For digital camera and smartphone users, this fun, easy how-to guide teaches the essentials of taking great pictures from an experienced National Geographic photographer.Written by National Geographic photographer and founder of the Photo Ark Joel Sartore, this entertaining book shows aspiring photographers how to take great pictures, from framing and F-stops to editing and archiving. Whether you're taking pictures with your phone or a DSLR camera, you'll learn the fundamentals of photography--and how to put them to work every day. In a series of short lessons, Sartore explains the basics, from choosing a camera and gear to understanding focus, exposure, composition, and lighting. Using examples from his own work, he applies the basic rules of photography to family, pet, travel, nature, and street photos, and how to get a great shot with the camera on your smartphone.Throughout the book you'll find pro tips, quick assignments, and the behind-the-camera stories of great photographs. Helpful notes clarify how to use every piece of advice with your smartphone camera. Fun and informative, this book will be your gateway to taking great pictures.

Savor the colors, treasure the details, and marvel at the intricate behaviors of more than 300 species of birds reflected in the striking book by award-winning photographer Joel Sartore and birder extraordinaire Noah Strycker. Remarkable photographic portraits from Sartore’s National Geographic Photo Ark project and Strycker’s inspiring words portray the diversity of birds from around the world in all their glory– and bring a critical message of hope and care. Every bird has a story to tell and a role to play in preserving the beauty and livelihood of our planet. Together, Sartore and Strycker help us listen to their songs.

The lush and unique photography in this book represents National Geographic's Photo Ark, a major initiative and lifelong project by photographer Joel Sartore to make portraits of the world's animals—especially those that are endangered. His powerful message, conveyed with humor, compassion, and art: to know these animals is to save them. Sartore is circling the globe, visiting zoos and wildlife rescue centers to create studio portraits of 12,000 species, with an emphasis on those facing extinction. Wiht a goal of photographing every animal in captivizty in the world, he has photographed more than 6,000 already and now, thanks to a multi-year partnership with National Geographic, he may reach his goal. This book showcases his animal portraits: from tiny to mammoth, from the Florida grasshopper sparrow to the greater one-horned rhinoceros. Paired with the eloquent prose of veteran wildlife writer Douglas Chadwick, and an inspiring foreword from Harrison Ford, this book presents a thought-provoking argument for saving all the species of our planet.