davingreenwell.com

davingreenwell.com http://www.davingreenwell.com/ en Copyright 2010 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:27:34 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss AFK - Sunset Sessions: March 2010

Sunset Sessions is my new mix series that is appearing as a part of Sunset Collaboration's weekly series of music. I will be doing a mix every three months as my contribution. Here we have some of the best music since last August, in my opinion. Starts off with downtempo, moves into breaks, progressive, and finally something which I don't know what genre to call - doesn't matter, it's quite enjoyable. Enjoy! Tracklisting:

Faskil - It Puts Me To Sleep (Prelude mix) [Frisky Records]
Oleg Zubkov - New Parallels (Fretwell remix) [Mistiquemusic]
Michael Cassette - Kilimanjaro (Solarity remix) [Anjunadeep]
Gemma Hayes - At A Constant Speed (Faskil remix) [White Label]
Dave Horne - Q.E.D. (Original mix) [Anjunadeep]
Proff - Starstruck (Solarity remix) [Silk Royal]
Mat Zo and Tyler Michaud - Battle Royal (Original mix) [New School Recordings]
Sander Van Doorn - Ninety (Original mix) [Doorn Records]
Mat Zo - Nuclear Fusion (Original mix) [Anjunabeats]
Christian Luke and Chardy - Because We Want To (TV Rock Remode) [Neon Records]

Download:

AFK - Sunset Sessions: March 2010 (mp3) Right click and Save As, or option-click the link on a Mac to automatically download

Listen in browser:

]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/03/afk_-_sunset_sessions_march_20.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/03/afk_-_sunset_sessions_march_20.php afk mixes djing guest mixes mixes radio ambient breaks downtempo progressive trance Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:27:34 -0800 on the edge of the olympics

For me, one of the most interesting thing about the 2010 Winter Olympics is how it has affected a city I know fairly well: Vancouver. There were all sorts of ramifications for transportation, accommodation, etc. The build-up has been around us for years; we've lived through government spending cuts, apparent increased real estate prices, and enjoyed federal infrastructure money as well as provincial. Needless to say, the expectations for these games were high before the economic crisis. After the economic crisis, the expectations have become simply unrealistic - no one truly believes these games can replace what they have taken, and so some are protesting simply on that notion. On Friday, we got off the Skytrain and walked into the middle of 25,000 such people, walking on Georgia Street to BC Place. I'm not crazy about the Olympics to be completely honest. During this stage, I do want them to be successful so that not too much money is lost. I suspect that many feel the same way. Rationally, it is too late to cancel them - it must be time to enjoy the sporting aspect of it, and the festivities. After a few minutes of watching the protest swarm around us, we found our way to Granville Street again, in the middle of a bunch of public art. I remember watching the police close down the streets (to make way for the protestors), and I said "We most certainly live in a democracy." I didn't end up taking a lot of photos on Granville Street for whatever reason, and the ones I did take did not do the art justice. After a minute or two of being surrounded by art, I turned around and noted the interesting mix of art, protest, and commerce in the form of 5 story tall advertisements for the Olympics on the side of The Bay. That's about as detailed as I am going to get here. I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking. Very interesting weekend. Vancouver during the olympics

]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/02/on_the_edge_of_the_olympics.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/02/on_the_edge_of_the_olympics.php lifestyle photography travel vancouver cauldron festivities friends olympics protest vancouver Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:45:12 -0800 beyond gold Some things in life cannot be won by, you know, skiing really fast or spinning lots in the air over ice. Those things are a little thing I like to call "Beyond Gold." You know what I'm sayin'? Yeaaah. I'm headed over to Vancouver later today. I hear there is something going on over there and my camera is coming with me!]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/02/beyond_gold.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/02/beyond_gold.php illustration lifestyle photography travel vancouver fun olympics Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:27:50 -0800 the way i see

life in transit]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/02/the_way_i_see_it.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2010/02/the_way_i_see_it.php lifestyle photography travel vancouver new year travel vancouver Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:11:11 -0800 regrowth

you can't always do everything all at once.]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/regrowth.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/regrowth.php lifestyle photography lifestyle photography planning realization Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:43:35 -0800 victoria sunrise

