A lot of design sites (mine included) focus on what to do after an image has been captured. This week I’ll focus on the art of photography, offering techniques that ensure the best image capture before bringing it into your design, because the truth is, Photoshop can not turn a bad image into a great one.
Photography Basics
Start at the beginning. Relearn how to shoot (or teach someone else).
100 tutorials to take you from Beginner to Expert.
Even more tutorials for any skill level. Including an article on Photographer Rights.
Put the camera down. Same approach works for all design work, too.
Specific Techniques
Using shutter speed to convey motion.
Using off-camera lighting. Love The Strobist, especially the Lighting 101 posts.
Know Your Camera
8 things you (don’t know) your camera can do.
Your camera’s meter can get the exposure wrong.
Controlling Depth of Field.
Inspiration
Colour photos from the Depression years. A beautiful archive of photos, love the saturation and deep contrast of these natural light portraits of America.
Photography of dolls. Funny and subversive.
I love Tina Hillier’s colour palette. The way she captures light and composes her subjects is so relaxing, yet still engaging and candid.
Ultimately your skill improves if you just shoot, anything and everything. Just like Girl With a Camera.
I love me some Low-Brow/Out Law style and Michael Schmidt manages to capture the vibe like a classic Life magazine photo essay. Candid and up close.
I first saw Rebekka Guðleifsóttir’s work years ago and was immediately enraptured by the macabre sense of humour in her multiple exposure work.
And I love this project. The photographer replaced the subjects’ eyes with his own.
