A couple have successfully sued their wedding photographer for his shoddy coverage of their big day. Anyone can point a camera at a happy couple, but what pitfalls do the professionals face?
The memorable shots from Marc and Sylvia Day's wedding are unusual, to say the least. Decapitated guests, a ceremony hardly visible through the gloom, and random close-ups of... not the bouquet, or a snatched kiss, but of carriage wheels.
The three-year-old bridesmaid - caught in one snap without her clothes on - could have done a better job.
The Days are so upset that they've taken their photographer to court for breach of contract over the £1,450 photo and video package.
But how hard can it be to get great shots at a happy occasion, where everyone is dressed up in picturesque locations? Most guests bring along their own cameras, after all.
Harder than it looks, says Paul Cudmore, a past winner of Wedding Photographer of the Year, who has been in the business for 18 years.
"It's all about emotions and capturing emotions. And obviously you've got to look out for vans driving past in the background."
The secret is in the planning - knowing what the bride and bridegroom want, who will be there, where the best locations are.
Then there are the timings.
"Brides are always late arriving, so you have perhaps four or five minutes to get shots you'd normally spend an hour on.
A guest told me that at the last wedding she went to, the photographers were blowing whistles at them
Paul Cudmore
"And brides and grooms - most of whom haven't been married before - don't realise that it can take quarter of an hour for people to leave the church and assemble for photos. I've had reception venues phoning me to ask where everyone is."
Most tricky of all is the group shot most couples want, if not for themselves, then for Mum and Dad, Auntie Mabel, and their grandparents.
To get that many people to stand in the right place, to look in the right direction - and to smile at the right time - can be like herding cats.
"It's all about communication, making the guests and the wedding party feel relaxed and happy," says Mr Cudmore. "At one wedding, a guest told me that at the last wedding she went to, the photographers were blowing whistles at them."
One of Neil Thayer's wedding shots
Neil Thayer, a wedding photographer based in Bath, says it's the photographer's job to keep everyone happy.
"It's like getting all your family together at Christmas - some people don't get on, there are husbands and wives who have split up and come together for this big set-piece. There can be a lot of tension. On one job I was on, there was very nearly a fight."
And even if fisticuffs aren't on the horizon, many of those being photographed simply want to crack on with the celebrating. They complain that the photos are taking too long, and itch to get off to the bar.
How does Mr Thayer keep things moving along, and still get the right shots? "I never stop talking to people, even if it's making silly jokes. I always make sure I work with the ushers, and know their names - because they will know the names of the people I don't."
Camera trouble
Then there are the naturalistic reportage shots popular with couples today. The only trouble is, people often freeze when they sense a camera lens pointing in their direction.
"They stop, crack a smile, then say 'Are you finished?' I say yes, they breathe a sigh of relief, relax, and start talking and laughing again. I keep shooting," says Mr Thayer.
There's more to it than fancy kit
"The bride and groom are not often together," says Mr Cudmore. "She'll be on one side of the room talking to someone, and he on the other. You have to instruct them to stand next to each other - not fake reportage, but staged reportage."
Both live in fear of mechanical failure, whether it's a camera card corrupting (which happened once to Mr Cudmore) or car trouble (Mr Thayer locked his keys in the boot and almost missed the reception).
"I always take two cameras and three or four lenses," says Mr Thayer.
"You've got to have back-up kit - I always take double. And I always pack a needlework kit in my bag in case of accidents," adds Mr Cudmore, who often finds himself helping to tie cravats and advising relatives on which side of the church to sit.
And if there are small children involved?
"So many people tell them 'you've got to be good, you've got to smile'. Then these little four and five-year-olds build up this big worry. I tell them 'we're going to have lots of fun, the bride will look like a princess and you'll be helping her'."
His advice for choosing a photographer for the big day? "Look at their portfolio and make sure it is all their own work."
Below is a selection of your comments.
