Photography Portfolio

Several copies of the book laid open on a surface to show various spreads

Background

I have always been interested in photography, especially featuring the little things in life. The unseen details of life are beautiful when you discover the blessing of noticing them. I decided to create a portfolio book featuring my photography, writing, and design.

Research

The research phase of this step involved some preparation to create a book I could be proud of. I sorted through hundreds of photos to select my favorites. Being one of my earlier multi-page designs, I learned a lot about layout standards and typography best practices.

Strategy

Aesthetics

I chose photos that featured subjects that not many people get to see up close. One of my main goals with this project was to highlight the intricate design in God’s creation, and the photos highlighted beautiful examples of that. I edited the photos to emphasize the details while keeping the colors true to life.

The design of the book was very minimal to allow the photography to shine. I included subtle green and gray line elements to contrast yet complement the photography without distracting.

An extremely close up photo of a bee on a purple flower
A close up photo of water droplets on a spider web
An extremely close up photo of water droplets on a leaf
A close up photo of a pink and white rose
An extremely close up photo of a pink flower
An extremely close up photo of a bee on a white flower

Function

Since I also wrote the content for the book, I spent a lot of time writing and editing the text to convey the message I intended. This was nearly as critical as the imagery, and both elements went hand in hand to convey my message. One without the other would not be nearly as effective.

Several copies of the book laid open on a surface to show various spreads

Results

When I held the printed book in my hands, I fell in love with book design. As one of my first book design projects, it taught me a lot about the small details that go into such a complex piece. There are things I would change about the design if I had the chance to redo it, but the experience was priceless.