Visual direction in the design of ed van der Elsken’s photobooks: conceptual foundations and methods of implementation

Abstract

The article analyzes Ed van der Elsken’s photobook design as an integrated communicative system, focusing on Love on the Left Bank (1956), Sweet Life (1966), and archival mock ups created with Jurriaan Schrofer. The study examines "visual direction" as a method for constructing narrative structures. Based on materials from the Rijksmuseum and Nederlands Fotomuseum, it identifies key techniques of montage, cropping, and rhyt hmic organization. The findings demonstrate that these strategies formed a new model of photobook design, integrating photography and graphic design into a unified system that serves as a foundation for contemporary multimedia practices.