This is a view of this morning's sunrise over Craigdarroch Castle. Shot from my living room at 7:53 AM. Matt pointed me to a radio station he has been listening to - Monkey Radio. The website might not look like much, but that's fine, because the music programming is the best downtempo / chill I have ever heard on a station. Monkey Radio might even be better than the trusty Groove Salad. Recommended, and thanks to BoS for the link.]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/victoria_sunrise.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/victoria_sunrise.php photography craigdarroch castle radio sunrise victoria Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:50:32 -0800 the ultimate treehouse

This fall past, I was taken up-island for a surprise. We drove into the area of Qualicum Beach and entered a mysterious grove with a log cabin and a forest behind it. I guessed that we were zip-lining or something to that effect, but I was totally wrong! (I do like to guess though.) We stayed in one of these spheres, made by Free Spirit Spheres, for two very relaxing nights. The spheres were connected to the ground by a spiral staircase and small suspension bridge, and the sphere itself is hung from 3 trees. When the wind blew the trees around, the sphere would sway gently in the wind. It was a three day stay in the ultimate treehouse.

"The 'Spherical Tree House' concept borrows heavily from sailboat construction and rigging practice. It's a marriage of tree house and sailboat technology. Wooden spheres are built much like a cedar strip canoe or kayak. Suspension points are similar to the chain plate attachments on a sailboat. Stairways hang from a tree much like a sailboat shroud hangs from the mast." - Tom, Free Spirit Spheres

Our hosts, Rosey and Tom, were gracious and kind. They even invited us up to the cabin if it got too windy for our liking. It never did, or perhaps we liked the wind. In addition to being a great host, Tom also makes these spheres himself. Here is Tom, hanging out in the shop where he makes the spheres:

In the day time, we explored Qualicum Beach and also the nearby Horne Lake Caves. I had never been spelunking before, and even though we went on a 90 minute tour of one, it felt like it was over just as it began. Caves are deeply fascinating places to spend an afternoon - next time I'd like to go for the 3 hour tour. Apparently there are well over 1500 known caves on Vancouver Island. I did not know that until I went to Horne Lake. Back to the spheres. . .

"In bio-mimicry fashion, the nut like shape attaches to a web of rope. The web connects to which ever strong points are available. This replaces the foundation of a conventional building. A tree house sphere uses the forest for its foundation. The occupants have a vested interest in the health of the grove. The supporting web also mirrors our connectedness to our eco-system. Each sphere has four attachments on top and another four anchor points on the boom. Each attachment is strong enough to carry the entire sphere and contents." - Tom

I am already trying to figure out when we can go back to go live a few more days in the sphere. Not only is it relaxing and cool, it is also a local business that is centered around being in harmony with the environment. If you ever get a chance to go stay in one of these spheres, I highly recommend taking the opportunity. ]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/the_ultimate_treehouse.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/the_ultimate_treehouse.php business lifestyle photography caves qualicum spheres wooden Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:13:45 -0800 defining the value of design

