Any recommendations for photograph composition books?

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Mike1980

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Mike
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I got my first 'proper camera' for Christmas and have now kind-of-mastered at least how the camera works. I can change the f-stop, exposure, time value etc without having to study the buttons.

Now, I can begin to think about how to compose better pictures!

I live in Manila (The Philippines) so the majority of the opportunities I have are architecture / cityscapes and the ilk. I'm sure that understanding composition applies to all kinds of photography but anything a little more subject-specific would be good too.

Are there any books that the majority of photographers would recommend?



Thanks a lot


Mike
 
I have "The Photographers Eye" and would also recommend it. It covers a lot of areas and explains the whys and wherefores to a good level.

The difficulty for me comes in remembering and applying it when out taking shots.
 
+4 for The Photographers Eye

David
 
As already well recommended, 'The Photographers Eye' is good.
There is also a follow on, 'The Photographers Mind', but I found tat less readable.

If you haven't read a copy, I'd also recommend 'Understanding Exposure' - although not principally about composition, it does have a lot of useful info - if you can get hold a copy (at a bookshop or library, or even Amazon 'Look Inside') have a quick scan - there are a lot of hints and tips in there.
 
Add a +6 here as well;doubly chuffed with mine as I got it for £3.50 in a charity shop:D
 
Thanks a lot everyone.

I 'found' a pdf copy of The Photographer's Eye online and the original will arrive next week.
 
One thing to remember is that as photographers we don't always compose shots, we only frame images with the camera, the composition has already been done
Such as cliffs, roads, hills and trees. We didn't put them there.
We humbly frame the scene before us.
Still life and constructed studio shots and the like, well we chose where the elements sit and compose the shot with our hands and then frame the image in camera.
 
Simon photo said:
One thing to remember is that as photographers we don't always compose shots, we only frame images with the camera, the composition has already been done
Such as cliffs, roads, hills and trees. We didn't put them there.
We humbly frame the scene before us.
Still life and constructed studio shots and the like, well we chose where the elements sit and compose the shot with our hands and then frame the image in camera.
Click to expand...

As far as I am concerned I compose the shot - whether it be landscape, seascape, architectural or whatever. I would think the majority do.
 
Simon photo said:
One thing to remember is that as photographers we don't always compose shots, we only frame images with the camera, the composition has already been done
Such as cliffs, roads, hills and trees. We didn't put them there.
We humbly frame the scene before us.Still life and constructed studio shots and the like, well we chose where the elements sit and compose the shot with our hands and then frame the image in camera.
Click to expand...

That is where the compositional knowledge is required. The shot could be framed at various angles (move 30 metres to right or left etc,.), various parts of the whole, zoomed in, zoomed out etc,. or maybe there is not a shot there at all.
 
ernesto said:
That is where the compositional knowledge is required. The shot could be framed at various angles (move 30 metres to right or left etc,.), various parts of the whole, zoomed in, zoomed out etc,. or maybe there is not a shot there at all.
Click to expand...

All we are doing is framing elements in an aesthetically pleasing manner though. Most elements have been arranged beforehand.
I think the term has been lost in translation along the way though as nearly everyone refers to framing as composition or composing.
 
Simon photo said:
All we are doing is framing elements in an aesthetically pleasing manner though. Most elements have been arranged beforehand.
I think the term has been lost in translation along the way though as nearly everyone refers to framing as composition or composing.
Click to expand...

But by changing our viewpoint when the subject elements are static - so as to include or exclude a foreground element, hide or reveal objects by moving so the closer object interpose or not, etc, we are changing the composition.

A shot of a group of lion cubs at play is a different composition to a close up of the face of just one of the cubs.

Even the choice of aperture and shutter speed can affect the composition - a road full of cars, or a ghostly set of light trails, for example.
 
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