PHOTOGRAPHING SUSSEX

There is something particularly satisfying about a beautifully designed map. It is both a practical object and an invitation to explore.

Media25 recently photographed a collection of illustrated maps and guides for Riffle & Pool Press, an independent specialist publisher producing maps, panoramas and infographics that interpret the natural landscape and built environment.

The collection included two Sussex Coast & Countryside Map & Guides:

Sussex Coast & Countryside Map & Guide — Hastings to Eastbourne

Sussex Coast & Countryside Map & Guide — Eastbourne to Brighton

Together, the two maps form a journey across the Sussex coast and countryside, travelling from Hastings through Bexhill and Eastbourne, and continuing west towards Lewes and Brighton.

Illustrated by Benjamin Phillips, the guides combine detailed mapping with local landmarks, cultural destinations, walking routes and places worth discovering along the way. They are practical enough to take on a journey but beautifully illustrated enough to keep, display and return to.

The photographic challenge was to present the maps as more than flat printed objects. We wanted to retain the clarity of the typography and illustration while also showing the scale, folds, texture and physical character of each guide.

Good product photography should communicate how something feels as well as how it looks. With printed work, colour accuracy, controlled reflections and fine detail are particularly important. The finished photographs allow the design and illustration to remain central while giving customers a clear sense of the physical product.

It was a pleasure to work with objects that celebrate the part of the country in which Media25 is based. From the cliffs and cultural landmarks of Hastings and Bexhill to the landscape surrounding Eastbourne, Lewes and Brighton, the maps capture the remarkable variety found along the Sussex coast.

Explore the full collection at Riffle & Pool Press.

For professional photography of books, maps, artwork, printed products and other carefully made objects, visit Media25 Product Photography.