The Photographer's Eye: Seeing with a Camera

by Arthur Wenk

See the world differently with a camera in hand. Become aware of the basic elements of photography (color, tone, shape, form, texture, pattern) and principles of composition (framing the subject, directing the eye, perspective, balance and proportion, excluding the extraneous, lighting). Then apply these ideas to photographing people and animals, landscapes, and architecture. Digital photography allows for easy editing in the form of cropping, straightening, filling light, and increasing shadows. Essentially, the photographer puts a frame around a bit of the world and invites the viewer to consider it aesthetically. So the art of photography lies in learning to see. This brief illustrated essay is designed to assist in that process.

126 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 11, 2017

About the author

Arthur Wenk holds a doctorate in musicology from Cornell University and master’s degrees in music theory, information science and counselling psychology. Dr. Wenk taught music history in American and Canadian universities and calculus and Advanced Placement Statistics in a private school; he also pursued careers as a psychotherapist and a church organist.
Arthur Wenk’s publications include works on music history and bibliography, choral conducting, photography, and western culture, as well as a series of murder mysteries featuring musicologist Axel Crochet as sleuth. His most recent books include The Matrix of Western Culture: Perspectives on History, the Arts, and Ideas; A Brief History of Classical Music: A Tale of Time, Tonality, and Timbre; History, the Arts, and Ideas: Exploring the Matrix of Western Culture; and In Search of America: Perspectives on History, Literature, Art, Music, and Film.
Since his retirement in 2014 Arthur Wenk lives in North Fort Myers, Florida and Lagoon City, Ontario.

Reviews

[Venky Iyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not buy this book. I received a copy from Story Cartel free in exchange for a review. Apart from that particular arrangement of getting the book free and committing to review it, I do not have any understanding whatsoever with the author, the publisher or any other entity connected in any way with the writing, editing, publishing or marketing of this book.

I liked this book a lot for the great images and the brief descriptions, usually focused on some aspect of actually taking a snap or editing later that enhanced the photographs considerably.

The key word there, though, is brief. I wish the author had added even further value to a good book by throwing a light on technical aspects.

Here’s an example of what I mean. At one point in the book, the author writes:

The placement of distinct objects in foreground, middle ground and background also produces a strong sense of dimensionality.

This is followed by a photograph that makes a perfect visual translation of the preceding sentence.

Here’s another example:

The presence of a human figure in the form of a window washer provides both a sense of scale and a clue to what we are seeing.

Again, the photograph that follows enacts the sense behind the preceding picture with appreciable fidelity.

The two examples are typical of dozens of others, and all are absolutely devoid of any technical guidance.

Were my expectations too high? Possibly.

Would I recommend you read this book. Well, let me put it this way. I will be reading this book again. It has its plus points. I mean plus plus.

[Tee Wai · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Keats notes in his 1818 poem Endymion: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. If it can be summed up in a line then this truly is the ultimate aim of photography. As exciting as it sounds, it is a very arduous task to capture the inner beauty of any particular object. In this brief and informative guide, photographer Arthur Wenk lays bare the basics of taking a good photograph.
Read more here:https://teewaibiblichor.wordpress.com/