Granted there are a ton of websites out there giving creatives the opportunity to share their inspiration with many, I stumbled over these guys on the weekend and quite enjoyed the random beauty submitted by it’s members.

The site is very easy and simple to use – and they have this neat ability to capture any image you decide to “Love”. All you have to do is add their handy dandy widget to your browser (I use Firefox 3 so I’m not sure if it’s compatible with other browsers). I’m going to try and dig deeper into what they’re using to do this because honestly I think it’s so intuitive that everybody should share in it’s brilliance.

However aside from their cool technology for such a simple site – it’s still fun!

Website: weheartit.com

Okay, so granted I have been on a photography kick lately – but you can hardly blame me when all these beautiful photographers are surfacing with some amazing, not to mention, unique portfolios. Isreali born Guy Aroch has an incredible eye, and he has the credentials to back it up. With an impressive resume, he now teaches at the US School of Visual Arts.

I like beauty. It might seem a simple noun to describe that which evokes a sense of pleasure and delight – but the seeming quality can go deeper. Farther. It can reach into the recess of the most evil and pull from it a sense of empathy, compassion and vulnerability that – even though might last mere seconds – will still prove that beauty is power.

From April 20-30, 2009, the graduates of Langara’s arts programs are displaying their final projects to the public.  This includes students of Display+Design, Film, Photo-Imaging, Fine Arts, Theatre, Art History, Publishing and Journalism 

The events are all free of charge and are located in various venues around Vancouver.

For more information check out the website: artsfest.ca

I could go into a 2008 retrospective but I think there have been more dark moments that shining moments – so all I have to say is this:

WE all have the power and ability to steer our own course in this life. It might be small compared to schematics of the universe. But the beauty of this world is not what we accomplish as individuals but what we’re able to change together. Sounds pretty tacky I know – but take a step back for once and see the world for what it is – just one big bubble. A bubble we’re all inside of, a bubble that is fragile, but also a bubble that is majestic and everlasting, giving us life. A bubble that surely can live without us if it were sentient enough to just wipe us all out tomorrow, but a bubble WE can’t live without.

May 2009 bring you all joy, peace and power. Power to live life. Power to live it well!

I have been a little slow on the post lately – but for good reason. New direction! 2009 will see some changes, some major some minor, but all we be in the good interest of sharing, collaborating and showcasing art and design globally.

With the holiday season in full swing I do wish everyone a safe holiday where ever you may be!

Not much is known about these guys or girls at Oprisco, but it’s fairly evident that their work is top notch. But with most – the tragedy here is a poorly built site.

It’s sad when you have great work and a bad site to view it – aside from just viewing the photography, there isn’t much information on the photographers, and the navigation is non existent.

Oh well, check em out anyway.

On Thursday I came across a piece created by Andrew Zuckerman. It wasn’t about him or about a product he wanted to promote or sell. To me – it personified the idea that the greatest gift one generation can pass onto another is wisdom, pure and simple.

Visit wisdombook.org and watch the video, watch the Making of interviews and just listen. Aside from the simple approach to shooting an interview and photography – Andrew goes into detail of why he used the mediums he used, and the method behind the scenes.

Enjoy.

With a regular appearance in the “How To Spend It” , The Observer Magazine, Tatler, 125 and Dazed & Confused – Zena Holloway has created some of the most stunning imagery I’ve seen thus far. Drawing on her own scuba diving experience, coupled with an sharp technical know-how and “…superb creative direction”, this relatively new medium is gaining some widespread recognition.

Zena has worked with clients such as: Nike, Umbro, Epson, Sony, Herbal Essences and National Geographic.

I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t had the chance to upload any new works – notably my photography walks of late. Enjoy.

weblink: Mediakik Flickr

weblink: Mediakik Works

An interesting technique that takes wide angle and high angle shots from a high plane – and adds a depth of field to it – giving a very cool illusion that you’re focusing on the subject matter. It’s almost surreal because everything looks miniature in a way.

It’s a technique that’s becoming popular – however it’s pretty hard to achieve and there have only been a few photographers able to capture the essence of what tilt-shift photography is.

Check out Vincent Laforet – a photographer for the New York Times and Keith Loutit a photographer based in Australia.

The couple turned out to be two NDP volunteers from North Vancouver.  Their image was supplied to The Element Agency by Getty Images, one of the largest suppliers of stock images.   The ad agency was forced to remove the clip when Jean and John Macintyre recognized themselves in the ad, but say they never agreed to have their image used.

Although it’s embarassing for the Liberal party, they are correct in saying, “When you deal with a company such as Getty Images, you are assured that all the appropriate rights were acquired.”   We’ll have to see what becomes of this story.

You can read more from the reporter who broke the story here.

Just as a caveat to all this – you should also have some presence by way of a portfolio online, demonstrating your “want” to contribute and also have some good writing chops.

That’s all folks.

I sometimes feel like I need a stiff drink while viewing his portfolio because he has such a knack for capturing emotionally raw and visceral poses that it’s like watching a good thriller, alone and in the dark. His techniques seem to almost be metaphorical in a way; deep saturated colors against a almost black frame, much like the glimmer of unbridled sensuality or hate in the recesses of those who hide it well. It’s as if he’s bringing out what we normally want to stay in.

It’s amazing when you get someone to put, astrological numbers into a perspective we can understand. Chris Jordon has created a American Self Portrait in such astonishing visuals that – they’re almost unbelievable!

To give you an example – the image posted depicts 32,000 Barbies, equal to the number of elective breast augmentation surgeries performed monthly in the US in 2006. If that doesn’t open your eyes, then I suggest you visit his site!

Simple, simple, simple – that’s what I started with, but as the months went on and I started to think about getting people to actually visit and READ what was going on, I went into this “netherworld” of Web 2.0 knock-offs, everything complete with the obligatory drop shadow and paint splatter. When I saw myself getting bored with each iteration only after a couple of days I realized the shelf-life of the new “Fad” was pretty short.

So I went back – this is where the full circle comes into play – because I figured that if there was going to be substantial information regarding design, the web, photography, motion graphics; the posts where going to be the necessary injection of color and graphics. Also, since this was a carriage for my portfolio work, those to would be enough to create some focal point.

So, I say look around, feel free to slag,compliment,criticize,gossip,praise and plagiarize whatever you see or read. Just be sure to let me know – and I encourage you to bookmark, comment and subscribe to this lovely beast that I guarantee will get bigger and bigger and bigger!