The Photographer's Eye is a book about learning to see and visualize a photograph before you ever snap a picture. The composition and design of a photograph is one of those enigmas that some people seem to naturally have, while others have to work at to get it right. The fact is, though, the composition and design of an image is one of the most important aspects of your vision. To get it wrong is to lose the grasp of the viewer taking in your work.
The digital age has brought two new elements to design. First, there is the instant feed back from the camera. This gets the photographer more involved at conception. The second element is the image editing capabilities that are available today. These allow one to continue the design process long after the shutter has snapped.
The Photographer's Eye sets out with the goal of making anyone envision and shoot great digital photographs. It intends to be different in that it wants to explore the actual process of taking photographs — to show how photographers compose an image. The Photographer's Eye breaks down into six chapters covering 191 pages.
Chapter 1, "The Image Frame," examines how photographs are created within a spatial context called the viewfinder frame. You will look at frame shape, cropping, filling the frame, placement, and how to work with frames within frames.
Chapter 2, "Design Basics," shows how composition is essentially the organization of all the possible graphic elements within the frame. It is formed from graphic design principles and follows the same guidelines as would any other graphic art. These include Gestalt perception, balance, dynamic tension, patterns, visual weight, and content.
Chapter 3, "Graphic and Photographic Elements," explains what graphic elements are; two dimensional forms that appear within the picture frame. Because in painting and illustration there is no need to be realistic, abstract treatment is acceptable. Most times though, in photography, you have to use what is there to direct the viewer to your intentions. Here you will explore points, horizontal and vertical lines, curves, motion, moment, and exposure.
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