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It is Featured Friday! What a great interviewee I have here today. He is a little bit of everything really- entrepreneur, environmentalist, adventurer, go getta, etc. Zakary Zide‘s Environmental Film Festival is quite impressive and down right worth blogging about. He is just as dynamic in person as you would imagine him to be. After reading this, you’ll want to meet him for yourself. Oh, lucky you! Meet him on October 29th at mini-film festival screening at The Brower Center.
LC: Back in 2004, what inspired you to embark on creating an environmental film festival?
ZZ: I firmly believe that the admixture of nature’s ability to creatively problem solve + the curiosity of the human spirit can change the world. So I guess I started the EarthDance film festival in 2004 for 4 reasons:
1. I wanted to demonstrate that stories about the environment aren’t always political, & aren’t always gloom and doom…the natural world is full of humor, quirky characters (the praying mantis – come on!) + inspiration.
2. To provide a container for people to come together, + create a venue for people to share their stories + multi-media explorations of their relationship with the natural world. Environmental films aren’t just for eco-freaks. We all have a relationship to the natural world; even if we’re only talking about an ant invasion in your kitchen. How you deal with the ants, that’s the interesting bit.
3. To help create a ‘culture of nature’ + raise money for environmental issues.
4. To inspire + be inspired to take action.
LC: It is now quite a few years later and EarthDance has proven to be quite eco-taining, (considering over 40,000 people in 9 countries have attended!) how has your vision developed since the festivals inception and what should new viewers anticipate to see?
ZZ: EarthDance is not your average film festival. I like that. And fortunately, from our success, it seems that other people like our quirkiness too! We’ve always believed that you shouldn’t have to sacrifice entertainment for ecology. Our films are selected on the basis of being both entertaining and informative or emotionally moving in some way. We like weird and funny. Like Spike and Mike’s festival with an eco twist. This will always be our core curatorial philosophy.
One way things have evolved is that we are getting many more submissions now than we did in the first couple of years. The availability of technology for people to produce their own films on a relatively cheap budget has been a good thing for storytelling, and for helping people evolve from consumers of media into producers of media.
LC: As the world becomes more and more aware of the environmental challenges that we are faced with today, how have artists responded and have you noticed any shifts in the content being produced?
ZZ: It seems that the films and stories have become much more personal and less generic. By this I mean that they have been focusing more on individuals who have some unique relationship to the environment. I’m thinking of films like Salt by Mick Angus, or Balancing Point by Danny Brown, or Muskrat Lovely by Amy Nicholson. This is a good thing. To me, these films are less formulaic and much more interesting to a broader audience than a story about clear cutting. Which is to say, these films are more inclusive and less political.
LC: These series of short films created around the world work to unite individuals and help foster a true ‘culture of nature’ as you describe it. As your efforts build a boundless community that feeds on the beauty of the world and human potential, how has the collection impacted your life?
ZZ: EarthDance Films has been a real gift in my life. It has given me a chance to meet and work with incredibly talented people and interesting audiences from all over the world. It has also made me a better curator and editor. I am grateful for the opportunity to help build community and (hopefully) inspire some people along the way!
LC: If you could choose one movie to show to an audience of ever-so-impressionable 3rd graders and college students, what film would you choose?
ZZ: Well, we generally have two collections – one for families, and one for older audiences. The films for older audiences tend to be a little more risque.
So for kids, I’d say Lost in the Woods by Laura and Robert Sams, or Pigeon Impossible by Lucas Martell.
For the PG-13 crowd, I’d say Spiders on Drugs by Andrew Struthers, or Motel by Thor Freudenthal, or Cheat Neutral by Beth Stratford, or Our Wonderful Nature by Tomer Eshed. Wait, how many films was I supposed to suggest?!
I highly recommend everyone click on ‘Spiders on Drugs‘ and watch the 2 minute video. It is sure to make you smile. Thanks to Zakary for making moves on the environmental frontier by cross-pollinating art & the environment in such a beautiful way. I’ll be seein all y’all on Oct 29th!
Today on the main stage is Sadie Bascom, Bump Evangelist at Bump Technologies. Have you heard about this hip new technology? Bump is a quick and easy way to connect two phones by simply bumping them together. Share contact info, pictures, calendar events, and even connect to social networks with just a bump! Meet Sadie and find out what Bump can do for your career, social life, and home- Momma Earth. Here’s your chance to be in the know without having to go anywhere. Prop your feet up and enjoy!
