Art Direction
Our photographs are portraits of people at work and in their element. They are warm, direct and honest, and they give every story its sense of place.
Photography
- LightAlways prioritize natural light.
- ApertureShoot between f/1 and f/4, so the subject stands apart from the room.
- ShutterAlways shoot at 1/125 or faster.
- CompositionCompose on the rule of thirds, and leave room for the setting.
Flash
After dark, at our parties, launches and late shifts, we switch to direct flash.
Flash catches the details and keeps the energy of the room: close crops, bright faces and deep shadows behind them.
Editing
- ContrastHigh contrast, most of the time.
- ColorAccentuate the natural colors in the scene, especially blues, greens and oranges.
- ExposureExpose for the subject. Adjust shadows and midtones once the subject is right.
- GradeUsually go warm in the shadows and midtones.
- DetailAdd a touch of sharpness.
- CropCrop to 4×5 or 8×10 for Instagram.
Illustration
Illustration gives our Palate Cleansers, the short humor pieces between features, their own voice. Most are drawn by Sara Kashani-Sabet.
The drawings are made in ink: loose, dashed line work with solid black fills, on open warm white pages.
Let drawings and text share the page
An illustration can reach into a column, and the text can wrap around it. In Family Style, a hand tips a martini over the page and the column bends to follow it.