I've only started in this industry and shot my first wedding recently. It's an incredibly daunting task. The timing, the constant awareness needed to capture moments, the technical difficulties in low light, people herding, research, and the time consuming post-processing all make this a lot more difficult than imagined. People just dive in, thinking a £500 camera with a built-in flash will cut the mustard. Not a chance. I've spent over 4k on gear, and need more lenses and light tools, six months of deep research and practice, 12 years using Photoshop professionally as a graphic artist. I'm still nervous about every shoot. Emmett McLaughlin, Liverpool
I was married just outside of Gloucester 13 months ago today and I still get upset thinking about our wedding photos. We scoured the region for a photographer and had several discussions with him about the shots and style we wanted. Although I remember being nervous on the day how shots would come out, it wasn't until a week later that we received the final images and were absolutely devastated. None of us alone after the wedding, or full-length shots of my dress, or with my bridesmaid or family. Family shots like "where's Wally". We wrote to him afterwards to ask about some make-up shots and let him know our disappointment but received no reply. It all sounds so trivial, but it nevertheless hurts when there's no picture taken you can bear to have on display of your wedding day. Jessica Oldroyd, London, England
As a professional photographer I can categorically state that wedding photography is a very special skill, a skill which I do not have. There is no second chance, no room for any error and no room for a small mistake. The ONLY way to learn wedding photography is to work as an assistant to a wedding photographer - not an easy job to get, either, as you are a potential threat to their business. Chris Young, Caheragh, West Cork, Ireland
I'm one of the new breed of photographers I'm afraid. I've had some tutoring and attended classes in lots of photography disciplines, but none of it can really prepare you for what you will face on a real shoot. I've been fortunate that I've been chosen by friends to shoot weddings for cost of printing only or for free, and they have been happy with my work, but it's clear the real professionals earn every penny. It's exhausting, stressful work. You only get one chance at taking these photos, and the pressure and responsibility doesn't really hit you until the big day. Best left to the pros. Roy Stoliday, Southampton
We also have terrible wedding pictures. The only one we have framed was taken by my father and we never look at our album as the photographer's pictures are dreadful. We plan to renew our vows after 10 years (four years time) and have some decent pictures taken by a talented photographer, and as a bonus our children will be there too. Corrine, Sleaford
We didn't have a photographer at our wedding - we couldn't face spending hundreds of pounds to have a stranger boss everyone about for hours while we all got tired and bored. Our friends and family took lovely shots, we have a beautiful album, and everyone looks so happy and relaxed because they are being photographed by people they know. Sarah S, York, UK
We had a fabulous photographer for our wedding, not stupidly expensive and he really captured the mood of the day. It was only after we booked him we realised he had won Wedding Photographer of the Year. Friends of our paid twice as much for theirs, who managed to get a fire extinguisher in every photo of the bride before the ceremony and tourists' heads looking over the castle walls. Sarah, Sutton Coldfield
I got married in pre-digital times, 14 years ago. The photographer took three rolls of film, but when they were developed, the machine broke and two of the films, including the one with the church pix, got completely over-developed. While we only have happy memories of the main part of the ceremony, the lab made some manual black and white prints of as many church pictures they could, including some close-ups of bride and groom. They look absolutely stunning and everyone thinks it was done this way on purpose. I was very impressed by the skill and dedication of everyone involved to save as many pictures of our special day as possible. Chris, London
I worked as a wedding host at a country house hotel and saw all kinds of photographers come and go. The digital era appears to have promoted a scatter gun effect in which the man behind the lens takes thousands of shots and hopes to get a good one. The best we worked with - and the ones who had the best rapport with guests - were the old school ones. We would support them and herd guests into the right places at the right times, but high cost doesn't mean high quality. Our recommended photographer was about mid-price and did Hasselblad work for the main photos and his daughter caught people in unguarded moments with a digital camera. A great pairing with an old school camera and new fangled digital one. Gavin, Manchester, England
Many people are not using professionals because they think that the images shot by their guests will suffice and see it as a way of cutting costs. But a good wedding photographer can make the day run so much more smoothly. As well as taking pictures, the photographer is the one person prior to the reception who can organise and stage-manage the event ensuring that everyone is in the right place and guiding things along. It is an immensely stressful job with a huge amount of responsibility and certainly not for the faint-hearted. Yes, pros can be expensive but it's a three day job when all of the pre-organisation, editing, and post production is taken into consideration and so costs need to be covered. Andy Newbold, Leatherhead, Surrey
We just asked guests to share their pictures with us. We ended up with the most fabulous photos and one guest even put an album together which was very special. My advice is not to pay out - the pictures we ended up with are exceptional quality, very natural and really catch the essence of the day. Daphne, Northants, Daventry
