DESIGNER & ART DIRECTOR
CLAYTON W TAYLOR
Client: REI, Southern California Market
Role: Design and Photography
The Zombie Survival Course had been an unofficial Halloween time class for a number of years, but its growing popularity brought the course out from the shadows and it earned its own place on REI's class calendar on REI.com .
I was approached by a local store to create a poster that would be hung at several places in their store, as well as all other REI stores in the Southern California market. I was thrilled to have the opportunity, but the time frame was short, and there was no budget. To complete this task I had to be both the photographer, model, and designer.
Original Photograph
I used a narrow hallway for the set to imply a chase, or close quater fighting action. Trash and other items were placed on the floor to add to the abandoned building or zombie apocolypse look.
A single light setup diffused with a silver umbrella was used for a hard light effect with sharp shadows. The camera's remote control is in my left hand, under my thumb.
Color Correction
The shadows were darkened and the scene was tinted green to incentuate the gritty modern horror feel the client was after.
Texturing and Post Production Effects
Texture was added to the walls along with dirt and blood on the floor. In addition, a slight texture was added to the whole image to add grain and grit.
Final Image with Text
A 3-D text treatment was employed with a distressed typeface to replicate a zombie movie poster.
The store / date area was designed to make the poster easily editable for other regions, adding to the value of the work for the client.