This trend is a photo manipulation effect that is showing up everywhere. It used to be that a program like Photoshop was the only way to manipulate a digital photo, but that has changed drastically in the past few years. New programs at a variety of price points now let anyone with a camera edit their photos. Even our cell phone cameras are now equipped with filters and editing software. With the return of vintage trends from the 50s and 60s comes the desire for vintage looking photographs as well. While I am in favor of this trend, I think it is easily misused. There is a particular type of photo that benefits from an aged filter, an overuse will quickly ruin the novelty of the trend. Enjoy the examples and resources below and feel free to link to more uses of this trend in the comments.

Instagram, a popular mobile app, is a strong influence in the Aged Photos trend.

An example of an aged newspaper filter.

Pixlr is an open photo editor that boasts retro vintage photo effects.

Dawghouse offers a tutorial for Photoshop users.

Imitation Instagram Actions for Photoshop.

Is there a design trend you think needs critiquing? Have a question about an element or style you’ve seen repeated over and over? Send an email to ESpontarelli@GetCreativeWebDesign.com.

The List: Nov. 18th Edition

From clients…

-NEW sites for two clients this month (can I use that as an excuse for my lack of blog posts?) Check them out: People’s Blues of Richmond and Vance Julian Barber

-Davis Paint now has a new and improved store locator on their website. Find the location nearest you!

-St. John’s Church in Lynchburg is celebrating their 100th birthday! There will be a family-friendly celebration on Sunday, November 20th (RSVP required). Happy Birthday, St. John’s!

From the internets…

-A work-a-holic friend says this is what he is looking for in a woman. So if you feel the same way (and have about 20 years on the girl in the video), give him a call.

-Today’s XKCD spoke to me. Support forums are part of a web developers life, it’s a fact.

-National Geographic’s Photo Contest has some incredible submissions; such amazing talent and beauty!

Random favorites…

-I didn’t waste any time trying out the new Amazon Kindle Lending Library. It is a breeze to use and I loved my first borrowed novel, Elizabeth Street.

-My contribution to Thanksgiving Dinner this year will be this decadent chocolate cake. Give it a try!

-A shout-out to the Gamecocks, who are having a good but very weird season. As VMI fans we’ll be glad to see them whoop up on The Citadel tomorrow.

Have a suggestion for The List? Let me know via email: ESpontarelli@GetCreativeWebDesign.com

Wishing you a safe and spooky Halloween!

From GetCreative Web Design

I’m a little later than last year in getting these fall photos to you, but it is safe to say we are definitely in the throes of autumn here in Virginia. The above photo was taken at gorgeous Morris Orchard, where we have gotten our pumpkins the past two years. Speaking of pumpkins, below is a lovely collection (look at those great stems!) to dress up your desktop.

The last photo for Fall Desktop Backgrounds is this vibrant display of fall leaves at the Lynchburg Old City Cemetery. As you can see it is beautiful this time of year, definitely worth a trip!

To make one of these seasonal photos your desktop background, just select your preferred link below. You can then download the zip file with three different background sizes; choose the one that is closest to your screen resolution and you’re all set! Happy Fall!

Countryside Vista

Pumpkin Patch

Cemetery Leaves

*To view or download Fall photos from last year, click here.

(From top: Bowl of Figs, Naked Limes, Bowl of Strawberries, Sliced Apples)

Like a kid with a new toy, I can’t wait to tell you about some new additions to my home office. The space in general hasn’t changed much from the photo above, but there are some new subtle (and important) details. I have some new hardware and updated software to tell you about below.

First, meet my new monitor! This beauty is the Dell UltraSharp U2311H 23″ Monitor, found here. While my previous monitor was great, there are a few factors that really make this Dell stand out. Let’s start with the obvious, which is size. At 23″ and 1920 x 1080 pixels, my monitor is as tall as some are wide. This extra wide view let’s me work with two programs side by side, which is ideal for updating and previewing websites (see example screenshot below).

Another feature that sold me on this monitor is the option of portrait or landscape orientation, plus the spectacular viewing angles. The viewing angles allow the screen to be seen clearly from the top and bottom, and both sides. The portrait view may be less obviously useful, but as a designer I look forward to using it on occasion. One such use for a tall skinny view is capturing screenshots of my designs. A portrait view will allow me to view the entire page without scrolling, making portfolio building that much easier.

Next up on my list of upgrades is a new 64-bit operating system. When it comes to computer tech my husband is the nerd of the house, so suffice it to say that my machine is running better than ever and my designs have never looked so good. If you want to learn more about 64-bit vs. 32-bit operating systems, I recommend this Wikipedia entry.

