Adunate Word & Design

photography

Difference Between Giving and Taking? NYPL’s 187,000 Images

Dinner by Food and Cookery Magazine“DINNER [held by] FOOD AND COOKERY (MAGAZINE) [at] “THE MONICO, LONDON, [ENGLAND]”

Generally, professional designers don’t like crowdsourcing. We hold little enthusiasm for so-called “opportunities” offered by profitable companies to submit work—for free, of course—in hopes of winning their approval (like when Dog é Style Restaurant announced its logo contest). In most cases, crowdsourcing results in companies taking a lot for themselves and giving very little to designers.

That’s one side of the issue. Here’s another, more positive side:

The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library (NYPL) is “chronically underfunded,” as PCMag says in this article. Yet, the 105-year-old public institution initiates brilliant crowdsourcing programs that benefit the givers (doers) and much as the receiver (NYPL). Take, for example, What’s On the Menu?. Launched in 2011, this epicurean’s delight crowdsources the transcription of 45,000 historical restaurant menus, which, by virtue of their type and design, are indiscernible to optical character recognition when digitalized. To date, online volunteers have transcribed more than 1,331,929 dishes from 17,545 menus.

In return? We, the people, whether we volunteer or not, are given viewing access to NYPL’s magnificent collections.

Just last week, NYPL thrilled the world once again with this news release:

“Today we are proud to announce that out-of-copyright materials in NYPL Digital Collections are now available as high-resolution downloads. No permission required, no hoops to jump through: just go forth and reuse!”

That’s right, 187,000 public domain images for digital download. For free! For artists, historians, educators, scientists, well, for everyone, this is an unimaginable treasure trove. Oh, the glory of it all!

In celebration of this release, NYPL invites us to participate in its Labs Remix Residency. Yes, this is crowdsourcing of sorts (the PR will certainly generate donations). And yes, it’s a contest. But once again, NYPL puts the people back in public and offers us something in return—creative use of 187,000 images!

So here’s the dish:

NYPL invites us to brainstorm “transformative, interesting, beautiful new uses” of its digital collections. They’re looking for projects that use pre-existing works to create new things (you know, a remix). Maybe a menu? Maybe a quilt? Maybe a board game? They encourage us to surprise them!

Here’s another way NYPL is unique in its crowdsourcing: Participants are only required to submit a proposal of their project. From there, NYPL will choose two proposals and award them each a $2000 stipend for completing their project. How cool is that?

Start brainstorming! Proposals are due February 19, 2016.

Looking for ideas? Here’s a good article. In fact, any one of the NYPL blogs is a good article!

Want to show your appreciation for 187,000 free images? Consider donating to NYPL or your own local library. Libraries offer us so much!

Sticking Up for Stock Imagery

Wisconsin Lutheran State Teachers' Conference 2015

True fact. We designers are as highly opinionated as a house full of relatives gathering for holiday dinner. Of the many obtuse things we debate, stock imagery rates high. Let me assure you, at this very moment there are multiple “dis-cuss-ions” happening in design forums round the world as to whether or not reputable designers should use stock imagery.

Never one to bite my tongue, I’m going to boldly exclaim “why not use stock imagery?”

Then like any other non-committing diplomat, I’m going to say it depends on what stock imagery you use, how you use it and when. And I’m going to proudly validate my opinion with our recent program for the Wisconsin Lutheran State Teachers’ Conference.

But first, let me explain stock imagery.

Stock photo used for advertising in WLSTC program

Stock images are professionally created photos and vector images that are bought and sold online. They’re often used in advertising, as shown above. The level of professionalism varies, depending on how much you’re willing to pay and what type of licensing is offered. If used right, stock imagery can be an effective tool when it’s necessary to stay within a schedule and budget.

Like we do with the WLSTC program.

Each year I work with conference coordinator/wonderwoman Kris Snyder in producing collateral that’s reflects the mission of this highly professional event. The conference is attended by more than 1200 teachers, yet in order to keep registration costs to a minimum the committee maintains a conservative budget.

Use of custom photography in WLSTC program

In recent years, we’ve used custom photography for the registration and conference programs. These are real photos taken by schools within the district and donated for our use. Some of them are amateur; others are professional, as is this one by Gusto Photography. Either way, the photos are meaningful because they feature the very students taught by the conference attendees.

Stock vector image used in WLSTC program

And yet, on this year’s programs we used a Vectorstock image. Stock imagery!

