2-Day Photoshoot of Products & Models (#07)

COMD 4900 Internship

When meeting with my advisor this week, she really liked the logos I had edited and changed the prior week. She liked them all and said that one would definitely be used. I am also realizing now from the weekly meeting that is always good to have research/notes to have when meeting and presenting. For the past 3 weeks, I have been giving and showing my research/notes to how I came up with each weekly work. This allows my advisor to gain a better understanding of my work and thought process. The first couple of weeks of the internship, I was just presenting work and was given feedback. But by showing my research/notes, it helps explain my work. It gives me and my advisor more dialogue, as well as makes it easier to come up with a solution.

This week, I had a 2-day photoshoot on the weekend. The photoshoot was for their upcoming collection. I took photos of all their products and models modeling them. This was a very new experience for me because I wasn’t used to doing 2 day shoots that’s were both all day long. Each day I took product shots first the first half, and then model shoots for the second half of the day.

It was a little challenging for me as well because taking the product shots became difficult. I had to take so many shots of the same product but I had to keep changing how the product was laying. This was because I was trying to find the perfect way for the clothing to lay. I knew the photos were going to be cropped into a box shape because that is how Instagram feeds shows photos. I spent a lot of time changing the layout but eventually would figure out the perfect layout for each product.

Another issue was trying to get the best lighting to show the true color of the products. The products had very distinct color washes and weren’t basic true colors like red, green, or blue. I had to get the details in the color of each product while trying to balance the lighting intensity. The lights themselves were not the problem, they were very good and showed natural daylight. The problem was when shooting the products, the shots came out making the products look too vibrant and not true to the actual color. But when looking at the products without the camera lens they looked perfect. Eventually, I realized the best and fastest way to fix that would be to fix the coloring in post-editing in photoshop. I had to be quick because we were running on a schedule, the models were going to show up at a certain time and I had to be finished with the product shots before then on both days.

https://www.squareshot.co/post/how-to-plan-a-photo-shoot-for-your-clothing-brand

Shooting the models was a lot less complicated than the product shots. My advisor told me how she wanted the model shoots to look and how she wanted the models to style the products. All I had to worry about was lighting and getting the true color of the products while still making the models look normal. This was not a challenge and went smoothly on both days.

Post experiencing a 2-day photoshoot, I now know how mentally prepared you have to be because it usually will never go perfectly and there will always be a problem or two you need to fix that you were not expecting. But that is part of the job (internship), you need to be a quick thinker and problem solver that will somehow always figure it out. That is a trait that will make you stand out from everybody else who doesn’t have that trait.

The 2 day photoshoot was definitely a little stressful but it was the first time I experienced it, and I didn’t have the right mindset when first starting. I thought it would be like a 1-day photoshoot and be more straightforward. But now that I’ve experienced a 2-day photoshoot, I know it’s more of an experience and project.

Continuing creating Logotypes (# 06)

COMD 4900 Internship

From last week’s work, I met with my advisor and was given feedback on the logos she liked. She requested for me to continue working and with the feedback, I knew what to improve on.

From the last past weekly meeting with my advisor, I knew I had to aim for the logo to give off a unique and excitement feeling. Something that isn’t like your typical classic fashion logo.

I first did research on Avante Garde logotypes because I needed to find odd and unique logotypes for reference. I used the references I found as inspiration when editing my logos so I could have a better understanding of the Avante Garde aesthetic. I gained an understanding of the mindset and perspective of Avante Garde logotypes. With the references I found there were a lot of correlations between each one, they all had a unique quality but all were fun and exciting. They all had a very organic aesthetic because they didn’t resemble or replicate any logos I saw prior.

I as well thought about the details behind the logo. Meaning I knew that this logo was meant to be for their spring collection. So I tried to edit the logos with that mindset so they were more warm and vibrant in detail. Spring is when it starts to get warm again and everyone is in a brighter mood because of it. So I tried to replicate that spring feeling into the logos.

https://www.behance.net/gallery/5438211/Avant-Garde-Logos

I cannot show or go into the exact details I did for each logo due to my NDA but in broad terms with the references, I edited each logo by making each letter unique. I did this in photoshop by using the shape and marker tool. As well as creating an outline to add a cleaner look once finished. I also made experimented with making 2 versions of some by making the second versions 3D like they are popping out at you. Each letter needed a lot more leading between each other because editing them caused them to become a lot wider.

