In The Power of Color in Nature Photography, author and photographer Rob Sheppard teaches you how to master color and create compelling and effective photos every time. He shows how you can use colors to change emphasis in a photo to affect where the viewer looks, and he walks you through the effects of light on color, from front to back light, and gentle to dramatic, so you can get just the effect you want. Finally, he discusses how to strengthen the composition of your photographs through your color choices or by creating color contrast, and how the wrong colors can detract from your images. Follow along with Rob and you will: Strengthen the composition and effectiveness of your photos using the power of color Use a variety of light effects to enrich and highlight the colors in your images Create mellow images with gentle colors or dramatic images with color contrast

In The Power of Black and White in Nature and Landscape Photography, author and photographer Rob Sheppard shows you that creating beautiful black-and-white images involves so much more than just removing color. He begins by discussing how the history and tradition of black-and-white photography affect you as a photographer. He then shares the key elements to making dramatic images in shades of gray—contrast in brightness or tonality, texture, pattern, and sharpness—and explains the significance of tonal contrast in defining your images. Finally, he walks you through image-processing techniques with the software of your choice, as you translate your color images into stunning black-and-white photographs. Follow along with Rob and you will: Challenge your color memory and learn to think in shades of gray and black and white Understand the range of possibilities of contrast in tone, texture, pattern, and sharpness Translate color images into beautiful black and white with Adobe Lightroom and Camera Raw, Nik Software Silver Efex Pro, Photoshop, and Photoshop Elements

Because nature is so expansive and complex, so varied in its range of light, landscape painters often have to look further and more deeply to find form and structure, value patterns, and an organized arrangement of shapes. In Landscape Painting, Mitchell Albala shares his concepts and practices for translating nature's grandeur, complexity, and color dynamics into convincing representations of space and light. Concise, practical, and inspirational, Landscape Painting focuses on the greatest challenges for the landscape artist, such as: • Simplification and Massing: Learn to reduce nature's complexity by looking beneath the surface of a subject to discover the form's basic masses and shapes.• Color and Light: Explore color theory as it specifically applies to the landscape, and learn the various strategies painters use to capture the illusion of natural light.• Selection and Composition: Learn to select wisely from nature's vast panorama. Albala shows you the essential cues to look for and how to find the most promising subject from a world of possibilities. The lessons in Landscape Painting—based on observation rather than imitation and applicable to both plein air and studio practice—are accompanied by painting examples, demonstrations, photographs, and diagrams. Illustrations draw from the work of more than 40 contemporary artists and such masters of landscape painting as John Constable, Sanford Gifford, and Claude Monet. Based on Albala's 25 years of experience and the proven methods taught at his successful plein air workshops, this in-depth guide to all aspects of landscape painting is a must-have for anyone getting started in the genre, as well as more experienced practitioners who want to hone their skills or learn new perspectives.

“An anthology of nature writing by people of color, providing deeply personal connections to—or disconnects from—nature.” —NPR From African American to Asian American, indigenous to immigrant, “multiracial” to “mixed-blood,” the diversity of cultures in this world is matched only by the diversity of stories explaining our cultural origins: stories of creation and destruction, displacement and heartbreak, hope and mystery. With writing from Jamaica Kincaid on the fallacies of national myths, Yusef Komunyakaa connecting the toxic legacy of his hometown, Bogalusa, LA, to a blind faith in capitalism, and bell hooks relating the quashing of multiculturalism to the destruction of nature that is considered “unpredictable”—among more than thirty-five other examinations of the relationship between culture and nature—this collection points toward the trouble of ignoring our cultural heritage, but also reveals how opening our eyes and our minds might provide a more livable future. Contributors: Elmaz Abinader, Faith Adiele, Francisco X. Alarcón, Fred Arroyo, Kimberly Blaeser, Joseph Bruchac, Robert D. Bullard, Debra Kang Dean, Camille Dungy, Nikky Finney, Ray Gonzalez, Kimiko Hahn, bell hooks, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, Pualani Kanaka’ole Kanahele, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Jamaica Kincaid, Yusef Komunyakaa, J. Drew Lanham, David Mas Masumoto, Maria Melendez, Thyllias Moss, Gary Paul Nabhan, Nalini Nadkarni, Melissa Nelson, Jennifer Oladipo, Louis Owens, Enrique Salmon, Aileen Suzara, A. J. Verdelle, Gerald Vizenor, Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, Al Young, Ofelia Zepeda “This notable anthology assembles thinkers and writers with firsthand experience or insight on how economic and racial inequalities affect a person’s understanding of nature . . . an illuminating read.” —Bloomsbury Review “[An] unprecedented and invaluable collection.” —Booklist

