Oh, my goodness, thank you for your comments. After posting and receiving one sane response and then seeing the issue become a matter of US vs THEM, I was beginning to lose faith.

While I decided that I wouldn't get involved in the back and forth that so often evolves from comments that were intended to be simple queries, your response convinced me that there are members of this group who can look at an issue with objectivity and draw logical conclusions.

I have never read a book on composition. When asked about composition by one of my students, I generally put my hand on my chest and say, "It comes from in here." But many people can't relate to such an abstract explanation. They want, and need, discussions of rule of thirds, negative space, leading lines, triangles, and on and on. As their teacher, I feel it's my job to point them to sources from which they can glean formal, more detailed explanations. It's a great thing when a student sees me hold my hand to my chest, smiles knowingly, and says. "Yeah, I get it."

But not everyone "gets it" so easily. Some people need more formal instruction. "Pedantic" has become a bad word nowadays, but sometimes being pedantic ensures that the baseline information is delivered. Sometimes a teacher has to settle for delivering the skeleton of a lesson and pray that the student will gain the understanding that allows the flesh and blood to be attached through experience and practice.

As I said in my original post, it's been years since I began my journey in photography. I didn't hear about the rule of thirds or leading lines or any of that stuff until I joined my first camera club; that was about nine years ago. By that time I'd had over a dozen images appear as magazing covers, had been in a gallery where I sold many photographs, and had been offered an opportunity to teach photography at a major botanical garden.

I'm not asking anyone to praise or even follow me. All I'm asking is "Do you know of a book that will give a neophyte some insights into good composition?" If you don't, thank you for reading. Now move on. If you do know of such a book, please share the title. Don't tell me what I can and cannot teach. All I'm trying to do is help someone become a better photographer even if he doesn't understand what it means when i place my hand over my heart. Use another discussion to air your feelings about what can or cannot be taught; I have a job to do.

Dodie:
I agree with you 100%. . .Books do NOT require batteries or passwords! They smell great when you open them! They feel great in your hand (comforting when you KNOW it is in your carry-on; and, IMMEDIATELY available). And, you do NOT need to know a Special Language in order to locate the correct page (Damned computerized indexes will NOT respond unless you search within THEIR "special" nomenclature!). I have been collecting books for over 80 years! [My folks gave me my FIRST book when I was 6 WEEKS old (It was an edited-"autobiography" of the journal written by a member of the International Brigades who was killed in battle in Spain, while fighting Franco's fascists in 1936. Since then, I have acquired more than a hundred writings of that same period; many by men and women (participants who fought beside my father) and, who I have had the pleasure of knowing)]. And, my library (which now consists of close-on 15,000 volumes of virtually EVERY genre; 95% of which are "hard-covers") gives me an excuse to add-on rooms to my house! Bernard Berenson once said: "My house is a Library with several added-on rooms as living quarters!" A neighbor refers to me as "The Long-lost Child of the Winchester Family!" (Many of you may have to look-up "The Winchester House!" to appreciate THAT comment).
PS: Relative to the question about "Composition". . .I "checked with" Ansel Adams' 10 volume series on Photography (written in 1934) And, basically Ansel says "It's in the eye of the Beholder!" By the way, the series is well-worth reading for pleasure; or, to address ANY question WE (all of us UHH'ers) can come up with! <smile>

I'm an old photographer--I started in 1968--so when a student asked me to recommend a book that addresses composition, I was stumped. I've been photographing for so long I can't even remember where I learned how to compose an image. I'm not sure I ever read a book; I suspect that I just used my intuition.

I could probably write a book on composition, but knowing which to tell someone to read is not within my ken. Please think about this and let me know what you'd recommend. Thank you in advance.

Here is a good book on Composition:
The Understanding Composition Photography Guide
Posted: 05/14/2022

So many new photographers think the key to great images is going to beautiful places and pressing the shutter button. But how you compose a shot is actually one of the most important parts of the equation. This in-depth guide is designed to give you a complete understanding of composition fundamentals, taught through 81 easy-to-follow pages of training, illustrations, and assignments. It is currently 62% off today if you want to check it out. Deal found here: The Understanding Composition eBook at 62% Off

understanding composition
Understanding Composition

The author of this brilliant composition guide is Kent DuFault. Kent has been involved in photography since 1974, so he brings decades of experience right into your home. His images have won numerous awards, they’ve been published in magazines around the world, and he even operated his own commercial photography studio for three decades.

“You can have the most beautiful model, or the most gorgeous landscape, but if your composition is crap—so is your image.”

Truer words couldn’t be spoken.

Some of the Many Topics Covered:
The key elements of composition so you’ll be on your way to taking award winning shots in no time
How you can avoid the embarrassing composition mistakes many (especially newer) photographers make
Exactly what composition is & how to use this to really turn your photos around so you’re proud to share them with your friends
How to spot great composition in a scene quickly, so you don’t miss out on those ‘once off’ shots again
How to use light & pointing elements to improve the strength of your compositions
How to avoid ‘composition element overload’, so that you always produce simple, beautiful photographs
How to determine the flow of a scene so that ‘setting up’ the perfect shot seems almost effortless
How to command your viewers attention by creating balance in your photographs
What POV even is and why you need to understand it so you can really ‘get’ composition
The background story of where composition principles actually came from, so that you have a clear understanding of this fundamental skill
Why controlling composition is the best way to improve your photographs and start shooting more creatively
And so much more!

This may be the most obnoxious response that I have come across in response to a request for help from a member of this site. There is no reason that composition ideas cannot be obtained from a book on composition or from looking at photos taken by other photographers or from articles by photographers. Of course, composition depends on many factors, including subject matter. I have been taking photos for over fifty years and both learn and experiment every day. I like to take street photography and portraits and find that tips on sites such as f-stoppers are very helpful. Perhaps you could share some of your thoughts on composition rather than state that the request is “just plain disgusting”. I am sure that we would enjoy your thoughtful comments.

This may be the most obnoxious response that I have come across in response to a request for help from a member of this site. There is no reason that composition ideas cannot be obtained from a book on composition or from looking at photos taken by other photographers or from articles by photographers. Of course, composition depends on many factors, including subject matter. I have been taking photos for over fifty years and both learn and experiment every day. I like to take street photography and portraits and find that tips on sites such as f-stoppers are very helpful. Perhaps you could share some of your thoughts on composition rather than state that the request is “just plain disgusting”. I am sure that we would enjoy your thoughtful comments.

Who am I to butt in on this conversation, but I believe you and others are misunderstanding what User ID is saying. However inarticulately and inelegantly ( ) he may have expressed his comments, I don't think he rejects book learning or learning about composition in the general sense. I may be all wrong and I shouldn't speak for him, but I think his point is that composition in photography cannot be learned by reading a book that dissects an image in terms of rules and a bunch of straight, curved, spiral or leading lines. That may be of academic interest but has limited practical applicability in photography. I tend to agree with him.....