Through 67 hands-on lessons, this book guides photography educators and students through the process of making stunning images and using these skills to tell stories that engage and inspire an audience.

The reader will gain a strong foundation in DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY and a joy for pursuing and sharing powerful photo stories.

To understand the path ahead, a brief distinction is made between photography, photojournalism and documentary photography. Seven COMPOSITION tricks are explored through forty activities to learn how to make meaningful photographs that hold the viewer’s eye. This builds through activities to help photographers step out of their comfort zone to capture engaging SUBJECTS in the surrounding community. With skills and practice in place, the final focus is the PHOTO ESSAY which includes eight guided major projects that encourage the photographer to connect with the subject through research and multiple visits.

Beginners and advanced photographers with any camera can enjoy and learn from each lesson that has been inspired by some of the world’s most notable photographers, including: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Meier, William Albert Allard and Paul Nicklen.

PETER STANLEY is an award winning photographer with publications in National Geographic, BBC, The Guardian and The Telegraph. He was raised in Tanzania and has lived in Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, USA and Romania. He studied wildlife ecology and conservation and has been a biology teacher for 15 years. This book is a culmination of his Masters of the Arts in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the London College of Communications.

All images by Peter Stanley