RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Block’

19 November, 2014 – Photographers Block

20 Nov

  

I’m sure you have experienced what is commonly called writers block.  A time where you just can’t seem to get something on paper the way you want.  The same thing happens to photographers too.  It’s when you reach a point of not being able to creatively create an image the way you want.  It can be frustrating to say the least.  Today, Alain Briot dives into Photographers Block and how to get out of it.  His article Photographers Block will help you find ways out of the doldrum and back to your groove.


The Luminous Landscape – What’s New

 
Comments Off on 19 November, 2014 – Photographers Block

Posted in News

 

LEGO Architecture Studio: Boldly Monochromatic Block Set

19 Jan

[ By WebUrbanist in Gaming & Computing & Technology. ]

lego architectural white sketch

A colorless LEGO kit may sound boring at first blush, but consider the spatial advantages of letting form, line and shadow stand apart from the profusion of colors normally associated with their iconic blocks.

lego architecture studio box

LEGO Architecture Studio‘s pigment-free approach is unusual for the company and intentionally so: it is made to create an experience that is more like pencil or pen sketching in three dimensions, a thinking-through-building process without the complications of shades and hues.

lego monochromatic block set

lego architecture studio booklet

Though the all-white block series contains over 1,200 pieces uniformly absent of color, it also comes with a colorful 268-page book that shows aspiring architects (or simply interested kids) what is possible in the world of built environments.

lego color companion book

This companion volume features the work of famous designers and firms including REX Architecture, Sou Fujimoto, SOM, MAD Architects, Tham & Videgård, and Safdie Architects, covering a range of theory and practice, concepts and reality, all from a diverse group of professionals.

lego all white blocks

From FastCo: “At the end of each chapter, the lead architects will all sit around a table with Lego and play with the pieces! Only then is the reader invited to take part in a hands-on Lego workshop exploring some of the theories and concepts explored in the chapter, which can range from exercises exploring symmetry, mass, density, the use of negative space, modules, repetition, and more.”

lego no color kit

The target audience is also ambiguous – the set could be fun for kids, or ideal for teenagers who want to try their hand at architectural concepts and design before deciding on a college major or career path. In the end, perhaps adults will appreciate it the most, or at least best understand and appreciate the aesthetic understatement … then again, children often understand best that a limited palette of props leaves more to the imagination.

Share on Facebook





[ By WebUrbanist in Gaming & Computing & Technology. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on LEGO Architecture Studio: Boldly Monochromatic Block Set

Posted in Creativity

 

Chip Off The Old Block

24 Oct

A little boy mans a camera with a Canon 800mm f/5.6 lens

Last weekend I took my son to the top of Twin Peaks in San Francisco, California to watch the rising Hunter’s Moon. Being 3 years old I expected him to be excited about seeing the moon after all he was wearing NASA boots, but his enthusiasm for taking pictures quickly took over. To warm up before the moonrise we took photos together of the western span of the Bay Bridge. After that we huddled to keep warm and watched the moon rise taking in the details on the live view display of my camera. We weren’t out to take award winning photos, but we sure had fun. Then again now that I think about it, perhaps if a 3 year old class of nature photography exists a photo submission might be worth while. Nah!!!!

Copyright Jim M. Goldstein, All Rights Reserved

Chip Off The Old Block

The post Chip Off The Old Block appeared first on JMG-Galleries – Landscape, Nature & Travel Photography.

       

Related Stories

  • Chip Off The Old Block – Enclosure
  • Hunter’s Moon Rising
  • Hunter’s Moon Rising – Enclosure
Feed Ads by FeedBlitz
powered by ad choices

 


JMG-Galleries

 
Comments Off on Chip Off The Old Block

Posted in Equipment

 

A Taste of Oakland Uptown Block Party

20 Oct

A Taste of Oakland
$ 2 micro Brew beers tonight at Kitchener in Oakland for A Taste of Oakland.

Earlier tonight mrsth and I enjoyed a night out on the town in Oakland at A Taste of Oakland’s Uptown Block Party. The food/cocktail event included 24 participating Uptown Oakland restaurants and bars.