As we were living abroad before our wedding, my parents arranged everything for us, so when we got back the photographer was already booked. At our first meeting she said she'd driven by the church (chosen because I'd know the minister my whole life, not for its appearance) and on a scale of 1-10 it rated about 3 for attractiveness, turning her nose up. I asked if she'd walked around to the little churchyard - of course she hadn't, should have fired her right then. She decided we would do most of the photos at the reception in a concrete courtyard, with the wrong lighting, shadows, a bench poking into half the photos, people squinting. She upset half the guests, bossing them about & as she only had a hand-held camera, they thought she was another guest. The photos are very average, but my friends took much better (=relaxed) ones. The technique and equipment is only half of it - the bedside manner counts for a lot. This was pre-digital - these days your guests can do it all, just have a list & maybe one friend to make sure which group shots you don't want to miss. Jane, York
I was told by the person who taught me the science behind the camera, about wedding photography: "The ceremony lasts an hour, the cake may last three days, the bride won't fit in to her dress in five years, but... your photographs will have to last a lifetime." That mantra has stuck with me and in a business where the end product is still very disposable, it is one reason why I very rarely take any wedding photographs; because when pressing the shutter release, the image not only has to look good tomorrow, it still has to be appreciated 10, 20 or 30 years down the line. Sean, Chesterfield, Derbyshire/Barcelona, Spain
At our wedding, our photographers (she had a team working with her) were brilliant. Never in your face and capturing emotion and moments and lighting... the pictures are as much art pieces as they are printed memories. Eight years later and we still keep in touch with her. We've been to several of her exhibitions and have one of her photos (not of our wedding) hanging in our hallway. Bottom line - it's not the equipment or luck, though those help. It's the eye of the artist holding the camera. John F, Philadelphia
Over the past 10 years I shot countless weddings. I came to hate wedding photography as it is repetitive and very ungrateful. I admire those who are willing to cope with weddings. Stopped the whole wedding business about a year ago and switched entirely to studio work. And I love my photography again. Charles, Belfast, UK
We didn't have a massive budget for our photographs, and found the extortionate prices some photographers were charging truly jaw-dropping. Our photos were OK, but I really believe that I could have done as good a job. Had I not been the groom, I would have done them myself. Shane, Sale
That takes me back. Our photographer was brilliant, kept chatting, got all the shots we wanted and was a reasonable price. Not the 1000s quoted above. You need a good photographer. It is an art. I know someone who had a friend of a friend to do their wedding photos and they were just snapshots. Nothing outstanding for the mantlepiece. Ian, Romford, UK
It takes more than just a good camera and a flash. It's all about reading a situation, learning how to use light and understanding group psychology. Not to mention weddings always put you in impossible situations... situations where the biggest names in photography would say "no way...you can't do that". So if you don't think you can work your way out of any situation, don't even think of ruining someone's wedding. Every day I see wonderful photographers on Flickr. Amazing work from amazing people. Thing is about 90% of them should never go near a wedding. Photographing things and photographing people are two very different things. Robert Burress, Liss, Hampshire, UK
I got remarried last November in a Gothic style of wedding, which was new to the photographer. Although the finished album turned out fantastically, the photographs on the day were a real chore. After the wedding itself, it took about an hour for all the pictures to be done in every configuration imaginable... and 20 minutes after the guests had left for the reception. It started to feel as though the day was more about him and his pictures than about me and my husband. Heather, Willenhall
This is a sad reflection on today's industry where anyone with a camera can now call themselves a photographer. As a professional and full-time photographer for 27 years, I have seen the standards within this industry eroded because of amateurs and weekend photographers who posses very little in the way of technical training or knowledge, vocational qualifications, no professional affiliations, no insurance, and no ability. I hope this is a valuable lesson and wake-up call for non-professional photographers that sub-standard work is not acceptable, and that they should get trained and get affiliated with a photographic organisation. Ian Arthur, Glasgow
Some friends of mine chose their wedding venue (civil) simply because of the picturesque location it offered for photographs. The bride had a list of specific shots she wanted. Everything had been prepared for; they even allowed two hours for the full range of photographs in this spectacular garden with stunning wide-reaching vistas. On the morning of the wedding, I flung open my curtains with eager anticipation of a perfect day only to see... ...nothing. Not even the tree 30 feet away from my bedroom window. The DENSEST fog in many years had descended. It could have been a disaster but their photographer was a genius. She took close-ups of everyone, little vignettes of buttonholes or bridesmaids' beaded pumps or family groups inside the venue, then returned on the next decent day and took the vistas the couple had been so enchanted by. When the prints were placed in the album, the entire effect was eye-moistening. Jaye, Rutland, England
