how subtle are
the links which
bind two souls
which are so
closely allied.
OK, the image of Ray Milland and Rosey Grier from The Thing With Two Heads next to the almost poetic quote from Arthur Conan Doyle was just too much to resist. Hey, it's Friday and I needed a laugh.
The title of this post comes from a greeting a friend and I give to each other. It's not only fun to say, but it speaks to a unity that runs deep; to a connectedness that is shared, but may not be obvious to the casual observer.
This came to mind as I was planning this next post in a series on the Photoshop for the Soul event that I will be heading out to in just three weeks. I want to illuminate some commonalities in the relationship between design and photography because with two National Geographic photographers teaching alongside Photoshop Hall of Famer Jack Davis, the direct benefit to a graphic designer might not be immediately apparent.
I will say this up front however, part of the appeal of this event is that it does not directly impact my day-to-day workflow. For me, that's part of the "for the Soul" of the whole thing. It's cultivating the creative spirit and not just learning a new tip or trick (though I'm sure I'll come home with quite a few of them anyway.)
Here some of the subtle links which bind the two souls of photography and graphic design.
Telling A Story
This is after all the underlying goal of all visual communication: tell a story. The more compelling the story, the more successful the endeavor. Learning to better swim in the current of photographic storytelling will strengthen my ability to do so on the design side as well.
Emotional Connections
An art professor in college said that art is all bout evoking a reaction – an emotional response – from your audience. In photography this is often done by artistically capturing your subject. In design it is done by artistically capturing your brand.
Creative Visions
In both photography and design things can be presented as they really are, or they can become a window into the mind – or heart – of the one crafting the piece. Sometimes reality is skewed strictly for the sake of aesthetics. Other times it is part of a larger, strategic effort to connect with the audience.
A Closer Look
Whether through the lens of the camera or through the imagination of the designer, both disciplines force the creator to be cognizant of what is seen, both by themselves and by those who will view what they create. Success comes in both fields by looking at things from different angles and producing the unexpected and the extraordinary from out of the everyday.
Even without these parallels, Photoshop for the Soul will allow me a chance to stretch myself creatively, which I always love to do.
Next time I'm going to share some of my personal photographic work. I try to bring some of my same design sensitivities and ideas into my personal photography. Here's a little sampling to whet your whistle. Clicking the image will bring up a larger sample in a new window. Till next time – ALOHA!
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