Apr 30
Photography
Great. I have a new addition to my list of delusions—next time you see a photograph of a tiny little, toy-like model of a “real” scene, look again. It may not be a model at all, it may be the real thing edited using the “fake tilt-shift” effect in Photoshop (“real” tilt-shift is accomplished using a camera lens by the same name).
This is an illustration technique you will definitely want to add to you toolbox. The effect is achieved by changing the depth of field (among other things).
A set of examples...
More examples...
A Photoshop tutorial...
In the Ideabook Design Store: The Color Harmony Guide...
Apr 18
Photography
The photographs at Notes from the Road are stunning—they're captured using a traditional large format sheet-film camera. But the layout is why I'm pointing to the site. Though the understated, neutral palette and the type treatments are well worth noting, what caught my eye was how the bottoms of the anchor photographs are feathered into the article text—a simple but effective technique for integrating two dissimilar elements. (You'll have to dig deep to find the context of the Hokey Pokey bumper sticker.)
Erik Gauger's Notes from the Road...
Another nice example...
About the author, designer, illustrator, photographer...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Moleskine Notebooks...
Apr 2
Photography
There is a great lesson here. Photographer Andrew Zuckerman photographed animals commonly seen in the wild and brought them into a studio and photographed them on an infinity cyc (a seamless, white cyclorama used to focus all attention on the objects placed on it). It helped him to capture images that are very different than what you normally see.
My point is this: when you take a subject and isolate it from the normal ways in which it is described and shown, you are likely to find a new way of communicating it.
Creatures by Andrew Zuckerman...
Zuckerman's portfolio...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Design-It-Yourself: Graphic Workshop...
Feb 20
Photography
Here's another interesting illustration technique. Group94 adds a mesh or screen overlay to the background images of its portfolio. To me, it adds a sense of continuity to the diversity of images. The same type of effect could be equally valid in print. The question becomes: What type of screen or overlay can I employ in my work to create a visual connection between a series of diverse images?
The screen effect...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Getting It Printed...
Feb 8
Photography
Here is a stunning collection of 360 panoramas. I'm somewhat surprised we haven't seen this technology used more in conventional web design. (You typically see them used to tour a house or an automobile interior.) Have any suggestions?
360icon spherical HDRI panoramic photography...
More on the process and tools at panoguide.com...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Design-It-Yourself: Graphic Workshop...
Jan 2
Photography
If you are not yet familiar with HDR (high dynamic range) photography, here are some images and tools to pique your interest. An HDR image is photographed using a range if exposures that are then converted to form a composite. The resulting image provides a more complete range of information than a conventional image and gives the artist far more control over the range of shadow and light, the manipulation of color, and the application of effects. So much more control that I think of some of these examples as more illustrations than photographs.
Pete Carr's tutorial for creating composites using a conversion tool called Photomatix...
Ryan McGinnis's tutorial for creating composites using Photoshop...
More example by Michael Seljos...
Nov 13
Photography
I'm honored to have been invited to help judge The Crestock Photoshop Contest for 2007. There are four rounds with different themes. Looks like a lot of fun and they are offering an impressive lineup of prizes—one for each round.
Crestock is a high-end “microstock” provider of royalty-free images contributed by a worldwide network of photographers, illustrators, and designers. If you have not seen it, I guarantee you will want it on your list of resources.
Details about The Crestock Photoshop Contest for 2007...
The judges...
The Crestock Collection...
Aug 24
Photography
A black and white photograph shot using a large-format camera often has a depth and stillness to it that is nearly indescribable. Some images are so sharp, the people so real, I fool myself into thinking I can sense what it would be like to be there—like a time machine. Shorpy.com, named for a child worker photographed by Lewis Wickes Hine in 1910, is a photo blog about “what life a hundred years ago was like.” The challenge I pose to you is this: how can you and I apply this type of photographic storytelling to our design work?
An example...
A subset of Lewis Wickes Hine photographs...
New in the Ideabook Design Store: Creative Advertising...
Apr 30
Photography
As I heard it, Tom Shortlidge worked at Young & Rubicam Advertising in the late 60s and moonlighted part-time at Crate & Barrel to make ends meet. The owner, Gordon Segal, asked him to take a look at some packaging designs he was considering. Mr. Shortlidge had a better idea.
