SPECIAL ISSUE: August's SPORT FISHING magaine

Special Issue: JULY's SUNSET

Special Issue: JUNE Traveler special

SPECIAL ISSUE: May Feature

Barista Magazine was perhaps too obvious a choice for May's Special Issue given InHouse's relationship to the coffee, coffee shops, coffee growers, barista judging, barista training, etc.  That said, it's also appropriate and timely (having just seen the World Barista Championship come and go in the month of June) so off we go to the land of coffee.

Barista Magazine's design/layout went under the knife pretty recently providing yet another fascinating study topic.  What trends were they following? What standards are they setting now? What specific choices did they make with their remodel with regard to ditching design elements (or hanging onto them)?  The new look was overdue -- they went 7 full years with the same masthead and cover design. It will be interesting to see how this cover design evolves.

For these covers, two black and white photos from Zambia's Barista Championship were chosen. We've presented two different layouts.  These options would give an editorial board two very different covers to choose to publish.  And, for Barista magazine, either would be a 'black and white' first.

Barista Magazine's inside is done by a fabulous and highly specialized 'industry' design shop in Portland, Oregon (Pail Design). If you ever get a chance to peak INSIDE this publication, it's a feast for the eyes and well worth tracking down a current and back issues as it's chock full of fascinating information -- all beautifully and creatively presented.

Maybe what we really need to do is to start an AFRICAN BARISTA Magazine?  Oh dear...what fun trouble are we going to get into next?

InHouse is proud to have contributed photos from Zambia's Barista Competition to Barista Magazine's online blog and their coverage of competitors in the World Barista Championship held in Melbourne, Australia at the end of May.

SPECIAL ISSUE: April Feature

"Triathlete" has been in the works for a while.  As a study project, it was put on hold as we tended to clients and met other deadlines.  BUSY IS GOOD!  The particulars for this project are interesting from many technical perspectives:  their choice of fonts (they use a lot of different and fairly obvious fonts but alter them all significantly), the use of photography (most of their cover photos are action shots and have several layers with the masthead sandwiched in between), and mixing colours.  "Triathlete" also does not have a single set of fonts they use from issue to issue -- they really change things up from month to month; issues share the masthead (which is very oddly positioned on the page and creeps over both the right and left printed borders) and little else.

We considered a dozen photos and even did a pool photo shoot.  The pool shoot was great fun but the results were disappointing:  the pool chemicals were not cooperating (it was just cloudy enough to make the photos not quite clear) and quite frankly, our underwater camera is not meant for this use and the quality of the photos were disappointing when they were made life-size.

I'll be highlighting some new partner companies (and their services) in the coming weeks as well as catching up on Special Issues for May and June!  Thanks for insisting on finally seeing our SPECIAL ISSUE April Feature. 

SPECIAL ISSUE: March Feature

This is the third installment of our SPECIAL ISSUE project.  As mentioned previously, we hope to carry on with a new magazine cover 'study' each month.  The topic must be timely and unique and of course, it has to be a challenge!  The challenge this month was a mix of planning, logistics and styling.

The options for this cover were limited.  I had decided in advance that I wanted a cake....but it was the cake we were eating, not the cake I was making for a photoshoot.  For this cover-photo, the cake was cut and ready to be served to hungry guests...the lighting was rotten and the cake's middle ice cream layer was threatening to melt. In short, there was not time for styling or planning the 'shot' needed except to make sure there was something that could be used for this purpose. I had about 4 minutes and only one chance and time to dash off a few quick shots of the cake uncut, cut, and some of the slice, the cake and the slice....you get the picture. Photojournalism meets food-styling.

The basic layout was already set (based on the cover studies) and I wanted a quick turnaround and the pressure of a deadline.  The cake was devoured immediately after the photos were taken but for a few chocolately crumbs; the chance to re-shoot has passed.  From a dozen or so images this one worked the best.  Others were better photos but with the layout, this was the most suitable.

For any photoshoot it is so important to have the final product in mind.  If the final product is not yet known, you really have to be sure to cover your bases:  get landscape and portrait shots that you love, pay attention to details, and commit to using photos in their most 'natural' state.  Photoshop can do magic but the best photos are ones that are very carefully composed, where the photographer has done everything with the camera to get it press ready with just a few touchups - or ideally, none at all.

The photographer must pay attention to all the technical details as well as the aesthetic.  They must compose an image that draws attention away from the things they can't change. This is as true for a cake as it is for a person....it's easier to sweep up a stray crumb (for the cake) or brush a few unruly hairs (for the person) than is it so try to 'clean up' a messy photo after the fact.  And truth be told, if I've extensively photoshopped an image of my own, I rarely like the final product.  Technically it could look just fine but as the photographer I'll know the things that were corrected, covered up, wiped away... changed.

I remain committed to the advice given by photographer Michael Wang: take a good photo....don't crop, don't photoshop...just take a good photo.  And in his memory, I carry on.  I also can't leave things well enough alone, so I went back to the remaining slices this morning and put together this 'staged' and  'styled' version of  the same magazine.  Same project but a totally different challenge.

Open Book

A quick project...

SPECIAL ISSUE: February Feature

 Here is the second installment of our SPECAL ISSUE.  For 2013, InHouse plans to put together a new magazine cover each month. The idea behind this project is to set aside some time for study.  The choices for images, font, masthead, colours, layout, formatting, etc are far from arbitrary.  And for a magazine cover -- as opposed to a one-off poster or brochure -- these elements must be consistent from issue to issue, no matter the topic.  As with many design projects, a magazine layout 'works' when the reader recognizes the magazine (and all it's familiar elements) but actually notices the story.  The magazine needs to be familiar enough to keep readers/customers buying every month but also different enough so the reader/customer knows that it's a new, exciting issue sitting on the store shelf for them.

(The first SPECIAL ISSUE)

Oh, Boy. (7) A Portrait Study in B&W

These portraits are far from the traditional portrait style.  So far in fact, that they are more 'studies' than anything.  I'm feeling particularly sentimental about being a parent lately and wanted to capture and share a few moments in my young son's life. He was out playing with a tiny remote control boat he bought himself with his 'christmas money.'

This study shows a style of photography I love to do and recently returned to.  

New Partnership: One Way + InHouse

In order to provide better, more comprehensive service to InHouse clients in Zambia, InHouse Design Studio proudly announces a new business relationship with "One Way Zambia."  Together with Inhouse, One Way can provide clients with high quality corporate branding products (everything from key chains to uniforms) in addition to digital designs, photography and printer-ready advertisements.

One Way is working hard on behalf of it's clients to make sure that 100% of the product they deliver to retail customers (at their Woodlands Shopping Centre shop, the Duty-Free shop at the KK International Airport, and the Mosi Kiosk at the Manda Hill Shopping Centre) and custom-corporate clients is of the highest quality and delivered in a timely manner.

Visit the One Way shop in Woodlands (upstairs from the Blue Moon Cafe) to see their products first hand.