Photographing Your Family: (And All the Kids and Friends and Animals Who Wander Through, Too)

At certain moments—on a trip, on a holiday, or during those first weeks of parenthood, for example—have you ever wished you were a National Geographic photographer? In this unique guide, staff photographer Joel Sartore takes the mystery out of making extraordinary pictures of kids with a hilarious tour through his own family albums. Sartore’s photographs delight and inspire, from the first moments a newborn enters the house to Halloween parades, from visits with family and friends to fireworks on the Fourth of July. Easy-to-follow tips and instructions make the creative process simple, helping parents approach photography in a whole new way. Digital photographers will appreciate tips on editing techniques, album innovations, archiving methods, and printing. Sartore’s charisma and humor make learning a pure delight.

Unlike competitive titles, Photographing Your Family is lavishly illustrated to show the many ways to make pictures, how Sartore captured these images specifically, and the philosophies a world-class photographer brings to his work at home—with emphasis on the contributions that relatives, friends, and pets can make to the story that is family.

Early childhood is a fleeting time that parents and grandparents go to great lengths to capture in photos. This book will appeal to a vast audience: families who want to create memorable albums, parents with new babies, and everyone who wants to give a truly unique and useful family gift.

At certain moments—on a trip, on a holiday, or during those first weeks of parenthood, for example—have you ever wished you were a National Geographic photographer? In this unique guide, staff photographer Joel Sartore takes the mystery out of making extraordinary pictures of kids with a hilarious tour through his own family albums. Sartore’s photographs delight and inspire, from the first moments a newborn enters the house to Halloween parades, from visits with family and friends to fireworks on the Fourth of July. Easy-to-follow tips and instructions make the creative process simple, helping parents approach photography in a whole new way. Digital photographers will appreciate tips on editing techniques, album innovations, archiving methods, and printing. Sartore’s charisma and humor make learning a pure delight.

Unlike competitive titles, Photographing Your Family is lavishly illustrated to show the many ways to make pictures, how Sartore captured these images specifically, and the philosophies a world-class photographer brings to his work at home—with emphasis on the contributions that relatives, friends, and pets can make to the story that is family.

Early childhood is a fleeting time that parents and grandparents go to great lengths to capture in photos. This book will appeal to a vast audience: families who want to create memorable albums, parents with new babies, and everyone who wants to give a truly unique and useful family gift.

Daniel Lombardo - Library Journal

Recently featured in the PBS documentary At Close Range, Sartore has photographed stories about gray wolves, the Madidi National Park in Bolivia, and the wilds of Brazil's Pantanal. For nearly 20 years, however, he has also been documenting his own family. Here, he shares how he took some of the best pictures, breaking down photography basics, then applying the principles to each photo in the book. In a personal style, Sartore elucidates picture composition, stresses the importance of a photo's background, identifies the best times of day to shoot, and reveals the surprising conditions that provide dramatic light. Sections on how to choose and use a camera, build a proper archive, and make better prints round out this fine book new. Taylor, an expert on history, genealogy, and photography, takes a different approach by focusing on documentation rather than art??. In addition to information on gear and gadgets, she advises on photographing gravestones and old documents, not to mention the ethical and legal concerns of posting family photos online. Both books are recommended for public libraries.

Joel Sartore has spent the last 14 years on assignment for National Geographic magazine and has also worked for Time, Life, and Sports Illustrated. His books include Nebraska, Face to Face with Grizzlies, and, in collaboration with Douglas Chadwick, The Company We Keep. He has been featured on NPR and CBS Sunday Morning, and was recently the subject of the PBS documentary, At Close Range.