LC: Other than the fact that Bump Technologies is the first company to virtually eliminate the need for post-its, Hallmark stationary, and business cards, what about Bump gets you up in the morning?
SB: I think it is an interesting new technology with the potential to have a huge impact on the way we communicate with each other in the future. We’re turning your mobile device into something that you can use in the real world, not just the virtual world, which has never been done before. Really it’s an amazing concept, almost magical! I’m excited that I have an opportunity to be a part of the great innovation.
LC: For the first time ever, I am proposing we conduct a mathematical estimate. Here we go. Bump allows users to set up a virtual contact card, eliminating the need for people to carry around physical business cards. On average, professionals use about 250 business cards per year. Question: Assuming two medium sized trees constitutes one cord, and one cord produces 898,700 business cards. How many trees has Bump Technologies saved?
Hint: 898,700/2 =449,350. One tree makes 449,350 business cards.
Reminder: Bump eliminates the need for many kinds of paper products such as calendars and invites! This is just a small section.
SB: Well there have been about 20 million people who have downloaded our app in the past year. So assuming none of those people have given out a single business card and we’ve had these 20 million people for a whole year, if my math is correct, we could have saved 11,127 trees. We know that most of our users do in fact still distribute business cards, however we’d like Bump to become the norm for exchanging contact information phone to phone. If this happens we could save whole forests worth of trees!
LC: Coupled with the other ways Bump conserves paper, I can imagine a future filled with people frolicking in lush green forests bumping their phones together while kicking their heels to the sweet sounds of nature. Kids will be saying, “Why didn’t you Bump me to your sweet sixteen? I Bumped you to mine!” What is your vision of the future and what kind of tricks does Bump have up its sleeve to maintain its innovative industry-leading edge?
SB: We’re just focused on creating something that everyone will find useful. If it’s making your lives easier and fills a need, we’re happy. We spend a great deal of time listening to our users: what they like, what they dislike, what’s not working, and what they want to bump in the future, etc and use these comments/requests to build a more solid, useful service. That said, the actual Bump Technology can also be leveraged across all kinds of platforms. For example, PayPal integrated our API into their mobile app which allows you to bump money from one phone to another. At the end of the day our goal is just to be relevant in people’s day-to-day lives.
LC: Of course I love the app for environmental reasons, but being the photo-shooting junkie that I am, I also appreciate the fact that I can Bump photos to my friends at any time. How else does the app connect people?
SB: Bump 2.0 brings connecting with people to a whole new level. Photo sharing aside, we’ve made it super easy for you to connect on facebook/linkedin/twitter when you’re out and about by simply bumping phones together. You can bump appointments or invites right off your calendar, and our chat feature also keeps you connected by letting you send unlimited messages/photos/contacts for free – it’s an awesome alternative for those of you who don’t have a texting plan.
LC: Where can my lovely loyal readers learn more about this application? Has Bump been in the news lately? Can I get a 10-4 confirmation that this app is free?
SB: Sure, we’ve gotten a lot of great press over the past few months. We’ve compiled it all for easy viewing – visit the press section on our website. And yes! Bump is absolutely free on both the iTunes App store and the Android Market.
Thanks Sadie! Hope we Bump into each other sometime soon! Ha ha yes, I am so funny.
Going 4 Green is a awesome festival going on in Oakland at the end of the month and I’ve got festival producer Kyion Williams here today to tell you all a little more about it. If you are looking for a fun free activity for every member of your family- this is it.
LC: Word on the street is that the first ever Going 4 Green Festival is going to attract over 40,000 people! What kind of events will be there? Can I get my eco-friendly Christmas shopping done early this year while eating delicious street food and movin’ & goovin’ to phat beats?
KW: Yes you can. yes you can. We will have live music, a kid-friendly zone with games and prizes, great treats to eat, educational speakers, and some great shopping opportunities. With all that going on, you will also have a great view of the water in Jack London Square, a prime area in Oakland. Oh and for the adults tasty margaritas will be served!
LC: Well, you can find me at JLS on September 25th & 26th! What time does it all go down? Is there an entrance fee?
KW: The festival will be 12 – 7PM on Saturday the 25th and 12- 6PM on Sunday the 26th. Its free to get in the festival, but bring your wallets because you will find something you just have to have.
LC: What part of the weekend are you most ants-in-the-pants excited about?
KW: We are bringing back some throwback childhood games, and the adults are going to want in on it. I love seeing adults relax and get silly.
LC: I want Going 4 Green updates! Where can I go to hear the latest and greatest?