Yes, I could have custom designed something equally well. Or, I could have hired an illustration specialist. Here’s the thing, good design takes time and time costs money. A wise project manager examines all aspects of the project; the timeframe, the budget and, of course, the use of the product. Since these programs were to be used only for the conference, purchasing a stock image was a better use of our resources.

Here’s where I justify my argument: Stock imagery doesn’t have to be a lesser quality of imagery. Nor must it be generic.

A good designer knows how to choose stock imagery and customize it to fit the project. For starters, we found a funky, cool image that communicates our message well. Then, because it’s a vector, I could take it apart and rebuild it for our needs. Lastly, I changed the colors to coordinate them with our theme.

So there you have it—my two cents, for whatever it’s worth. If you need help managing your project for maximum efficiency and effectiveness, give me a call.

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Stepping Out for Wisconsin Photographers

Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI

Last week my husband and I stepped out for a day and headed up to the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA). It was a bit impulsive, but, oh, so worth the trip.

MOWA_2

MOWA is located in West Bend and is a delightfully unpretentious, yet highly cultivated celebration of Wisconsin art.

The Flagellants (Procession of the Flagellants), 1889, by Carl von Marr

The museum was initially founded in 1961 to showcase the works of Milwaukee-born artist Carl von Marr (1858-1936), including this stunning The Flagellants. It’s now grown to be the most comprehensive collection of Wisconsin art in the state.

J. Shimon and J.LIndemann exhibit at MOWA, West Bend, WI

The works are all great, but I especially wanted to see the current exhibit There’s a Place, by photographers J. Shimon & J. Lindemann. I love this collaborative duo and the eclectic work they do. At a time when the rest of us get quick and easy results with DSLRs, John Shimon and Julie Lindemann meditatively create storytelling portraits with antiquarian cameras and techniques.

Herman Christel, by J. Shimon and J. Lindemann

This piece is my favorite. Years ago, one of my photography class assignments was to emulate a favorite photographer. Of course I chose Shimon and Lindemann. I did my interpretation of Herman Resting in Front of His Farmhouse and my ever-patient husband posed as Herman. We had such the fun putting it together; I can only imagine the special times Shimon and Lindemann have as they create their pieces.

Herman Christel, by J. Shimon and J. Lindemann

Herman with Stones — such peaceful simplicity, don’t you think? Picking rocks from the fields in spring and dumping them off on the fence line is a cultural part of Wisconsin farming. This immortalization of the commonplace we know so well is what makes Shimon and Lindemann beloved.

Shimon and Lindemann also capture what perhaps isn’t normally exposed to outside folk. When you learn Herman’s story, it’s obvious he was rather eccentric. Yet Shimon and Lindemann found beauty in his oddities just as they do each of their subjects. To quote one reviewer, “their portraiture serves to neither glorify nor criticize.” I think that’s what I like most about their work. It reminds me that God has made everyone with a unique story and each is as important as the other.

On top of that, Shimon and Lindemann’s portraiture is fun and eclectic.

It’s unassuming.

It’s so very Wisconsin.

There’s a Place is on exhibit at MOWA through June 7, 2015. If you have a chance, do go and see it!

All photos taken by Adunate, with the permission of MOWA.

More on J. Shimon & J. Lindemann:

 

Wisconsin Schools, Send Us Your Photos

Wisconsin Lutheran State Teachers' Conference 2014

Hey, Wisconsin Lutheran Schools! Check out the program cover for this year’s WLSTC event happening later this fall!

So, I take a lot of pictures. I’m certainly not a professional photographer, but I’ve taken just enough classes to be a bit in-your-face dangerous—all in good fun, don’tcha know. Anyway, I was real excited to use one of my own shots for this year’s WLSTC program cover.

Yep, those are my grapes!

Share in the Fun!

Well, my Wisconsin Lutheran School friends, here’s a chance for you to share in the photography fun. We want to personalize the 2014 conference program with photos of Wisconsin WELS elementary schools and students. We’d love to feature your school year as you “Remain in Me.” We did this for the program two years ago and it was a great success.

If you’d like to share photos, please submit close-up, non-cluttered shots taken in high resolution (only 300 dpi or higher can be used for professional printing, although if your photo sizes are large enough in inches I can proportionately resize them). If you have questions on this, email me.

Please send your photos to Adunate. Please include “WLSTC school photo” in the subject line; and your school name, contact info and photo description in the content.

