Final Project Ideas: Navigation Design

INSTEAD of doing CTA, which is a company I'm not in love with anyhow, I'd like to attempt to make a map of all of the music venues in Chicago. I will still use the fold-out book layout which will fold open into a map of Chicago with call-outs for the the music venues. A few examples:

Navigation Design Research

Edward Tufte

Final Project Ideas: Branding Identity

My other idea is to rebrand a company using gestural photographs similar to this:

http://www.workwithseven.com/

Final Project Ideas: Navigation Design

I'm thinking of doing a CTA map with photos of each stop... Book that folds out into a map using this type of template:

A little ambitious to photograph the entire map, so maybe I will focus on one "L" line in particular. Luckily, CTA's website provides the map, now all I need to do is insert photographs. I would either like to find something special at each stop or take photographs in this style:

Stop Motion

This video isn't too relevant to this course, however I feel it deserves a place in this blog as it's a unique use of photography. The opening title sequence is a sort of graphic space. Also, I slaved over its creation so it deserves some viewage!

View on vimeo for HD: http://www.vimeo.com/7510160

Graphic Space

Active Still-Life

Artificial Light


Natural Light

Photographic Applications Using Human Gesture

Show & Tell . { 5 }

I was pretty picky while choosing examples of product shots, mainly because I'm not really into that style/field and because I thought a lot of what I found to be quite boring. Was I supposed to find good examples of product photography? Bad examples? Beautiful photographs that happen to feature products? I'll go with all of the above.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickhess/2400568058/
This image is rather bland and in my opinion, a really poor product shot. We are too far away from the sunglasses and we can see the photographer and all of his equipment reflected in the lenses. The environment isn't even interesting enough to argue that it helps the composition. The sunglasses look small and cheap and the reflection is pretty pointless. While an intriguing image to some, it doesn't successfully glamorize the product.



http://www.perceptivephotography.co.uk
This photographer was much more successful in making the product appealing. The rings are colorful, but the lighting makes them pop even more and the reflections in this photograph give the rings a beautiful sense of dimension. In this case, it makes sense to reflect to see the bottom or other side of the item. Although a couple rings are a little blown-out, I think the lighting and tighter crop make them look delicious. I'd buy one.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/chantal-rose/345313911/
I'm a little biased on this one... A) I love bright colors. B) The subject matter! Feathers, glitter, ribbons... This photographer clearly knows what's on my list of favorite things. Compositionally, this photo strong: it's cropped tight bringing the viewer right up close to the objects without abstracting them. You know what you're looking at AND you're so close you can feel them. The softness of the feathers, the ridges in the woven ribbon. This photograph appeals to your senses in a multitude of ways and is extremely successful at making the products within the image alluring and desirable.

Overall, I prefer image #3. I myself like to crop in on products and items more when shooting still-lifes. I like showing texture, being able to feel the product, and I like the sense of harmony the image has not only with its analogous color scheme but also with the complimentary items chosen.

Show & Tell . { 4 }

Neil Krug

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilkrug/

PULP ART BOOK. A collaboration between supermodel Joni Harbeck and photographer Neil Krug for upcoming PULP ART BOOK (200+ images). This project explores several female characters [some strong, gun-wielding cowgirls and other bordeline-psychotic house-wives] shooting with only expired Polaroid instant film to give it all a vintage, "pulp" feel. I chose this certain character because her portrayal intrigues me. This woman lives in a nice home, and we'll assume with her husband or family, but her expressions and statures give the sense that she is very alone. She never looks happy, but rather sad, aloof, distant and even crazy. She appears trapped in her own home and her body language helps narrate the story.

Photographic Semiotics

Kenzo Ca Sent Beau Edt Parfum Advertisement

A perfume inspired by nature's blossoms is suitably advertised with a photograph of a blossom.

Arborday.org Nature Explore Club PSA

The Nature Explore Club urges parents to show their children the wonders of nature. This photograph suits this PSA well because it reveals just a small glimpse of nature's beauty; an example of the treasures one can find.

Flora's Secret gardening Magazine Spread

This spread gives the photograph a new purpose by labeling it with "better gardening."

Show & Tell . { 3 }

This advertisement is entirely photo-driven. Without the small Axe bottle in the corner, a viewer wouldn't connect it to a brand but rather see it as a witty composition (which, of course, it is har har).

Public Vs. Private

Set: Inside Private Drawers

Show & Tell . { 2 }

Public vs. Private

"Public Display Of Affection"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeokaiwen/3137737553/

This photographer captured a wide view of a couple kissing in public and a few onlookers laughing at them. Everyone is involved here and this action is publicly available to view.

"your heart makes me feel"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/popsongs/2242340692/

This photograph is from a series of this woman and her boyfriend. She photographs them together in very intimate private spaces, how they are in their alone time, but she posts online making it available to the public so there is slight contradiction.

A Set & A Group

Set: A Walk Through The Park

Group: Portrait Of A Boy

Show & Tell . { 1 }

Same Subject, Different Meaning

"A Pirate"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tjflex/233557542/

A very affectionate, one-eyed AIDS kitty. This photograph looks like it belongs in one of those heart-breaking animal rescue commercials. The photographer actually links a donation website for a shelter with this photograph. It expresses the pain of abandoned animals and how their harsh lifestyle can affect their health. Not taken artistically, this photograph simply shows the reality of shelters and abandonment.

"Sakura went to her new home"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fofurasfelinas/945232505/

...So full of personality, so full of life. This photographer took a portrait of her new kitten, Sakura, along with writing up a short rescue story. Rather than provoking curiosity or even sadness, this photograph simply portrays the beauty of this pure white kitten with striking hazel eyes. Though the rescue factor is similar, it isn't expressed in this photograph. It's a beautiful composition with the kitten's eyes escaping from the whiteness.

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The two photographs share nearly identical formal compositions: the photographer standing above the cat, aiming from a bird's-eye view, and with the cat staring blankly straight up into the camera. Both cats' ears are erect and alert, their eyes are white open, and their stance is the same. But even so, the lack of the first cat's right eye is a clear contrast to the innocent white cat.