PHOTOGRAPHY/RETOUCHING: A NEW DIMENSION
3D software is revolutionising photography, says Recom Farmhouse’s Christoph Bolten

3D rendering has seriously changed the process of print production. It has gained an importance that 10 years ago nobody would have dared to predict. This process is just the beginning though.

Soft- and hardware are still fast devel­oping, continuously making CGI easier, faster and more realistic. As time develops, CGI will continue to replace certain fields of photography, while in other areas it will become just another tool used to complement a photograph. For example: a prototype of a new car has been constructed, but not with the correct rims. The car can still be photo­graphed and the missing rims easily be added with CGI.

One case that is being applied on a daily basis already is the traditional location shoot for a car campaign, where the car is rendered into the location afterwards, but it can work the other way around: you have a physical car, but can’t find the right location, so the car is photographed in a studio and the location built in 3D. The number of possible combinations is infinite and with an open- minded approach combined with competent and honest advice from a CGI post-house, you can be rewarded with amazing, never-thought-of possibilities and results.

A re-occurring issue is the lack of high-quality CAD data for rendering. While today a vast majority of products are being designed with 3D software, the resulting high-quality models are not always being made available for CGI.

However many bigger companies like Mercedes Benz and Porsche already have departments in place that look after their ‘virtual garage’, which consists of high- quality polygonal models. These models have been cleaned up to manageable file sizes with various resolutions required for different CGI projects, but don’t contain the actual data enabling them for manufac­tur­ing anymore. A lot of other manufacturers will still have to go through this learning curve in order to be able to fully exploit the advantages of CGI.

Another problem for photographers on mixed CGI/photography productions so far has been that they are on location, but don’t have a physical product in front of their camera. They have to take a picture of the landscape and imagine what the car would look like in this landscape. Then each plate has to be imported into a 3D package and the virtual camera adjusted by hand, which is a very slow and counter-intuitive process. However Recom Farmhouse has a real-time tracking programme with future releases aimed at incorporating a real-time rendering solution, making it possible for the photographer on-set to take a picture with a digital camera, and in real-time see a photorealistic rendering of the car on screen – with the physically correct perspective! Move the camera a bit higher, take another picture, and the angle of the car on screen will adjust accordingly. This tool solves the problem of not having a product on set, which still scares many art directors and photographers away from ‘going CGI’.

For photographers, another exciting opportunity in this field will be the combi­nation of realtime technology with the intro­duction of new packages that are much less complex than Maya for example. These will eventually allow a photographer to light a 3D product him or herself, leaving only the initial model set-up, final rendering and retouching to the post-production house. Overall, there is no need for photographers and art directors to feel threatened by CGI – it won’t take their jobs away, but will instead give them new creative possibilities. One thing though they shouldn’t do: ignore it.

Above: Client: Verband der Deutschen Automobil Industrie. Agency: Zum Goldenen Hirschen, Berlin. Art director: Felix Nowack. Photo: Hans-Peter Schroeder. Car modelling: Tim Mews. CGI director/artist, compositing: Christoph Bolten
farmhousepost.com

TYPOGRAPHY: LEADING CHARACTERS
‘Clean’ and ‘legible’ are no longer bywords for ‘safe’ and ‘boring’ type, says Fontworks’ Joe Graham

It won’t have escaped your attention that the world's most famous/ infamous typeface, Helvetica, turned 50 years of age in 2007. The movie, the bbc documentary, the newspaper articles, blogs, T-shirt... there was just no getting away from it. Love it or loathe it (and Helvetica does tend to divide opinion like no other), it’s safe to say that it will still be ‘top of the fonts’ in 50 years’ time.

In a sense Helvetica and its myriad deriv­atives are trendproof (trendless?); reliable, steady, safe, characterless and thus largely immune to change. The conservative, legible sans serif letterform has traditionally been the type tool of choice for those wishing to communicate or advertise in a low risk, func­tional manner, where the message or product is key and the type style of secondary import­ance. No longer however; organisa­tions are now making more considered type choices and realising that fonts are essential resources that require proper licensing as part of their software licensing compliance policies.