Thanks Kyion! Below are some additional details about the event. You can find me in The Chill Zone ’cause that’s how I do.
- Family-Fun Activities featured in the Kids Zone
- The Latest in Green Fashion and Green Technology
- Thought Leadership and the Latest Environmental Topics
- Speakers from Clear Channel & Green 960
- Dozens of local vendors with food, crafts, and more.
- Live Entertainment and excitement in The Chill Zone.
This Featured Friday I have the pleasure of introducing to you Karine Brighten and Jennifer Miller. Karine is founder of Karine Brighten events, an eco-friendly event planning company. It is the first certified green business in the Bay Area! Karine’s company is producing San Francisco’s first Vegan Fashion Show and showcasing designer Jennifer Miller owner of Mission Savvy. The event is located Golden Gate Park and on October 2nd!
The SF Vegan fashion show features vegan designers working to reduce their carbon footprint and produce sustainable and stylish products. Meet the gang:
- Cri de Coeur (eco-luxe women’s footwear)
- Lion’s Share Industries (artistic vegan men’s/women’s tees)
- Pansy Maiden (handmade vegan bags)
- Reco Jeans (recycled denim line)
- Vaute Couture (eco-conscious winter dress coats)
- Melie Bianco (runway-inspired cruelty free handbags)
Date: October 2, 2010
Time: Show begins at 4:45PM
Location: County Fair Building, Golden Gate Park
1199 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA
Check out my interview with the two lovely ladies to find out when, where, and how to score a spot at the hottest Fall event in San Francisco.
LC: Not only does the fashion show feature eco-friendly designers, but the show is put on by your eco-friendly events company! What inspired you to stray away from the norm and begin crafting events based around environmentally conscious values?
KB: I’ve always had a passion for animals and environmental issues, and decided to combine the two and start my own business! I am also very proud to say that I am the very first in the SF Bay Area to become a certified green business.
LC: I was super stoked when I found out that Rory Freedman, Author of ‘Skinny Bitch‘ is emcee of the fashion show and that Melisser Eliott from Cruelty Free Face will be the team make-up leader. What will the participants be able to take away from the show?
KB: People attending the fashion show will see that you can look great while being 100% cruelty-free!
LC: Let’s talk a little to a featured contributer. Jennifer Miller, owner of Mission Savvy has a great line of work that uses fashion as a way to create awareness about animal protection. How did you get the inspiration to bring animal rights into mainstream lifestyles?
JM: My entire professional career has been in wildlife conservation and animal rescue. And the last couple years as an emergency relief responder for an international animal aid organization I witnessed some of the worst cases in animal abuse and neglect. Going between countries and cultures I struggled with being able to communicate these issues in a manner that people took them seriously and intergrated them into their lives. There are so many simple steps that we can take to make this a more humane world for animals.
So, I documented these situations throughout my travels and came up with an idea to develop a medium that would implant them into the minds of every day people in a fun atmosphere that they choose to engage. That’s when I settled on fashion. 5% of profits from Mission Savvy’s online store go to animal rescue and conservation projects around the world.
You walk into my boutique and the first thing you see is an elephants foot chained to a fence waiting his moment in the circus and a pig cramed into a gestation crate, the standard for animal housing on factory farms in the US.
My customers love to shop and love eco fashion, now they know more about animal suffering and the small projects Mission Savvy supports.
LC: Jennifer, you are really taking the opportunity to educate others in an industry known for dressing them! It is very innovative and inspiring. The SF Vegan Fashion show has so many designers showing off their goodies! Where are these collections available for purchase?
KB: All the collections are available online! There is also a silent auction featuring great items from the designers!
LC: Okay, now for the necessary details. How do I secure a spot at the show? Can I just show up or do I have to buy a ticket? Girl keep us in the loop so we can be wide-eyed, visually stimulated, and up-to-speed on the latest looks!
KB: The fashion show is free with your $7 entry into the World Vegetarian Festival, FREE for students, and FREE for everyone if you enter the festival before 10:30am.
Thanks Karine and Jennifer! I’m ready to see some stylin’ senoritas strut their cruelty-free clothes down the catwalk! Yes, you all know where you can find me on October 2nd. See ya there.
During my trip back east last week I was fortunate enough to paddle out with my beach buddy Dave Cardona. We haven’t gone surfing together since last summer and this season he is sporting the eco-look like it’s nobodies business. Last winter he switched from fiberglass to wood when he decided to sculpt his own board. You can usually catch Dave in boardshorts made from plastic bottles on the NJ coast, or in South Africa this fall. This mobile man is a walking, paddling, and ride-catching example of a true green-scene member.