During the system upgrade, I decided it was as good a time as ever to invest in the new Lightroom 3 software. I upgraded from Lightroom 2, which I loved, and am pleased to say that so far the newer version is great. I have edited a professional portrait session and had some non-work related fun with the program so far. I still have a lot to learn about the new version of Lightroom, but so far I am enjoying the additional presets, better import system and, of course, 64-bit compatibility. I’ll report back with more details if I find the software worthy of a full review.

So there you have it, all the new items and upgrades that have been going on around here lately. Do you have any new toys to brag about? Are you starting the summer off with new software? Let me know, I’d love to hear about it!

Spring is officially here, and the weather could not be more beautiful in Virginia. With the exception of a few spring showers, I have been enjoying the sunlight and cheerful flowers blooming in the garden. Daffodils, seedlings and a leggy spider make up this collection of images, each of which meets my own rigorous background photo criteria.

Since we can’t be outside enjoying the great weather all the time, these images will brighten up your desktop and bring the beauty of spring inside.

To use these images as desktop background photos, simply choose your screen resolution from the list below and download the files to you computer. Right click the desired image and choose ‘Set as desktop background.’ Happy Spring, everyone!

1024×768 : : 1280×1024 : : 1680×1050

Food is fuel that keeps you going during the work day, and is vital to the design process. It’s difficult to work on an empty stomach, or to disrupt your work flow with constant snack breaks. Easting healthy, filling foods will help keep your belly satisfied and your mind focused.

Today’s recipe is for granola that can be customized to fit your preferences. The granola pictured is a version without the optional fruit or baking chip add-ins; I like to add those later depending on how I’m eating my granola. The recipe is also flexible in terms of the core ingredients- you can use whatever nuts and grains you have on hand in place of the listed ingredients. Read on for the recipe below.

Granola

Ingredients

2 1/2 c oats
1 1/2 c chopped nuts (almonds, peanuts, etc.)
3/4 c small seeds (sunflower, flax, etc.)
1/4 c brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t salt
1/2 c dried fruit (raisins, Craisins, etc.) – optional
1/2 c mini baking chips (chocolate, cinnamon, etc.) – optional
3/8 c applesauce
1/6 c syrup
1/8 c honey
1 T vegetable oil
1/4 c  nut butter (peanut, Nutella, etc.) – optional

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.

Whisk wet ingredients together until combined. Add to dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.

Spread on 13×9″ baking pan and bake at 300° for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir granola twice during baking to ensure even cooking. Allow to cool completely and then store in air tight containers.

Enjoy plain, mixed with yogurt, as an frozen yogurt topping, in trail mix, added to oatmeal, or any variety of ways.

The shape and size of this tablet is about the same as a normal mouse pad, with a 6-by-8 inch working area. And, with the included mouse, you can use it just like you would a normal mouse pad. The fun part, however, is the pen. Using some sort of black magic, the tablet pad becomes a representation of your computer screen. For example, if you put the pen at the top right corner of the tablet, the cursor will appear in the top right corner of your screen. Unlike a mouse which you continuously lift and reposition to navigate around the screen, the cursor on the screen reflects exactly where the pen is on the tablet. So while your mouse can be at the bottom of your mouse pad while the cursor is at the top of your screen, this pen and tablet are designed to work in sync with your monitor.

And okay fine, it isn’t actually black magic being put to use here but instead the transfer of electromagnetic signals. Many tablets use a passive technology where the tablet itself is both the sender and receiver of electromagnetic signals between itself and the sylus. The Genius tablet, however, is an active tablet with a self-powered stylus. The stylus relies on an internal battery rather than the tablet for  its power, which makes the signal more constant and can result in less jitter than produced with passive style tablets.

Using a tablet is more physically comparable to drawing with a pen and paper rather than using a mouse and mouse pad. For this reason it is ideal for digital artists to recreate hand-drawn looks on this new canvas, the digital tablet. Similarly, photo retouching is also much more convenient with a tablet, allowing minute details to be edited with fine precision.

I have found the tablet to be a fairly easy adjustment and am having a lot of fun with it. Do you use a regular mouse or another technology (such as a tablet or track ball)? The Genius MousePen has my stamp of approval for sure…check it out on Amazon to get yours!

The above image was photographed in the lightbox. Despite the dark and snowy evening, the lightbox provided a bright and appealing backdrop for my photos. I created these ideal conditions with an old t-shirt, some tape, spray glue, white scrap paper, a box cutter and one of the many Amazon boxes that have arrived at my house lately. Here is a look at my handy work:

I used a sheet temporarily, but will be purchasing large pieces of card stock to use as backgrounds, as soon as I shovel my car out of the driveway. For help building your own lightbox, I recommend these sites:

Digital Photography School: This tutorial uses a cardboard box and lightweight fabirc as the main construction elements. It is the tutorial I followed most closely.

wikiHow: Using a cardboard box and tissue paper, this tutorial offers an easy to follow step-by-step guide with photos.

StudioLighting.net: This lightbox is a little sturdier and uses foam board as the base.