The brand book

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Photography and illustration direction

Lesson 12 of 18 in The brand book.

Art Direction 101 (how to make photos look good on the internet) · orenmeetsworld
Lesson

Pictures usually cover more of a brand's surface than anything else, and this is the section most often written as adjectives. Warm, authentic, human. None of it is actionable by a photographer or a picture editor.

the idealogocolourtypelayoutphotographyapplicationsmost people stop hereso put the rules they need before the story you enjoyeda designer opens this to answer one question, in a hurry
The order a brand book is read in, and where most readers stop.
In two studio bays, one photographer holds a card of doodled hearts and suns beside three differently lit photos of a cup, while the other holds a small lamp sketch beside three photos sharing one side light and long shadow.
A brief of warm feelings gets three differently lit photos of a cup, while a brief showing one side lamp gets three that match. Direction works when it names the light.
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  1. Question 1, locked

    Photography direction that reads warm, authentic and human. What can a picture editor do with it?

    • Apply it consistently, because tone words travel better than specifications.
    • Very little, since none of it names subject, light, framing or treatment.
    • Shoot it as written, then grade towards the palette afterwards.
    • Build a mood board, which is what adjectives are shorthand for.
  2. Question 2, locked

    Which of these words means this? “The rules governing pictures. Subject, light, framing, treatment.”

    • Asset request
    • Extension rule
    • Direction
    • Downstream user
  3. Question 3, locked

    Which of these words means this? “What must not appear. Travels better than any inclusion.”

    • Testable rule
    • Full manual
    • Applications
    • Exclusion

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