National Parks Collage. Click for a larger version.
The national parks in the U.S. and Canada are natural, environmental, and photographic treasures. They are high on the list of preferred destinations for professional and amateur photographers alike. To help you show up at right places at the best times to create beautiful images, I put together this ongoing series of articles.
Posted January 22, 2017. Most recent update: September 24, 2024.
National Park Series – Overview
The National Park Series: Where to Go and When – An Overview
National Park Series – Links
When is the Best Time of Year to Photograph Each of Our National Parks? – Arranged by season.
The Best Months to Photograph the Best National Parks – When are our best national parks at their photographic prime? This is your guide to the best months for each park. Arranged alphabetically by parks.
Winter
The Best National Parks to Photograph in Winter
One Photographer and Nine Outdoor/Travel Writers Pick the Best Winter National Parks
Spring
The Best National Parks to Photograph in Spring
One Photographer and Nine Outdoor/Travel Writers Pick the Best National Parks for Spring
Summer
The Best National Parks to Photograph in Summer
One Photographer and Eleven Outdoor/Travel Writers Pick the Best National Parks for Summer
Fall
The Best National Parks for Fall Photography
Two Photographers and Eleven Outdoor/Travel Writers Pick the Best National Parks for Fall
Road Trips
A Road Trip to All of the National Parks in the “Lower 48”: States
Location Articles
Colorado Fall Color Travel and Photography Guide – 2024 – This is my guide to Colorado in the fall. It has over 100 pages of information on the best places to go, the best times to be there, plus suggestions for places to stay and eat. This guide is updated every year.
Fall Color Photography Guide to Marshall Pass and O’Haver Lake, Colorado
Yosemite: How to Photograph “Gates of the Valley”
Arches: How to Photograph Double Arch at Night
Photography in Big Bend National Park
Photography at Bryce Canyon National Park
Winter Photography Hot Spots – Professional photographers pick the best winter photography locations in the U.S. This list includes 8 national parks plus 5 more great locations.
David Muench Picks His Favorite National Parks
The 10 Best U.S. National Parks America’s Most Underrated National Monuments
Finding the Peak Fall Color at the Best Locations
Recommended Books
My favorite photography guide book to 24 of our best national parks is How to Photograph America’s National Parks, Digital Edition by Tim Fitzharris. There is also an older edition available: National Park Photography. No matter which edition, this is my favorite guide book to photography in the best of the national parks. Tim gives you the best hot spots, the best seasons to go, and lots of photography advice. It is a great book to take with you when you photograph the parks. It is in my car when I head out to photograph a national park I haven’t been to before. You can learn more about Tim’s book in this article.
Treasured Lands by Q. T. Luong. This is far and away the best collection of photos taken by one person in all 59 of our national parks. This is a big, beautiful, coffee table book you can go to again and again for location ideas and inspiration. While this is not strictly a photography guide book, it does give location information for every photograph in the book. You can learn more about this book in this article.
To find more of the best photography location guides for the national parks plus a lot more of the best scenic locations in the Unites States and Canada, read The Best Scenic Photo Location Guides.
Nature Photography Books: The Three Essentials. If you only read three nature photography books, put these on your “must read” list.
My Two Favorite Introductions to Landscape Photography. If you only get two books on landscape photography, these are the books to get.
The Best “How To” Nature Photography Books
Best Books: Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey – Recommended reading if you are going to Arches or Canyonlands,
Photo Guide Purchase Links
Some of my favorite photo location guides.
All of my favorite photo location guides are in the Scenic Photo Locations Guides section of my photography store which has direct links to Amazon.com. If you use the links in my store you get the same great Amazon prices, delivery, and guarantee and you help support my photography web sites. Thanks!
National Audubon Society Guide to Photographing America’s National Parks: Digital Edition by Fitzharris. Updated edition.
National Park Photography by Tim Fitzharris, older edition.
Treasured Lands by Q.T. Luong