All logos had no color, they were simply black and white. This made me gain a better sense of the positive and negative space to gain the perfect balance. Once finished or midway thru editing I would stop working on it and try to not think about it. I would do something else for a while and then come back to it and look at it from very far away to get honest genuine self-feedback on the logo. I would give myself some time so I don’t view them from the perspective of just creating it and thinking it’s amazing. Allowing time to pass let me gain the perspective of a critique, not a creator. I as well would look at the logos from afar, zooming very far out to see how legible and clean-looking they are as if it was in real life.

When knowing what the design is being used for prior to creating, you can start to understand the perspective of it in real life. This is crucial because when creating and editing graphic designs it will never look exactly how it looks than because you are zoomed in and are looking at it on a flat 2D screen.

Beginning creating logotypes (# 05)

COMD 4900 Internship

From my last meeting with my advisor, she picked her favorite one and thought it was perfect. In a future week, I will be assigned to do a photoshoot for the clothing label and then edit it as well for that week. 

This week I was assigned to create a mass amount of logotypes that will be used for their spring collection. I had to create 2 different logotypes, one with the brand’s name, and the other with just the brand’s initials. 

I was given no references and told to create every kind of aesthetic possible. I spent a lot of time researching other fashion brand logotypes so I could gain a general direction and vision in my head.

I cannot go into exact details done due to my NDA but in broad terms, I made a mass amount of logo design using different colors, fonts, and font treatments. I as well made unique fonts by taking visually pleasing and boring fonts to then add or remove things from the font. I used photoshop when creating unique fonts by using the paint or shape or eraser tool to take away or/and add to the already made fonts.  

Throughout the experience, I realized that creating unique fonts for when working logotypes for a fashion brand is better than just using already made fonts. It adds to the clothing brand’s uniqueness and helps give the brand a more personal identity.

I was not given references for this project so I had to spend a lot of time researching different brands and categorizing their logos by certain brand type aesthetic. This was so I could get a better understanding of how brands will have similar or different logotypes depending on the type aesthetic or target audience. There were a lot of categories I used like future, modern, formal, hipster, hypewear, techwear, vintage, designer, and avant-garde. This then allowed me to see the similarities and differences to create a logotype that resembled the brand’s aesthetic. I was told the brand aesthetic was a timeless vibe, their brand message is for their brand to be timeless and for all their products to still be in style and hip 20 to 30 years from now. 

With the brand’s message I came to the conclusion the brand’s aesthetic is to have a basic modern look that resembles vintage brands meaning brands that have been around for 20 years plus. Looking at all the brands I categorized in vintage, I realized they all have a basic very clean-looking logotype. I realized that the type of aesthetic they use has shown to be successful and timeless since their brands became powerhouses in the fashion world and have been here for decades. 

This then allowed me to have a better visual in my head of a logotype I was designing and creating. As Well as to have good information to say to my advisor to back up my methodology.

www.digitalesvg.com/product/fashion-logo-bundle-svg-fashion-brand

Continuing Clothing Label Work (# 04)

COMD 4900 Internship

At my last meeting, my advisor gave me feedback and told me the labels she had liked the most. From the 30 variants originally created, she gave me her top 10 favorites. With the feedback given to me on what she would like me to alter and improve for each label, this week I have been updating her top 1o favorite labels. I had to change the layout and placement for most of the labels because my advisor wanted the focal point to be somewhere else from where I had it in each label. I also changed the colorways a little for each by enriching or dulling the colors. I can not go into detail explaining what I did for each label due to my NDA.

In broad terms, I as well used different colors, fonts, and font treatments. Throughout the experience of it, I realized how important color is when it comes to making clothing labels. The background color can make or break the label by either helping or hindering the font of the text.  You always want the text to pop and not be subtle because the text is what is most important on the label. 

I had to also keep in mind while creating these label designs how they look in real life, the size of the text and quality of how their labels look in person is completely different from when designing. In previous weeks when meeting in person with my advisor, I was given their old clothing label so I can see how the print quality is. I realized that these labels are not printed but woven meaning it is being stitched and not printed. This made me then realize that the design required a font with a weight to it but not too much weight because they wanted the label to resemble their logo as much as possible. 