There will always be demand for fresh new alternative sans serif typefaces but thankfully ‘clean’ and ‘legible’ are no longer bywords for boring and traditional. Erik Spiekermann’s Meta and Luc[as] de Groot’s Thesis families kickstarted the emergence of the ‘text face with a twist’ back in the 90s, a trickle that became a torrent this decade and shows no sign of slowing in the years ahead due to the huge growth of independent micro foundries empowered by the web and ever-improving development tools. Micro sites too, dedicated to big-selling individual typefaces, are set to appear with more regularity in 2009. And Mr de Groot will almost certainly keep extending his Thesis über family, ultra thin TheSans Hair being the latest addition.
Contemporary sans serifs haven’t had it all their own way though. Slab serifs are back in vogue, modern serif designs are growing in popularity and customer-friendly rounded type styles will continue to sell well. But it’s the rise of the informal hand­written ‘smart script’ that will know no bounds as clients and end users embrace the creative possibilities of OpenType technology. Recent scripts such as Nick Cooke’s Olicana and Nick Shinn's Duffy contain multiple ligatures and coded contex­tual alternates which create wonderfully authentic pseudo-random effects when set in ot savvy applications; similar automated features were programmed into custom fonts by Fontworks for hotels.com and Cobra Beer in 2008.

We’re ushering in an unprecedented period of design and tech­nol­ogy symbiosis that will challenge type designers as companies become more knowl­edgeable about the benefits of OpenType. Users are becoming more discerning and ultimately more demanding when selecting a new font or commissioning a custom typeface. The world is shrinking and multi-lingual OpenType fonts are now a must for any corporate with global expansion in mind. The Middle East is rivalling Russia and the Far East as the hot new typographic playground and companies such as bg Group are learning that additional Arabic and Cyrillic language coverage can be accom­modated into their existing (corporate) fonts relatively easily thanks to OpenType.

We live in a society increasingly dominated by ‘brand culture’ and there is no greater branding tool than the bespoke/ custom typeface to make a corporate identity stand out. Agencies and their clients are becoming more adventurous in their type specifications and becoming more conscious of how quality type (as opposed to the free rubbish that litters the internet) can assist their busi­nesses. Type’s Caroline Archer is in no doubt that, to negotiate our self-service, automated, online, diy world we need the help of good typographic design: “As relations between organisations and their customers become more informational and less physical, quality and competitive advantage will be redefined. Business performance will depend on the quality of information design: successful companies will be those with the best design.”

Olicana by Nick Cooke
Fontworks UK Ltd: type.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY: KEEPING IT REAL
2009 will see a focus on real people with attainable lifestyles, says LPA’s Lisa Pritchard

As I sit here with my peroxide milkmaid braids, midriff top and ripped jeans, drinking my persimmon tea, it occurs to me that I might have been slightly influ­enced by my research for trends in 2009....

Anyhow, back to the matter in hand, and being a photographers’ agent and stills producer, a subject on which I’m more qualified. What does 2009 have in store for commercial photography? What images will be prevalent? What effect will economic downturn, increasing ecological awareness and ever-faster moving technology have on the way we commission photography?

Let’s first look at anticipated consumer behaviour for this year and the general zeitgeist. After all, the images associated with products and services, either for the general public or in more specialised areas, need to reflect this if they are to be effective.

In this financially vulnerable environment, we want to go back to what’s familiar and trustworthy – back to basics and 50s family values: a more simplistic and less materialistic approach, but with the odd little luxury to lighten the mood. We want to feel good for less money and will be partaking in more activities at home – the home will be restaurant, spa and entertain­ment centre. The trends for hobbies in 2009 include diy, cooking, gardening and sewing. We’ll be improving our homes rather than trying to sell them. We’ll appreciate the countryside and coastland nearer home, taking holidays and weekend breaks in the UK, decreasing our spending and our carbon footprint.

The choice is quality of life above posses­sions, comfort and safety over aspiration. This shift in attitude and lifestyle will be reflected in the images we see used in commer­cial photography. Images will be real, uplifting and authentic, emotionally engaging and memorable. Photography will not be surreal, clever and contrived. Images reflect day-to-day activities and the prevailing sense of caution but still the desire to indulge occa­sionally. We want to see warm, inspiring images, perhaps with fun elements but never cynical. We want them to make us feel good, whether it’s a stunning urban landscape, a beautifully lit still life or an evocative portrait. Styling is natural not bling, earthy soft colour palettes, with just a touch of luxury. Models look like real people, the characters they portray have desirable but attainable life­styles. Locations are credible, think London Fields lido not a beach in Barbados; comfort­able home, not minimalist apartment.

