Well, this can be debatable. There is a mutual relation between graphic design and photography. Both need skills, vision, composition, layout, colour, passion, observation and innovation. The major relation is to have an eye on the details be it light, colours, patterns etc. As technology is progressing so is the need for photography and design in the industry of food, fashion, architecture, sports, music and the list goes on. By using design techniques a photograph is beautified for a specific target audience or to meet a brand's marketing goals.
Andy Warhol a famous artist started a visual art movement known as pop art. His work explores the relationship between the artistic culture which included paintings, photography, design, film and sculpture. He is one of the artists who connected photography and design in his visual style and started a movement that brought many artists together.
Working closely with both of these professional communities, we see how cooperation between photographers and designers can be mutually beneficial. It becomes easier to communicate, exchange ideas and inspire people more than ever before. Designers use photographs as one element in creating their final product. If photographers are able to understand the process of design better, they would be able to capture better images. Designers and photographers can help each other by offering different perspectives so as to optimize workflow between them and collaborate on a higher level.
Here are some examples where it shows that photography and design have a relationship:
- Illustration on Photographs / Doodling
- Simple Editing
- Photography over Stock images
Every designer knows what it’s like to go through endless amounts of stock images without finding the one that they really need. That’s where a good photographer can offer the service and produce the photo according to the brief. It is always better to use the photos of products which are offered on social media rather than using stock images. This adds to a personalised feed of the target audience.
- Photo Manipulation
- Innovative Collages
- Typography over Pictures
Well, this shows that the relation between the photography and design is quite significant. Whereas in some cases this might not be actually true. As both of them are whole as individual terms. In some cases a great photograph need not be designed to look better and also a great design can look better without a photograph.
- Photography speaking for itself
- Design speaking for itself
As we all know the better the visual the more interactive are the results for online and offline businesses. And we all are aware of how advertising agencies use strong design principles and stellar photography to subtly get their brand's message to the world.
To sum it up there are more pros than cons in this relationship. Graphic designers can easily modify professionally taken photographs to communicate the desired idea; imagination is your limit...
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