I've been photographing weddings for over 10 years now and the industry has changed substantially. There are many photographers out there using sub-standard amateur equipment. The problem with underexposed photos in the church above is caused by the use of cheap lenses on a cheap camera body - 99% of churches do not allow flash photography so you need wide aperture lenses to cope with the low light conditions. The problem is that many people believe wedding photography is a less professional art than perhaps fashion or editorial. It is in fact probably the most demanding area of photography there is. You only have one chance, the lighting conditions are constantly changing and you have to keep people happy at the same time. I did a photography degree but only experience can teach you the pitfalls of this industry. Ian, Sevenoaks
We just didn't have the money to spend over £1,200 on photographs, so we bought loads of disposables and got people to send us pictures they had taken on their own cameras. The quality of these was brill. Your mates know how to take your best picture. Caroline, Winchester
I've stopped agreeing to be "official" photographer at friends and family weddings. It is simply the most stressful role to play and the results can be hit and miss. My tip: get a nice long telephoto lens and be inconspicuous and take candid photos after you've done all the staged cheesy stuff. It also helps to know your location beforehand. Give me landscapes and nature over excited, tipsy wedding revellers any day of the week. Adam, Manchester
I used to provide tech support to a number of clients including a wedding photographer. Every time he wandered in with his latest video editing disaster I cried a little on the inside for the poor victims. It wasn't my place to tell him he was destroying dreams but I think anyone looking for a photographer should ask to see some kind of portfolio. There really are some muppets out there who see an easy few hundred quid in the making. Bob, Derby
THE TOP 10 REASONS TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
From Russell Caron Wedding Photography / Bibbeford Maine
If you’re planning a wedding, you know how expensive it is to get married today. Many couples have a set budget with very little wiggle room. Things begin to add up…the venue, the food, the band, the dress, the rings, the flowers…and on and on. A popular question is, where to cut corners?? DIY table scapes, invitations, favors, decorations? Sure! Hire a family member or friend who is “into” photography to capture the wedding photos? Not so fast.
Why should you hire a professional wedding photographer? Excellent question! Money gets tight in your planning and sometimes the photography is relegated to a relative or friend who has a camera and may know a bit about photography. So, we’ve complied a list of reasons for you to re-consider hiring a professional wedding photographer for what is going to be one of the most significant days of your lives.
8 Reasons Why You Should Consider Using a Professional Photographer
by Marci James
What many REALTORS® do not seem to understand is that it does not matter whether it is a multi-million dollar mansion or a short sale property going in to foreclosure.
Regardless of price range or condition, listings with photos generate more interest, sell in fewer days, and sell at a higher price than similar listings without photos.
These results are magnified when professional photography is used. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you should be using Professional Real Estate Photography to market your listings:
1. Make a great first impression
According to NAR, 89% of all home buyers shop online for their home. As a result, the way your listings look online is one of the most important factors in generating buyer interest. Source: www.realtor.org
2. Get more attention
Using professional photos will attract more attention to your listings and result in more clicks by consumers. Studies show that listings with professional photos generate an average of 139% more clicks when compared to similar listings without professional photos. Source: www.picturesdosellhouses.com/realtor-tools/statistics/
3, Make more money
Listings shot with professional DSLR cameras sell for more money. According to a study done by Redfin (see image below), these listings sell for $1000 or $100,000 more! That’s a lot of dough, and probably enough to make you feel a little insecure about your photos if you’re NOT using a professional. If you ARE using a professional, print out the image below, and take it with you on your listing presentations. It can help you justify that 6%!
4. Increase your odds for a sale
In most price ranges, your listing is more likely to sell if it has professional photos! Check out the image below, from http://www.wallstreetjournal.com. The green bar represents SLR photography and the red is point and shoot. Again, you may want to print this one out and take it with you on listing presentations.
5. Take your marketing to a higher level
It’s hard to believe, but 80% of the LUXURY homes on the market are NOT professionally photographed. That means Realtors using professional photography have a big competitive advantage, not only in attaining the listing, but in selling it as well. Source: Redfin.com
6. If your seller is hiring a professional, shouldn't you?
Don’t treat your seller like a FSBO. The seller has opted for a professional Realtor to list and sell their home. You should opt for a professional as well. Do you think they would prefer their Realtor take photos with an iPhone or hire a professional photographer?
7. Even distressed properties will benefit
Many Real Estate Professionals will not use a professional photographer when listing distressed properties. What they don’t understand is that an experienced professional photographer will know how to angle the camera to capture the right shots and to show the “possibility” of the property. They will use the right lighting, composition, and post processing techniques to show off the property in the best possible way.