A Taste of Oakland was founded by two Oakland natives, Helen Wyman (of Oakland Events) and Lamont Dawson. Their mission is to promote local businesses, highlight Oakland’s assets, change perceptions of Oakland, build a sense of community between the residents and the business community and showcase the culinary revolution that has become prominent in the food industry, establishing Oakland as a culinary destination.

I’d say based on tonight’s successful event, they did just that.

Participating restaurants/bars included: Kitchener, Sweet Bar Bakery, Hawker Fare, Pican, Ozumo, Luka’s Taproom & Lounge, Plum Bar, Donut Savant, Era Art Bar & Lounge, Torpedo Sushi, Farley’s East, Anfilo Coffee, Vo’s Restaurant, Telegraph, The Legionnaire Saloon, Kingston 11 Cuisine (although they weren’t open yet), Hutch Bar & Kitchen, Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe, Make Westing, Somar Bar, Camber, Bench & Bar, Dogwood and Mockingbird.

The evening gave Oakland food and restaurant aficionados a great opportunity to sample a ton of different restaurants and bars over the course of the three hour event in stylish Uptown. It was a great opportunity to check out new places and plan for further dinners and reservations down the road.

My favorite restaurant of the event was the newcomer Mockingbird. They served a duck pate that was delicious! I’ve been wanting to try Mockingbird and that will probably be the next dinner I have out.

I also really enjoyed the North Carolina pull pork that Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe served, the pull pork sandwich served by Telegraph, the Thai food at Camber and the Four Roses Bourbon cocktail served by Hutch. The pork meatball at Ozumo was pretty tasty too. The restaurants were all within walking distance and it was priced at a very affordable $ 20 per ticket.

With 24 venues, the event had a lot of local community support, it felt like most of the restaurants in Uptown participated — although the woman at Catered to You was outside offering samples of her decadent buffalo french fries complaining that this was the second time she’d asked to be included and wasn’t. Hopefully she gets in on the next one. :)

Thanks for a great night out A Taste of Oakland. Looking forward to more of your great events in the future! #taseteuptown #tasteofoakland

To see more photos from tonight’s event, check out this set on Flickr here.

A Taste of Oakland
maitre d’ at Pican.

A Taste of Oakland
Serving at the Pop Up Outside Hawker Fare.

A Taste of Oakland
$ 5 specialty cocktails at a Taste of Oakland restaurants and bars. This one at Pican.

A Taste of Oakland
Hutch served an excellent Four Roses Bourbon cocktail along with popcorn popped in bacon fat.

A Taste of Oakland
A little Oakland street art between restaurants — a Homer Simpson / Stormtrooper mashup outside Hawker Fare.

A Taste of Oakland
Serving Thai food at Camber.

A Taste of Oakland
Torpedo Sushi was serving up their California roll on a potato chip.

A Taste of Oakland
The dreamland of neon cupcakes at Sweet Bar Bakery who were serving a taste of chocolate or ginger cookies.

A Taste of Oakland
Newcomer Mockingbird, my favorite restaurant of the evening.

A Taste of Oakland
Enjoying a cocktail at the bar at Ozumo.

A Taste of Oakland
Making Jameson and tea cocktails at Plum Bar.

A Taste of Oakland
That pork meatball at Ozumo was pretty damn good.

A Taste of Oakland
Serving pull pork sandwiches at Telegraph.


Thomas Hawk Digital Connection

 
Comments Off on A Taste of Oakland Uptown Block Party

Posted in Photography

 

Zaha Hadid’s Apartment Block Overlooking NYC High Line

05 Sep

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

Zaha Hadid High Line Apartments NYC 1

A glittering glass apartment block with volumes flowing into each other in dynamic stacked arrangements will be architect Zaha Hadid’s first building in New York City. Set to overlook the second section of the High Line, the city’s elevated park, the 11-story sculpted glass and steel development aims to draw in luxury buyers with a double-height lobby, private courtyards, a communal garden and residences measuring up to 5,500 square feet.

