Keeping
it real
Imperfect moments of beautiful reality, the new Designit photo style has a more unpolished, authentic and energetic tonality. We want our clients to feel closer to us and connect more deeply with our culture and our work. We hero our local cultures and open up our expression to inspire each other and the world in new and exciting ways.
Essentially, our new photography style is all about capturing the beautiful reality of design-in-progress across all corners of Designit — starting with our studios, culture and fantastic people.
Stylistically the approach should be quite candid. Off-centre, asymmetric compositions, that are unfussy. We want to avoid a too polished look, and really capture Designit life in all its rawness. Try and mix it up, not only do we want to show the wider studio environment, but the quirkier details too.
To add our unique flavour and for a more immediate and authentic feel, we have introduced flash. Nothing too complicated, simply use the built-in flash on your camera or phone to give the subject some light. Additionally, an externally mounted flash can also be used if you want to go a little more pro.
Photo categories
Studios
Hero shots capture the heart and soul of their studio. These are typically wider shots that allow the viewer to see the type of environment we work in. Look out for iconic or architecturally interesting features that define the space and make it unique.
Culture
With these photos, we seek to show our unique culture and vibe of each studio and city and neighbourhood we’re represented in. It’s all about showing what we’re currently up to and into. This is where the details really count. Finding the little snippets that really let the viewer see who we are.
People
Our people photos show real designers in the real world, documenting who we are as we are, with warmth, confidence, optimism and flair. Ideally, we try and shoot these images with flash.
Portraits
Key shot
Alternate shot
When taking portraits of people, try and find a nice clean, light-coloured background to place your subject in front of. This is to create a consistent look across all our studios. These should be shot with flash, positioned slightly off to the subject's side to create a good shadow effect.
Additionally, two versions should be taken. A key shot that is a little more straight up, and then a second, alternate shot, where the subject can have a little more fun and reveal their personality. In all shots, the subject should be relaxed and natural. Smiles should not be forced or the pose too stiff or staged, and the subject should stand or pose in a way that makes them feel the most comfortable.
Team photos
We’re also trying to break the mould in how we present our teams. Rather than a collection of individually shot photos, we encourage studios to actually shoot the team… as a team.
Our ambition is to give a more authentic team feeling in our proposals and client communication. Whenever possible, we shoot our teams as a team — opposed to, e.g. four individual portraits on a slide. It will help differentiate our proposals.
Text & images
Good
If you’re placing text over an image, make sure to use an image and colour combination that provides good contrast. (Because it’s not much of a presentation if no one can read it.)
Not so good
Good
In general, try and avoid cluttered or busy images, if you’re going to use them in combination with text. But of course, if there is no text, go for it!
Not so good
Stock & commissioned photography
In addition to our own photography, naturally we will need to utilise other sources of photography such as stock or commissioned. Keeping things consistent, the overall approach is similar to that of our own photography. The aim should always be to generate or source photography that is real, authentic and most of all, humanity focused (excuse the pun).
Stock photography
When selecting stock photography, there are some important considerations to take into account in order for the images to align both with our overall visual style and our values.
Humanity
As humans, we seek inspiration from life and connection with others.
Whether it features people, places, or objects, our photography reflects the essence of humanity.
Our photos are authentic and natural. They convey spontaneity and natural emotion. We avoid imagery that feels contrived or staged.
1. Avoid subjects or scenes that look posed.
2. Don’t use photos that have illustrated overlay elements.
3. When choosing human subjects, be mindful and intent on inclusive consideration.
Storytelling
At Designit, we believe that everyone is creative. And collectively, we are storytellers by trade.
Every aspect of photography helps to bring to life our brand story. That means that our photos should reflect our values of being curious, daring, thoughtful, and inclusive.
We choose and create photos with purpose. When using imagery, be sure to ask yourself what story you want to tell. Make sure images line up with your narrative and aren’t just serving as a design accent.
1. Consider your audience. Choose photos that are relevant to them, while still aligned with our brand voice.
2. Avoid selecting photos that represent stereotypically the ideas being expressed. They are meant to enhance concepts, not replace them.
Inclusion
Inclusive design is at the heart of what we do, and as such our imagery should accurately reflect the world around us. This requires intention and it requires a conscious effort. It’s our responsibility to live our brand values.
The world is filled with an endless range of subjects, spanning every conceivable age, race, and gender. But this only scratches the surface when it comes to inclusivity considerations. True representation means we consider cultural backgrounds, gender identity, sexual orientation, disabilities, shapes, and all the other aspects of our human existence that make us each unique.
It’s crucial that people see themselves in our photography, and therefore we must commit to adopting a more intersectional representation – one that ensures all people feel seen.
Always challenge assumptions, biases, traditional roles, and stereotypes. It’s this practice of mindfulness that can make a difference.
The library
Designit has curated a large collection of imagery for use across internal and client-facing materials. They have been selected and
organised to make it easy to select images that reflect our brand expression and values. In our collection, you’ll find photos under the following categories.
Categories
Lifestyle / people
These images bring humanity into our communication. They reflect an attitude of individual expression as well as the spirit of collaboration. These are all about showcasing personality and character. The subject matter can be anything from our working life to our home life and everything in between.
Places / environment
These images represent the world we live in. From urban and rural environments to workplaces and travel, these photos give a sense of the breadth of our surroundings and our existence within them. The subject matter can be anything from the office environment to a deserted beach and everything in between.
Details / objects
As part of the story telling, the details provide a closer look at the subject matter, pulling out objects that help build the narrative. Often these work well as supplementary images to further enhance the communication by adding more breadth. These can be anything from a close up of a hand to the empty coffee cup on the table.
Textures / moods
As part of the story telling, the details provide a closer look at the subject matter, pulling out objects that help build the narrative. Often these work well as supplementary images to further enhance the communication by adding more breadth. These can be anything from a close up of a hand to the empty coffee cup on the table.
Stock video
Arguably, video is one of the best forms of story-telling there is. So if you want to go next level, consider enhancing your presentation or communication with a video. Obviously this is not always a possibility depending on the format or channel, but both Keynote and PPT happily accept video formats.
Stock videos
Just like our still photography, videos should follow the same principles across the board. That means visually and aesthetically, they should be real, natural and authentic. And from a values point of view, inclusive, humanity focused, with an emphasis on story-telling.
Much like our stock photography, we have a small selection of stock videos we have curated under the same categories; lifestyle, places, details and textures.
