Digital Nature Photography The Art and the Science

About this book

Identifying a beautiful image in nature is easy, but capturing it is often challenging. To truly seize the essence of a photograph shot out of the studio and in the world requires an artistic eye and impeccable set of photographic techniques. John and Barbara Gerlach have been teaching photographers how to master the craft of photographing nature and the outdoors through their workshops and best-selling books for more than twenty years. Now, equipped with brand new images to share and skills to teach, this celebrated photo team is sharing their latest lessons in the second edition of Digital Nature Photography.

Notable revisions in this new edition include introducing the concepts of focus stacking and HDR, as well as expanded discussions of multiple exposure, wireless flash, RGB histograms, live view, shutter priority with auto ISO, hand-held shooting techniques, and the author's equipment selections. The inspiring imagery in Digital Nature Photography covers a broader range of subjects than before including ghost towns, the night sky, animals, and sports, in addition to the classic nature photographs we expect from this very talented author team.

Digital Nature Photography is a comprehensive guide to one of the broadest subjects in photography, explained and dymystified by two respected masters.

Contents

Introduction

1. Camera and Accessories
a. Popular Camera Systems
b. Key Camera Features
c. Sensor Size
d. Camera Batteries
e. Memory Options
f. Protecting the Camera

2. Choosing and Using Lenses
a. Lens Makers
b. How Lenses Work
c. Image-stabilization
d. Lens Choices

3. Mastering Exposure
a. Exposure guideline summary
b. Exposure Basics
c. Understanding the Exposure Meter

4. Conquer Extreme Contrast with HDR
a. What is HDR?

5. Shooting Sharp Images
a. Hand-held techniques
b. Tripod Techniques
c. Avoid adding Extra Glass to the optical path
d. Optimum apertures
e. Focusing strategies

6. Focus Stacking for Incredible Depth of Field
a. What it does

7. The Crucial Role of Light
a. The Magic of Light
b. The Qualities of Light

8. Close-ups and Macro
a. Definition of the two
b. Ways to Focus Close
c. Getting Sharp Images
d. Ideal Close-up Light

9. The Power of Flash
a. Flash
b. Flash Sync Speed
c. Using Multiple Flash

10. Developing Your Eye for Composition
a. Composition-a definition
b. Composition Guidelines

11. Stunning Panoramas
a. Opportunities

12. Traveling with Camera Gear
a. Camera bags

13. The Equipment We Use
a. Camera gear
b. Office Gear Sources

Customer Reviews

Biography

John and Barbara Gerlach are founders of Gerlach Nature Photography. They are professional nature photographers. Their pictures have been published in National Wildlife, Sierra, Natural History, Petersen's Photographic, Ranger Rick, Birder's World, Michigan Natural Resources, Audubon, Outdoor Photographer, and Popular Photography, as well as in books published by National Geographic Society, Sierra Club, Kodak,. They wrote Focal's own Wildlife Photography, Digital Landscape Photography, and the upcoming Close Up Photography in Nature.