Archive for category: Random Stories

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CreativeBloq/~3/MsZ7GBblMd0/websites-10121096

The web is full of endless resources and tutorials on the subject of photography, but sometimes too much choice can be confusing. Here, we've picked the top photography websites that will really help you take your photography skills to the next level.

If you're a designer or creative after stock photography, check out our Best websites to download stock art post. And if you're looking to upgrade your camera, don't miss our guide to the best cameras for creatives.

But if you'd like to learn more about taking stunning photographs, gain inspiration from expert photographers and develop your camera craft, check out these great photo websites.

01. Digital Camera World

Visit Digital Camera World for daily news, tip, tutorials, reviews and much more

Digital Camera World is the world's fastest-growing photography website, covering every aspect of image-making, from DSLRs and photo editing to mobile photography and drones.

Through informative tutorials, no-nonsense reviews and in-depth buying guides, DCW helps photographers find the best gear, and shows them how to use it. Full disclosure: it's one of our sister titles, also made by Future Publishing.

02. Camera Jabber

Camera Jabber is a goldmine of news, reviews and tips for photographers

Built by photographers for photographers, Camera Jabber offers up an enticing mix of news, reviews and buyers' guides, on everything from phone cameras and DSLRs up to the latest action and 360 cameras. 

You'll also find a wealth of how-to material that'll take you through the photographic basics and on to more specific guides on things like editing your shots and building a portfolio. It's updated daily, and always worth checking in to see what's new.

03. British Journal of Photography

The British Journal Photography has been supporting photographers since 1854

The British Journal of Photography has been around since 1854, and it's kept up with the times since then. Its website is a great accompaniment to the venerable magazine, serving up thought-provoking photography and fresh perspectives every day. 

And its student and professional awards are a great way to discover new talent – or, indeed, to get your own photography skills recognised.

04. DIY Photography

DIY Photography has been running for over 10 years and is rammed with useful advice

Started in 2006 as a place for gear-lusting photographers, DIY Photography is a great place to pick up expert advice and read about the latest kit. 

Again written by photographers for photographers, it's heavy on the tutorials with hundreds of useful how-to articles online, plus a whole load of DIY articles that'll help you build your own gear rather than splashing out on expensive kit.

05. iPhone Photography School

Don’t have a DSLR? You can still take excellent photos with your phone

Just because you don't have a heavyweight camera, it doesn't mean that you can't take beautiful photos. iPhone Photography School has one simple aim: to help you take better photos with your iPhone than most people can with a DSLR. It does this with plenty of in-depth tutorials covering photography techniques and photo editing, as well as inspiring articles and regular competitions so you can pit your newfound skills against others.

06. Digital Photography Review

Digital Photography Review is bursting at the virtual seams with all the sector’s latest news and product reviews

Touted as the number one destination for everything digital photography-related, Digital Photography Review is bursting at the virtual seams with all the sector's latest news and product reviews. 

Complete with video tutorials, buying guides and forums, there's plenty on this photography website to keep you hooked and clicking back for more.

07. The Spruce: Photography

The Spruce: Photography is both an advice centre and repository of extensive further reading

Written by a host of photography experts, The Spruce: Photography is both an advice centre and a repository of extensive further reading. Once you're on this website's photography channel, you'll be clicking from one useful video to another before veering off down a rabbit hole of enlightening articles. There's plenty to enjoy – just make sure that you don't get lost.

08. Digital Photography School

Digital Photographers School aims to help photographers get the most out of their cameras

Digital photography enthusiast Darren Rowse is the man behind Digital Photography School, a site that aims to help photographers get the most out of their cameras. With sections including photo tips, gear and post-processing, all the essentials are well covered.

09. Strobist

Strobist is a must for anyone just starting out with light

Strobist is about one thing: Learning how to use off-camera flash with your DSLR to take your photos to the next level. Or the next 10 levels. If you’re a complete beginner at lighting, no worries. The free Lighting 101 course starts from the very beginning, and can get you up and running fast.

10. 500px

Connect with like-minded people at online photography community 500px

If it's inspirational images you're after then look no further than 500px. Founded by Oleg Gutsol and Evgeny Tchebotarev, this online photography community is a place to gain exposure, find inspiration and connect with other photographers. The site has had a recent redesign, and with a library of over six million photos you'll never run out of pretty pictures to look at and feel inspired by.

11. The Photo Argus

Find helpful tips, tricks and techniques on photography blog The Photo Argus

The Photo Argus is an online resource for photographers – from novice users to advanced pros. The site provides useful information, inspiration, techniques, photographer showcases and more. Find what you're looking for using the organised topic sections or browse through the Popular Posts and the most up-to-date articles on the homepage.

12. PetaPixel

Tutorials cover a range of topics

PetaPixel is a website offering tutorials, news and kit. The tutorials are imaginative and practical, offering videos and screen grabs to guide you through each step. 

Equipment covers new camera, lens and other photography kit announcements, but doesn't include reviews (you'll need to look elsewhere for those). News covers all sorts of interesting developments in the photography world – both hilarious and informative.

13. Photography Week

Photography Week is a digital magazine

While not technically a website, Photography Week is a digital magazine, so we're including it here. Packed with beautiful photography, it offers heaps of fresh inspiration every week. 

