Photography is widely recognized as the medium of reality. This might be true for most cases, but from time to time, a photograph can take us on a trip that is a departure from our regular sense of reality. The stock images in this chapter have this effect. By emphasizing the structure of the subject above its identity, the images lead viewers away from identifying the objects to appreciating their essence.
Image 9–1 is an upward shot taken under a lush canopy of branches and leaves. The backlight made the leaves glow under the blue sky. The silhouette of the branches, the leaves, and the sky formed an abstract look—although we can certainly still tell these are trees. With this veiled context, the image can be used for a wider range of visual communication. Trees could be the subject matter of the design, or the image could simply be used as a texture with a uplifting and invigorating outdoor theme.
Texture is a fine, repetitive pattern—sometimes random and sometimes with a structure. In a two-dimensional print or digital display, texture provides a sense of the physical character, or touch, of the subject. In stock photography, texture can be a great asset for a graphic designer because it adds interest without overwhelming the other elements of the design. Image 9–1, a canopy of leaves and tree branches with a open composition, is a great example of texture. The texture in this image, with its pleasant colors and outdoor context, makes the image a versatile background.
Image 9–1. KEYWORDS: branch; green; leaf; plant; shade; sky; texture; tree
The side of a train caught my attention when an intense sunlight reflected from its less-than-perfect surface (image 9–2). The chrome panel with the dents, clearly from years of service, is a great mix of the rigid and the organic. Similarly, the girders of a steel bridge in images 9–3 and 9–4 are a testimony to both the human determination to build and the natural process by which the materials are reclaimed, as the paint peels off and the steel rusts.
Image 9–2. KEYWORDS: dent; metallic; plate; reflection; scratch; sheet metal; steel; texture; train
Image 9–3. KEYWORDS: beam; cantilever bridge; Cincinnati; Clay Wade Bailey Bridge; girders; Ohio; rivet; sky; steel; structure; trusses
Image 9–4. KEYWORDS: beam; cantilever bridge; Cincinnati; Clay Wade Bailey Bridge; girders; Ohio; rivet; sky; steel; structure; trusses
Images 9–5 and 9–9 are studies of a contemporary building and the furniture that is housed within it. The simple lines and pure colors, accented by the light and shadow, provide versatile backgrounds for any visual communications with a modern essence.
“The simple lines and pure colors, accented by the light and shadow, provide versatile backgrounds.”
Image 9–5. KEYWORDS: architecture; beam; building; canopy; column; mesh canopy; Rice University
Image 9–6. KEYWORDS: architecture; beam; building; canopy; column; mesh canopy; Rice University
Image 9–7. KEYWORDS: blue; chair; curve; cushion; ergonomic; light; modern; outdoor chair; outdoor furniture; shadow
Image 9–8. KEYWORDS: blue; chair; coffee table; concrete; curve; cushion; ergonomic; light; metal; modern; outdoor chair; outdoor furniture; round; shadow; table; texture
Image 9–9. KEYWORDS: blue; chair; coffee table; concrete; curve; cushion; ergonomic; light; metal; modern; outdoor chair; outdoor furniture; round; shadow; table; texture
While images 9–10 and 9–11 both have hard-to-discern subjects, they are indeed completely different: one is a backlit close-up of a Chinese jelly dessert while the other is a building’s reflection on a pond. The magic for both images is the same: the light. The backlighting turned the jelly into edible jewels and the setting sun transformed the building into a brilliant golden nugget. With the blue sky as the background, the choppy surface distorted the building into an abstract painting by Mother Nature.
Image 9–10. KEYWORDS: aiyu jelly; bubble; cubes; dessert; drink; food; gelatin; jelly; sweet; Taiwanese; Taiwanese dessert
Image 9–11. KEYWORDS: abstract; blue; distort; geometric; pattern; reflection; shapes; texture; water