Book review: Design Principles

Book Review: Design Principles by Jeremy Webb

1. Basic design theory

‘skilful arrangement of picture information within a frame’ [p11]

‘photographers can include or exclude information, emphasise or diminish areas of content and adjust their position… to capture the image required’ [p11]

Design is the process, and composition is the outcome. [p11]

Isolate the elements needed for a successful image and don’t have anything else detracting from that. [p14]

Positive and negative spaces – creates space [p17]

2. The elements of design

Line, curve, shape, form, space, depth, texture, Light, colour,

3. First design principles

Pattern, repetition, rhythm,

4. Depth and scale

Positioning of photo elements – be careful and plan [p106]

The absence of scale can be used to ‘obscure the obvious’ [p116], create abstraction (using different viewpoint/ de-focusing/ proximity to subject)

5. Movement and flow

Lines and flow, use borders to contain the viewers eye within the image [p131]

6. Emphasis and emotion

Point of interest, can be colour, or simplicity, or de-focussing back/foreground, Juxtaposition,

7. Putting it all together

No set formula!

Conclusions

Some good advice – 

‘Limit yourself’,... Always question why it is that you are photographing something’ [p175]

This book is a good introduction to design principles for creative photography. Whilst some of it was a bit basic, I think there are a number of good points in there for me, and good ideas for challenging myself photographically. I really like the idea of including exercises within the book, and I think there are a couple of really interesting ones which I might follow up on. 

A quick image below taken recently with my iPhone, which is great for having a camera in my pocket. I think the design is quite strong particularly with the wire breaking (or forming?) the frame quite effectively. I only got one shot!

chooks and baby

References:

Webb, James (2010) Design Principles Singapore: AVA Academia