The entrepreneur who picks a logo off the shelf to use, solely because it appeals to himself or herself, is more likely to fail in business than the entrepreneur that engages in a full design process. This isn't just because self-reflection can sometimes be a smokey mirror. A full design process can be defined many ways, but for this post, lets say it is is one with research, symmetrical communication between the organization and its stakeholders, and sound design thinking with evaluation. Designers know the value of the design - but how can this value be articulated and understood by those outside of the industry? How do you define the value of design? Business is based upon a trade of value - or an exchange. The fundamental concept behind it is that we, as a society, are better off if one specializes individually and then provides the expertise of specialization to others in exchange for money or barter. This relationship is built on trust, and - I imagine, in the old days, much of trust was based on and delivered by face to face meetings in a market or private store of some sort. Without that trust, you could not be certain that you would get what you paid for; the exchange may not have value in that case. We will be having a guest post from Matthew Politano (Oculus Design + Marketing) on the subject of design and trust which will elaborate much more on this subject. Business has grown far beyond the original model of exchange into a global system of giving and receiving between people that may never meet or even speak. A gap has grown between those who make or provide, and those who consume or participate. In this gap, intention, character, relevance, value, and relationships themselves become elusive. How do consumers connect and level with the merchants that they need to? Who - or more accurately - what is speaking to consumers in an age where so much business is done, literally, in seconds across the entire world? The subject of design, amongst other business practices, speaks volumes as to how organizations establish themselves, connect with their intended audience, and maintain a relationship. Indeed, design has elevated to the limelight of worldwide attention by becoming the hands and face of the modern business. In this sense, it appears to be a pretty remarkable noun. But what else is there to it - why can't an entrepreneur buy a logo off the shelf and expect to have consistent and reliable success with it? Design is much more than a noun; design is first and foremost a verb which has parallels in other fundamental business concepts.

"Design of logos involves effective articulation and visualisation of communication concepts determined by the client's individual marketing goals. It involves analysing, problem-solving, strategizing, structuring, planning and creating images and text for specific purposes, including differentiating the client in the marketplace. Design affects a client's bottom line, motivates potential customers, captivates audiences, cultivates brand recognition, and influences public perception of the company, service or product." - Peggy Cady, FGDC

Traditional business has market research; modern design is based on listening to the business and the market simultaneously. Traditional business has a marketing plan; modern design has an agile and maneuverable creative brief which outlines how the business speaks the language of the intended audience. The list could go on. The long and the short of it is that design has adopted the most critical processes from traditional business practice and utilized these processes into smart, two-way, relevant practices for the visual communications environment of today. A gap exists between a company or organization and its audience. Thisall-important gap is the space in which an organization can sink or swim. The organization can put their communications into it - visual and otherwise - and if it's hit the mark, it will reach the other end where the intended audience is. If it's the first time this gap has been explored, however, the chances of making the connection is slim. Why? Because they haven't figured out who is on the other side of it, and what will make them hold on to something that is making its way across. Indeed, exploration of the gap is very important. The gap between an organization and their intended audience is where the creativity can truly happen. Traditional communication sees an organization position itself (or a brand that it owns) inside this gap. Broadcasting occurs asymmetrically - that is to say, the message enter from the organizations end and then are received en-masse. The theory roughly goes "if you communicate enough where you think your audience *should* be, then things will go according to plan." The image and words can be extremely calculated to reach as many as possible. It ends up notably impersonal and ambiguous as a result. Unfortunately, that vagueness is exactly where the relationship between organizations and intended audiences breaks down.

"Graphic design ignites passion, identifies, informs, clarifies, inspires and communicates in our interconnected, interdependent, real-time world. Identity has to do with what lies within and with intrinsic qualities - if that's the case, are we satisfied with the qualities and values of graphic design as a profession? Never has there been a greater need for designers to dig deep, to exercise whole-brain thinking skills, to understand patterns of inter-connectivity, to join peer networks, to collaborate with other experts and to leverage the multi-perspective advantages of teamwork. How to best proceed, and to succeed? Help break down divisive barriers, embrace pluralism, raise the bar for civilization - and above all, further the characteristics that matter in making us truly human beings." -Robert L. Peters, FGDC, "Worldwide Identity" (Rockport Publishers)

