Understanding the goals, purpose, and expectations of a project are vital to creating a successful and meaningful outcome. Keeping the goals in mind and using them as a measuring stick for success throughout all stages of the process is key.
Another key to success is making sure everyone involved in the project is in the loop regarding those goals and on the same page of the process. On a recent project, it was crucial that design and photography worked in tandem to create a cohesive vision that worked well with messaging. It was a fun and successful collaboration with the amazing Lance Nelson, who took the time to understand the project and listen to our needs as well as understand the goals of the client and the project.
Our client was The University of Michigan’s Department of Social Work. Their goal was to create a campaign promoting the importance and impact of fatherhood in Genesee County. To that end, we developed a poster series that would be displayed around Flint. Fun fact: The client called us because they loved our work on the Breastfeeding Campaign developed for the Ingham County Health Department. The client wanted something equally authentic. They wanted to avoid anything resembling studio portraits of fathers with children. (We absolutely agreed.)
Prior to the shoot, I worked with Lance to outline the right image configuration, saturation, and angles to successfully match our vision. I provided our concept work, showcasing how images and text might work together and what the overall tone and direction would be. This allowed him to envision the final product as it was in my head. Sometimes, that is half the battle!
The day of the shoot, we worked together in real time, so every photo captured the very best of our dads and their kids. It’s the best way to ensure the vision for the project remains consistent from concept to design to completion.
This project was a blast to work on. Not only did we get to collaborate and make new friends, but we also met some pretty incredible fathers who care so much about their future and the future of their children.
Also: It’s safe to say I got my baby fix.
