Art Wolfe "The Art of Photographing Nature"
John Shaw ... pretty much anything by him, especially "John Shaw's Landscape
Photography"

Bill

I doubt if anyone feels too strongly about any book... The basic issues
of landscape/outdoor are pretty straightforward, and the more extreme
things are not for everyone. Even the books of Hedgecoe cover the issues
well enough.

-- Lassi

Galen Rowell wrote several books that deal in a very intelligent fashion
with issues around landscape photography, touching on composition and much
else.  "Mountain Light" is excellent, and "Galen Rowell's Inner Game of
Outdoor Photography" - a collection of essays - is one of my top
recommendations for a photography book for anyone once they have passed
beyond simply understanding the basics.

In a very different vein - and complementary to Rowell's approach - are two
books by Charlie Waite: "Seeing Landscapes" and "The Making of Landscape
Photographs".  These are both example packed, not hard to read, and the
images are inspiring.  All taken on medium format.

Bill Smith's "Designing a Photograph" isn't landscape specific, but is a
good guide to compositional ideas.

Almost anything by Freeman Patterson is worth a look.  In particular a book
I can't find just now but which is called something like "Photographing the
patterns of Earth".

Also look at books of pictures by 'the masters'.  I personally find Elliot
Porter particularly inspiring, and also enjoy Joe Cornish's work.

The other great composition book is, of course, "Drawing on the Right Side
of the Brain".  Do look at books aimed at painters as well as photographers
for composition ideas - they are often better written for one thing!  Also
look at painting, both representational and abstract, at every opportunity.

And next time you are in a book shop or library, have a look at a few books
on flower arranging.  The ideas of colour harmony, balance, proportion,
contrast of mass and texture and so on are all reproduced on a miniature
scale and in 'concentrated' form here.  I have several such books because I
like to arrange flowers for the house and because I photograph cut flowers
as well as those growing - but subsequently it struck what a powerful
miniature landscape a good flower arrangement is.

Peter (typing in the middle of a hail storm, glad he isn't out with a camera
right now...)

Jack Dykinga's "Large Format Nature Photography" comes to mind. It's
for LF cameras, but many of the same ideas he covers are applicable.
And his photographs are outstanding.

-Karl
http://pages.cthome.net/karlwinkler