8. Create a constant supply of “Content Marketing”
Professional photography can provide you with wonderful “Content Marketing” material. Your professional photos can be used on many social media sites like Pinterest, Facebook, Google+, Linkedin, and Twitter. You can even Instagram them! But be careful how you share. Make certain that you receive the permission of your seller prior to using those photos on your social media sites.
To sum it up, based on recent studies, investing in professional photography is one of the most important things you do when listing a property. But, in order to get the very most out of your photographer, you will want to make sure the home is prepared and ready to go when the photographer arrives.
I have been turned down by clients more often than I like due to the cost of my services. In turn, they go to someone very inexpensive or to a chain store. Unless they are familiar with the world of professional photography, they most likely have no idea what goes into producing a finished product. Below I’ve listed some reasons why a quality photographer costs more and why you get what you pay for (usually).
5. We, too, are running a business
Just like any other establishment you buy products from, a professional photographer is also a business and according to the IRS, everything we do is a “product that can be taxed”. This means we have to have a business plan, figure out how much money we have to make to cover our business expenses, pay ourselves a salary, and pay taxes. Our time, creativity, knowledge, expertise, personal attention, and unique individual styles are mostly what you are paying for and if we are good at our craft, then we are well worth the money. (Kind of like installing kitchen cabinets made of particle board……or walnut).
4. The time we put into your photos is very valuable
When you are charged for any type of photo shoot, whether it’s an 8-hour wedding, commercial product shots, a corporate event, or family photos, you are not only paying for the number of hours we are with you taking the photos. You are also paying for the post-production which is extensive and (should be) very detailed. We come home, upload enormous files onto our computers, external hard drives, CD/DVDs, or an Internet storage space (i.e. we back it up so that we will never lose your photos). Depending on the amount of adjustments made to a photo (color correction, skin retouching, cropping, resizing for different purposes, etc.), the post-production work can be 40 hours or more. This includes travel time, conversations with you, ordering prints, and more. Our work is not even close to finished when we leave you after your session.
3. The time we put into learning our craft is even more valuable
Everyone is a “photographer” these days. With good quality digital cameras available to all consumers, anyone can take photos with more clarity, better color, and a longer lens. THIS DOES NOT MAKE EVERYONE A PHOTOGRAPHER!!!! A professional that knows exactly what they are doing has spent many years learning, practicing, attending classes and workshops, and will continue to do so throughout their career. We know how to frame a photo, how to tell the camera to do exactly what we want it to, how to expose the image so that it comes out just right. We also know exactly how to make lighting do what we want, when we want. I’m not even going to go into detail about learning Photoshop. It takes an equally long amount of time to become knowledgeable and good at using the program. The extent of our expertise greatly surpasses that of someone that knows how to point the camera at something and push the button. And on that note: A GOOD CAMERA DOES NOT MAKE A GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER!!
2. The cost of full digital files, prints, and why we want you to order them from us
Back in the days before digital cameras when everyone had to shoot with film, the negatives were the “digital files”. A photographer owns their work and would never, ever hand over their negatives (their original copy of their work) to someone without it costing an exorbitant amount of money. Just because digital files can be replicated doesn’t make this any different now. You are still paying for your photographer’s craft and the photographer always has the ultimate say about what you may do with their art. Musicians get royalties every time their song is used. A painter sells their hand-painted, original artwork for a ton of money and photographer is no different. What you are paying for are the rights to their work and it’s worth a lot of money. As for buying prints… Again, professional photographers own their work, but in this aspect I mean we claim it, it is ours, and we are proud of it. We want it showcased in the best possible light and that means having it printed on the best possible material, with the best ink, using the best printers. When we use a professional lab to order prints, not only do we care about the finished product but the lab does, too, because this is also representative of their work. Walmart, CVS, and other cheap photo printers do not care. They are corporate, therefore the bottom line is money, not quality. They make this money from volume, not by producing a high quality product. If you are going to pay for a high quality photographer, why would you diminish the quality of the photos by ordering cheap prints? (Kind of like having a perfectly cooked New York Strip steak…..and smothering it with grape jelly).
