One chapter ends, another quickly begins

Well, its finally over.

3 years of University, done. Just like that. Finished. Finito. Fertig. (Thats English, Italian and German by the way, no need for Google translator)

Ive learnt a lot. Like a hell of a lot. And I think if anyone is in doubt as to whether they should go to University, simply speak to someone who went. Even if you hated your course, tutors or your environment (I didnt, I loved all of it) but I can guarantee you will learn about life in general. I dont think I quite qualify for a degree form the University of life, yet, but after living in Wood Green and Seven Sisters for two years im now a fearless b*****d.  Not making the switch would have been the biggest regret of my life.

Im going to keep this short, because Im going to blog about something a bit better in a minute, but I thought I should let you know that this blog will continue even though I really have no obligation to do so. So to all 4 of my readers, your mind can rest easy.

Apple have got a new fanboy

I turned 21 just last month and now (thanks to very generous friends and family) I have become an Apple user.

Previously I had only ever owned an iPod shuffle, which lets face it, is probably the weakest product in the Apple family.

Having only every used PC I was always envious of the people strutting around with their macbooks, whizzing through programs with their billion hour battery life. At the same time im struggling to load Football Manager on what is actually a (in reality) very good Sony laptop.

Anyway, as I said I was very lucky to get a lot of money for my birthday to contribute towards my pipe dream of owning a shiny 27″ iMac.

Now, I hate fanboys with a passion. Sniggering at PC and Android users as if they are tech ‘noobs’ and too poor to own Steve Jobs’ new magical device. iPhones, while being beautifully designed don’t really do anything better than top end smart phones like HTC and Samsung. iPods are, I feel, a dying bit of kit. And iPads, well don’t get me started there.

While clearly being one of the hippest brands going there is clearly a divide between the PC majority and the growing Apple brigade. And oh my have I switched to the other side.

This is where my new-found fanboyness is about to spill out all over this blog. I went to the Covent Garden store and was greeted by some of the friendliest staff ever. Not creepy friendly, but relaxed, intelligent and helpful friendly. They talked me through my options, not treating me like the Apple newbie I so clearly was. They go through all your options, give you recommendations and let you play around with a potential future purchase. I decided pretty quickly what I was going to go for: the 27″ behemoth of a machine (sitting at my desk writing this now I can’t see anything else, my peripheral vision is engulfed by the screen). Being a student I got a healthy discount and got Apple care for basically free. Top banana.

The quality is unrivalled. Nothing comes close. Even the box and packaging is brilliantly designed ffs!

Beloved follower, feast on this:

As the well-known phrase goes: Once you go Mac, you never go back.

Amen.

Want

I know I keep posting pictures and not a lot of articles but I know you love them so here’s another one:

Nothing can stop the male urge to BBQ

Amen Brother

Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.

Brian Reed

 

People ignore design that ignores people.

Frank Chimero

 

Being a famous designer is like being a famous dentist.

Noreen Morioka

 

Computers are to design as microwaves are to cooking.

Milton Glaser

Owned

Everyone has a photographic memory, but not everyone has film

I recently shared with your two of my favourite websites (Yanko and Re-working Titles) now I’m about to let you have two more.

I’m not a photographer, nor have I ever wanted to be. However, what I do appreciate are photographers. The patience and skill it takes to capture that one moment of magic is truly a real gift.

Now, I didnt always think like that. As a student I always loved painting. Art was massive for me at school, often spending my free time in the Art department finishing off the final touches of my ‘Starry Night’ or ‘Creation of Man’ usually spending hours on end until I deemed it complete. This resulted in a hatred for photography students (point and click, whats so hard about that?). I often would think to myself: “How can you get such praise for something that took 1/1000 of a second to do, whereas I get the same grade for 20 hours graft?”

Obviously, since then I have matured greatly (yeah right) and grown to appreciate the genuine skill it takes to capture a great photo.  As I said, I’m not a photographer (just because you own an SLR doesn’t mean you are either!) but I do know people who are.

Firstly, a good friend of mine from Jersey, Paul Marshall.

Paul is reasonably new to photography, and from what I know he has been doing a course, so has been trying out new techniques. This has resulted in quite a wide range of styles in his growing portfolio.

Le Rocque by Paul Marshall

Being from Jersey I always look at Paul’s work whenever I get home sick or forget that just because London is often grey and miserable doesn’t mean everywhere is!

Mont Orguiel (Gorey Castle, Jersey) by Paul Marshall

“I currently have a few of my canvases on display and for sale at Cino’s Coffee Shop Cafe in Halkett Street, St Helier, Jersey. Why not have a look whilst grabbing a coffee in this chilly weather!”

He has set up his own Facebook page and website so you can check it out:

http://www.facebook.com/snapandcapture

http://www.snapandcapture.co/

Secondly I would like to introduce my uncle, Andy Stevens.

Whereas Paul has the stunning Island as Jersey as his muse, Andy has the equally beautiful New Forest, Purbeck Hills and Dorset Coast. Having been a photographer since his early 20’s Andy has built up an incredible visual language which is evident in all his work. I have been a big fan of Andy’s work and even own a print of the exquisite Durdle Door.

Durdle Door by Andy Stevens

Fortunately while spending Christmas with family down in Dorset we spent an afternoon at Moors Valley Country park where Andy was exhibiting some of his work. (ran from Dec 4th – Jan 16th)

I think this is the point where and when my photographic epiphany occurred. Such a strong body of work laid out in front of you, each one brilliant in its own way. The one that really stuck with me was of Corfe Castle. It wan not only one of the few places depicted in the exhibition that I had been to but the sweeping mist made it look like a Scottish Highlands relic.

Corfe Castle at Dusk by Andy Stevens

All his work can be found on his website:

http://www.andrewstevensphotography.co.uk/index.html

 

I hope you enjoy their work as much as I do.

Tweet tweet

Even though I have a Twitter feed on my blog I thought I should promote my Twitter a bit more.

Im quite boring, but I follow people who are less so.

http://twitter.com/#!/ChrisCorf

 

p.s. if you dont have Twitter, thats your fault.

Saw 1-0 Door

I seriously pondered how this situation came about, and how this was decided as the best answer.

Sorry for my absence

It’s been far too long followers.

Unfortunately Apple have decided to release an new iPad, which means I’m filled with rage and will soon be releasing my tirade upon the money grabbing megatron that is Apple.

Before I do, I wanted to share with you some interesting website/designers I have come across recently.

Firstly: Yanko

http://www.yankodesign.com//

Yanko Design is a web magazine dedicated to introducing the best modern international design, covering from industrial design, concepts, technology, interior design, architecture, exhibition and fashion. It’s about the cutting edge and the classic, the new and the rediscovered. It’s all about the best.

They use the tagline “Form Beyond Function”: An argument I partially covered while writing my dissertation. There is a growing battle between designers who usually side with either form or function when it comes to design.

Check it out, there is some brilliant and some brilliantly quirky work on there.

 

Secondly: (re)working titles

http://reworkingtitles.tumblr.com

As a lover of film posters (I have 10 posters in my room, 7 are film based) this blog was right up my proverbial street.  I first came across it on a football forum of all places. A guy had set himself a project of re-designing classic or well known film posters, to such great demand that he now sells them for £25 each.

The sheer quality of the work, coupled with the outstanding visual language makes each one is individually exceptionable while still keeping to strict themes (Notice the strong connections in the Alfred Hitchcock and Christopher Nolan posters).

 

Anyway, enjoy browsing those sites, Im off to do some project research before planning my written assault on iPads and iPrats.