait of the family. Consider lateral layering, as well, positioning elements
across the frame so that the image reads coherently. It’s important, too, to pay
attention to the edges of your frames; use your peripheral vision. Processing
multiple levels of information at once is one of the critical abilities needed
by photographers. When you’re making photographs, think of yourself as
an animal on the hunt, using all your senses to be aware of everything that’s
going on around you so that you’re ready when the right moment strikes.
Another essential element in the language of photography is lighting. Try

XVLQJUHÀHFWLRQVIURPPXOWLSOHVXUIDFHVVXFKDVPLUURUVRUZLQGRZVRUWU\
working with silhouettes. Imagine forms in the foreground of a photograph
that might help tell the story or be visually interesting; set your subject
in silhouette against an interesting backdrop. But be aware of the need to
balance exposure and capture detail when you do a silhouette. You might
also try using shadows to infer something about your story without actually
showing it. Sometimes in photography, your goal should be to raise questions
without necessarily providing answers.
Advocacy Journalism
Advocacy journalism is a relatively new development in visual storytelling,
bringing together the twin commitments to tell stories and effect change.
3URMHFWVLQWKLV¿HOGLQYROYHDZLGHUDQJHRIWRSLFVIURPWKHHIIHFWVRIWR[LF
FKHPLFDOVWRUDFLDOSUR¿OLQJWRZDWHUVKRUWDJHVDQGWKHQHHGIRUVXVWDLQDEOH
development. For many photographers, this advocacy work is not about
SRLQWLQJ WKH ¿QJHU RI EODPH EXW DERXW UDLVLQJ DZDUHQHVV DQG VXSSRUW IRU
victims and those in need.
The elements of good photography are as important in advocacy journalism

as elsewhere. In considering composition, for example, place your subjects
in the frame to enhance the drama and impact of your photographs. Use
shadows as a compositional element or smoke to set a mood. Try shooting
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point. Look for unexpected qualities or elements that you can include in a
frame, not only to tell the story but also to make your image more dynamic.
159
In using photography to advocate for groups of people, it’s vital to act with
sensitivity and humility. You never want to add to your subjects’ concerns
or problems. These situations can be a test of your ability to interact and
communicate well. Think about how you can position yourself to make
compelling images while not abusing the good graces of people who
are giving you access to intimate situations, and try to work quickly and
respectfully. At times, you may become a propagandist for your subjects:
7KH\VXSSO\\RXZLWKWKHLPDJHV\RXQHHGWRÀHVKRXW\RXUQDUUDWLYHZKLOH
you bring their concerns or plights to the attention of the wider world.
Visual Journaling
Of course, not everyone is involved in advocacy journalism, but many
people enjoy producing personal visual journals of their lives. With the
introduction of mobile photography—through smartphone cameras and such
applications as Instagram—you can share these journals immediately with
family and friends. Smartphone cameras allow you to get close and intimate
with your subjects in a way that’s not possible with larger-format cameras,
and mobile photography applications enable you to combine images to tell
your story. Best of all, mobile photography is accessible to all of us. You can
use your camera phone to do a form of visual sketching, experimenting with
composition and capturing color, shapes, and design anywhere you go.
Assignment
Lessons 23–24: Ed Kashi—Storytelling
1. Find a subject within one mile of where you live that piques your
curiosity. Your subject can relate to people, a place, or a thing. Use
your camera to explore, to learn about, and ultimately, to document this
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want to establish a sense of place. Then, you may want to include some
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story you want to draw attention to. Try layering imagery to make your
photographs complex. Above all, let your imagination run wild.
160
Engaging the World
Lesson 23
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Nigerian checkpoint.
161
Kurdish bride.
Lesson 23: Engaging the World
Displaced Kurdish family.
162
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Nigerian villager.
163
Hands of a Nigerian oil worker.
Lesson 23: Engaging the World
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164
Women’s peace march.
165
Raising Awareness
Lesson 24
Lesson 24: Raising Awareness
Rice farmer, Madagascar.
166
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Teenage girls, Madagascar.
167
Municipal water tap, Madagascar.
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168
Sugarcane worker, Nicaragua.
Leno, sugarcane worker, Nicaragua.
169
Funeral of sugarcane worker.
170
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What are the biographies of the photographers covered in the guidebook?

What are the biographies of the photographers covered in the guidebook?

What subjects and locations have some of the photographers photographed?

What subjects and locations have some of the photographers photographed?

Topic Subtopic

Better Living Arts & Leisure

Learn Photography from 12 National Geographic Masters

THE GREAT COURSES

Copyright © The Teaching Company, 2014

Printed in the United States of America

This book is in copyright. All rights reserved.

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above,

Photographer portaits: © National Geographic Creative.

William Albert Allard

© Jeff Mauritzen - inPhotograph.com.

National Geographic Photographers ...................................................i

Elements of Adventure Photography

As an experiment, try taking portraits of the adventurers or their support

Look for a sense of immediacy in the scenes you photograph. Think of

One way to think about telling the story of an adventure as a whole is to

Focusing on the Landscape

landscapes to give viewers a sense of awe, or experiment with isolating one

Sometimes, you can put people in a landscape by using silhouette. This

Composition and Lighting in the Field

Use composition to tell stories that are not necessarily immediately

Remember that with a truly great and honest moment, composition,

Observing without Being Present

Communicating Larger Issues

All images in Lessons 1 and 2 © Cory Richards.

Hikers isolated in landscape, Antarctica.

Inside a tent, Antarctica.

Tent in mountain landscape.

Hikers isolated in landscape, Mustang (border of Nepal and Tibet).

Basket of human remains.

Abandoned building, Krenkel Station, Heiss Island.

In addition to photographing an adventure or expedition as it happens, you

You can also, of course, go on adventures without traveling to the other

If you’re doing a scene setter that’s a landscape, consider putting people

Strobe and Other Lighting

Planning and Building Images

Planning and close coordination are particularly important in adventure

All images in Lessons 3 and 4 © Stephen Alvarez.

Rappelling inside a cave.

Climbing expedition, Alam Kuh, Iran.

View from a hang glider, Outer Banks, NC.

Do research on the animals you’re interested in or talk to scientists or other

Practicing Your Skills

Whether you’re on a safari and photographing a tiger or taking pictures of

T hroughout my career, I’ve worked with scientists that are studying

Nature Photography Tools and Techniques

Lighting is as important in photographing animals as it is in shooting other

When you’re photographing animals, it’s natural to focus directly on the

As you’re shooting, don’t rely on editing your photographs later at the

All images in Lessons 5 and 6 © Steve Winter.

Jaguar in the grass.

Flamingo feeding its young.

Elephants heading to water.

The three key elements of photography—light, composition, and moment—

that takes a scene beyond a simple, straightforward picture to something

Consider, for example, a series of shots of wolves. You can take a