Learning the basics of photography can seem like a daunting task. Unless luck strikes, the resulting images are usually not very good. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Enter Make Great Photos: A Friendly Guide and Journal for Improving Your Photographs.

In this book, photographer and author Alan Hess teaches you the basics of photography by breaking down the topic into its fundamental parts. In the first section of the book, Alan explains what makes a great photo in the first place, examining a selection of images and working through why each one is successful. In the second, Alan addresses specific shooting situations - categorized into travel, action, events, and people - discussing the challenges that each scenario poses and how to conquer them. Finally, you’ll learn the top five basic edits you need to know to make your images pop when you share them online.