So how will clients be spending their photography budgets this year? Advertisers want more for their money when marketing budgets are subjected to even greater constraints: they need a solution that can show a return on investment.

It’s all about owning the brand: fewer one-off campaigns, more image libraries that can be used across all media-from bill­boards to websites. I’m not talking stock photography that can be licensed anywhere and is not consistent in style or content, but customisation and commissioning your own resource. Images will encapsulate the brand ethos by styling, type of models portrayed, colour tones and composition.

With ever-evolving technology, the need for a clear, simple message and an instantly recognisable image is as important as ever. We should be able to immediately associate an image with a brand, whether we see it in a magazine or on our mobile phone. Digital media will continue to be a sensible place to put your money, guerrilla advertising may see a resurgence.

Shoots will be approached in a way that is appropriate to the budget available and in the spirit of the climate. A lot of agents will be doing more in-house production, street casting , location scouting and styling. The tried and tested ways of production logistics may not always be the best option.

It is with this in mind that I have recently set up lpa Production and lpa Style, for example. With an in-house team of producers, casting directors, location scouts, stylists and hair/make-up artists, we are able to offer extremely competitive rates on shoots rather than outsourcing to freelancers. The artists are selected for their relevant experience and understand­ing of our industry and brand values – we don’t use fashion stylists unless we are styling a fashion shoot. We offer the whole production service not just to the photo­graphers we represent but to anyone who needs a shoot produced.
And finally, which photographers (and agents?!) are going to be busy this year? Well, anyone that is sympathetic and adapt­able to clients’ needs. Gone are the days when its two shots a day for an extor­tionate rate and a miniscule usage by some prima donna with four assistants and an attitude.

There may be a surge for upcoming talent whose daily rates are lower and whose enthusiasm is off the Richter scale. I have seen some great success recently with lpa Futures, a division of my company representing up and coming talent that changes every two years. The next group will be selected by a panel of esteemed industry experts in a competition we are holding. There’s just about time to enter and the work of the winners will be showcased  at a private view in May.

Don’t get me wrong, this will never replace the more established professional photographer with invaluable years of experience, but with the added security of an established agent and producer it could sometimes be an ideal option

So these are my predictions for 2009 – along with Gordon Brown being forced out of office, a long awaited daughter for the Beckhams and the last ever series of Big Brother – hurrah!

From a bank of images created by lpa for Vodafone on behalf of ad agency Dare. Photographer: Nancy Honey
lisapritchard.com

PAPER: IT'S IN OUR HANDS
Paper suppliers and designers must stress the value of print, says Fedrigoni’s Pari Taylor

In the past year, the European paper industry has undergone an unprece­dented number of changes due to economic and environmental factors. Many mills across Europe have been forced into admin­is­tration due to weakening demand as well as rising energy and raw material costs. Curtis Fine Papers in Scotland is a prime example of this and in the future we expect the landscape of paper production to continue to change.

The key to survival in these changing times for paper producers is to concentrate on high-value-added products and market niches where quality and innovation are the key drivers rather than simply cost. In order to adapt to these changing times, paper companies need to listen to the demands of designers, specifiers and printer customers.

One way to get closer to customers is to provide a physical space in which they can come in, see samples, get technical informa­tion and talk about their needs. For example, we have recently opened in a showroom in London’s Clerkenwell which provides these services. We hope this will allow us to understand better the needs of designers and the rest of our target audience and adapt accordingly.

One of the areas in which there will continue to be great change is in the provision of environmentally sustainable papers. Consumers are now much more environmentally aware and are driving this trend for ecological raw materials. At Fedrigoni, for example, the large majority of our products are now fsc certified and we have developed a broad range of recycled products to respond to this need.

We also predict that the drive towards short-run, digital printing will continue in the year ahead. Smaller marketing budgets as well as more targeted campaigns have led to a huge increase in digital printing. This has had a knock-on effect for paper compa­nies as digital printing presses require bespoke papers in order to cope with differ­ent sheet sizes, surface treat­ments and moisture levels. Paper companies, including ourselves, have, in response developed specialist ranges for digital use.

