Designing Photography Guidance for Rapid In-Camera Iteration

Designers have long known the benefits of iteration and rapid prototyping. Many experienced photographers follow a similar process, in particular of iterating in camera: trying out different angles and compositions, varying lighting, adjusting a subject’s pose, etc. However, amateurs often do not realize the benefits of capturing variations of a single shot. Inspired by the parallels between the design thinking process and the photographic process, we design new interfaces that provide contextual in-camera feedback to aid users in learning visual elements of photography. We interactively visualize results of image processing algorithms as additional information for the user at capture time. In this chapter, we explore ways to encourage stages of the design thinking process, specifically through the design of guided photography interfaces that aid in iterating through the exploration of three different photographic concepts: lighting, composition, and decluttering.