Indeed, design requires understanding and a significant deal of whole-brain thinking to turn ideas, space and relationships into a meaningful catalyst for interaction. Nobody said design was easy - but does it need to be a shot in the dark? Absolutely not. Symmetrical communication and thinking throughout a design process ensures that those who need to be spoken with are identified and understood. Market research and analysis uncovers who the stakeholders are and engages them. The relationship It is built on understanding and relevance, not volume and inundation. There is no need for excess when the mark is being hit. There is as much focus on who the organization is as who their audience is. The relationships are the priority. Exploring the gap with symmetrical communication between the intended audience and design itself allows an intimacy which allows the merchant to be human again. A complete design process is one that not only enables a business to articulate itself, but one that also gives businesses the profound ability to listen. This is one of the many values that design brings to modern business. None of this is to say that there is a problem with an organization deciding that it must, on its own, determine how it wants itself to be perceived, or its products - on the contrary, those organizations with a raison de'être will understand very well who their audience is, and may even be born of it. The business process required is one of critical thinking of the opportunity in front of them, and an action to address what they find. In other words, the business process has come face to face with the process of strategic intent: design. I am not going to pretend this is an easy subject, or that it is even well-understood, especially by those who need to understand it - as Mark Busse points out on the Industrial Design blog. There is an entire conference about the value of design coming up in Vancouver put on by Icograda and hosted by the GDC. It is Icograda's world-touring design week, and next April it is in Vancouver for Design Currency - Defining the Value of Design. As an aside, I had a fantastic time putting the Design Week site together with Steve Fisher and Matthew Warburton. I had actually started this post in September and had no idea that there would be a conference about the value of design, so I think that goes to show the mindshare of the subject amongst those who think about a design a fair bit. The thought of mobilizing on a subject of this size is truly invigorating. If you have read this far, go look at the Design Week Vancouver website here: www.designweekvancouver.ca See the headphone jacks at the beginning of the post? They look similar but they're not the same. I'll buy a drink for the first person to identify what the difference is - and what the implications could be for anything that could possibly follow that one, simple, difference. I invite you to share your thoughts in the comments area below. How do you define the value of design? -- This was originally posted earlier tonight on www.gdc.net.]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/defining_the_value_of_design.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/12/defining_the_value_of_design.php business design photography business design marketing research value Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:00:33 -0800 be leaf in transformation

Short little story. Several years ago I made some non-refundable travel plans, picked up some photo equipment, and found myself laid off twice in a row by two different companies. Bad luck followed by more bad luck. Debt that was going to be paid off was .. not so quickly paid off. Instead it was put on hold. However, some companies like HSBC saw it to be a fit opportunity to turn my retail account (do not pay for 3 months kind of deal) with London Drugs (that I started for my camera purchase, one I don't regret) into a payment plan. Having little other options and already paying off another loan, I took the opportunity to spread out the payments that I could while underemployed. This worked, but HSBC slapped 29.9% interest on the account because they could see that I didn't have many options. After some time, I realized I need to pay this off first, so credit card debt started to build up instead. 19% interest isn't as pressing as 29.9% interest. I switched my credit card to be 11% interest, and I started hammering away at the HSBC loan. At this point I had been gainfully employed again for at least half a year, and I realized all of this was unwise - I needed to consolodate my debt. I went to the banks and credit unions to help me out with a lower interest rate and a plan that made sense. I went to my home branch of Coast Capital Savings - they wouldn't help me out, even though I had been storing my money with them for around 28 years. CIBC wouldn't either. Then the next bank I went to (I can't remember now) noticed that I had been shopping around for some service (it shows up on your credit report) and also refused. So I was on my own with five figures of debt at relatively high interest. I was not particularly surprised that they refused - however, the message from Coast Capital Savings and CIBC was pretty clear: when you really need us, we don't need you. Later on, CIBC somehow got the idea that it would be smart to start sending me propaganda for their other, lower risk, financial instruments. It was pretty tacky. They would phone and mail. I told them to stop. It was not cool, obviously. I set some goals for myself at that point: 1) Never get into that kind of debt again (make different decisions) 2) Remember how CIBC and Coast Capital treated me 3) Pay off the debt as my #1 priority, independently 4) Finish my degree in business, where interestingly I had done well in finance 5) Get out of debt WHILE going to school AND continuing to build my career As of last week, #3 is done. I have with me a lesson that will help with #1 and I am making this post to help out with #2. I am well on my way with #4, and I have been lucky with #5 to actually be doing this. Work, friends and family have all been very supportive with my return to college as a mature student and I am pretty happy about that. Of course these commitments to new goals can't happen without paying a price of some sort. There have been some very dear-to-me casualties along the way, such as my involvement with VEMF at the management level, Justin and I have decided that Pacific Front Recordings had to cease operations as of this summer (though we're still compiling payment info for artists obviously), and writing music itself has had to take a back seat. I'll wrap up VEMF and PFR in their own posts as they are certainly worthy of it. Definitely my most special musical work this year has been with Vince Vaccaro and I'm looking forward to more collaborations with him. For now I am concentrating on my career in the day time and my scholarly activities at night. What I cannot do right now is over-commit myself in the evenings or else I will not hope to have a shred of creativity for the projects I am passionate about. Make room for the things you want in your life, am I right? Speaking of things I love, I have written and re-written a design post for www.gdc.net about 3 times over on a really broad, nebulous subject - the value of design. I have refined the idea a significant amount and it's just about ready for prime time. I'll cross-post it here and of course you'll see it on the Graphic Designers of Canada home page when the time comes.]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/11/be_leaf_in_transformation.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/11/be_leaf_in_transformation.php business lifestyle photography design finance goals music time management Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:43:33 -0800 Is this effective message placement?