Full disclosure: It's another of our sister titles, also made by Future Publishing. Get it on iPad and iPhone, Android devices or through Zinio for multiple devices, including computers.

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Visit hongkiat.com for full content.

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CreativeBloq/~3/r6tTthQ-0b0/5-tips-for-better-typesetting

Typesetting – the business of putting text on a page – is one of those design disciplines that might look straightforward enough to the casual observer, but which is actually full of potential pitfalls. There's more to it than choosing a decent font pairing and hoping for the best.

The secrets of typesetting

Bad typesetting can be just as hard on the eye as an ill-considered palette or a poorly-executed logo design, and there's no way around it: you have to take your time learning the basics. If you follow these expert tips, though, you should find that the path to typesetting expertise becomes much easier to follow.

01. Take your time

"Getting typesetting right is something that will largely come with time," says Michelle Stocks of Nelson Bostock Unlimited. "So just keep practising, and don't get put off when it doesn't look good immediately. I recommend looking at a lot of inspiration too, because it helps you get an idea of what works well together."

02. Keep studying 

"First you need to learn the tools: font size, leading, tracking, horizontal and vertical scaling, paragraph styling, language settings and grid systems," says Maya Walters of Hogarth Worldwide. "Then you need to extend your knowledge: there's always something new to learn. Read a book on typography and set challenges for yourself to put your new skills into practice, such as working on a personal project."

03. Read books

For reading matter, Luke Tonge of LIFE suggests Type Matters! by Jim Williams and Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton. And if you really want to treat yourself, he adds, The Visual History of Type by Paul McNeil is "the best book on type this year". 

04. Use online resources 

"There are countless online resources to help you improve your skills too," says Tonge. "They include ilovetypography.com, typographher.com, letterformarchive.org, typewolf.com and fontsinuse.com. Plus, on Twitter there are heaps of amazing foundries, magazines, designers, publications and organisations to follow, to further immerse yourself in the world of type." 

05. Clients come first

"Above all, find out about the client's needs when it comes to typesetting," says Walters. "Do they have guidelines and styles? If so, they should be made a prime consideration for the typography you create."

This article was originally published in issue 274 of Computer Arts, the global design magazine. Buy issue 274 here or subscribe to Computer Arts here.

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Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/1stwebdesigner/~3/QRpxLSW_MSM/

There is no denying that people are visual by nature. They love simplicity and familiarity. So it should come as no surprise that people will form an impression of your website within seconds of landing on it.

As a result, websites today are in high competition with one another, no matter the niche.

Storytelling through web design, one of the most compelling ways to grab a site visitor’s attention without overwhelming them, has recently emerged as one of the biggest design trends to hit the market.

It is not easy to master the art of storytelling using web design. It takes a keen eye, an understanding of your target audience, and a well thought-out storyline that will resonate with visitors. However, when done right, people will remember your brand, your website and your beautiful story.

In this article, we are going to share with you some of the best examples of storytelling in web design.

Analysing London 2012

With the 2018 Winter Olympic Games underway, it seems fitting to showcase this beautiful celebration of the 2012 London Games. Using smooth parallax scrolling, which makes following the timeline easy, fascinating facts to give the story continuity, and clear, simple imagery to complement the story, GoSquared Analytics does an incredible job of bringing the site visitor into this piece of history.

Patagonia

Patagonia’s marketing efforts are geared towards a very specific audience, and they do this well with their visual appeal. Their imagery focuses on everyday people, rather than high end fashion models, which makes their products more relatable.

Not to mention the visual story they tell on their site supports their core values and dedication to finding solutions to the current environmental crisis. It’s powerful enough to convince anyone to get involved.

Internet Live Stats

Internet Live Stats takes a unique approach to storytelling on their site. Using startling statistics, such as the fact that 7,927 Tweets go out every second, paired with just as startling imagery to complement their statistics, this is undeniably more effective than a simple sentence stating the facts.

And, to make matters even more interesting, there is a timer on the page adding up how many Tweets have been Tweeted since opening the page x seconds ago. Talk about putting things into perspective.

Twoodie

Twoodie draws on the heartstrings of parents from all over, while focusing on the fact that they, as a company, put families first and want health to take precedence. They show that imagination, creativity and minimalism lay at the heart of their brand.

And when it comes to imagery, Twoodie takes an effective approach. Using beautiful black and white photos of children playing with their toys (that are showcased in color) gives the reader a sense of nostalgia and warmth – which not many toy shops can say they do for their customers. In addition, this non-traditional approach of highlighting toys in such calming colors only adds to their brand message and solidifies their promise to simplify your life.

The Wild Unknown

When it comes to storytelling in web design, brand promotion is not limited to websites. In fact, visual platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram can have powerful effects on people’s desire to take action and buy or subscribe based on the images they see in their social media feed.

The Wild Unknown has a visually stunning Instagram feed that not only promotes their products, but relates images to the current time, how people feel, and what may drive people to want to do better things with their lives. This is much more effective than simply saying “Buy me because I’m great.” Instead, they make the visitor feel great – and that is enough to encourage them to take action.