LC: What is your favorite thing about surfing? Did you have a moment when you knew you were hooked?
DC: My favorite thing about surfing are the times that swell size is right on the limit of what you are comfortable with and after a lot of work you get one of your most memorable rides. That feeling of getting a great ride after paddling for what it feels like hours, or getting caught in the inside or having to duck dive way too many times in 39 degree water- has to be one of the greatest feelings in the world.
That’s the exact feeling that got me hooked a few years ago while surfing at Belmar, NJ. It was a small wind-swell but for my first year it took me forever to get outside on the huge foam board I was riding. I caught my first peeling right and was speeding down the line on a pretty high line with a huge smile on my face. Seeing that green clean shoulder ahead of me with no signs of closing out is a picture that I will never forget.
LC: What made you decide to build your own board? What materials did you need?
DC: I built my first alaia this past winter because I had always wanted to shape and ride a board, which is kind of a hassle with foam and fiberglass. When I saw that people were building alaias in their backyards and read up on it, I realized alaias would be a great first shaping experience. And the fact that these boards are very environmentally friendly was just the cherry on top. To build it I bought Pawlonia wood, which is what Tom Wegner recommends, and some glue since I already had the power tools needed. I researched designs online and read up on alaias, and just gave it the old college try. Most of the time it took me to make it I spent sanding, with a power sander and by hand. A lot of sanding.
LC: I must say the designs on your surfboard are just breathtaking. How did you make them?
DC: For the alaia I used a soldering tool to burn designs on the wood. Usually the designs come from sketches I do when I’m bored and have a pen in my hand. That is probably my second favorite thing about surfing is getting to tag your board and really make it yours.
LC: So, you made your own board out of wood instead of fiberglass, you use eco-friendly MAGMA surf wax, and your swim suit is made out of plastic bottles. You are a dream. Where did you get your suit and who makes it? Do they sell them for women also or do I have to be as creative as you and buy board-shorts and make a bikini out of it?
DC: The boardshorts I got at Billabong. No idea if they make bikinis, but they do have girls boardshorts.
Thanks to Dave for sharing his story. If anyone wants to learn more about the art of board sculpting or tagging, he can be your Master Splinter.
Happy Featured Friday everyone! Today you get to meet Brandon. He is the founder of Tiagu, a fair trade company that sells accessories and decor. He is more than a mover and a shaker, and you need to meet this guy.
LC: How did you get involved in Fair Trade? When did you come up with the idea to sell home decor and fashion accessories?
BN: Since I was 5 years old I participated in The Christmas Project in Santa Cruz County. Ever year Gladys Anderson, a true saint, would go out to the migrant farm camps and get gift requests from every child and parent; we would then get all the gifts, wrap them and deliver them on Christmas Eve. This is when I first learned about the disparity of working and living conditions in our own country. The kids would often requests jackets, not toys. 10 people could be living in a one bedroom “apartment”; walls were falling, roofs leaking and the only place kids had to play was the mud.
In High School I took a global studies class and I realized how much worse it was in other parts of the world. My first really interest in trade was senior year of High School; I was in Journalism and wrote an article on the slave labor conditions that exist in some of the factories where our clothes are made. In college I majored in Politics studying the UN, IMF, World Bank and other non-governmental organizations; where I first learned about Fair Trade. I grew to understand that much of the poverty in the rest of the world is largely caused by the disparity in trade agreements between the rich countries and the poor ones. Most of the products we buy have changed hands multiple times; each time means less money for the person who actually made the product.
I wanted to create a store that connected the people making the products to the people selling them. I started to look for avenues to purchase products as directly from the artisan as possible. This way I could ensure that they were being paid well, had good working conditions and the product was being made in a sustainable way. The problem was that I had no way of verifying what the person across the world was telling me was true. So I started looking into Fair Trade more and discovered that the Fair Trade movement and groups stood for the same principles of trade as I did, what the World Fair Trade Organizations calls the 10 Standards of Fair Trade. Fair Trade is about empowering the artisan to lift themselves out of poverty and empowering the consumer to purchase something that they know was made in a fair and moral way. The large majority of the artisan groups that have been certified as following the 10 Standards of Fair Trade make handicrafts, which tend to be home décor and fashion accessories. So the type of products were kind of chosen by default.
