Michael Melford (born February 18, 1950, Gloversville, NY) is an American photographer, artist and teacher known for his National Geographic magazine assignments.
About Michael Melford grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. He has a BS in photography from Syracuse University.
Melford is known for his raw, natural landscapes and his ability to capture vibrant motion in nature. He has produced over 30 stories for National Geographic Traveler magazine, including eight covers. He has extensively photographed the marvels of America's National Parks and Alaska. His inspirations are Ansel Adams and Ernst Haas.
Work Melford's photographs have appeared in The Apple Store,, Michael Melford's photo used to promote Apple's Retina display. Life Magazine, Newsweek, Time, Fortune, Smithsonian, Geo, Travel & Leisure, Travel Holiday, Coastal Living, National Geographic Traveler and National Geographic., Michael Melford's bio on NatGeo.
His image of Montana's Glacier National Park was featured on a U.S. Postage stamp, first issued January 19, 2012.Glacier National Park, Montana Stamp , Beyond the Perf: US Philatelic Five of his photographs appeared as part of the "Wild and Scenic Rivers" Forever Stamps released in 2019 from the United States Postal Service. Melford's images were of the Merced River in California, the Idaho segment of the Owyhee River, the Koyukuk River in Alaska, the Niobrara River in Nebraska, and the Tlikakila River in Alaska. This stamp series celebrated the 50th anniversary of America's Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, signed into law in 1968.
Melford is a frequent workshop and seminar instructor for Visionary Wild, Lindblad Expeditions, , Michael Melford's bio for Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Expeditions., Michael Melford's Expert page for NatGeo Expeditions.
National Geographic works IssueArticleCover story?April 2005Saving Civil War BattlefieldsYESNovember 2005Acadia National ParkNOApril 2006Glen Canyon RevealedNOAugust 2006Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNOOctober 2006Our National Parks in PerilYESSeptember 2007Glacier National Park: Crown of the ContinentNODecember 2008King Herod: Architect of the Holy LandYESJanuary 2009Russian Kronotsky Preserve: Let it BeNOSeptember 2009Plugging into the Sun-Solar EnergyNODecember 2010Alaska's Choice: Gold or Salmon?NOSeptember 2011Forever Wild in the AdirondacksNONovember 2011The Glory of America's Wildest RiversNOJune 2012Socotra: Yemen's Mysterious IslandNOMarch 2017Formed by Megafloods, This Place Fooled Scientists for Decades (online only)NA
Selected works
The Smithsonian Guide to Historic America: The Mid-Atlantic States, 1989, Steward Tabori & Chang, , with Michael S. Durham
Big Sky Country: The Best of Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho, 1996, Rizzoli,
National Geographic Destinations, Treasures of Alaska: The Last Great American Wilderness, 2002, National Geographic, , with Jeff Rennicke
Simply Beautiful Photographs, 2010, Focal Point (National Geographic), (Cover Photo)
Visions of Earth, 2011, National Geographic,
Hidden Alaska: Bristol Bay and Beyond, 2011, , with Dave Atcheson
References
External links Michael Melford's personal website Michael Melford's page at National Geographic Michael Melford's bio page at Visionary Wild Apple's use of Melford's photo