Here’s a friendly note: WLSTC assumes the photos you submit have been previously approved by your school for permission for publication. ​If you have questions on this, email me. 

An Afternoon With Vivian Maier

Vivian Maier theater

Last Friday I took the afternoon off and headed into Milwaukee to see Finding Vivian Maier at the historic Downer Theater. Normally, I wouldn’t have my cell phone out, but this was a matinee and I was one of only seven people in the whole theater. I couldn’t resist a quick shot.

The documentary was great. Actually the whole story is fascinating—a mysterious nanny, thousands of secret photographs, and a fortuitous discovery at a Chicago auction house. The film, co-directed by John Maloof and Charlie Siskal (film critic Gene Siskel’s nephew), is narrated by Maloof. He describes inadvertently buying a trove of undeveloped film and, upon developing it, realizing the treasure he had. He then shares his quest to learn exactly who Vivian Maier was.

Maier’s photography is stunning. It’s classic street photography in that she captured people in their natural condition in the public places of New York and Chicago. Couples holding hands, bums laying in the street, children playing—she shot them all with great artistry and emotion. The documentary showcases many of her pieces. I would love to see more.

The film also touches on sensitive issues, like who gets to anoint work into the chosen world of art, or the integrity of spotlighting an intentionally elusive woman. Many galleries initially rejected Maloof’s promotion of her photography. But when he posted images on his blog and Flickr, the public went crazy with approval.

Throughout her lifetime Maier kept her work obsessively private. Yet Maloof is now presenting it to the world. In the documentary he allows others to defend his position, saying the value of Maier’s work should not be hid.

I have to agree.

Next on my list: See her exhibit!

 

Beauty in the Brown

Yesterday I was in Reedsburg, Wisconsin for a client meeting. Geologically speaking, this is an interesting area of the state. It’s tucked between the glaciated hills of the Baraboo Range and the unglaciated ruggedness of the Driftless Area. As I drove the backroads, I chided myself for breaking a photographer’s number one rule: never be without your camera. Thank goodness for cell phones.

Sauk County, WIsconsin in spring

Even though everything is brown at this time of year (including the unmelted snow), there’s a unique beauty in the monotones of spring.

Irrigation in Sauk County, WI

There’s beauty in repetition right?

Country road in Sauk County, WI

Or the hopeful expectation of a curved road up ahead.

Abandoned farmhouse in Sauk County, WIThere’s even a forlorn beauty in an abandoned farmhouse.

Mailbox decorated for Easter in Sauk County, WIAnd just when you think you’ve seen enough brown, you come upon a mailbox such as this. How fun it is!

So my new project is exciting! It’s going to involve these very fields of Sauk County, Wisconsin, along with good food and awesome art. Stay tuned in the months ahead, there’s more to come!

 

Submitting an Ad? Here are Guidelines

Conference season is now officially upon me! Now’s the time of year I really get into creating programs, booklets, banners and all manner of cool collateral for great gatherings of people. It’s also the time when my email box is filled with photography and advertising submissions for the collateral. Since sending files in the proper format makes a huge difference on the cost of the project, I now offer helpful guidelines to my conference planners. They, in turn, can share them with their advertisers.

Let’s take a look.

Research Your Media’s Specs

Magazines, newspapers and conference programs all are unique in their sizes, layouts and production. This means their advertising specs will also be unique. Contact your media publication and learn their requirements. Often you can find this on their website (look for advertising, advertising art, or other such listings). You can also contact their advertising department.

Here’s an example of the layout specs I listed for one of my recent projects.

Advertising guidelines, ad sizes

Design Your Ad in Designer’s Programs (Puleeeeze, No MS Word!)

Sometimes people create their own ads. Please, don’t create yours in MS Word! It goes without saying that whenever a graphic saved as a Word document comes to my email, I’m in for extra work—in fact, large advertising agencies won’t even accept such a file. MS Word does not transfer into the required professional printing mode. Even if you save your Word document as a PDF, it’s not guaranteed to preserve your layout, which, if you created in Word, certainly took a lot of time.

Remember this: MS Word is for words, not design!

What are designer’s programs? Any that allow you to create a color-separable document and save it as such. Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign are all design programs. So is QuarkXpress.

Easiest thing of all—hire a professional to design your ad. A true professional will research your media and provide you with files in the proper format. Often professionals will send the ad directly to the media, thus saving you the hassle of communicating with their advertising department.

