With midterm reviews and testing out of the way, I started evaluating how I may use my study abroad photography classes and their techniques to better myself in my major and future career. As they all don’t directly relate back to graphic design, they do have skills that could be useful in the design world. Many companies look for designers whose talents go beyond the usual Photoshop and Illustrator. They often ask the designers to also be familiar with web design, interactive coding, and occasionally photography. There are a number of ways photography can be useful to graphic designers, but for today, I will only focus on three components.

For one, designers would have their own supply of original stock imagery. No longer would they worry about finding appropriate photos on free stock websites or buying work from other artists. They would have their own library to work from, which would also provide an original and unique set of photos to clients that wouldn’t be found anywhere else on the web. This might also lead designers to save their company some money, whether from hiring a photographer or buying stock photography.

Photography might also be an outlet to provide creative inspiration. Like any other artist, designers can also go into a creative slump. Photography can be a means to work through the block, allowing for a new perspective and a change of scenery. Doing so can give them a chance to stretch their legs and get away from the computer for awhile. It may also inspire better compositions and allow for a greater understanding in color/light.

Finally, photography can help designers build a brand for their clients. Just like any good logo design, a photograph can represent the purpose and ideals of a company. Photographs can give potential clients a way of understanding what the company is, the various products or services they might provide, the personalities of the people who work within the company, as well as various other aspects. These are huge factors that can greatly influence whether a person may turn into a customer. Photographs are just as important to branding a company as the overall design.

While there are other elements that determine the worth of photography in graphic design, I feel these are the key components, at least for my own work. Every designer takes a different approach, which means that these elements may not be as important as other factors to someone else, which is perfectly fine. But, whichever approach that is taken, it is important to know that photography can be a huge benefit to all designers.

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