People Pictures: 30 Exercises for Creating Authentic Photographs

1. Three Chords and the Truth

OPPOSITE Jared Mason is a musician, actor, and Broadway star. In this picture, he is illuminated by a window while playing a tune in his home in New York City.

Canon 5DMii, 50mm lens, f/1.2

EACH SUMMER, my family loads up the car with camping gear and we drive north to the majestic Yosemite Valley. This trip has become a much-anticipated tradition, as it never ceases to revive and revitalize us. Regardless of how many visits we have made, each one builds off the last for an awe-inspiring experience that helps us reconnect as a family and rediscover the wonder of the great outdoors. One summer we invited some new friends ...