Adam Taylor ED1 Media Production: Cover Illustration

Illustrative Photography:

This type of photography basically is using the camera to ‘illustrate’ something.1

This means within the image you produce it will portray a meaning, emotion or in some cases tell a story. A well created a placed photograph will instantly tell the audience about the product or brand, using different techniques to portray specific messages.

There are different styles within illustrative photography. For example CD covers, book covers, product images for example those seen on online shopping websites and advertising a company. Wedding and event photography is included too as they are telling the story of the day. Some examples are below.

http://www.prohiphop.com/

http://sjaejones.com/wp-content/

http://i2.cdnds.net/

http://www.productphotographymanila.com/

The subject, lighting, spacing, location and colour use of the image can all change what the image represents and any messages it wants to relay.

For instance, on an Example's Album 'Playing in the Shadows' the cover uses extremly heavy shadows and contrasting backgrounds on half of the image almost represent two sides to the artist and perhaps give the impression that the album has two styles of music or that it is a mix of music genres. Whereas LMFAO's 'Party Rock' album cover shows the two crowd surfing with a number of diverse colours, patterns, light streams and sparkles. This represents a club scene and high energy with their expressions and the attack of neon colours across the image. Some advertising uses illustrative photography to advertise their product. This following link gives a series of images with various chocolate animals, using cartoon style bulging eyes to represent the 'eye-popping' caffiene in their chocolate.

http://www.theadmad.com/2009/03/30/zaini-chocolate/

This image below is by Belgain Painter, Artist and Photographer Ben Haine. This image represents his diffrent forms of work, showing his diverse skill across many areas of illustration.

I have chosen to look more in-depth at CD Cover images and Location Photography.

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

Landscape photographs can be used across a range of media. Book Covers, CD covers, travel agencies website and brochures, documentaries, travel diaries all use landscape photography or specific locations. Photographers may aim to make it look as good as possible for holiday sales or represent the 'real' area (e.g favelas in Rio). They can be used to tell the story much easier and in more detail.

Landscape photography is seen as a popular style of the wide range possible. It basically means capturing any scale of land, mainly natural then and presenting it artistically and making it seem vast and amazing. Mainly the photography is of wide open spaces, using the light and natural landforms to create an interesting image. For example mountains, coastlines and waterfalls are regular stars in this form of photography. The equipment used is usually medium to large scale format with wide scale lenses. This ensures that the photography captures as much scenery as possible and captures the very fine detail in the entire shot. These photographs often feature in books by themselves, illustrating the areas or certain places in history but as I mentioned before they can be on novel covers such as the one below named 'In The Mountain' and are featured in a number of holiday website and brochures to make the location seem desirable and make you buy the holiday.

How to Create Expressive Landscape Photography
This link above shows a 12 page tutorial on the history and what methods photographers use to make the image successful.

DAVID FLEET

David Fleet is a 29 year old landscape photographer from the 'Isle of Harris' in Scotland his personal website (below) shows his work in and around the small island.

He only got started a few years ago but has recently turned professional selling his photographs.

He first decided to begin photography as a hobby after graduating from university appreciating using a compact camera for the first time. He knew he was very interesting instantly and began saving up to buy a Canon DSLR camera and researching and reading into different techniques of landscape photography. He says to this day that landscape photography is his favourite, due to the constant changing of weather and the changing light, which he says can cause some very beautiful pictures.

He currently runs his buisness from online sales and his newly set up gallery on the west of his island.

Here are some examples of his work: