Customer Reviews

Basics Photography: Composition

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am an experienced amatuer photographer who has done work for school classes and I've also been offered jobs by the local newspaper. [...]
This book is awesome. At least enough for me to write a review. I bought this book after reading a review of it in Advanced Photoshop magazine, and it was definitely worth it. It is smaller than I thought in cover size and font size, around the size of a national geographic magazine, and much thicker.

It covers all the details of composition from the basic everyone knows (but only very little about) like the "rule of thirds," and goes on to formal elements of point, line, shape, form, texture, pattern, tone, and color. It discussing organizing space through balance and different aspects of its appearance, and even explains more complex concepts such as "negative space." It goes into how each rule can be applied to real-world jobs and setups such as journalism, documentary, portraiture or advertising. Finally it sets you in the right direction for developing your own "look" for photography so that you don't have to rely on mimicing others.


Bottom line: The book is almost like a mini-course in compositional photography, and covers the conceptual and technical aspects of all, with plenty of examples from a wide variety of photographers, as well as famous photography quotes. The way this book is organized it reads like an interesting textbook and is immediately applicable to experienced photographers and newbies alike.

Despite the sheer number of photography books in the marketplace, finding one that defines, explains and teaches the basics of composition has been difficult - until now. David Prakel's fine book explains the fundamentals of composition in clear and understandable ways, providing examples and definitions. Far from being a mechanical "how-to" book, "Composition" provides the building blocks that a photographer can use to build a style, or simply improve casual picture-taking. This book is a must-have for photography students, amateurs interested in improving their photos (like me!), or people interested in the art of photography.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Is there a six-star button in here somewhere?

I would give it 3 1/2 stars if there was an option. It's a well-written short primer on the basics of composition. There are examples for most topics that the author is trying to explain. I have no complaints with the book or the material, although the explanations for each topic are very brief. For the size of the book, I think this is appropriate. It's also good for someone who wants a little information about a lot of topics quickly, in order to improve composition.

I am going to read more books in the Basics Photography series (Composition was one book in a series about a variety of topics, including "Lighting", "Colour", etc.)

However, for someone who wants an in-depth treatment of composition (and with more substantive analysis), I highly recommend Michael Freeman's book, The Photographer's Eye. Freeman was a photographer for the National Geographic and Smithsonian magazines, and really knows his stuff.

Buy this one: The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos

But stay away from John Szarkowski's book of the same name (also, The Photographer's Eye), as the reviews are very misleading. That book has almost nothing to do with a review of composition.

Do not buy: The Photographer's Eye

Sometimes I like to read about instead of seeing photos. Some theory is always nice to feed the brain, but I like to take it in a fresh way, I don't take any theory as an unbreakable law, on the contrary.
That's why I bought this book - to feed my mind and let some theories about something I love to do light some sparks in a moment I'm not able to photograph as much as I'd like. Due to lack of time, I'm in an incubation period...
This book shows a lot of things in a very objective and fresh way, it was a reminder of many, many things I already knew, presented me some theories I even practiced but didn't knew they existed and showed me a few tricks. I can say it was a very nice reading, with the light approach I wanted. I believe when I'm photographing now, some things come to my mind and my pictures are improving thanks to this "reminding" effect.
I 've been photographing for more than 30 years and it's nice to review some thoughts and concepts from time to time. This is a book that helps in this way and I'll return to it in the future.
For these reasons I must say I found it a valuable acquisition and recommend it for those who know and those who wish to know more.

The book is written in a one-page, one-concept fashion. Each page highlights a specific topic of Componsition, with the right mix of prose and photographic examples.

The chapters are short, and the book makes for an easy read, and available when you only have a few moments to devote to it. Informative enough to read several times and still learn something new.

Left me wanting more. Some good tips on scale, perspective, lines, etc. But only one or two examples of each. Wanted a book with more examples and more discussion.

I found this book very valuable for my basic knowledge of photografic compotition.
As i think Compotition is the key to a great shot, this book covers from the elements involve in the technic to the how-to.

I recomend this book to anyone who starts in photography and want to reach the next level.

Prakel's book on Composition is to-the-point, and yet still comprehensive in the way it treats the subject. He avoids the unsupported (hot air!) theories of composition spread in earlier times by artsy types, as well as some pseudo-scientific stuff about what "leads the eye" and so on. In easy steps, he gives a useful, informative and well-illustrated as well as well-documented and thorough treatment of the subject.Basics Photography: Composition (Basics Photography (Numbered))

Really nice and detailed description about how composition is perseived and how pictures with interesting composition can be created.