The Photographers Eye: A graphic Guide: Instantly Understand Composition & Design for Better Photography

This book is a classic that I borrowed from the public library, at first.It a densely packed, richly packed contribution to the art and science of photography.There is such an abundance of material between its covers that it warranted extended studythat borrowing time from the library could not accommodate in reasonable periods of time.Also interesting is that several books share the main part of their titles.The author has methods of expression that appeal to me and he approaches topics in a mannerthat makes them far more approachable than the vast number of YouTube presentations. It hasrevived my preference for books over videos.It has a plethora of fabulous images. It's amazing that the author chose to present so much.It covers a wide variety of vital topics.; just peruse the TOC for yourself.There is an updated version of this book, but it has not become available at the local libraries,yet. I can see myself moving very quickly through that edition once I have finished thoroughlystudying this version. I usually prefer to read the prior edition before a later edition, ifnot computer-based or otherwise highly technical material. Yet, many of the artistic components ofphotography may be applied from the literature of a century ago.I regarded this book highly enough that I bought a second copy as a gift for one of thephotographers in the family who has a couple of years of experience under his belt.It is not a book for a beginner. Mostly, I suspect that it would be overwhelming to a novice.Well-recommended, otherwise.Be well.Be safe.A. D. Clark

I picked this book up because I've seen it recommended quite frequently. I've been taking photos (I have a very hard time calling myself a "photographer") for a great number of years but only recently have been actively trying to improve my skills rather than just "taking pictures", if that makes sense. I figured a guide would be helpful for understanding what makes a good photo good and composition is an area I figured I'd be able to improve.This book is laid out in chapters that focus on a particular "style" with each page going into depth about individual techniques that fall into the corresponding style. There's usually several large photographs that depict the technique and style, a few paragraphs that talk about how it's achieved and why it works, and then a very simple graphic representation of the SHAPES in the photograph. The graphic representation is what I generally find most interesting and compelling in the book. A photo is broken down into its individual colors and shapes so you can see exactly what the composition is trying to achieve rather than focusing or being distracted by the details in the actual photo. Sure, the photo and its details are the end result and what everybody sees, but cutting it apart and "posterizing" it simplifies the whole purpose of the book.You can't please everybody all of the time, and art is ALWAYS going to be very subjective. But here's my hot take: the subject matter in the majority of this book is just plain boring. This is my biggest complaint. There's a wealth of great information, but I honestly think the overwhelming majority of the photos are plain uninteresting. They do a fantastic job of describing what makes the composition work and like I said earlier, the graphic breakdown of the photos helps, but a lot of them are just not what I would ever consider a great photo. There isn't a single one that I'd hang on my wall or give much of a second glance to. A lot of the photographs come across as "travel documentary" style photos, and it's just not my thing. I don't know anything about the author-photographer but I suspect he is a photojournalist.So, overall, I learned some great things and I'd like to try to apply the ideas and philosophies when the opportunity arises. I just won't be photographing african fisherman, Indian spice sellers, or stonehenge from a helicopter.

This is a catalog of compositional ideas for organizing the visual elements of a photograph. The catalog is organize into 10 major areas of interest, then further divided into 80 subgroups. For each subgroup, the concept being discussed is illustrated by a full page photograph followed by a second page (or more) of discussion using mostly graphical diagrams illustrating the organizing principles involved. These pages give a thorough and enlightening education in designing and constructing photographs. Note that the list is NOT organized by the subject of the photograph (nature, cityscape, people. macro, etc.) Rather it contains the design elements that determine how ALL pictures look (framing, placing, dividing, viewpoint, color, etc.). In this sense the catalog is applicable to all photos regardless of the subject matter.The methodology used to discuss each of the subgroups is unusual. Verbal description are kept to minimum while the main points are illustrated with graphical explanations. The reasoning is that the discussion of graphical images might best be conducted using graphics. It works well once you get into the spirit of the venture.The question remains of what to do with this valuable information and analysis. It is not likely that many photographers will memorize the essence of 80 compositional subgroups. Most will probably start with their present range of photo subjects and relate these photos to the analyses shown in the book. Comparing what they do to compose their pictures with the analyses shown by Freeman can help clarify their photographic thinking. Further, investigation of related subgroups can broaden their photographic thinking. They can experiment with new compositional variations and expand their photographic horizons.Freeman's great contribution is in providing a comprehensive framework that photogrphers can use in many ways to help expand their visual perception.