LC: I noticed that Tiagu abides by the 10 Standards of Fair Trade. They are great guidelines to operate under. Have you noticed other companies adopting similar standards with the purpose of being more socially ethical? Any advice for organizations that are considering the move towards becoming more saint-like aka Tiagu-like?
BN: There are a few dozen Fair Trade e-commerce websites and a few Fair Trade stores scattered about the country, but Fair Trade is still in its infancy. Some larger chains are starting to sell a few products they claim were made in a “fair and sustainable”. Macy’s in Union Square was selling woven baskets from Rwanda under the mantra of
something similar to Fair Trade. Whole Foods has come out with a line of products that is a take on Fair Trade. Pottery Barn came out with a few “eco” products. It is great that these companies are trying to offer products made in a more fair way, but by choosing to distinguish some of their products as “fair and sustainable” or “eco”, it is kind of an admission that most of their other products aren’t.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say saint-like… The most important thing is to be conscious of how your actions affect the environment, your employees and the people who you are buying your products or services from. If you ask questions, trust your gut and act with empathy you will set up your organization to be more “saint-like”.
LC: What countries do you get the bulk of your products from? Are you visiting any of them soon and do you need someone to carry your luggage?
BN: We get our products from all across the World, but this next year we are going to be focusing on products from Africa. We have Mango Wood products from Thailand, Bamboo products from Vietnam, Scarves from Eastern India and Cambodia, grass and natural fiber products and candles from Swaziland. I am going to Africa in February. The point of the trip is to find new products and document the stories of the artisans so that we can bring them to our customers. Kenya has more certified Fair Trade organizations than any other country in the world so I am going to spend at least a week on a Fair Trade tour of the country. Then it is off to South Africa for a couple of days, Swaziland for a couple of days and then probably one other country yet to be determined. I don’t need anyone to carry my luggage, I am pretty strong, but a photographer/camera-person would be very nice.
LC: Done deal, I own a camera or two. Okay, crystal ball time, what is the grand vision for Tiagu?
BN: There are going to be three parts of Tiagu. The first part is going to be a non-profit that invests a portion of our revenues back into the communities that we buy the products from. For example in December a tornado hit Swaziland destroying the house of the artisan groups “grandma”, we donated money to help rebuild her house. The second part is Tiagu.com, which is going to be a multi-media e-commerce website where people can learn anything and everything they would ever want to know about the products they are buying. The third part is going to be a chain of Fair Trade stores that are going to be in every major metropolitan area in the country, starting with San Francisco.
Awesome! We need more people in the world like you. Thanks Brandon!
More and more companies have been adopting the idea of working a compressed work week. It benefits companies in a variety of ways and has a positive affect on the environment. Today you lucky readers get to meet Jenny Kennedy, a multimedia designer from The SmithGroup. Jenny graciously agreed to be interviewed about her experience working a compressed schedule. Check out what she has to say!
LC: What is a compressed work week and how are companies making it work for them?
JK: It allows people to work their usual amount of hours in less days per week. Companies are having their employees come into work earlier than usual and leave later so that they can have 3 day weekends.
LC: How does The SmithGroup operate?
JK: They use a modified compressed workweek where every
other Friday is considered a SmithGroup holiday. Instead of working 10 hour days, like the standard compressed workweek schedule, my company
works 9 hour days.
LC: Would you prefer the classic 9-5 or the modern take?
JK: I definitely like this schedule better than the 5 day weeks. Since I am in graduate school I can usually get all of my homework
done on Friday so I can actually do things on the weekend. However, sometimes my coworkers and I find it difficult to be just as productive in the last hours of the day as we are in the beginning.
LC: As the trend picks up momentum, what type of companies do you feel it would be best/worst suited for?
JK: Most companies can employ this schedule except for companies
that provide daily customer service. However, if the compressed workweek ever
becomes the standard for California (as it is in Utah), companies
providing customer service can adopt this schedule as well.
LC: Of course, I need know how it affects the environment! Spill it girl, spill it.
JK: The compressed work week is very eco-friendly. People are commuting 1/5 less than they usually do, decreasing gasoline usage. Companies cut down their energy usage by 1/5, since employees only come in 4 days a week.
Thank you Jenny! It is nice to see that more companies are a straying away from the norm and proactively creating an environment that caters to both the needs of the business and staff preferences. The energy conservation and decrease in pollution doesn’t hurt either!