Zaha Hadid NYC High Line Apartments 2

The mid-rise apartment block will feature approximately 37 apartments, each with its own private terrace, 11-foot ceilings and state-of-the-art features. Located in Chelsea at 520 West 28th Street, the building will also offer a large roof terrace and an indoor pool and spa.

Zaha Hadid NYC High LIne Apartments 3
“Our design is an integration of volumes that flow into each other and, following a coherent formal language, create the sensibility of the building’s overall ensemble,” says Hadid. “With an arrangement that reinvents the spatial experience, each residence will have its own distinctive identity, offering multiple perspectives and exciting views of the neighborhood.”

Zaha Hadid NYC High Line Apartments 4

The creation of the High Line, which was formerly an abandoned section of elevated railway, has spurred a rash of new economic and real estate development in areas of the city that had slumped a bit. According to The New York Times, the High Line as generated $ 2 billion in private investment, including a number of other deluxe apartment buildings, art galleries, restaurants and boutiques.

Share on Facebook



[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


    




WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Zaha Hadid’s Apartment Block Overlooking NYC High Line

Posted in Creativity

 

Block Out Bad Smells with Decorative Air Purifying Collar

13 Aug

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

Smell Blocking Collar 1

Noxious odors are an inevitable part of life in the city, from rotting trash and cigarette smoke to the sweaty guy sitting next to you on the subway eating Chinese take-out. It’s even more of a problem if you’re particularly sensitive to smells, and a colleague’s over-application of perfume can trigger debilitating headache. This air-purifying collar, a finalist in the 2013 Electrolux Design Lab, aims to eliminate unwanted smells and provide aromatherapy, too.

Smell Blocking Collar 2

The OZ-1 is a portable air purifier that sits around your neck, looking a bit like a pair of headphones. The device has a built-in ozone generator and HEPA filter to clean the air in the immediate vicinity of your face, so you never have to smell anything bad. Of course, it’s also going to block out good smells, like the food you’re about to eat, so you’d want to take it off occasionally.

Smell Blocking Collar 3

The HEPA filter also traps dust and particles, so it’s good for allergy sufferers, and the device releases an oxidant to neutralize harmful gases in the air. An integrated smoke sensor detects smoke so it can trap and neutralize cigarette odors before they latch onto your hair and clothing.

Smell Blocking Collar 4

It also includes perfume cartridges, so you can walk around with your favorite scent in the air at all times. A series of decorative skins makes it almost like a piece of jewelry. The OZ-1 is just a concept, for now, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it on shelves someday soon.

Share on Facebook



[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


    


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Block Out Bad Smells with Decorative Air Purifying Collar

Posted in Creativity

 

Sky Park: Design Idea Floats City Block Over Penn Station

13 Jun

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

sky park penn station

Out of four recent proposals for a radical overhaul of Penn Station in New York City, this concept by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP is far and away the most dramatic – and arguably the most inspiring as well.

sky park new york

Drawing on the success of The High Line, an elevated park in the same city, this project solution from SOM proposes lifting city life to new heights and integrating a new version of Madison Square Garden, boldly suspended in midair.

sky park section slice

Below, the main station itself sits as a dome over the underground transit hub. Meanwhile, the mega-block is anchored by towers at its four corners, with offices occupying the lower floors and residential stories above.

sky park from below

On the one hand, this multi-layered result consolidates central activities around a newly-refocused core. On the other, it opens up shared green park space on a series of levels, blending intentionality with optionality.

sky park som diagrams

While conceptually simple, the design is … challenging from an engineering standpoint, to put it mildly, and more idealistic than realistic at this point. Hanging so much structure over such a distance stretches the limits of the imagination, but that practical weakness is also the visionary strength of the proposal, for better and worse.

Share on Facebook



[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

    


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Sky Park: Design Idea Floats City Block Over Penn Station

Posted in Creativity

 

Dear Marissa Mayer, Please Give Us a Tool to Better Block Bad Actors on Flickr

26 May

As an opinionated blogger, watching Flickr roll out recent changes to the site this past week has been an interesting experience, to say the least.