1. You get what you pay for: Professional vs. Hobbyist vs. Chain Store
This may be the most important reason to pay more for a photographer. It may not always be the case, but as with most products it is true. A professional is there completely FOR YOU. You are going to get the most specialized and customized personal attention that is designed to give you spectacular photographs exactly how you want them (or better!). A hobbyist has not put everything they have into knowing how to do this and a chain store, literally, does not care. A professional knows how to create beautiful imagery, usually in specific areas of photography. A hobbyist likes to take pictures. A chain store, literally, doesn’t care. Did I mention that chain stores do not care about your pictures? They recruit their camera people by saying “No experience necessary, will train!” They train them how to push the shutter button on the camera and make money off of volume and what they push you to buy after your shoot. You might as well set the timer feature on your nice digital camera, stick it on a tripod, gather everyone next to a window and not pay for it at all. Professional photographers live and breathe photography. We will be able look at those chain store photos and point out to you, in great detail, exactly why they are horrible photographs. A professional won’t even let you have the photo if they think that it’s mediocre. We will break our backs making your photos perfect and give you a fantastic product….AND YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!
———————————————————————————————————- -written by Melaney Wolf, photographer and founder of Melaney Wolf Photography
The upcoming book, The Masters of Nature Photography features ten amazing portfolios from ten of the world's top nature photographers. They are all past winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition which is run by the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide. The book showcases 120 incredible photos in all and includes everything from striking animal portraits to underwater photography.
One of the 10 celebrated photographers included in the book is award-winning David Doubilet who began shooting under the sea at a young age of 12. Often featured in National Geographic, he's photographed in waters all around the world including those surrounding New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Tasmania, and Scotland.
This photo, called Penguins, Ice and Light, is one of Doubilet's finest. Taken in Antarctica, it shows playful penguins and a large iceberg above and below the sea.
Here's how he describes it, ''I came late in life to the ice, but now ice is in my blood. I’ve been seduced by icebergs, and over the past few seasons, I’ve been working on them at every opportunity. I think of icebergs as a perfect metaphor for the sea – only a small percentage is visible to us. We were lucky to find this bergy bit with a small group of chinstrap and gentoo penguins squabbling on top of it. I made a few frames of the idyllic scene before they began to push each other off, and slide down one side, pop up on the other and start over again. I was excited when two gentoo penguins circled the ice under water, providing perspective. Look how much ice there is below water. One of the greatest joys of shooting half-and-half is that there’s always a surprise – especially the way the surface receives the light.''
On the 50th anniversary of Josef Albers’s The Interaction of Color, Yale University Press has released the work as an interactive teaching tool along the lines of what the Bauhaus master originally intended.
Josef Albers, one of the best-known painters and educators to emerge from the German Bauhaus, wrote The Interaction of Color in 1963, and it’s remained an art and design bible ever since. Last week, to commemorate the book’s 50th anniversary, Yale University Press released the Interaction of Color app for the iPad, a modernized, interactive presentation of Albers’s teachings. With fingers instead of paintbrushes and a touch screen instead of paper, users can move and manipulate over 125 color plates in 60 interactive studies. Concepts like color relativity and vibrating boundaries come to life in this $9.99 app, alongside the book’s full text and two hours of video footage.
Michelle Komie, senior editor for art and architecture at Yale University Press, tells Co.Design that the app’s developers at design firm Potion first “used paper, scissors, and glue to complete the exercises as Albers’s students would have done, in order to experience Albers’s process and methodology.” The text was then meticulously translated into app form--they even preserved his original typeface and text columns. “Potion created one of the most beautiful color selecting tools I’ve ever seen,” Komie says. “The circle of swatches brings an elegant tactility to the screen, which becomes a workspace that can be littered with trials and errors; where swatches can be adjusted, swapped out, and exchanged." This makes the work process “both beautiful and efficient--true Bauhaus qualities of which we think Josef Albers would be proud.”
Best known for his abstract paintings and theory, Albers was also an accomplished printmaker, photographer, typographer, and poet. At the Bauhaus, he often worked in stained glass, sometimes using detritus from the Weimar town dump. After the Nazis shut down the Bauhaus in 1933, Albers moved to the States and became chair of the Yale Art Department, where his students included artists like Eva Hesse and Robert Rauschenberg. The new app takes his methods beyond the Ivory Tower. Says Komie, “The original 1963 edition of Interaction of Color is an object that very few people will ever have the chance to view and experience. It mostly lives in university and museum special collections. But Albers always intended it to be used as a teaching tool: he wanted its folios spread out on a table, and looked at alongside the text and commentary. This is something that is very difficult to do with a traditional book, which provides a linear experience. The app accomplishes what Josef Albers originally intended.”
Albers stated his belief that “exercises toward distinct color effects never are done or over. New and different cases will be discovered time and again.” This new and different iteration of his theories adds dimension and interactivity for the digital age, sparking just the kind of discoveries that fueled his life’s work.
A guest told me that at the last wedding she went to, the photographers were blowing whistles at them 