In 2009 we believe that there will be a trend back to very high gloss, cast coated papers. This trend has started in 2008 and according to our customers will continue to grow next year. Furthermore, whilst the uncoated trend will also continue, it will be for recycled uncoated with a more natural, earthy feel.

In these times of economic uncertainty, one of the first areas of spend to be cut is usually marketing and promotional activity. It is in the interest of paper companies, designers and printers to convince clients that they should be doing the exact opposite in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Instead of relying heavily on anonymous electronic communication such as web and email, companies need to strengthen their corporate identity and image through the use of high quality printed material.

2009 will undoubtedly be a difficult year for the paper industry with more consolida­tion within the sector. Paper suppliers will have to continually adapt their offer by listening to the needs of their customers in these changing times and responding accordingly through innovation, product development and service.

This year’s D&AD annual, designed by Research Studios, was printed on Fedrigoni paper with text pages on Freelife Satin 130gsm, endpapers and cover on Splendorgel ew 300gsm and a slipcase produced on Sirio Black/Black 700gsm
fedrigoni.co.uk

SOFTWARE: DEATH TO THE WHITEBOARD
The new wave of admin software offers a better way to keep track, says Streamtime’s Phillip Sunderland

A normal-sized silicon chip (less than 8mm wide) stores more infor­mation than the eniac computer – which occupied a city block. The eniac computer of 1949 was 80 feet long and weighed 30 tons. A cheap pc off the shelf at some bargain computer warehouse bought today would be over 50,000 times faster and store more than a million times the information.

The increase in technology has been nothing short of epic. The first vcr (made in 1956) was the size of a piano, and took years to create and build. Today, there are more than a billion transistors manufac­tured every second!

We live in a world of changing trends and innovation, where 80% of the products that will be sold in 20 years’ time haven’t even been invented. We conceive and produce creative work using software so advanced it makes anything you can think of a digital reality. And yet, our screens and desks are filled with Post-It notes and cumbersome diaries. Our timesheets are scribbled loosely on random sheets of paper. Our financial reporting is delivered many months too late, via an accountant who doesn’t know how to help creatives make solid strategic decisions for their business.

Some trends never seem to change. Trying to get a creative person to fill in time­sheets has always been one of life’s true challenges. It’s just as difficult to get an account manager to fill in all the detail they discussed with the client in the two-hour briefing session. And tracking every job and project effectively through the studio, ensuring all deadlines are met and the client’s expectations are exceeded, is also a potential minefield. And yet, these three functions are para­mount to any successful business and can mean the difference between profit and the poorhouse.

Creative companies sell time. They often have other add-ons and gain commission from other sources they on-sell, but essen­tially time is the foundation of the business. This isn’t unlike most service professions, such as lawyers, tradespeople and account­ants. And yet, unlike those other professions, the creative often leaves the paperwork till last, invoicing at 2am after the end of the month has finished, with most consumables and disbursements not finding their way onto the job sheet.

Sounds like a business operating at full potential? If you said no, you would be right. It isn’t. Nowhere near it. And yet for at least 80% of creative businesses, this is the norm. If only the creative person knew how much time they were slipping. If only the business knew how profitable each client was and where their staff spent most of their time. If only they realised how much each little incidental cost added up to over a year. The simple truth is that the financial crisis is not rumour, but reality. You can no longer run your business in a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants way.

Up till now, one of the main reasons tech­nology has failed to address this problem has been its functionality and misfit in a creative context. Drawing, 3d modelling, design, film editing and web development software pack­ages have all been tailored to the creative mind, as have all the amazing hardware they run on. The design aesthetic is in harmony with the surrounding environ­ment of the studio. Everything fits in this space, and the items that don’t fit stay well away.

Looking for an example of functional products that don’t fit the design aesthetic? Try accounting and administration software. If a tool thinks it has a use in a creative environment, it has to earn its place. Creatives solve problems for their clients every day. They are trained to look at a product or service and see its flaws and strengths. They know how to provide solutions to everyday problems, which is why they demand that from the companies that aim to sell to them. Apple computers understood this years ago. Sadly, most timesheet and production management software hasn’t. It has paraded itself like a wannabe – the social misfit on the edge of the party, holding a beer, trying to look like they belong.