Thanks, Marissa Mayer, for making Flickr awesome again. Thanks also to the Flickr team who have worked so hard to roll out these changes. The new Flickr is the most photo immersive experience anywhere on the web. It is far more engaging and far more beautiful than I ever could have imagined.

Witnessing and countering in the vile hatefest that the Flickr Help Forum has become this past week has also been interesting. Simply for expressing my opinion in a public feedback forum on the new design, I’ve been called a shill, a troll, a sock puppet, a scrotum sack, and many things far worse that I don’t really feel like printing.

I’ve been told that my photography is absolute crap, been accused of working for Yahoo, of being related to Marissa Mayer, of trying to pump up Yahoo’s stock price by supporting the changes — my work, motives and integrity have all been subject to relentless attacks there.

There is little civility in a forum taken over by the ugliest and most vulgar of what the web represents.

The vandalization of Marissa Mayer’s own Flickrstream, and the encouraged vandalism in the same forum, saddens me. To see someone leave an offensive comment on a Mother’s Day Photo, of all things, makes Flickr less of a place to want to spend time.

One Flickr staffer had to actually turn off public comments on his Flickrstream. “You are going to hell,” was the comment that made him turn them off.

There is, at least, a partial answer to this problem: give us a tool to block other users on Flickr.

Flickr already does have a blocking feature of course, it’s just super weak and only prevents someone from leaving a comment on one of *your* photos.

On the other hand, even if you block someone, they can still attack you in all sorts of other places on Flickr, where you spend time. Flickr users should be able to use the public areas of the site without being subject to vile personal attacks. The Help Forum, Groups, other people’s photos, all should be places where Flickr users can visit and feel safe and comfortable.

I left Flickr groups for good a few years back (so did a lot of my friends). The reason why I left was that groups were becoming too ugly. Especially as an opinionated and high profile user, I found myself subject to constant terrible attacks. There was nothing that could really be done about this. Sure, you could report someone violating the Flickr Community Guidelines to Flickr, and maybe 5 days later their account would be deleted, but then they’d just make up a new troll account and be right back at it over and over again.

It was simply easier to just leave the public community of Flickr than to deal with the hate.

When I first joined Google+, I saw some of these same bad actors appear over there, too. I’d watch both myself and my good friends be attacked by others — jealous, petty haters and trolls, mostly. But then Google did a really smart thing. Google rolled out a really strong blocking tool and, just like that, all the hate went away.

You see, on Google+, when you block somebody, they become entirely invisible to you. They are entirely filtered out of all of your views on G+. Poof. Gone for good, not just in your stream, but *everywhere* for you on the site — and that has made Google+ a far better, nicer and more polite place for community than Flickr. Where the Flickr community is a negative hatefest, the G+ community is the most amazing, optimistic, supportive community I’ve ever known online.

You see, blocking the worst of the web doesn’t just filter it out of your view. The more significant thing that it does is it *encourages* civility.

Right now on Flickr we have no power against incivility. People can be as nasty and as rude and as ugly and as disrespectful as they want. They can spam the Flickr help forum with images of excrement (as they actually did last week) and you can’t do a damn thing about it — but if you give us the ability to block these bad actors, then their power is reduced. They know that as soon as they begin the ugliest of hate that the vast majority of positive contributing members will simply block them. Their audience is diminished and soon they are standing on a soap box shouting only to the 10 or so other users who share their hate filled outlook on life.

Before I quit using Flickr groups, one particular nasty member was looking at the photos that I was favoriting (this is forced public and Flickr won’t allow me to control who gets to see it — unlike on G+ where it is private) and this person began leaving vile comments on every photo that I was commenting on. This way, every single one of their comments was showing up in my recent activity, even though I’d blocked them from commenting on my own photos. That’s just wrong.

If Flickr wants to be a place where community can flourish, they need to give us tools to protect ourselves from the hate.

