Winter is upon us, and the holidays are drawing near! My gift to you is this festive collection of desktop background images. Twinkling lights, glittery gold and puppy-dog eyes are the chosen images, each meeting my own rigorous background photo criteria.
With Google Image Search at your fingertips, it can be easy to forget how and why to be responsible when using images from the web for your own purposes. As a blogger as well as a photographer, I understand both sides of this situation and the need for clarification. This post will outline some basic rules and regulations for using others’ images online, as well as some legal alternatives to paying for photos.
Despite the fairly warm temperatures we’ve been having here in Virginia this week, Fall has officially arrived. Some of the trees in our yard have gotten a little carried away and started throwing leaves around prematurely, and a lawn full of crispy Fall foliage seems quite silly when it’s 90° outside. Nonetheless, I have for you today a collection of Fall themed photos for your downloading and viewing pleasure.
This week I have a quick source of inspiration for you: The Inspiration Blog. Created by the designers at Circlebox Creative, it is a collection of design round-ups and showcases. The site features a variety of motivating artwork, including “all things visually pleasing and inspirational.” No matter what creative industry you’re in (or if you’re not a creative but are needing some visual stimulation anyway), the site features graphic design, illustration, photography, interior design, architecture and of course, web design related posts. It’s a great resource when you’re feeling stuck and need a quick jump-start to get going again at work.
Since I purchased my wide screen monitor last year, I have become especially appreciative of a good desktop wallpaper. What I’ve realized lately is that I have also become very picky about said wallpapers. As someone who spends almost the entire workday in front of my computer, it is important that everything be set up just right. This means that my icons are well placed on the desktop and there are not too many of them. Other than one or two temporary folders or files, everything else has its permanent place in the lineup.
This week’s find is The Big Picture, a blog published three times a week by Alan Taylor at The Boston Globe. The Big Picture collects and compiles high quality news images from main stream media sources like the Associated Press, Getty Images and Reuters. This site appeals to me on many levels- as a photographer I really appreciate the physical and artist quality of these images. They are stunning on my wide screen monitor (none of that pixelated low resolution nonsense that is a necessary evil on most sites), and everything from the subject matter to composition, contrast and focus are always spot on.
This year I am starting out on my first ever vegetable garden…which is also my first ever garden, period. I have been taking photos to document this delicate process, and it is quite exciting. I have very few expectations for the outcome of my veggies, but if I get a few good herbs or vegetables of any variety I will be happy. Here are the fragile beginnings of my seedlings (as well as some early spring flowers) in all their photographic glory. Enjoy!
(For more before and after websites, see Part 1 and Part 3.)
Here is it, the second installment of before and after screen shots of websites that have been redesigned by GetCreative. The amount of change varies depending on the needs of each client, some receiving an entire new look while others just needed an update. Enjoy!
Before
After
Here at GetCreative I have worked with clients that have all manor of ideas and knowledge (or lack thereof) about their websites. Sometimes the easiest clients are those whose own careers are furthest from the realm of web design, so they are a blank slate for me to draw my ideas upon. On the other hand, a client who knows the ropes a little better may have a better appreciation for the creative process and all that it involves. No matter what the background of my clients, I follow a general Web Design Process for getting us from Point A, the clients’ interest in a website, to the ultimate Point B, a successful and effective website designed and executed by yours truly.
As Spring seems to be upon us, I thought I would bid Winter what I hope will be a final farewell. I have picked a few of my favorite shots of the season (and had a little fun in Lightroom with some of them). Snow has definitely been the theme these past few months, and I hope we’ve left the cold behind us for good. Enjoy these photos of my winter in VA.
