In my second year at Loughborough University, one of my modules required the class to design a dedicated app device. For my solution I chose to create a photography aid — a physical device that attaches to a camera’s hot shoe and helps the user record and locate photograph opportunities.
Photography Aid
Fits onto the camera to aid photography and location tracking.
Pin Photo Locations
Save locations to come back to or share with others.
Social Lessons
Lessons created by and for users about great shooting spots.
Geometric Research
I wanted the design to have a strong geometric aesthetic. I used geometric design references as inspiration for the outer shell of the device, which informed the triangulated form language throughout.
Development Sketches
With the concept direction set, I refined the design through sketches that worked through ergonomics and the physical constraints of mounting directly onto a camera.
Ergonomic Investigation
The initial prototypes were tested for ergonomics. I created a quick card and plastic prototype and gave it to users to evaluate in hand. The shape had to work both as a handheld object and as a device sitting on top of a camera’s hot shoe.
Usage Example
The module required an example of how and why the device would be used in practice. Using an accurate altimeter, the device provides elevation data to help photographers identify and return to productive shooting locations — information a mobile phone alone cannot reliably provide.
Prototype Stages
The design moved from an initial ergonomic test model through to a more refined prototype representing the final form and visual language.
Final Model
The finished prototype captured the triangulated geometric aesthetic that drove the design from the outset, with the hot-shoe mount integrated cleanly into the base of the device.
