Admire their artistry and learn from the masters with these inspiring, practical and informative books by world-class nature, landscape and wildlife photographers
THIS PLEASANT LAND
This fascinating collection of fine art landscape photography, with words by arts and culture writer Rosalind Jana, brings together work that expresses each artist’s view of Britain’s people and terrain in the 21st century.
As Jana writes in the introduction: “A landscape is not merely a reflection, but an embodiment of contemporary concerns, cutting to the heart of how we live together and understand ourselves as a country.”
From Robert Friends’ images of places where city and country collide and clash, to the wry humour of Toby Coulson’s tiny people in large-scale landscapes (Seven Sisters, pictured here), Alex Ingram’s moving portraits of wildlife wardens on remote islands and Toby Trueman’s exquisite images of coastal horizons, there is much to touch the heart and soul in these pages.
BUTTERFLY SAFARI
View British butterflies in astonishing macro detail in this gorgeous book by photographer Andrew Fusek Peters. Fusek Peters spent four years travelling the length and breadth of the UK in search of butterfly species. His detailed shots reveal the delicate beauty of antennae, eyes and multicoloured scales.
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY FIELDCRAFT
Photographer Susan Young offers a systematic way to locate British wildlife in this thorough book. Learn about the importance of research before you set out, including how to scout for locations. Ethical concerns are front and centre, so there are tips on how to observe without disturbing animals.
LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
How can you capture the epic expanse of a mountain range, roaring waves crashing on a rugged coastline, the tranquil beauty of wildflowers with your own flair? In this insightful, practical guide peppered with their gorgeous photographs, awardwinning photographers Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer give you the essential composition and technical information you need to produce distinctive and artful landscape images.
Useful comparative examples show how technical changes effect the image, while a series of assignments in the last chapter are ideal for challenging your creativity. This is a fantastic and comprehensive resource.
RSPB HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH GARDEN BIRDS
Learn how to set up a bird photography studio in your own garden, find the best backgrounds, master close-ups and hone your skills for out in the field, too, with this super practical masterclass from photographer and wildlife writer Mark Carwardine. Packed with inspiring images, Carwardine details which equipment is essential (and non-essential), explains ways to attract different species to your garden, how to use and set up props, offers composition and lighting tips, as well as guidance on how to shoot birds in flight. There’s even a chapter on ‘Working with woodpeckers’ and how to take images using your smartphone.
BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 11
This gorgeous book brings together 250 of the winning and shortlisted images from 2023’s British Wildlife Photography Awards. Entered in nine categories, each image is captioned by the photographer with details on how they got the shot, making it a useful learning tool.
PHOTOGRAPHING THE NIGHT SKY
This encylopaedic book takes you on a deep dive into astrophotography. Learn about the kit you’ll need, as well as the most effective techniques for getting the best results. A chapter gives you a crash course on basic astronomy so you can make sense of what you’re seeing in the firmament, too.