Using Space in Album Covers, Press Photos and Product Shots
Check out my new set "design" (lol), and this new series covering the 7 design principles and how to use them effectively to build your brand.
I also give a few DIY pointers on doing your own press photography style shoot at home!
Here’s an overview of the video for ya:
Album Covers
First up I look at the incredible album artwork for Sade’s 1992 masterpiece titled Love Deluxe. The cover was shot by master photographer Albert Watson and designed by Peter Brawn. The crisp and clean use of space allows the viewer to focus solely on Sade, and the title of the record. The sensitivity and softness conveyed in the image pair perfectly with music itself, providing brand clarity.
The original shot by Albert Watson
The finalized cover art by Peter Brawne
Press Photos
Excision press photo by Terrence Blanton
Press photos, especially for musicians, are another terrific example of how to use space. A quick Google Image search of your favorite artist, followed by the words “press photo” should yield similar results. In the video I look at three of them, one being this banger of a photo for Excision. As one of the reigning “kings” of dubstep, it’s fitting that this photo would be powerful, dark, moody, and a bit menacing. All of this works hand-in-hand with his brand and the sound of his music. And by adding the pop of color with green smoke, the overall design principle of space is still very much at play! You can’t help but look at him and really focus on this shot.
Brands and Product
For the last portion of the video, I dig into three top consumer brands, Movado, Chevy, and Apple. The use of space in product photography from massive brands like this indicates how powerful this concept truly is, and the results that it can help produce.
This particular page and watch design for the Movado BOLD Thin is a great example because the product itself is also a tremendous example of how aesthetically pleasing the principle of space can be when it’s done right. Couple that with a stark white backdrop for the product photo, and a clean web page layout emphasizing only the watch and the “add to cart” call to action button, and you have a wonderful little case study on space.
