Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos

The Photographer’s Eye

What does it take to make a really great image?  By the frenzied discussions on camera rumor sites, you might think it’s all about owning the latest and greatest camera equipment.  Talk with some photographers, and you hear that it’s about “seeing the light,” using the latest lenses, or faithfully followings blogs like those of Joe McNally and Steve McCurry.  None of this is bad, mind you, but in my opinion, understanding composition is what it takes to make great images.  Far too many images fall far short of what they could achieve due to the photographer’s limited understanding of image composition and design.  Don’t believe me?  Then you should read the bestseller, The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, by Michael Freeman, and I think it’ll make a believer out of you.

Michael Freeman is a gifted photographer and author who possesses a talent for conveying abstract concepts in a highly readable, interesting, and enjoyable fashion.  He’s one of the most widely published photographers in the world with more than 120 books, 50 of them on the practice of photography alone.  I only wish I knew a tenth of what’s tucked away in the recesses of his mind.

Book Sections

Chapter 1: The Image Frame – explores how the rectangular context of the viewfinder, and ultimately the picture’s boundaries, influences our choices when we compose an image.

Chapter 2: Design Basics – provides an excellent introduction to the basics of image composition, or as Michael puts it, “Composition is essentially organization, the ordering of all the possible graphic elements inside the frame.”

Chapter 3: Graphic & Photographic Elements – illustrates how graphic elements, such as points, lines, and curves, to name a few, are used to make a strong, compelling image.

Chapter 4: Composing With Light and Color – touches on the strong interrelation between light and color, and how they impact the outcome of an image.

Chapter 5: Intent – reveals how what you want to express through the image influences its construction.

Chapter 6: Process – looks at reactive photography, or the act of anticipating the shot.  Michael Freeman walks the reader through several examples of his thought process while shooting to arrive at his final image.

My Opinion

In brief, I love this book.  Not only is Michael Freeman articulate, but he also has an expressive writing style.  Add to this his beautiful, meticulously constructed images to illustrate concepts, and you have a book which makes learning addictive.  A book to get you thinking.

I know some are hesitant to spend money on books, but where else are you going to get access to this level of instruction for a little over seventeen dollars?  It cost me a lot more than that to fill my car’s gas tank, and once the gas is gone, it’s gone.  This book, on the other hand, will make for a great reference for years to come.  It’s to composition what Light: Science and Magic is to lighting.

If you already own this classic, great; if not, then you might want to consider either purchasing the book or at least putting it on your Amazon wish list.  I’d skip getting the Kindle version of the book though because you really need to see Michael’s images printed on fine paper, and Focal Press always does that part right.

Samples and Examples

Excerpts from this book are available at books.google.com.

Michael Freeman’s thoughts and writings as a pixiq.com contributor are found here.

Finally, you can also visit Michael Freeman Photography to see his latest works.  Read more about Michael Freeman and his accomplishments on Wikipedia here.

Michael Freeman Introduces Book

Book Details

Title: The Photographer’s Eye

Publisher: Focal Press

Author: Michael Freeman

ISBN-13: 978-02470809342

Length: 192 pages

Dimensions: 10 x 9.4 x 0.5 inches

Publication Date: June 6, 2007

Format: Paperback

Full Disclosure: I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.  This never influences my opinion or review of a book.