Finally, creative people have begun to look at administrative tools for their industry, which is why products like Streamtime have come of age. Never before in this category, have there been solutions that truly under­stood how a day works in a creative studio. Finally, creatives have studio management products designed by creatives. The new trend is knowing how your business actually works, rather than second-guessing strategic decisions. And with all the belt-tightening happening, it’s not a moment too soon.

In the same way the best software almost seems to know what you are wanting to do, a product like Streamtime delivers a logical left-to-right way of tracking a job or project through the studio. It provides a place to collate all client information and deliver it
in a way that all staff can access and take advantage of. The whiteboard used to be the centre of the studio, but its inability to be kept up to date and stop triple handling of information has meant it has been left well behind. Today the new way is one location for all your critical information. Timesheets are now easy to follow and quick to use.

But the main benefit in having one portal for all information is in the reporting capabil­ities. With all this time, job and project-based information and client data, the real-time reporting features mean you can analyse any staff member, any client or any job at any time. The way to make great decisions in 2009 for your business is by understanding the past and the present. If you don’t monitor, you can’t manage. Oh, and don’t forget the best benefit: you can actually go home and rest at the end of the day, knowing that technology is helping you keep on top of everything. Your partner (and kids) may just appreciate that....
previewstreamtime.com

CGI: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
The rise of CGI is opening up a host of new opportunities , says Taylor James’s Glen Taylor

the last two years has seen a dramatic change in print post-production with the growth of computer generated imagery (CGI). Although widely used for many years in film and TV, CGI has only recently made an impact on high-reso­lution print and the photo­graphic industry.

CGI offers the potential to create any image you can imagine, to photo-realistic quality, without using any photography. This ‘virtual’ process can bring massive benefits to any production, from creating the impossible and overcoming shoot logistics to huge time and cost savings, so it’s easy to see why the convenience of a one stop creative studio, like Taylor James, is so appealing to advertising and digital agencies.

With the advent of new technologies and the ever-increasing skill of CGI artists, new avenues are opening up to CGI that have previously remained closed. For example, we recently did a job for Invega (shown here) which featured a woman climbing out of her own skin. Creating something as organic as skin is regarded as the ultimate challenge for CGI and this shows just how far the industry has come.

The possibilities don’t stop there. Once you have all the CGI ‘parts’ in place, they can be brought to life as 3D animations and re-purposed across various media for consistent cross-platform branding. This maximises the return on investment, whilst spreading the cost across multiple media spends. Last year we completed a multi-media production for Motorola, depicting an idealistic North American city. Starting as a print campaign, we then conceived the idea to develop this into an interactive site where you can navigate the city to view the products in different scenarios. This complex job combining cgi, photography and post-production took three months and the results have been winning awards ever since. We expect jobs like this, getting multiple uses out of the 3D models and combining budgets, to become increasingly popular as the industry shifts towards this direction.

Clients, however, have varying experi­ences of working with 3d and some can be nervous of using it for the first time, being unsure of what can be achieved. To demystify the process, it is important to develop clear and concise services for managing 3D produc­tions. For example, we employ a 5-milestone process which we call Realworld Rendering™.

With CGI, where literally anything is possible, it is the responsibility of post-production houses to make sure clients get exactly what they envisaged, so every job follows a clear and understandable path. Using workflow with multiple sign-off stages and open communication throughout the process keeps the process cost-effective and productive. It also helps to share content throughout the process – we even display step-by-step case studies on our website. Increasingly, we are being called upon to take the creative lead on a job, where we can recommend and direct the most effective solutions to a creative brief.

With the rise of digital advertising, on escalators, underground platforms and online, there will be an increasing amount of content for such media over the coming year. 2009 is of course going to be a time of change in the economy at large. We all recog­nise that purse strings need to be tightened and productions need to be delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible. Providing a complete production across print, interactive and broadcast media makes the best of even the most demanding timescales and helps clients to consolidate their budgets.

Client: Invega. Photographer: Lindsay Hopkinson. CGI: Taylor James
taylorjames.com

The above content is taken from our February 2009 Trends supplement. If you are interested in being involved with our next edition, please call Jon on +44 (0)207 970 6280 or email jon.cockley@centaur.co.uk