Ben Shoemate's Notebook

Matt via Signal vs. Noise shared by 4 people

Labor Day recently passed. That means you may have received a shared photo album from a friend or relative. You know the type: It’s usually dozens (or hundreds) of shots of vacation fun.

But you’re not into it. Now, it’s not that you don’t care; It’s fun to peek in and see what happened. But who wants to sort through a glut of 200 photos of someone else’s vacation (or baby photos or whatever)? What actually happens: You wind up deleting the email with the link and don’t even bother seeing any of them.

The power of editing
It’s about the power of editing. What if these people picked out the five best shots instead? The five photos that are the cream of the crop. The five that undeniably kick ass.

Then the whole thing shifts. Instead of it being a chore to see how their vacation went, it becomes a pleasure. It only takes a few seconds. Plus, that means they can just attach the photos to the email, instead of forcing you to visit (and sometimes register) at some random photo site. It’s only five photos, no big deal.

36:1
I had a photography teacher (Richard Stromberg at The Chicago Photography Center) tell me once that if you get one good shot on a roll of 36, you were doing good. That’s the ratio: 36:1. When you edit ruthlessly like that, you come out with great results. People think you’re better than you are. It’s not that you became a brilliant photographer, it’s just that you started exercising taste and restraint.

It’s one of the biggest challenges in the digital age: When you can bombard people with everything, it’s tempting to do so. That’s why taste, restraint, and editing are so important. Sometimes it’s about throwing out the 35 bad shots and revelling in the one great shot.

Omit, then submit
What you leave out is often what turns good into great. What you leave out is the difference between something that is either 1) never seen or used or 2) simple, clear, and actually digestable. It’s true for photography. It’s true for features in software. And it’s true for plenty more too.

P.S. Fun bit about Stromberg, the photography teacher I mentioned: He required all students to purchase a fixed 50mm lens for their camera. Students would invariably ask if they could use a zoom lens instead. His response: Every lens is a zoom lens. Just walk closer or further away to zoom. I always loved that.

Related
Eureka: We’re editors [SvN]
Ask 37signals: Is it really the number of features that matter? [SvN]

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(author unknown) via FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog shared by 4 people

Einstein once said something to the effect of, “you cannot solve problems by thinking within the same framework or mindset that discovered the problems.” The implication is that you need to step into another mindset, another level of thinking. So how do we step into another mindset, as Einstein implies we should? One possible method

Adam Hirsch via Mashable! shared by 4 people

Out of the hundreds of articles and posts out there on how companies should utilize social media and Web 2.0, CNN seems to be one of the few major corporations out there that have paid attention. CNN is one of the few broadcast networks with an expansive line of shining examples in the Web 2.0 space, from basic RSS and bookmarking options to embeddable videos, and its fully user generated content platform iReport.com.

What amazes me most about CNN has not been the millions of iReport submissions or the Web 2.0/social media, it’s that it seems CNN is now the first official broadcast network (not just news related) to start using Twitter and heavily promoting it on air. For instance, today I watched as CNN Anchor and Editor Don Lemon fished for Twitter replies after various segments. I’m sure this is only one of the many mentions to come and I’m sure we’ll see a large jump in his followers from here on out.

So, CNN gets it… What do you think about their on air Twitter plugs? Is there any other major company you can think of that’s an early adopter and getting it right?

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Related Articles at Mashable! - The Social Networking Blog:

Twitter Mobile Interface
Quick Fix For Twitter Troubles
Don’t Send Bac’n: Use TwitterSearch
Mosio Uses Twitter For Mobile Q&A
Twitter Adds GMail Contacts Import
How Messed Up Is Twitter For You Right Now? [Poll]
30Boxes Brings Us Power Twitter

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Antonio via Woork shared by 5 people


This collection includes Unit Rounded Bold, Helvetica Neue, Qlassik, Punk's not dead, Chica Monospace, Kyra Lynn, Nicotine, Light Out, Anja Eliane and Danube.


1. Unit Rounded Bold (download)
A rounded font to design Facebook-like logos.




2. Helvetica Neue (download)
Helvetica Neue is absolutely the font I prefer in this collection. Clean and professional:




3. Qlassik (download)
Another font I like very much:




4. Punk's not dead (download)
Punk's not deat is "dirty" font to design grunge logos:





5. Chica Monospace (download)
A font with an optimal legibility and an elegant style:




6. Kyra Lynn (download)
Kyra Lynn is another "dirty" font for grunge logos:





7. Nicotine (download)
A bold font for big logos:





8. Light Out (download)





9. Anja Eliane (download)
Anja Eliane is a bold rounded box. Best result in medium-big size.





10. Danube (download)
A courious font for modern logo design.



Related posts
10 Awesome typewriter fonts for web designers
10 Handwritten fonts you can't miss