My advisor gave me a couple of references of other clothing labels she liked so I can get a clearer visual of the aesthetic my advisor wants the labels to have.

www.linxcorp.us/woven-clothing-labels/

Creating Clothing labels (#03)

This week, I was assigned to create a mass amount of designs for clothing labels. My employer wanted me to update their original clothing label to a more simple and elegant design. I created a mass amount of labels with different font and color choices. The clothing label size is small, so only the brand name can be placed on the label.

Their original label was the brand’s name (Stelick Studio) with a model on the left size of it. I attached a photo so you can get a clearer understanding. The brand requested a more simple and elegant look, so I got rid of what I thought was not necessary and played with the font, font effects, font size,  font color, background, and background color. I can not go into detail explaining exactly how and what I did due to my NDA. I created 30 different variants, and am presenting them at my next meeting.

Photo taken by me on phone.

Getting introduced to the Brand (# 02)

In my first week working with the brand as their intern, I went to the brand’s studio to meet the rest of the team and to be the photographer for a photoshoot. It was also my first time being in a brand briefing where we’d discussed what and how I would be doing. I learned each week, I will have a weekly project that consists of making graphic designs with references given to know the style they would look or will be photographing then editing photos for photoshoots.

Before going to the studio, the days prior I was nervous and scared because I didn’t know what to expect. But once entering the studio and meeting the team face to face, I realized that there was nothing to be worried about as long as I do what I am supposed to do.

The photoshoot went well and was very professional. It was a little challenging at times when photographing because I couldn’t make the subject look how I thought it would look best in the photograph. I had to listen and execute the photos exactly how my advisor was requesting during the shoot. Now for the rest of the week, I have to edit the photos to make them look their best.

www.savageuniversal.com/blog/studio-vs-outdoor-photography/

Looking for the internship (# 01)

A couple of weeks prior to the semester starting, I was looking on multiple job websites in hopes to find a graphic designer internship. Once the semester officially started, I then had applied to around 12 different internships. I was nervous and scared after a couple of days because I hadn’t gotten any replies and knew we needed to have an internship by the third week.

https://startupsventurecapital.com/what-the-heck-angellist-really-is-three-marketplace-functions-3f4235a29c5d

 

After a week and a half, I had gotten three emails back for internship positions. I then replied to all of them to hopefully get an interview as soon as possible. Only one had then emailed me back for a zoom interview. The one brand that replied was a small start-up fashion brand called Stelick Studio. They required someone who was a graphic designer who could as well take photography. I wanted to work in the fashion field as a graphic designer once graduated, so this was my dream internship. The moment I saw the email for the interview, I became very anxious because everything was riding on this interview. But at the same time, I was the most comfortable with this internship position because it required my photography and graphic design skills. I have been a freelance photographer since high school so I knew my portfolio was most prepared for this internship because it showed my best photography and graphic design skills. I also was confident prior to the interview because I was genuinely into fashion and knew how to talk about fashion.

The interview went splendidly because my advisor had liked that my portfolio had a little bit of everything in graphic design and photography styles. My advisor had liked how versatile my work was, and that I was genuinely into fashion. My advisor and I connected a lot more than we would of if I hadn’t known about fashion because our conversation was not forced.

A week and a half passed after the interview, and I got an email telling me I had gotten the internship. Instantly, I felt so good and that all the pressure I was facing was gone. I am assigned a weekly project that could be to create things graphically or to be the photographer at a photoshoot. It’s a learning experience and is preparing me for the field of work I will work in once graduating.

Ethics Entry 2

2a) From the reading, my perspective on my design work hasn’t changed but has enforced me that what I’m doing is correct and the right approach.

In the past for my design work, I have created everything by myself from scratch so there are no copyright or trademark problems. When using photographs, I always use images that are royalty-free so I don’t have to worry about infringement and can use them for anything. I purposely started to make this a habit so I can be more set to be a professional designer. Reading  SocialMediaExaminer’s “Copyright Fair Use and How it Works for Online Images” and AIGA’s “Use of Photography” showed me the importance of only using your own work because you won’t ever be considered a professional designer.

