Most of us probably use one of Matthew Carter's creations every day: the typeface Verdana.

We’ve all seen product photos before. We’re surrounded by them each day, in catalogs, mailers, on websites and TV commercials, etc. But have you ever wondered what’s involved in getting the products to look so good?

Some designers freak out at the slightest blip in the cultural barometer. A recent example is all the talk about the quality of design in today’s world.