happy holidays!

I'd like to thank everyone for their interest and support in my continuing efforts to make abstractLatte an interesting and helpful resource for everyone! Enjoy the holidays!

theme#28 "Urban": first place photograph

Title: The Wall
Description: The Berlin Wall
Photographer: Sarah-Marie McGuckin
Location: Berlin
Date: October 17, 2006
Technical: Samsung pro 815 digital SLR

www.photofortnight.com

PhotoFortnight first place photographs

In an effort to play catch up I have grouped all of the recent Photofortnight first place themes in one post. I apologize to the recent first place participants for not getting their shots up sooner. Anyway, here they are in all their glory starting with Theme 22 and ending with Theme 27:

Theme 22: "Work"
Title: "Overworked Designer"
Photographer: David Barry



Theme 23: "Blue"
Title: "Agapanthus"
Photographer: Steve Simpson



Theme 24: "Truth"
Title: "The Truth Shall Set You Free"
Photographer: Jenn



Theme 25: "Multiplicity"
Title: "dream spiral"
Photographer: pantone



Theme 26: "Fruit"
Title: "Lychees"
Photographer: Sarah O'Sullivan



Theme 27: "Autumn"
Title: "The Crow"
Photographer: Karen Chappell



On behalf of the PhotoFortnight editorial staff, I'd like to say congratulations and thanks for contributing such great work!

book review 10.06 - Windblown World

Over the past couple of weeks I read the book "Windblown World". It's essentially the journals of writer Jack Kerouac, composed and edited into one compilation by Douglas Brinkley. The journals cover Kerouac's day to day thoughts and activities while writing the books "The Town and the City" and "On The Road". It also covers Kerouac's many cross-country roadtrips as well as some of his personal insights into people, life, etc.

The book is an amazing read, Kerouac uses some of the most well constructed written descriptions imaginable that literally paint amazing pictures of what he saw or what he was going through at that time. I actually wrote down my favorite quotes in the back of the book and recorded the page number for future reference. Here's one quote I wrote down pertaining to art:

"An art dies when it describes itself instead of life-when it turns from the expression of man's feelings in the void, to a mere description of the void." Jack Kerouac, p.267

I recommend this book to any creative (artist, designer, photographer, etc) as another source of inspiration. There were times I couldn't put it down...there were also times I had to put it down because I couldn't figure out what he was trying to say! My point...you get involved with it and the writing challenges you to figure "it" out. Check out Windblown World and see for yourself!

new posts are on their way!!!

Sorry that my blog has been inactive for so long! I've been out of town and shooting a lot of photography, not to mention finishing up my recent quarter for my BFA in Graphic Design. Yes, I know I'm behind on posting the recent first place shots for PhotoFortnight...and yes, I know I haven't posted in Sugar Frosted Photos recently...and yes, I owe everyone some articles that I've talked about in months past.

But I'm here to say that all of those things, and much more, are coming soon!!! I'd like to say thanks to all of you who have been very patient and tolerated the lack of recent postings. I value everyone's comments to my various articles/postings and have truly appreciated comments made "off-blog", thank you to everyone for your continued support.

Again, more postings are coming soon!!!

theme#21 "No Theme": first place photograph

Here is the first place photograph from PhotoFortnight's Theme#21 "No Theme":



Title: orchid study
Description: I've been working on various flower studies, focusing on interesting structure and patterns.
Photographer: Caroline (Pantone583u)
Location: Toronto, Canada
Date: July 14, 2006
Technical: 1/30, f 6, 70mm, Nikon D70s, converted to black and white in photoshop

www.photofortnight.com

theme#20 "Self": first place photograph

Here is the first place photograph from PhotoFortnight's Theme#20 "Self":



Title: An Alluring Look Into The Soul
Description: There is nothing more personal than a look into someones' eyes.
Photographer: Tom Smalling (TSPD)
Location: Orlando, Florida
Date: June 8, 2006
Technical: Taken with a Nikon D100 with a bounced flash unit and a 105mm lens. ISO 400, F2.8 @ 1/60. Minor color adjustments in photoshop

www.photofortnight.com

"why design?"

Design, as with any career, can be a difficult job to deal with...it can be very frustrating at times. Since roadblocks are the enemy of any creative, I ask myself "Why Design?" in order to take a step back and re-focus when things get tough.

Why do I design? Let me first define the area of design that I'm involved with. Graphic design is all about communication...communicating everything from a quick message to a more involved philosophy. In order to communicate, the work needs to be interesting both visually and conceptually and both need to support each other...along the lines of the phrase "form follows function", but with graphic design a more accurate phrase would be "form follows content". So why do I design? If you think my answer is as generic as "because I have to!", you're wrong. I create graphic design because I enjoy giving a creative visual and conceptual look to someone's idea. I love to take something that's intangible and invisible and help others to see it, to interact with it. I get inspired by a good idea and create good ideas that will inspire.

I think the fast pace world we live in forces too many to willingly and unwillingly jump on the fast track thus forgetting the way things were before they jumped on. In some ways, it's easy to forget why we started something when all we're worried about is the next job/client...and keeping the one we currently have. Regardless of what creative discipline you are involved with, it is important to remind yourself why you got involved so that you can stay involved.

the critique of the creative

As creative people, graphic designers (as well as people in other creative disciplines but for now we'll focus on designers) need to experience what is most often referred to as a critique. Yes, I'm talking about the times when our work is put up for display...and informal/formal comment. The time when observers pick apart and dissect our work. Sometimes the observer(s) gut our work to the point where the only thing that remains is someone saying "it appears to be a flimsy piece of paper with what appears to be a....wait...yep, I think it was....YES, it was a design!".

Sometimes those critiques leave us feeling good about ourselves, other times we're feeling as if someone is standing on our chest. But if we're truly as educated/talented/professional/worthy of our titles as we say we are, we'll see the critique for what it's worth: comments from an observer that to varing degrees need to be taken into account if we're to grow as creatives. It's not a personal attack, it's a donation of time that is intended to help the designer who's work is up for critique. Regardless of how difficult it can be to hear a critique of our work, giving a critique requires just as much responsibility.

Remember, our job as graphic designers is to communicate in a way that has both function and appropriate, yet aesthetically pleasing, form. When we're analyzing another designer's work, we need to remember that. Some designers will go into the critique with their ego's leading the way and others will go into it blindly, grasping onto others comments hoping to ride the bandwagon to safety. Honesty with respect is the best way to go. Tell them what you think. Don't be afraid to voice your educated perspective but respect the designer and leave opinion out of it as much as possible (or preface the comment(s) with "...and this is my opinion..."). The easiest way I've found to approach a critique is to keep in mind four points:

1. What is the concept behind the design?
2. Does it function based on the principles of design? (weighing those principles against the included design elements)
3. Does the aesthetic compliment and support the function?
4. Is it a well developed aesthetic?

These key points will, in my opinion, prevent you from providing too much opinion and not enough meaningful comments. Don't waste everybodys time. Be honest. Be respectful. Most important...stay focused.

Creative Latitude

Creative Latitude is an organization that, simply put, helps creatives. Whether that help comes in the form of an article for clients about how to work with graphic designers or through their list of member profiles that contain links to their respective work, Creative Latitude devotes a lot of time and effort to education and promotion in order to support the creative and the industry in which they work. Their website says it best:

"Creative Latitude is a worldwide community that unites various creative disciplines for collective promotion, education and ethical business practice."

Check out their site at www.creativelatitude.com for more information and resources.