I’ve been working up to this post for some time now. As an avid (or maybe rabid) Olympics supporter and a general sports enthusiast, I’ve been exceptionally proud of the way Canada has embraced these Olympics and the way our athletes have performed under pressure. I’ve been even more impressed, however, with the way Vancouver has branded itself for these games. Perhaps our success over the past two days (3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze) has put a little extra glow in my heart, but I can’t help but tip my hat to those responsible for executing the vision for these Winter Games. At first I was only moderately excited at the Vancouver 2010 brand. I perceived it’s vector illustration style as less-than-original. Seeing it’s full execution, however, I’m extremely appreciative of the attention to detail. Look no further than the green-and-blue coloured houses of the curling rinks, Canada Hockey Place with it’s green and blue painted stairs, or the halfpipe’s green and blue markings. The placement of the cameras has been addressed with extreme attention to detail as well. The gates of the downhill events have been carefully planned for impact with the home audience, likewise with the Bobsled track placement of “Vancouver 2010″ on prominent turns and Canada Hockey Place displaying the Olympic rings on top of the net for the camera to broadcast to the public. On top of this, I’ve found the typography to be excellent as well. The type chosen has been clean and clear, with one of the best examples being the numbers on Speed Skater’s helmets. Here are a few examples of branding done well, courtesy of Boston.com.
I’m trying really hard to get used to the lack of sun, beaches, flip flops and strawberry margaritas here in Winnipeg… needless to say, it’s not going so well. My friend and I went to the Mayan Riviera and stayed at the beautiful Catalonia Yucatan. It was about 20 minutes outside of Playa Del Carmen and close to many historical and touristy destinations. I would definitely recommend a trip to Tulum to experience a bit of the Mayan culture and to see the gorgeous beaches that surround the village. Xel-Ha is a natural park that offers outdoor activites like snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, hiking through the jungle, cliff jumping and the best Mexican food. One more thing I would recommend - bring a strong sunscreen and a hat. I learned the hard way. Adios!
Note- All of these photos were taking using the ShakeItPhoto app for the iPhone
I had the privilege of attending a show last night at the West End Cultural Centre for The Wooden Sky and headliners Rural Alberta Advantage. If you haven’t listened to The Wooden Sky before, you’re missing out. Great live, great vocals, great songs. Simply put, I like them and I enjoy their cover art.
Another year, another fabulous Richlu catalogue. Last night I spent the better part of 7 hours press-checking this year’s version, and I’m happy to report everything went off without a hitch. Our client liked our Signature-Award-Winning cover design so much we decided to recreate the magic for another year. In lieu of the final printed piece, here’s a tantalizing taste of what’s to come.
A couple albums currently spinning in our car stereo – Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, and the new Vampire Weekend. Both albums sport simplistic cover art. There is a lot to be said for honest photography, clean typography, and crisp cardboard packaging. Go out an pick them up if you haven’t already, they’re worth the listen. On that note, is there anything better than buying a new disc and pulling into traffic with Track 1 cranked to 11? I didn’t think so.
Less than two weeks remain until The Impossible Project launches on January 1st, 2010. What is The Impossible Project you ask? Since Polaroid stopped producing analog Instant Film in June 2008, The Impossible Project was founded with the concrete aim to re-invent and re-start production of analog INTEGRAL FILM for vintage Polaroid cameras. As a long-time owner of Polaroid cameras, I have been counting down this day for quite some time. It’s become increasingly hard to justify paying almost $40 for a pack of Polaroid 600 film. Here is a great little film from Charles and Ray Eames reminding us of how great Polaroid film actually is, courtesy of Swiss Miss.
This is a fascinating project. Photographer Kevin Bauman, in his own words, began this project some 15 years ago. Chronicling the decline of Detroit, and starting in his own neighborhood, his project morphed from a creative outlet to a full blown photo-documentary. Although he states 100 houses initially seemed like a lot, there are some 12,000 abandoned houses in Detroit. I’ll admit, it’s a morbid fascination I have with what is essentially an incredibly sad situation, however it’s hard to argue the artistic merit of these photographs.
I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement when I was sent a link to Tom Robinson Photography. Tom is an English photographer who has done extensive traveling and shot in many beautiful locales across the world. It’s his Feet First exhibition that really got my traveling juices flowing however, and I look forward to one day soon visiting many of the amazing places featured in his photographs.
Max Wanger has just launched his shop where you can purchase limited edition prints and tshirts. If you’re not in the market or don’t have the $ available, make sure you visit this amazing photographer’s blog, you won’t be disappointed.
While I’m not really familiar with his work, I was struck by his evocative photos while flipping through one of our library’s hidden gems, Image Makers, Image Takers. The book focuses on the motivations and inspirations of some of the world’s most established photographers. Mr. Polidori’s mournful photos of Chernobyl struck a cord, however it was his take on the beautifully haunted city of Havana that really caught my eye.
