Design is the single most important factor in creating a successful photograph. The ability to see the potential for a strong picture and then organize the graphic elements into an effective, compelling composition has always been one of the key skills in making photographs. Digital photography has brought a new, exciting aspect to design - first because the instant feedback from a digital camera allows immediate appraisal and improvement; and second because image-editing tools make it possible to alter and enhance the design after the shutter has been pressed. This has had a profound effect on the way digital photographers take pictures. Now published in sixteen languages, The Photographer's Eye continues to speak to photographers everywhere. Reaching 100,000 copies in print in the US alone, and 300,000+ worldwide, it shows how anyone can develop the ability to see and shoot great digital photographs. The book explores all the traditional approaches to composition and design, but crucially, it also addresses the new digital technique of shooting in the knowledge that a picture will later be edited, manipulated, or montaged to result in a final image that may be very different from the one seen in the viewfinder.

該書是20世紀論述攝影視覺語言的經典之作，對於專業攝影人是一部必備的參考書。此書在1966年首次齣版。書中不僅包括名傢力作，而且還收錄勒一些業餘攝影愛好者的優秀作品。作者用簡潔的語言對書中172幅攝影作品進行瞭點評。

作者本人也是一位攝影傢。從1962年到1991年，他在紐約現代藝術館擔任攝影部主任，在美國攝影界擁有獨一無二的“監護人”地位。在他的發掘下，許多大師，如黛安·阿巴斯、李·弗裏蘭德等脫穎而齣。20世紀70年代，他通過舉辦展覽和齣版新書告諸世人，攝影可以象其它藝術門類一樣，既富有視覺衝擊力，又耐人尋味。雖然，現在看來這並非驚人之語，但在當時則非比尋常。而今，作者年近八十，但還時常攜照相機外齣采風，可謂寶刀不老。

在本書中，作者本著建立攝影新標準的目的，對攝影德基本原則進行瞭深刻的闡述，建立瞭有關攝影形式德新觀念－攝影應該包括藝術傢、業餘愛好者和商業攝影傢拍的各種照片。觀眾關注的重點是照片的形式特徵，而不是作者本人及其意圖。因此，他否定對藝術攝影和鄉土快照作傳統的區彆，認為攝影是藝術或不是藝術並不重要，顯然，他是攝影平民化的推行者。