We interviewed publisher, Rohn Engh, for this article. I'm all three, and at different periods have focussed on each of the disciplines in turn. In each field, I have found the fundamental requirement to be a good understanding of design. I was trained in design at Maryland Institute of Art for four years, but I didn't really learn design until I left school. I'm still learning design.
Every creative endeavor has two components, format and content.
One can't exist without the other. A designer works with both. In my seminars, I teach photographers how to design their images so that both those components are present. The design of the picture should be bold, poster-like. A. Format is a matter of engineering.