Feininger, Andreas. Principles of Composition in Photography by Andreas Feininger.

Amphoto, 1973. Fifth printing, 1979. Hardcover with dust jacket. Ex-library, somewhat wavy pages, near very good with usual library evidence.   A few annotations written on page 9.  136 pages. Illustrated with photographs, particularly by Andreas Feininger and John Veltri, whose contributions include 12 female nudes. Also one photo each by Arnold Newman and Aaron Siskind. Includes list of about 40 books by Feininger.  Summary:

Principles of Composition in Photography by Andreas Feininger is a foundational guide to understanding how visual structure shapes meaning in photographic images. Written by one of the twentieth century’s most influential photographic educators, the book combines technical clarity with a strong emphasis on visual thinking, making it a lasting resource for photographers at all levels.

Feininger presents composition not as a set of rigid rules, but as an organized way of seeing. He systematically examines the basic elements of photographic design—line, shape, form, texture, pattern, space, and balance—and explains how these elements interact within the frame. Through clear examples, he demonstrates how compositional choices guide the viewer’s eye, establish emphasis, and create visual coherence.

The book also explores the relationship between subject matter and structure. Feininger stresses that effective composition must grow out of the subject itself, rather than being imposed artificially. He discusses perspective, scale, contrast, rhythm, and proportion, showing how these principles can be used to express mood, clarity, and intent. Throughout, the emphasis is on deliberate decision-making and awareness of the frame as a controlled visual field.

Illustrated with Feininger’s own photographs and carefully chosen examples, the book bridges theory and practice. The images serve not merely as illustrations but as analytical tools, reinforcing the concepts discussed in the text. Feininger’s direct, analytical writing style reflects his belief that photography is both an art and a disciplined craft.

Overall, Principles of Composition in Photography is significant for its clear articulation of visual fundamentals that remain relevant regardless of changes in technology. The book positions composition as central to photographic expression, offering photographers a timeless framework for creating images that are purposeful, balanced, and visually compelling.

Andreas Feininger (1906–1999) was a French-born American photographer, architectural draftsman, and photojournalist celebrated for his dynamic black-and-white visual studies of New York City, structural forms, and graphic compositions. The eldest son of the famed Expressionist painter Lyonel Feininger, he trained as an architect at the Bauhaus in Weimar and practiced in Europe before fleeing the rise of Nazism and immigrating to the United States in 1939. Joining the staff of Life magazine in 1943, where he worked for nearly two decades, Feininger combined his architectural background with custom-built telephoto lenses to capture striking, compressed perspectives of Manhattan’s skyscrapers, bridges, and bustling streetscapes. Renowned equally for his rigorous technical approach—which he detailed in more than 50 influential manuals on photographic technique—and his close-up natural history studies of shells, bones, and insects, he left behind a prolific body of work that earned him the ICP Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement and established him as one of the preeminent visual chroniclers of 20th-century urbanism.