Make no mistake about it, Crate & Barrel has a long track record of searching out, designing, and developing products that people want. But I doubt they would argue that Tom Shortlidge played a major role. He established a design palette that makes the product shot the center of interest—a palette so simple and insightful that it has survived, nearly intact, for over thirty years.
Crate and Barrel...
Apr 23
Photography
Photographing food is a true art. If you haven't watched an experienced photographer and stylist work, you may not appreciate the magic that goes into attaching emotion to food. Foodesign.com, home of veteran stylist Lisa Golden Schroeder, provides some interesting insights on the process and an extensive list of resources.
The Foodesigns.com site...
Portfolio of master practioner Jim Scherer...
Feb 7
Photography
What does it look like when you combine an interest of motion picture special effects with conventional photography. A world that is too fantastic, to be real, and too real to be fantasy. On the inside menu choose “photos” and be sure to click “how it was done” at the top left of each image—fascinating.
Thomas Herbrich...
Nov 3
Photography
A great photographer can take a simple object and give it an aura of its own. Foster's Web is as elegant as his work.
www.richardfoster.com
Sep 6
Photography
For her “Walk Through Durham Township” blog, Kathleen Connally says she shoots in RAW format and does some post-process work with Photoshop CS. The product is stunning. Three of my favorites:
http://www.durhamtownship.com/portfolio/archives/001329.php
http://www.durhamtownship.com/portfolio/archives/001771.php
http://www.durhamtownship.com/portfolio/archives/002435.php
Aug 9
Photography
Don't blame me if you don't get anything accomplished today. I didn't create the New York Public Library's Digital Gallery, I'm just going to point you to it. I find the photographs of everyday New York in the 1930s particularly fascinating. I can't help but think that, if you could awaken someone who died just seventy-five years ago, they would see today's world as science fiction.
A few samples: Herald Square:
http://images.nypl.org/?id=1219153&t=w
The Bread Store:
http://images.nypl.org/?id=482591&t=w
Whelan's Drug Store:
http://images.nypl.org/?id=482744&t=w
The cover page:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/
Aug 2
Photography
Black and white photography has a magic all its own. Watch how these stunning photographs tell the story.
http://www.niebaum-coppola.com
Jul 17
Photography
The Science Photo Library (SPL) is a UK-based provider of science photos covering all aspects of science, health & medicine, space exploration & astronomy, technology & industry, earth science, satellite imagery, and nature & wildlife.
http://www.sciencephoto.com/
Jun 5
Photography
A truly great photographer has two talents—an extraordinary ability to capture and interpret the moment and the discipline and foresight to get to, and be in the places where the moments happen. Frans Lanting, obviously, is a great photographer.
http://www.lanting.com/index.shtml
May 8
Photography
If you buy royalty-free or stock photography and you are not yet familiar with the Visual Symbols Library—I have a real treat for you. These images are drawn from the best of designer Clement Mok's acclaimed image collection (formerly sold as part of PhotoDisc's Object Series). It is not only great stuff, the price is right too.
http://visualsymbols.com/
Mar 24
Photography
My favorite type of photography involves the documentation of everyday things. Show me how people live their lives, the human condition, and off-the-beaten-path sites. That is just what designer, photographer Eugene Kuo does in his stunning travelogue of China.
http://www.226-design.com/china/
Feb 24
Photography
Once you've seen it, you'll find it easy to recognize Pete McArthur's distinctive style of photographic illustration. His clever concepts grace the pages of many publications and are used to market all types of products and services. How do we get into the action? He licenses stock images and custom work through his Web. (Love the cover.)
http://www.petemcarthur.com
My favorite of his illustrations?
http://www.petemcarthur.com/portfolio/index.asp?offset=14
Jan 2
Photography
As stated in its mission, “The National Archives is not a dusty hoard of ancient history.” Among its assets is an enormous collection of fascinating design and photography—I haven't met a designer yet who did not draw inspiration from the imagery of the past. The NARA site offers this ever-changing gallery of exhibits.
The National Archives...
While you're there, to catch “Picturing the Century.”...