2b) From reading “Case Study on Fair Use and Fair Dealing: The Hope Poster Litigation”, I think Fairey’s use of the photo did fall under fair use since the final product was different than the original photograph. I think if the poster did not gain the attention it did, then there never would have never been a lawsuit filed. If he had come clean and not tried to cover it up by lying about the original reference then he would probably not need to comply with the AP. The cover-up being discovered is what ruined his chance of winning the lawsuit. 

 

Sources

• Crawford, Tad. “Use of Photography” AIGA,  AIGA Business_Ethics 47556770-Use-of-photography-1-MB.pdf

• Hawkins, Sara. “Copyright Fair Use and How it Works for Online Images” socialmediaexaminer, https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/copyright-fair-use-and-how-it-works-for-online-images/ 

• Fisher, William. Case Study on Fair Use and Fair Dealing: The Hope Poster Litigation” Harvard Journal of Law and Technology,  Hope_Poster_Case_Study-1.pdf

Ethics Entry 1

1a) Ethics in the world of design is something that is very necessary to understand. It allows a person to keep a professional clean and honest design.

At my internship at Stelick Studio, the way I get my imagery is from actually taking the photos and then editing them. I have been given reference photos and designs in the past weeks so I can understand the brands’ visual representation style and aesthetic they want. The brand logo is given from the brand itself. In my first meeting at my internship, we went over the importance of everything having to be original, and nothing is taken from others. I was lectured on the importance of the brand has to keep its originality to stand out by being unique and ethical. I was taught that ethicality is very important in the fashion world because once customers and people, in general, find out the brand is not ethical meaning is disingenuous then no one will want to support it.

Reading AIGA’s “A Clients Guild to Design” helped me see how important ethicality is in design and what exactly are the standards a designer must uphold. Aswell learning the difference between what a designer is and what a professional designer is.

1b) My internship required me to sign an NDA (non-discourse agreement) which was my first time doing so. It was confusing and very technical in the writing, but after speaking to my advisor, I understood it a lot more. The NDA forced me to be broad with what and how I explain what I’m doing in my internship. I must always send my weekly journal part talking about the internship progress to my advisor to see if it is okay to post. I can say what I’m doing each week but I can’t go into specific detail talking about how I am doing each assignment. I can’t give details on how I’m designing it or what exactly I am taking photographs of at photoshoots.

Reading AIGA’s “Use of Photography” and “Guide to Copyright” helped me to see why some brands require you to sign an NDA. Aswell to learn the rules of copyrighting when working for someone else and is the importance of crediting photographers.

From reading SCRIBD example NDA, the advantages more so weigh out the disadvantages. An NDA allows the company to be able to protect its sensitive confidential information and allows the recipient to gain clarity and know exactly what is considered sensitive confidential information sot they do not disclose any if that information and avoid the consequences. Lastly, an NDA advantage is it preserves key business relationships. An NDA provides peace of mind in long-term business relationships where confidential information must flow between the parties. So, you know your confidential information is protected, and your business relationship is secure.

An NDA can as well have some disadvantages, more so towards the recipient and if they break the NDA. Breaking an NDA could cause legal actions between the two parties. Whoever is the prevailing party will be able to get their money back from attorney fees and costs. More so, the company will be the prevailing party, and the recipient will lose extra money and have to pay out of pocket when breaking an NDA. Another disadvantage of NDA is towards the recipient, and them not being able to talk about or show any of the work they are doing. The recipient will not be allowed to show their work on their portfolio until the DNA is no longer in effect. This can be a disadvantage because some NDA’s can last forever even after you have stopped working for that brand, meaning the work you created for them can never be shown to the world which will hinder your portfolio.

Sources

• Crawford, Tad. “Use of Photography” AIGA,  AIGA Business_Ethics 47556770-Use-of-photography-1-MB.pdf

 

• Crawford, Tad.  “Guide to Copyright” AIGA,  AIGA Business_Ethics 47556757-Guide-to-copyright-1-MB.pdf

 

• Stone, Joanne. Rigsby, Lana.  “A clients guide to design” AIGA,  AIGA Busines_Ethics 47556721-Client-s-guide-to-design-1-1-MB.pdf

 

• RocketLawyer.  “Non Disclosure Agreement” SCRIBD, https://www.scribd.com/document/91894008/Non-Disclosure-Agreement