Avi Abrams via Dark Roasted Blend shared by 5 people

"QUANTUM SHOT" #470 Article by Rachel & Avi Abrams, link Socotra Island: you have to see it to believe it We covered some otherwordly places before (see, for example, Bolvian Salt Lake, or The Richat structure), but this island simply blows away any notion about what is considered "normal" for a landscape on Earth. (images credit: Jan Vandorpe, socotra) Imagine waking up on the Socotra Island and taking a good look around you (let's say your buddies pulled a prank on you and delivered you there, and lets also assume that you don't have any hangover from abuse of any substances). After a yelp of disbelief, you'd be inclined to think you were transported to another planet - or traveled to another era of Earth's history. The second would be closer to the truth for this island, which is part of a group of 4 islands, has been geographically isolated from mainland Africa for the last 6 or 7 million years. Like the Galapagos Islands, this island is teeming with 700 endemic species of flora and fauna, a full 1/3 of which are found nowhere else on Earth. (images credit: dianadrz, Irina Travina) (image credit: socotra) The climate is harsh, hot and dry, and yet - the most amazing plant life thrives there. Situated in the Indian Ocean 250 km from Somalia and 340 km from Yemen, the wide sandy beaches rise to limestone plateaus full of caves (some 7 kilometers in length) and mountains up to 1525 meters high. (image credit: Marco Pavan) The name Socotra is derived from a Sanscrit name, meaning "The Island of Bliss"... Is it the beaches? The isolation and quiet? or the strange and crazy botanical allure? Alien-looking plants: H. P. Lovecraft's secret inspiration? Was the famous Chtulhu myths creator aware of these forbidding mountains with their hauntingly weird flora (think of plant mutations from his "The Color out of Space") ? We almost tempted to call Socotra the other "Mountains of Madness" - the trees and plants of this island were preserved thru the long geological isolation, some varieties being 20 million years old... We begin with the dracena cinnibaris or Dragon's Blood Tree, the source of Cinnibar: (image credit: Christian Besnier) The branches spread out into the sky and from below appear to hover over the landscape like so many flying saucers... and from above they have a distinct mushroom look: (image credit: Jan Vandorpe) (image credit: dianadrz) There is also the Desert Rose (adenium obesium) which looks like nothing so much as a blooming elephant leg: (images credit: Jan Vandorpe) (image credit: Denis Romanov) Dorstenia gigas, that apparently does not require any soil present and sinks roots straight into the bare rock. (images credit: Jan Vandorpe) It also has a distinct personality and likes to smile for the camera: (image credit: Tomas van Houtryve) Somewhat similar to the weird Dorstenia gigas, is this "bucha" vegetable, found as far north as Croatia. I hope it's not pregnant with anything malignant inside this sack. John Wyndham (with his "The Day of the Triffids") would've loved it: Also found in Socotra's landscape is the ever-strange and extremely rare Cucumber Tree (dendrosicyos socotranum) - and yes, it's related to what's sitting in a pickle jar in your fridge: (image credit: Jan Vandorpe) Getting around can be a challenge, as there are almost no roads Despite the fact that this island has around 40,000 inhabitants, the Yemeni govenment put in the first roads just 2 years ago - after negotiations with UNESCO, which has declared this island a World Natural Heritage Site. I would prefer a camel ride to what is bound to be a bumpy and slow 4x4 ride... It is a quiet and peaceful enclave in an otherwise troubled world. If you decide to visit there, you can forget about beachfront hotels and restaurants; this island is geared towards eco-tourism and sustaining the local economy and way of life. (images credit: Adele Obice, Marco Pavan, Denis Romanov) This island is a birder's paradise as well, with 140 different species of birds; 10 of which are not found anywhere else in the world. A unique Socotra warbler, sunbird, starling, bunting, sparrow and cisticola are among the ones found here. There are also Socotra Cormorants: (images credit: Magellan Tours, Rafeek Manchayil) Want to see some fairy-tale (and possibly haunted) shipwrecks? There are diving tours available... Hopefully some IMAX crew would film it in all its glory one day. (image credit: socotra) To give you a glimpse of Socotra's and Yemen's in general totally unique architecture, check out this place located on the mainland: Al Hajarah, Yemen - Walled city in the mist Computer game designers take note - this mysterious city in the foggy Yemen's Haraz Mountains can surely fire up imagination of anybody who decides to explore it: (image credit: Jan Vandorpe) (image credit: Bellosta) (image credit: Michaela Diener) Dune? Clark Ashton Smith's Zothique? Pack your bags, for this is on our good old planet Earth, no interstellar visa required. (image credit: socotra) Also Read: The Bolvian Salt Lake, The Richat Structure: Eye of the Earth Permanent Link......+StumbleUpon ...+Facebook Category: nature,Travel

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