A few questions for you, the reader:

Would you go visit the URL if you found this in the change you received from a monetary interaction?
Would you mentally retain it long enough that, by the time you were actually in front of a computer, you would remember to type it in?
If you did remember it, would you feel compelled to actually visit the site?
Are you at all affected by the choice by the marketers to use your money as a billboard?
Any other thoughts?

I recognize the viral value in me posting this here, but that is not what I am interested in at the moment. I don't think that people typically will take photos of their money. I am interested in levels of effectiveness of every-day use of advertising on change. Additionally, I am purposefully not linking to their site because, once again, that is not the point of this post. So, what do you think of this advertising method?]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/09/is_this_effective_message_plac.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/09/is_this_effective_message_plac.php marketing photography advertisement environment ethics marketing money Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:20:09 -0800 caution: not recyclable

I've been using shaving cream for the better part of my adult life. One might even debate that I was using it before I was an adult, and one might even win such a debate. That is not why my empty, old, and rusty can of shaving cream appears here. It's to do with the sustainability of this packaging. We tend to recycle as much as we can at home. In fact, it bothers me when a product is made out of metal or plastic, and is made in such a way that it doesn't seem to be recyclable. This says to me that no consideration has been made to sustainable disposal by the name on the label - in this case, Gillette. The above fits into that category, and recently it got me thinking - there has to be a better way to package shaving cream. On this thing, the lid (not shown) is recyclable, but that appears to be all. I am going to stop buying cans like this. I want the one I have right now to be the last of its sort inside my buying habits. Sorry this isn't a great photo; that is not really the point of this post. The can might seem insignificant, but each night people go to sleep and 1 thing happens for sure - hair grows, which we want to then shave. This is significant enough a fact for Warren Buffett to invest in razor blades; it is also significant enough, by the same logic, for us to scrutinize the environmental packaging practices. In a world of uncertainty, it is still certain that a lot of people have shaved, are shaving as you read this, and will be shaving many times in the future. It is a fact. Here's a question that the men or the women can answer: what is the packaging like for the shaving cream you are using? Is there any alternative that you can suggest that does a good job of being shaving cream - one which comes in completely recyclable packaging? Is any company doing better work than their competitors in this regard?]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/09/caution_not_recyclable.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/09/caution_not_recyclable.php business lifestyle marketing photography environment packaging shaving Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:42:57 -0800 AFK - Pacific Front Sessions: August 2009 The last Pacific Front Sessions mix starts off atmospheric and ambient with some classic work by Saints and Sinners - "Peace," remixed by the one and only Michael Woods. I had to do quite a bit of warping and filtering to get it to mix into the following track, Luke Chable's "Melburn" which was given an ambient treatment by .. himself. I believe I heard this version when Kasey Taylor came to Focus at Lotus (Vancouver) several years back and started a set with it. Very cool so far as backwards music goes, or forwards music for that matter. Some light rhythm in Melburn sets the stage for the transition to breaks, where Domased Electronica's "Mermaid" swims into the mix, with a remix by the atmospheric breakbeat authority of Fretwell. This track is brooding and determined, building momentum in preparation for Ronyo and Chris Drifter's "Disconnected Illusions." Aeron Aether is one of my favourite artists out there right now and he shows why in this understated remix which continues what Mermaid began. Half time beats and filtered down sounds come together to increase the inertia of the mix - layer upon layer. The pads of Michael, Levan and Stiven Rivic's "Free Fall" lay over top of Disconnected Illusions for a bit before the four on the floor takes over from the breakbeat of Domased Electronica, but it's not long before they return midway through Free Fall, care of Dynamic Illusion's superb remix work. Dynamic Illusion has grown to become one of my favourite remixers in progressive house and breaks over the last few years and he shows why in this track. Humbling work on this track, reminiscent of the Pet Shop Boys and Starecase at the same time. The mix takes a turn for the haunting as Lighter and Gee's "Helene" steps into the mix. Armin Prayd's remix is somehow both abrasive and smooth at once, crafting an old school feel out of synths and a vocal that sounds like it could have come straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Dark, lo-fi and hi-fi at the same time, Helene's unusual arrangement leaves you wondering how far down the rabbit hole you've actually gone. The answer is provided by BT's new track, "Rose of Jericho," which features rolling basslines and stupendous intertwining melodies. This track has an Adam K and Soha treatment on the remix, and the result of combining their very smooth remix style with BT's unparalleled original work is nothing short of a progressive masterpiece. Following in this vibe is Mango's "5th in Blue," with a nod to the 80s with well placed tom rolls as well as a nod to the future with crisp and punchy bassline work in Proff's remix. The mood of this track really opens up and resolves a lot of tension that has built up over the mix. The second to last track, "Abydos," continues with the inertia that has built up and turns it into a driving bassline and arpeggiation. Probspot and Zinfandel (not a bad wine) keep it smooth and clinical and the track has built up into a many-layered eastern-melodic piece before you know it. Finally, Vince Vaccaro's "South Pacific Ocean," a favourite track of mine, gets a remix treatment by... me. There is breakdowns galore, synths and basslines galore, slide guitars, strings vocals, and a lot of effects. I made the ending of this track specifically the way it is to end this mix and the show in general. Hope you like it, it's going to get properly mastered once I do another couple remixes. Tracklisting:

Saints and Sinners - Peace (Michael Woods remix) [Lost Language]
Luke Chable - Melburn (Am Bee En Tea mix) [Trojan]
Domased Electronica - Mermaid (Fretwell remix) [Mistiquemusic]
Ronyo and Chris Drifter - Disconnected Illusions (Aeron Aether remix) [SoundTribe Rekords]
Michael and Levan featuring Stiven Rivic - Free Fall (Dynamic Illusion's Cloud West Paradise mix) [Toes in the Sand Digital]
Lighter and Gee - Helene (Armin Prayd remix) [BikiniTracks]
BT - Rose of Jericho (Adam K and Soha remix) [Nettwerk]
Mango - 5th in Blue (Proff Original mix) [Unreleased Digital]
Probspot and Zinfandel - Abydos (Original mix) [Amenta]
Vince Vaccaro - South Pacific Ocean (AFK remix) [Unreleased]

Download:

AFK - Pacific Front Sessions: August 2009 (mp3) Right click and Save As, or option-click the link on a Mac to automatically download

Listen in browser:

]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/08/afk_-_pacific_front_sessions_a.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/08/afk_-_pacific_front_sessions_a.php afk mixes djing lifestyle mixes pacific front sessions producing radio ambient breaks house progressive remix thank you trance vince vaccaro Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:26:24 -0800 the technology pendulum

