Reddit reviews The Photographer's Eye

The Photographer's Eye
Get it. Read it. Analyze it. Sleep with it.

Normally I'll just drop my cameras for a short amount of time, and read two books I always find hugely inspiring.

The Photographer's Eye by John Szarkowski is a must-own book for anyone who takes photos.
And so is The Nature of Photographs by Stephen Shore.

Another thing I'll do is pick up my Instax and take a single photo a day for 10 days.

This Photographer's Eye or this?

There are two books of that title--this creates some confusion. You're probably speaking of the first one?

http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Eye-Composition-Design-Digital/dp/0240809343

http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Eye-John-Szarkowski/dp/087070527X

Coworker: I immediately thought she should get a really graphic Batman poster. You could even get it framed if you have enough left over. Here are some from Etsy: 1, 2, 3, 4, this one's a little different.. but it's video game related so.. here! 5
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Boss: A nice photography book would probably be a safe bet: 1, 2, 3, 4, last one is $5 over budget, but 5
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Professor: I'm sorry I don't have more original ideas for him but here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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GOOD LUCK!!

I also really liked the photographer's eye by john szarkowski (https://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Eye-John-Szarkowski/dp/087070527X), which is similar to stephen shore's book but much older.

The MoMA publication from the 2005 Lee Freidlander show

John Szarkowski's book The Photographer's Eye this is not the same as the other book titled "the photographer's eye" by Freidman which is just trash for digital monkeys to get more likes on flickr.

Uncommon Places by Stephen Shore

william eggleston's guide

and a trip (or, if you can, hundreds of trips) to your local art museum.

within these books and experiences lies every lesson in visual awareness, and by extension, photography, you'll ever want.

Szarkowski's The Photographer's Eye and Looking at Photographs.

I don't really think instruction books are worth it anymore. You can learn the basics much faster online for free. What the internet can't provide is a good printed book filled with classic photography. If she is going to Columbia (and perhaps hearing the great Rosalind Krauss), these classics are mandatory anyway.

One of the best books on photography ever written:
Barthes: Camera Lucida

A few classic photography books everyone with a faint interest in the medium will love:

Ansel Adams
Diane Arbus
Henri Cartier-Bresson
The Photographers Eye