File Format

Nowadays, even simplest of magazines or design agencies (that would be me) require electronic submissions in high resolution PDF format (300 dpi or more). Here’s an example of a simple list of specifications, by Fresh Cup magazine.

So what’s this high resolution stuff? I wrote about it here. Yes, it’s a little techie (maybe even boring), but if you’re into saving money this is something you need to read.

On the other hand, if the ad is for web, they may want it as a JPG or GIF.

Color Format

If your ad is for hardcopy print, submit it in CMYK. This means if your ad was created in spot or Pantone colors, you’ll need to convert it to CMYK (simply Google “convert to CMYK +InDesign [or whatever program you’re using] to learn how to do this—easy peasy)”. Some publications, like Food & Wine magazine, require you to send a previously printed proof to verify that their colors match yours.

If your print media requires grayscale, be sure to check that your black is truly 1-color grayscale and not a CMYK, or process black.

If your ad is for the web, submit it in RGB.

Font Format

Some highly detailed media make font requests as well. The ABA Journal accepts only PostScript (Type 1) fonts. Preservation magazine prefers fonts to be embedded by saving the file as a PDF/X-1a. Again, check with your media’s specifications.

And lastly, as a bit of a sidenote…

Your Photography is Your Image!

In one of my recent conference projects, a keynote speaker submitted a portrait photo for his full-page bio. It was of low resolution, looked like a mugshot… and…I do believe he took it with his computer (it showed in the catch lights of his eyes)! So funny. Except that, just like the advertising, not only does the quality of a photo represent the presentation, it also does the conference. You most certainly want it to be good!

So here’s the helpful instruction I included in this year’s advertising and photography specs—good ol’ George sure knew a thing or two about a good image!

How to pose for a good portrait

 

Milwaukee’s Color Rush

mamDH

Two weeks ago, I was able to drag my husband to an AIGA guided tour of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Color Rush: 75 Years of Color Photography in America. I was particularly interested in this exhibit because, back in September, the museum’s graphic design team gave us AIGAers a peek of their studio deep within the underbelly of this fascinating structure. At the time, they were designing visuals for Color Rush. It was amazing to see how much planning and work goes into such an event!

As you can see, the museum, with its Burke Brise Soleil, is art in itself. (I think my husband is too:-)

MAMsign

In fact, Milwaukee is an all-around artsy city. The Calling is a sunburst sculpture that gets a quick peek from visitors as they come out of the parking ramp and then turn towards the crosswalk over Lincoln Memorial Drive.

MAMlakefrontview

MAMchahuly

The street entrance to the museum is beautiful Windhover Hall. It has this mesmerizing span of windows overlooking the lake and a stunning glass ceiling that looks up to the underside of the Briese Soleil.

I chuckled at a toddler bouncing against the guard ropes around Chihuly’s Isola di San Giacomo in Palude Chandelier II. Needless to say, his parents were stressing out a bit about that (been there, done that). Here’s an interesting project where school children studied Chihuly at a more age-appropriate level.

MAMcolorRush

I like how they set up the entrance to the Color Rush exhibit—they prepped viewers with this incongruous black and white introduction before moving them into the gallery’s full-color displays. My photo turned out pretty cool too. Check out the contrast between the sign and the flash of blue behind it, plus the gentleman in black looking the opposite direction. How’s that for serendipity?!

MAMpiano

I love the contrast between this ornate, black, somewhat-aged piano against the clean, white lines of the side gallaria. What do you think the acoustics are in this space?

MAMarchitecture

After our tour, we headed downtown for a bite to eat. As much as I love the city of Madison, when it comes to architecture Milwaukee has it beat, hands down. Each downtown building is more historically characteristic than the next.

MAMmadersWe ate at Mader’s, one of Milwaukee’s oldest restaurants, with lots of good, German food and beer…

MAMmadersII…and vintage collectables everywhere. It was like being in another museum!

MAMdoor

And wouldn’t you know, unbeknownst to me, my phone fell out of my pocket while we dined. Mader’s graciously called me the next morning to say they found it on the floor beside our table. Oh well, a trip back into Milwaukee isn’t so bad.

Color Rush: 75 Years of Color Photography in America

The Color Rush exhibit is on from February 22-May 19, 2013. So head on down to Milwaukee’s lakefront and check it out! You’ll find lots of other interesting things to see and do as well. Milwaukee is such a beautiful city!