Category: 2012

Creepy reminder from Instagram

Motel 1

The filters and effects drew me in. The user interface and design wowed me. But the community and the creativity keep me coming back every day.

I check Facebook and Twitter for the news, but I go to Instagram for fun.

My feed seems cleaner and more interesting, with much less of the stuff that I routinely tune out (like ads, promos and app activity). Granted I am following less people on Instagram, but most of them seem to put some thought and care into their photos (although food and cat pics are inevitable on any platform, not that there’s anything wrong with that).

I also enjoy Instagram’s weekend hashtag projects. A few weeks ago, I had fun posting entries to the motel-themed project, and found myself thinking very highly of Instagram and felt appreciative for the creative outlet.

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Missing Millie

It’s hard not to smile at a Golden Retriever.

Whether they’re out on a walk, chasing a tennis ball in the park, maniacally plunging into a pool or even just lying around, joy is written all over their faces and sheer bliss radiates from their furry coats.

I’m clearly a dog-lover, from a dog-loving family, but I think there’s something special about the spirit of a Golden that would warm up anyone’s heart.

And if you were lucky enough to have grown up with a Golden, like I was, you know their goofy grins and joyous antics aren’t just for show. They’re a lifestyle; a window to the dog’s soul – a soul soaked in pervasive, absolute happiness.

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How to avoid snoozefest PowerPoint presentations (and Facebook posts)

Digital Hollywood Conference

With three years under my belt in the corporate world, I’ve been spending a ton of time listening to, and creating my own, PowerPoint presentations.

Seriously. Cog-folk love us some PowerPoint.

And as a social media professional, I also spend most of my life on Facebook, either managing my company’s page or trolling reading the latest from my friends and subscription lists.

Given my intense exposure to both of these modern marvels of communication, I’ve developed a nose for the good and the bad, and can sniff out both pretty quickly.

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Roid Week 2012

Roid Week 2012: Not a festival of performance-enhancing drugs or a promotion for Preparation H.

It’s an annual celebration of Polaroid photography. Every day, from August 13-17, Polaroid enthusiasts from all over are asked to post their two best new photos on the ‘Roid Week 2012 Flickr group.

I discovered Roid Week on the Sunday before it kicked off. Fortunately, I’d recently picked up a Polaroid OneStep camera and some SX70 film from The Impossible Project (the only place still producing Polaroid film), so the timing was perfect.

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Haboob horizon

Ah, summertime in the desert.

Cars double as ovens. Pools turn into luke-warm bathtubs. Air conditioning is essential, like water, food and the pursuit of happiness. Along with highs in the 116s (and lows in the 100s), we’re also blessed with the occasional haboob.

They usually pop out of nowhere in the late-afternoon in the late-summer months. And when they do, Valley photographers salivate. Yesterday – Saturday, August 11 – was one such occasion. I’d been meaning to try for a nice panoramic, wall-of-dust shot sometime this summer and jumped at the opportunity when this one presented itself.

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