Creative 52: Weekly Projects to Invigorate Your Photography Portfolio

Book description

A powerful portfolio involves so much more than just a strong grasp of the technical aspects of photography–it’s a complex mix of style, techniques, and intriguing ideas. Many photographers struggle to achieve a high-impactportfolio, feeling that they lack the creative spark to invigorate them andmove their work forward.

Creative 52 is that spark–and your guide to a new and more creative portfolio in just one year! A remedy for that “average” portfolio, this collection of innovative projects will help portrait, wedding, and fashion photographers build a portfolio that draws the attention of editors and clients–leaving the competition behind. While other how-to books often use bland imagery simply to prove a technical point, and many fine art books are filled with beautiful imagery but contain minimal (if any) educational insights to help working photographers, this book blends both: inspiration and knowledge that you can use to create images that attract potential clients.

Divided into three parts–concept, technique, and post-processing–author Lindsay Adler’s 52 challenges each contain a description of the project, potential inspiration and suggestions of other artists to check out, and her own unique solution to the challenge–all to push you beyond your comfort zone to explore new ideas and approaches to your work.

  • Includes a year’s worth of weekly projects that motivate you to experiment with new concepts, techniques, and software tools like Adobe Photoshop to achieve more eye-catching images

  • Offers the cure for “expected” imagery, showing how to produce memorable photographs that are distinct from the competition, enabling you to reach new clients

  • Empowers you with the encouragement and expertise necessary to create spectacular images

  • Table of contents

    1. Title Page
    2. Copyright Page
    3. Dedication
    4. Acknowledgments
    5. Table of Contents
    6. Introduction
      1. My Story Getting Started
      2. Why I Wrote This Book
      3. How This Book Works
      4. How I Get Inspired
      5. My Creative Process
      6. Inspiration vs. Imitation vs. Copying
      7. Get Creating
    7. Part I: Concepts
      1. More Than Just a Photo
      2. Challenge 1. Create an Image Based on a Single Color
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      3. Challenge 2. Create a Portrait of Someone Without Showing the Face
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      4. Challenge 3. Tell a Story
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      5. Challenge 4. Use Negative Space
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      6. Challenge 5. Create a Symmetrical Image
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      7. Challenge 6. Go to a Museum
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      8. Challenge 7. Go Beyond the Print or Digital Image
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      9. Challenge 8. Collaborate with Another Artist
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      10. Challenge 9. Make a Mess
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      11. Challenge 10. Use a Location to Wow
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      12. Challenge 11. Capture Movement
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      13. Challenge 12. Create an Amazing Silhouette
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      14. Challenge 13. Restrict Yourself to a $20 Budget
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      15. Challenge 14. Be a Voyeur
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      16. Challenge 15. Show Your Subject Multiple Times in a Single Frame
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      17. Challenge 16. Immortalize Your Hero
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      18. Challenge 17. Show Time, Change, or Transformation
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      19. Challenge 18. Subject Mimics Background
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      20. Challenge 19. Build a Set
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      21. Challenge 20. Use a Reflection
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      22. Challenge 21. Go Macro
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      23. Challenge 22. Abstract a Portrait
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      24. Challenge 23. Channel Another Artist
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
    8. Part II: Techniques
      1. New Approaches to Help You Wow
      2. Challenge 24. Shoot an Out-of-Focus Photo Well
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      3. Challenge 25. Use a Black Light
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      4. Challenge 26. Selective Focus: Lensbaby and Tilt-Shift
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      5. Challenge 27. Shoot a Frame Within a Frame
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      6. Challenge 28. Shoot a Very Low-Key Image
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      7. Challenge 29. Shoot a Very High-Key Image
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      8. Challenge 30. Create Lens Flare
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      9. Challenge 31. Use a Gel
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      10. Challenge 32. Shoot Super Wide
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      11. Challenge 33. Shoot from an Extreme Angle
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      12. Challenge 34. Make a Paint-with-Light Portrait
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. Tips for Painting with Light
        4. My Solution
      13. Challenge 35. Project onto Your Subject
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      14. Challenge 36. Break a Lighting Rule
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      15. Challenge 37. Shoot Through a Crystal
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
    9. Part III: Post-Production
      1. Photoshop Magic!
      2. Challenge 38. Make Blend Modes Your Best Friend
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      3. Challenge 39. Get Creative with Photoshop Brushes
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      4. Challenge 40. Use an “Incorrect” White Balance
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      5. Challenge 41. Take Control of Color in Photoshop
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      6. Challenge 42. Add Lens Flare in Photoshop
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      7. Challenge 43. Defy Gravity
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      8. Challenge 44. Add a Texture
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      9. Challenge 45. Play with Cutouts
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      10. Challenge 46. Become a Painter
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      11. Challenge 47. Tone to Set the Mood
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      12. Challenge 48. Mirror Your Image
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      13. Challenge 49. Beyond Perfect: Porcelain Skin
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      14. Challenge 50. Lighten, Darken, Make a Masterpiece!
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      15. Challenge 51. Composite
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
      16. Challenge 52. Be Unusual with Displacement Maps
        1. Description
        2. Inspiration
        3. My Solution
    10. Conclusion
    11. Index

    Product information

    • Title: Creative 52: Weekly Projects to Invigorate Your Photography Portfolio
    • Author(s): Lindsay Adler
    • Release date: October 2013
    • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
    • ISBN: 9780133443394