If you are a web or graphic designer you may be wondering how you can specifically improve your skills or benefit from learning more about photography. Well, here are a few of the most significant ways you can benefit.
Erika
Erika by Roberto Taddeo

1. Photo Composition and Design are Related

One of the most significant factors involved in quality photos is the composition, or how the shot is laid out. For graphic designers, and web designers specifically, layout and balance are critical. While photography and design are separate they do share some of the same artistic “rules”, and learning more about photographic composition can also help you with graphic design.

2. A Creative Outlet

As a web or graphic designer you probably spend countless hours at your desk on the computer. Photography can serve as an excellent creative outlet that allows you to get away from the computer (at least, until it comes time to edit or process your photos). Even though photography can give you a break from your typical work, it still allows you to use your creativity and to do something productive while you are getting that break from your regular work. If you photograph landscapes, nature, or anything outdoors, photography can provide an excellent change of scenery that you will be sure to appreciate.

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3. Colors and Color Theory

Something that photography and design share in common is the importance and impact of color. As a designer you are probably very familiar with color theory and the use of color in your design work. This experience and understanding will come in handy in photography, and chances are you will even learn more and improve your understanding of color through your photographic adventures.

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4. Reduce Your Dependency on Stock Photos

Designers, especially for web design projects, often need to turn to stock photographs. Sometimes your clients may have photos to use in their projects, but the quality of those photos can vary greatly. Even if your clients do have some quality photos, chances are you will still need to use stock photos at some point in the project.
If you get more involved with taking your own photos and improve the quality as your learn and get more experience, it’s possible that you could wind up using your own photos instead of stock in some situations. Whether it be for your own websites and projects or for clients, being able to reduce your dependency on clichéd stock photos can be a good thing.
Lakeside View
Lakeside View by Jeff P

5. Photography Services are an Excellent Complement to Your Design Services

As I mentioned in the intro, some designers also offer photography services to clients. If you’re just getting started with photography this may not seem like a viable option right now, but with some practice you may be able to expand your service options to include photography at some point in the future.
Photography can be an excellent addition to your design services, and you may even be able to get started by serving some of your existing design clients. Both the photography and design industries are filled with loads of freelancers and other service providers, so many creatives have found it to be difficult to earn a full-time income in one of these industries. If this has been the case for you in the design industry, adding some part-time income from photography could close the gap that you need to earn a full-time income.
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Untitled by martinak15
 
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