Designer going Photographer
By Kyle Dreier
26 Jul 2007
1. What kind of designer are you?
I'm a former editorial designer and long time graphic designer.
2. What did you want to do for a living when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a capitalist from age 6. I didn't know what to call it back then but I was very much about earning a nice living to support the things I enjoyed – candy, candy and more candy. I continued on an "anything for capitalist's-sake" path with miscellaneous home-grown ventures through adolescence.
It wasn't until high school that I learned about "graphic design" and "advertising" as viable ways to make a living. At that age I was still naive about the differences between the two and thought I wanted to own and operate an advertising agency when I grew up. I eventually saw the light and pointed my efforts towards graphic design.
3. What is it about your design work that makes your photography better? And vice versa? Where do you see parallels between the two?
As a designer I find myself focusing on the most basic of elements to communicate the message. Less IS more. I avoid DDEs (Decorative Design Elements) probably to a fault. My design work is minimal. You could say that white space is my DDE of choice.
That same theme and approach is prevalent in my photography. My eye is naturally drawn to simple and graphic imagery. I compose about 95% of my images in the viewfinder and prefer to find the POV that shows a common element in a graphic way.
In the mid 90s I was an editorial designer and art director. I often find myself shooting images while I mentally am designing them into an editorial layout. I'm thinking ... what 6 images of the 200 I shot would work best in a three spread layout.
4. What do you find most challenging about your work?
In my design work the challenge is holding back a client from getting the kitchen sink shoe-horned into a design. Rather than a beautiful solo carrying a sophisticated tune, so many times clients think they need a mob with blow-horns shouting at the audience. This approach shows no restraint or discipline. Unfortunately we see that day in and day out by mediocre, ignorant, irresponsible designers.
I find myself steeped in my minimalist ways. By default I go the less is more route. I would benefit from pushing the limits more, but unfortunately, the time to do so is a luxury. I enjoy more decorative design when done well and when it communicates appropriately.
With my photography I find myself trying to define some kind of self imposed box within which I need to operate. By that I mean I feel like I'm supposed to have some consistent thread or style through all my images. This is my own battle with myself not allowing for too much freedom for creative exploration.
I continue to fight that urge to narrow my work. At this point with my photography I'm difficult to nail down, partially because I enjoy so many ways of shooting. Letting go and just shooting is the best thing I can do but it's also the hardest as I fight with the voice inside asking "how will this fit with your existing work?"
5. Do you have design heroes? Photography heroes?
I don't have any heroes per se for either design or photography. I certainly respect those who are consistently excellent at what they do. I'm inspired by well done and thought out work. Anyone that can do this is a hero worth a conservative dose of praise, and maybe a super-hero cape for a day.
6. Name some unexpected sources of inspiration you've had.
Unexpected sources of inspiration are all around me and I find them in the most common things. Washing fruit in the kitchen sink and the light runs across the colander, finally stopping at a restaurant I've driven by hundreds of times, oil lanterns being back lit by the morning sun ... these are all things that would normally go unnoticed. With a small amount of effort one can find many inspirations to the left, the right, up or down. It's just a matter of turning your head and opening your eyes. Many times that also means slowing down a bit.
7. Do you have any regular habits/exercises that make you a better designer? Photographer?
These quotes and concepts sum up my path toward improving my abilities.
"A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to communicate. Behind the need to communicate is the need to share. Behind the need to share is the need to be understood. The writer wants to be understood much more than he wants to be respected or praised or even loved. And that perhaps, is what makes him different from others." — Leo Rosten
I've adopted this quote but as it pertains to my pursuits in photography. So, a "photographer photogs" would be my mantra.
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." — Walt Disney
This is akin to Nike's "Just Do It" campaign. There's nothing like taking the first and hardest step. I've had to find a way to push myself more. This manifested itself into my standing "Wednesday Night Out" each week where I go out and shoot. Sometimes its dinner with a friend or just roaming around town to what kind of local flavor I can capture.
