Add These Books To Your Photographer's Library

The Photographer's Eye by Michael FreemanMost photography books tend to the technical—set this, do that, follow this formula—and most of the time these books are useful and helpful. Every now and then, however, comes a book, or in this case books, that remind photographers there is more to think about that just the nuts and bolts of photography.

Michael Freeman is one of the lead photographers for Smithsonian Magazine and specializes in travel and architectural photography and Asian art. He has written a number of books on photography, but two that I've recently read stand out.

The first is The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photography. Freeman looks at photographs from a designers perspective—angles, perspectives, arrangement of individual components in a photograph to construct the whole. He looks at excellent compositions and some that don't quite work. In particular, he discusses the changes wrought by use of the instant feedback offered by digital cameras. His advice is practical and can be put to work immediately. Even if you're an experienced photographer, Freeman's views on composition may lead you to once again explore the subject with a fresh point of view.

Perfect Exposure, by Michael FreemanFreeman's second book, Perfect Exposure: The Digital Photographer's Guide to Capturing Perfect Digital Photographs, takes a similar, practical look at photography from the point of view of both photographer and the person viewing the picture. He discusses various levels of  low- and high-key exposure situations, with particular emphasis on those high-contrast photos that lie outside the dynamic range that digital camera sensors can capture.

Freeman's books are eminently readable and may enable you to look at your photography in a new light. Each of the books retail for around $20.00 online and at bookstores everywhere.