I decided to create a separate photography portfolio as I would love to learn more and find possible placement opportunities with existing local photographers as well as designers.
I emailed 2 photographers saying that I would be very grateful if they could spare just 5 minutes of their time to take a quick look through my portfolio attached and give me any kind of feedback about how I'm doing and any advice about how I can begin to get my name and work out there.
They replied almost straight away with positive responses.
The first - a locally based photographer, Justin Slee - said thankyou and that he will have a look through and get back to me very soon.
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Colin Prior, a landscape photographer, gave me some great advice if I were to go down the route of location photography:
Thanks for your mail and your portfolio. Any great work grows from a passion and I would encourage you to pursue photographic subjects with which you have some sort of emotional response. The next stage is to evolve a style, a recognisable 'thumbprint' and that will take time and effort. If you are not inspired by the subject matter before you, how are others likely to be when they see your work. The problem that most aspiring photographers face is how to get noticed and how to make any return from passion!
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Portfolio
Draft email to take the first step and practice contacting existing designers:
Hello ...,
Firstly, I would just like to say that I am amazed by the work on your website, in particular your print based editorial designs.
I have a great interest in type and editorial layout myself and would be very grateful if you could spare just 5 minutes of your time to take a quick look through my attached portfolio and give me any kind of feedback about how I'm doing and any tips about how I can begin to get my name and work out there within Graphic Design.
This would be massively appreciated,
Many thanks,
.....................................
My current portfolio:
Hello ...,
Firstly, I would just like to say that I am amazed by the work on your website, in particular your print based editorial designs.
I have a great interest in type and editorial layout myself and would be very grateful if you could spare just 5 minutes of your time to take a quick look through my attached portfolio and give me any kind of feedback about how I'm doing and any tips about how I can begin to get my name and work out there within Graphic Design.
This would be massively appreciated,
Many thanks,
.....................................
My current portfolio:
Initial email contacts
I thought about what my main skills and interests are within my design practice and I came up with two main areas to research and possible paths to go down from this point forward:
Editorial design (typography & layout)
Photography (more specifically location photography)
Mark Porter works as an editorial designer and his website grabbed my attention as being one of effective simplicity. He uses his designs to speak for him with large thumbnails positioned centrally on his homepage acting as the impact statement to the site. His name and navigation bar sit behind the designs in a small yet unmissable font laid out down the left-hand side.
What makes Mark Porter so good:
Magazine layouts designed by Porter that really stand out to me and make me want to create exciting pieces of editorial design:
Spread for ES; a Metropolitan magazine published free with the London Evening Standard
The Guardian Weekend supplement
Colours - Multilingual magazine for Benetton
Wired Magazine
Food Magazine - one of The Guardian supplements
The Guardian Weekend
Porter redesigned Publico, Portugal's newspaper.
I love this 5 column layout and impact full page image.
Cover designs like the travel supplement below are a possible way of linking my two paths together; using my photography skills to capture the image that would be used for the story and then layout the arrangement as a complete design combination.
He also designs other materials, such as these cookery books designed for the River Cafe in London. The black and white photography and simple blocks of coloured titles working as a set, again combines my two favourite design elements, as well as working with a limited colour pallette, which is how I like to design.
Editorial design (typography & layout)
Photography (more specifically location photography)
Mark Porter works as an editorial designer and his website grabbed my attention as being one of effective simplicity. He uses his designs to speak for him with large thumbnails positioned centrally on his homepage acting as the impact statement to the site. His name and navigation bar sit behind the designs in a small yet unmissable font laid out down the left-hand side.
What makes Mark Porter so good:
Magazine layouts designed by Porter that really stand out to me and make me want to create exciting pieces of editorial design:
Spread for ES; a Metropolitan magazine published free with the London Evening Standard
The Guardian Weekend supplement
Colours - Multilingual magazine for Benetton
Wired Magazine
Food Magazine - one of The Guardian supplements
The Guardian Weekend
Porter redesigned Publico, Portugal's newspaper.
I love this 5 column layout and impact full page image.
Cover designs like the travel supplement below are a possible way of linking my two paths together; using my photography skills to capture the image that would be used for the story and then layout the arrangement as a complete design combination.
He also designs other materials, such as these cookery books designed for the River Cafe in London. The black and white photography and simple blocks of coloured titles working as a set, again combines my two favourite design elements, as well as working with a limited colour pallette, which is how I like to design.
My top design magazines
I subscribe to Creative Review and always browse through Graphik magazine in the library, but not always for the content itself. The editorial layout designs that go into these publications are outstanding. There are too many to put up here, but here are a select few for their creative layouts:
Business cards
In our latest typography session, we were practising designing business cards, so I thought it would be good to show my latest design on here. We had to start thinking seriously about designing our own business card, taking into consideration the layout, colours and typography to give out the right impression of ourselves and be remembered. For example, do we want to look cheap, expensive, arrogant, professional, friendly, formal, informal etc.
I really enjoyed experimenting with simple layout, colour and type and will continue to develop something that really nails who I am as a designer. I will also replace the blog address with my own website details when I get one up and running.
I found some interesting business card designs to give me ideas as to how far you can actually push the boundaries of what a business card actually is:
Double sided
Textured/3D design
Comparing two to identify my style:
I really like this design above, as not only is it relevant as a graphic designer, it is also created in a simple, elegant style that is typography driven with reversed out text on a dark background - all of which I am drawn to when I have been trying to reflect myself onto a business card. Adding a simple pattern and flow of one other colour through it makes it appear dynamic, professional and full of quality.
However I do not like this design above at all. The use of two colours mirrorred and reversed out could ideally work, but here in my opinion it comes across as cheap and unprofessional. A business card wants to draw you in and be noticeable for the client or company to remember you, but this is much too in-your-face and garishly pink for my liking.
Difference in photographers business cards:
Interesting that two out of the three have gone for the layout of typography to be their top priority, when in fact there profession is dealing with imagery.
I really enjoyed experimenting with simple layout, colour and type and will continue to develop something that really nails who I am as a designer. I will also replace the blog address with my own website details when I get one up and running.
I found some interesting business card designs to give me ideas as to how far you can actually push the boundaries of what a business card actually is:
Double sided
Textured/3D design
Comparing two to identify my style:
I really like this design above, as not only is it relevant as a graphic designer, it is also created in a simple, elegant style that is typography driven with reversed out text on a dark background - all of which I am drawn to when I have been trying to reflect myself onto a business card. Adding a simple pattern and flow of one other colour through it makes it appear dynamic, professional and full of quality.
However I do not like this design above at all. The use of two colours mirrorred and reversed out could ideally work, but here in my opinion it comes across as cheap and unprofessional. A business card wants to draw you in and be noticeable for the client or company to remember you, but this is much too in-your-face and garishly pink for my liking.
Difference in photographers business cards:
Interesting that two out of the three have gone for the layout of typography to be their top priority, when in fact there profession is dealing with imagery.
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