Today I have the honor of presenting you a new section of the Photographer’s Blog, it is about Literary Recommendation. A space in which we will review the photography books that we like the most. Interesting, right?
Why a space for photographic literary recommendations? In addition to the fact that in the team we are lovers of reading, we consider that books are a great source of inspiration, of understanding this wonderful art, of entertainment and learning. These are more than enough reasons to talk to you, at least once a month, about those books that have impacted us the most, fallen in love or helped us. I bet you stay 😉
To start I bring you The photographer’s eyeor, Michael Freeman. The first book in a very interesting collection.
Composition and design
This work intimately relates photography to design, which makes it really interesting. Teach to build up an image. It guides you to make all the elements that appear in it form a harmonious unit and create visual interest.
It is divided into 6 chapters:
- The framing: tells everything you need to know about framing, dynamics, formats, reframing, etc. It is perhaps the most basic part of the entire book but very complete and fundamental.
- The basis of the design: This chapter explains why some images cause certain impressions and how the effect caused can be predicted based on how elements within the image are arranged.
- Graphic and photographic elements: Although it sounds complex, they are nothing more than points, lines and geometric shapes. A part dedicated to the intimate relationship between them and how they form more complex structures that catch the viewer’s attention.
- Composition with light and color: As important as composition is in a photograph, it is not so important if it does not go hand in hand with good light management, the main topic of this chapter. And not from the point of view of exhibition but of composition. Another topic discussed in this section is composition through color.
- Purposes: planning or reacting, simple or complex, conventional or stimulating, clear or ambiguous are some of the dichotomies that the book shows that a photographer often faces. What is your purpose in your photography? Analysis and reflections on these concepts.
- Process: the work that is not seen in a photograph, from the search, the reaction or the anticipation, to the processing, including how to combine photographs.
Throughout these six chapters, the author, with great mastery and always speaking from his own experience, shares the art of constructing a photograph. He explains in detail how to capture images that work visually and spark interest in the viewer.
Details
- Pages: 192
- Soft cover
- Dimensions: 23×25 cm approximately
Ideal for…
It is ideal for you if you want to go one step further in your photographs, if the rule of thirds comes to you without thinking about it, you are able to skip the rules of composition and achieve images that work, but you feel that this subject still falls short, that you can achieve something bigger, more interesting, and you don’t know how.
Highly recommended also for photography or design students.
It is not for you if you are a neophyte who has just landed in the world of photography and you are still getting familiar with the basic rules of composition. If this is your case, I recommend the digital publication edited by the Photographer’s Blog team: Composition for a Photograph Full of Life.
About the Author
Born in England in 1945, Michael Freeman is a prestigious internationally recognized photographer and writer, who has more than twenty publications, specializing in travel photography, architecture and Asian art. He has worked for the magazine Smithsonian and to Time Life Books Y National Geographic.
The best
It is very complete, all the compositional aspects that can go through your head (and those that do not), you find them explained.
It includes schematics and series of images of the same scene so you can understand why a photograph works or doesn’t work.
The photos, everything is explained with examples of photographs taken by the author.
The quality of the edition is exceptional, both for the paper and for the images.
Worst
The font size is quite small. It is the price that must be paid for such a quantity of photos and of that size.
It is not a fluid book that you want to read for pleasure to entertain yourself for a while, it can be somewhat dense. It is more didactic content or for those familiar with a more photographic or technical language.
Something I’ve been missing
Closeness. Emotion. It is not something to criticize, simply that I have felt a certain coldness and distance with the photographed subjects, it is probably because I am moved even by the flutter of a butterfly and this man must be so used to everything that he does not care what scene he has in front, an Indian cattle boy or an onion. Or maybe he doesn’t care, however, that is what he transmits.
It focuses so much on the composition that I feel it distances itself from the story behind it, from what can move the viewer. In short, it is a book about composition, about the eye of the photographer, not about emotions or the heart of the photographer, I suppose that is what other books are for, however, it is something that I, personally, have lacked.
Other publications by Michael Freeman
You may be interested in these other publications of the author:
Conclusions
It seems to me a very interesting option when it comes to opening the mind to photographic composition. A very didactic work and a great option to discover why an image works or not. Also to know when is the best time to shoot. There is life beyond the rule of three thirds ;P
Reading makes us wiser, happy reading! And, if you found it interesting, don’t forget to share it 😉