Marissa, I don’t need to tell you how bad the hate can be on Flickr. If you’ve reviewed your own Flickrstream this past week, you know what I’m talking about. It’s deplorable. Especially when any user can so easily just keep making anonymous troll account after anonymous troll account — please, give us a tool to remove the bad actors from our Flickr experience.

This week’s new design work was fantastic, now let’s go to work on improving the community for those of us who want to positively contribute there as well.


Thomas Hawk Digital Connection

 
Comments Off on Dear Marissa Mayer, Please Give Us a Tool to Better Block Bad Actors on Flickr

Posted in Photography

 

10 Tips To Get Over Photographer’s Block

27 Mar

Going through a creative rut can be frustrating, and sometimes scary, but it is usually temporary. Photographer’s block can happen to you at any time. It’s up to you to turn it into a positive experience and grow in the process.

Get lost on purpose! Don’t think about what you are going to shoot, just get out with your camera. Something will trigger your photographic eye along the way.

Get lost on purpose! Grab your camera with no goal in mind and you will soon see something that triggers your photographic eye.

1-Push yourself, take risks and make mistakes.

The saying is not that we learn from our successes, but that we learn from our mistakes! Experiment with different techniques and genres and don’t be afraid to fail.

2-Get out of your comfort zone.

Try something that seems completely out of character for you. If you are a rather shy person, go out and shoot some street photography or make street portraits of strangers! You never know whether you are going to love it or hate it until you try it.

3-Spend time with other photographers.

More often than not, we are the only ‘photography nut’ in our family. It can be very frustrating at times but we cannot force others to love the craft as much as we do. As long as your family is supportive of your passion, don’t expect them to share your excitement every time you see something that turns you on photographically. Get together with other photographers by joining or creating a photo walk group in your area. You will get your fix and grow as a photographer by seeing and learning something new with each outing.

4-Take a class.

Whether it is in a physical classroom or online, taking a photography class can help you get your groove back. Participating in a workshop, whether it’s a day long in your hometown or a week-long adventure in an exotic location, will definitely help motivate you.

5-Seek inspiration.

Visit museums and art galleries. Look at photography and other art forms such as paintings and sculptures. Pick up a large book of photographs from artists you’ve long admired and slowly page through it, paying attention to the composition, light and story. Look at the work of emerging artists on line. The goal is to immerse yourself in something beautiful.

6-Become a mentor.

Go out with someone who just picked up a camera and help them get started. I can guarantee you that sharing your love for photography and technical knowledge with someone who is just learning will rekindle your creativity. You will learn something in the process and feel really good about yourself.

7-Get lost on purpose!

Don’t think about what you are going to shoot, just get out with your camera. Something will trigger your photographic eye along the way.

8-Pick a theme.

It may be as simple as photographing the color yellow, reflections in puddles or people walking their dogs. Leaving the house with a theme in mind will keep you focussed and turn your photo walk into a treasure hunt.

9-Start a project.

Commit yourself to a long term project such as a 52-week project or a series of self portraits. Get extra motivation by doing it as part of a group via your favorite social media platform.

10-Try new gear!

Borrow or rent a new lens for a weekend. Try something fun like shooting with a fish eye lens or a tilt-shift. Easier yet, you can experiment with a camera phone and fun Apps!

Conclusion

It’s okay to take a little break too! Remember that creativity is a process, not a result. A creative block is not something to fear. It is part of being an artist.

Please share your experience with the readers of Digital Photography School. Thanks!

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

10 Tips To Get Over Photographer’s Block


Digital Photography School

 
Comments Off on 10 Tips To Get Over Photographer’s Block

Posted in Photography

 

Minecraft Mods – Ep. 9 :: Note Block Studio

16 Jan

Note Block Studio: www.minecraftforum.net The DJ’s got us falling in love again? More videos coming soon! **Subscribe Please** Thanks for watching! Music by JLSmitty22: adf.ly My stuff: Facebook Fan page: adf.ly Follow me on Twitter! adf.ly Get into my head! Posterous: adf.ly My Photography: adf.ly Join Dropbox via me! db.tt LIVE! adf.ly — Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. — I appreciate any and all support!
Video Rating: 4 / 5