Reading Sarah Greenough's commentary on Robert Frank's The Americans made me realize the importance of sequencing, creating some kind of rhythm and allowing images to strengthen one another. For my book "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made," I was torn between using a template on MagCloud and creating my own template in InDesign. I finally decided to use InDesign because I was not restricted to a set template.
For my project, some of my strongest images were the up close shots of girls staring directly into the camera lens. For these powerful images, I left a blank page on the left side and let the image bleed off the page, allowing the viewer to concentrate on the individual staring back at them. This effect creates some kind of personal connection between the viewer and the image, so I decided to use the actual names of the models. I chose not to name the other images in the book.
The images that capture the girl's writing on the mirror serve as a reminder of the title and theme of my project at 3 different intervals. These images appear repetitive and some may even describe these pages as cluttered. I chose this almost overwhelming arrangement to create an impact on the viewer. It is hard to ignore or forget bright red text placed side by side. On some of the pages I also allowed images to complement one another. Looking closely at the images side by side, one can draw some interesting connections between the images.
You are entirely right that the sequencing of images is everything. What you did with InDesign really brings out the simplicity of your project. Your sequencing of the images allows them to strengthen each other. Allowing the pages with just the full faces to bleed off the page kept it simple, creating a nice contrast with the pages with more images. This kept pushing your idea, but kept pulling the viewer back to what you intended to show them in the first place, which leaves room for interpretation and artistic intent to both shine through.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job utilizing the artistic license that InDesign gives the user. Having the full page images of girls faces alternate and contrasted with the smaller and gridded images creates an effective an enjoyable rhythm for the viewer to follow. It also presents your concept in a strong, but not overwhelming manner. The photos themselves are beautiful, especially the lighting in them.
ReplyDeleteYour layout adds a lot of personality to your magazine. The ordering and layout flow very well, and I especially like the large graphic images of the faces. I especially liked the grid layouts with the red lettering on the mirror. Like you said, its hard to ignore. InDesign is a great tool for projects like these, and it seems like you used it to its full potential!
ReplyDeleteThe bleeds have impact and your magazine becomes a commentary on magazines in general, which adds a nice layer to the project.
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