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Attitude Needs Improvement › How I Learned to be a Design Professional from James Bond

This might not be the best post to introduce my friend Ko’s blog with, but it is an example of his awesome power to make connections where they didn’t exist, and learn from them.

Being “A Professional” is a state of mind, a way of life. To act “Professional” is just a behavior, a facade.

Indeed. Plus, on what other design blog will you find words like muffuggin’?

Sep 01

What Lebanon can teach the U.S. about religious tolerance

The backstory:

Lebanon’s largest Jewish synagogue has been saved from the wrecking ball and beautifully restored to its past glory.

Big deal, right? Well, when you compare it to the reactions of some Americans to the plans for an Islamic cultural center in Manhattan, the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque,” it does make Lebanon the more “tolerant” country.

The irony of the situation is captured brilliantly by Mustafa’s comment:

It’s a great talking point for American liberals. But the Lebanese already know that we don’t hate the Jews. We just hate each other.

(via Beirutspring.com)

Aug 30

“Make every picture count.”

That’s what Martin Wilson’s dad told him when he gave him his first camera for Christmas in 1973. Now he pushes that to the extreme.

That’s probably why my work looks like it does today. I’ve arrived at a way of working where I put every frame on display. The entire film is visible. The numbers underneath each frame show that each picture is taken consecutively. Perhaps subconsciously I’m trying to prove to my dad that I haven’t wasted a single shot.

My pictures are painstakingly created frame by frame on 35mm film. I get the whole film developed, scan it, then piece the final image together on the computer, making a large contact sheet. It’s only when the completed film strips are laid out side by side in the contact sheets that the final image appear.

Pretty amazing.

Martin Wilson via NPR

Aug 11