Packed with more than 400 photographs, technical tips, and personal insights, this inspirational guide helps outdoor photographers make the most of their digital camera. With a concentration on the different techniques required by the digital format, each page explains how to create professional quality photos of all the popular subjects: urban and rural photography, street portraits, architecture, and more. Manage such challenges as excessively bright skies and find out how to take full advantage of nature’s beauties, such as the warm golden light found at daybreak and dusk. Expert information reveals how to enhance the image by using filters such as grads and polarizers, along with computer and image-editing software. There’s added advice on composition, framing, and setting the scene.

It's time to see Photoshop as a tool of your craft This book is not about "fixing it in Photoshop." It's about how you, the serious nature photographer, can use technology to enhance your art. Rob Sheppard sees Photoshop not as an eraser for mistakes and the effects of careless shooting, but as an artist's tool, one that assists you in the craft of producing art from your digital camera. He shows you how to use Photoshop CS2 to extend tonal range, remove color haze, correct lens distortions, create multi-frame panoramas, and so much more--all to reveal the work of art you knew was there all along. * Learn to apply Photoshop techniques to the unique requirements of landscape and nature photography * Be aware of correct exposure when shooting for Photoshop * Use layers to enhance images and correct tonality and color for optimum images * Discover a better way of dodging and burning * Understand midtones and manage color correction with an eye to the finished product * Process images twice in Camera Raw for better shadow and highlight detail * Explore how Photoshop CS2 can support proven techniques used by the masters of traditional nature photography Photoshop offers great power for controlling color so you can get natural, realistic colors that best express what you see in nature Unsharp Mask is unmasked so that you can get the most from this powerful sharpening tool Utilize the best methods of black-and-white conversion

Color is the first and most important design choice a garden designer makes. Over the past decade, landscape architects and garden designers have moved away from the more sedate shades commonly found in traditional gardens and have used plants and hardscape to experiment with explosions of color. From the layered and textural colors of Piet Oudolf to the high contrast colors of Tom Stuart Smith, this increased focus on color is a trademark of today’s leading designers. Contemporary Color in the Landscape explores the whole spectrum of color: how we perceive and respond to color, how to design with color, how to manipulate contrast and create intensity with saturation, how to maximize impact by minimizing color, how to find your own personal color combinations, and how color is viewed in nature. In gorgeous, color-drenched photos Andrew Wilson showcases the work of leading garden designers as inspiring examples of the way color is used. Innovative gardens from all over the world help the reader visualize the core color lessons throughout the book. Supported by more than 300 stunning photographs, Contemporary Color in the Landscape integrates cutting-edge designers, their landscapes, color theory, new design ideas, and gorgeous photography into one inspirational, instructional, and must-have guide for design professionals.

"The Landscape Painter's Workbook takes a modern approach to the time-honored techniques and essential elements of landscape painting, from accomplished artist, veteran art instructor, and established author Mitchell Albala"--

The classic book on color photography is back in print and completely revamped for a digital photography audience! Learn from step-by-step instruction, illustrative charts, and unbelievably inspirational imagery in this guide meant just for color photographers. World renowned artists give you insight as to "how they did that" and the author provides challenging assignments to help you take photography to a new level. With aesthetic and technical instruction like no other, this book truly is the bible for color photographers. Be sure to visit the companion website, featuring portfolios and commentary by contemporary artists: www.exploringcolorphotography.com