Is design technology doing what we need it to do? New products are everywhere, but is technology helping with quality products or obfuscating design's purpose with quantity of products? Are those responsible for rendering our designs doing so in a timely way? Finally, is infrastructure for cloud computing ready for what designers will need it to do? When I started designing, technology was looking for ways to catch up to design. Programs were popping up for illustration, photo manipulation, colour, pantone integration, tablets, etc. After a while, the software and hardware caught up, and (not for the first time) changed everything about the way we produced design work. Some more time goes by, the technology passed us, and the world of design moved far beyond typography, grids, shapes and the colour wheel to a lot of really technical, software and server oriented advancements. Fine, learn some code. Wait a year or two, and then no longer was simply knowing HTML enough to make websites, you had to evolve again with technology. As a designer, it was a question of not if I could learn a new programming language or program, but whether the particular language or technology was niche, or indeed the wave of the future. We, as designers, evaluate all new things this way. This, I imagine, is because we are not just designers, but also business people - people who evaluate a skill on the marketability of the skill in question. At some point you have to make a choice - either you're going to continue learning every single program coming out, or you're going to start doing what you love - which is to say, designing things for people that need it with the skills that you have. For example, when Flash was new, I pondered learning it - and I did, a bit, but demand wasn't there, and I wasn't too interested in making animated websites that required a plugin to function. At the time, many people weren't even allowed to install it, so it seemed like a poor idea. Over time, flash has certainly grown in appeal to me, but it's still a niche so far as what clients actually need in terms of visual communications. Certainly it is more useful to certain types of industry than others. I digress. I love flash, it just wasn't in demand in my area. I don't really want to make examples out of any specific software that I consider to be less than useful because it isn't productive. The people who make the software know it's not (because they see the numbers) and you know when you come across a piece of software or hardware that is not, in the foreseeable future, going to be of any use to you or anyone you know. The reasons why this irrelevant technology gets made in the first place could fill a whole blog post, so lets just say that there are reasons. The reasons themselves are not as important so much as the noise to signal when we're looking to advance our skill-sets, and ultimately make visual communication pieces for our clients. Lets talk about some technology that has jived with design, shall we? ]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/08/the_technology_pendulum.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/08/the_technology_pendulum.php design photography tech bandwidth innovation technology Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:27:03 -0800 Victoria Electronic Music Festival 2009

This weekend past was the Victoria Electronic Music Festival for 2009. My involvement this year was further to my goal of being an artist and advancing my own level of performance as an artist. Part of this goal setting has seen some new synergies develop between myself and other musicians, and it was pretty exciting and pleasing to do some new collaborations with two musicians in particular - Laura Mitic (violin and vocals) and Vince Vaccaro (guitar and vocals.) We got our chance to perform what we'd been working on in front of the Ambrosia stage audience and we had a great time, despite some technical difficulties that prevented the vocal element from taking place. I'm looking forward to future shows with these two as we work really well together. See after the break for more photos from the weekend. The ones of myself and Laura playing were taken by Caroline over at Penguin Graphic.]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/08/victoria_electronic_music_fest_4.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/08/victoria_electronic_music_fest_4.php djing lifestyle photography producing electro house photography progressive vemf victoria electronic music festival Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:23:35 -0800 VEMF on the cover of Monday Magazine

The latest edition of Monday Magazine with VEMF on the cover should just be hitting the shelves around now. Go grab one and check it out! I took this photo at VEMF2008 in Centennial Square. That is Laura and Hilary busting several moves at once - I am pretty sure I was dancing myself when I took this photo, which I should mention is not easy to do. See more VEMF2008 photos here, 3 of which you may have seen in the current edition of Douglas Magazine in the You and Me section. VEMF is this upcoming weekend, Saturday and Sunday, and I will be performing a live/DJ set with Vince Vaccaro on vocals and (possibly) guitar, and Laura Mitic on vocals and (most likely) violin on the Ambrosia stage from 12:45 AM - 2 AM on Saturday night. Hope to see you there! Update: If you're not able to pick up the physical magazine-paper, you can catch Amanda Farrell's VEMF article online.]]> http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/07/vemf_on_the_cover_of_monday_ma.php http://www.davingreenwell.com/archive/2009/07/vemf_on_the_cover_of_monday_ma.php djing lifestyle photography producing collaboration events published vemf Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:17:00 -0800