Today I am sharing an interview with a fellow blogger. Actually, it’s a double whammy because it is a blogging couple! Katie and James work together to create Between The Lines, which is a great blog for those of you that have ever been on any form of public transit and those of you that have ever read a book. Safe to say that all of you would enjoy their blog. Meet the top-notch team below.
LC: So! You blog about what people on the SF Muni are reading. Sounds like a simple yet genius idea. Do you read on the Muni as well or is most of your time devoted to finding paperbacks and hardcovers?
J: Lately, I’ve been trying to keep up with my subscription to the Economist. The book I’m currently reading, Infinite Jest, is a behemoth and is not portable even in the most expansive sense of the term: it technically fits in my bag, sure, but it also crushes any unsuspecting fruit I might have in there. It has footnotes with endnotes and comes in around 1,000 pages, so trying to juggle that on a bus is a bit difficult. On my commute home, sometimes I just like to put in my earbuds and people watch.
K: I have been spending more time finding books to blog about on my way to work and class at night. I am currently reading Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, but have been saving it to read at night after busy days.
LC: Wow James, I’m going to go ahead and say you’ve created fruitnotes in your bag! Sounds dangerous yet exciting. Have you ever wondered if people have fake covers over the book they’re really reading because they’re embarrassed to be reading the first Harry Potter so late in the game?
J: Not really. Although, and I think I mentioned this as an anonymous example on our ‘About‘ page, I did once take the cover off of the hard copy of the Da Vinci Code that I was reading on the bus, because I didn’t want to be judged. So I probably should be more suspicious of others.
K: Yes. I think people get self conscious in public about what they are reading and what it says about them. I have not seen any suspiciously covered books, but I will let you know if I spot any.
LC: Do you judge people by the cover of their book? Any special experiences you want to share?
J: I try not to judge in a negative way. San Francisco is such an educated city, if you take a look around you, it’s rare to see anything that could be called trashy. I see people with some reading choices that I wouldn’t make, but I don’t think less of them for it. Usually, it’s the other way around; I see someone with a title that I have never heard of, and it turns out that I’m the ignoramus. You can learn a lot by keeping an open mind and set of eyes.
K: I agree with James on this one. I try not to judge by the cover because that is part of the fun of the blog…to see the diversity of San Francisco public transit readers. Although I was intrigued by a book recently that had no words on the cover, but interesting drawings. I would have loved to blog about it, but was unable to decipher what the book was about.
LC: Suppose I spot someone riding and reading. Would you blog it or does Between the Lines have special standards?
J: The only standard I really have is trying to keep it interesting. So, if we haven’t done it before, and it’s not something that is culturally ubiquitous (like your Harry Potter reference), sure! Why, have YOU seen something interesting Lola?
LC: Well, I’ve seen some interesting things but nothing quite related to the written word. Throughout this journey for the greater good, I’ve noticed you started interviewing Muni readers. Would you say your friendly, sly, or creepy? I can’t pull off being sly, but I can definitely be a creepster. Maybe I shouldn’t try to spot someone reading and riding. Them bus rides can get rough.
J: I definitely worry about coming across as creepy. It’s fairly easy to spot what someone is reading from afar. But the interviewing is a bit different. One interviewee definitely had that “oh god, here comes another crazy m*therf*cker” look when I first approached her. And, I mean, we’re on muni, can you blame her? But after a brief intro, she was very willing to chat.
K: I have yet to get the nerve up to ask a fellow Muni rider about their book of choice. I am working up the courage though. I think by sharing what others are reading and bringing diverse topics and interests to the public we are only helping to spread more knowledge.I try to be very sly about discovering the title and author, which is sometimes disappointing as I have to leave without knowing the title of an interesting novel. If a simple glance at the book does not give me the info I need to research the book then I decide to leave the reader in peace.
LC: Katie! I bet anyone you interview will feel honored. Are you keeping track of who is better at playing ‘I spy the book’?
J: No, it’s a collective effort, and one of our friends Shya, who rides different muni lines, has also been contributing. Unless Katie says it is a competition. In which case, I’m winning.
K: Definitely more collective. Shya and James are fabulous writers and each of us puts our own spin on our posts, which I think keeps it fun and interesting!
And that was behind the scenes with Between The Lines!
Hey Hey Happy Friday!! Today’s fantastic feature is a modern day explorer with some modern day equipment. Brandon Stanley is one of my good ‘ol pals from the college days living in the Bronx. He was quite a photographer then and my has he grown up and learned a trick or two. Read further to learn more about Brandon and to see some of his truly remarkable photographs.
LC: So when did you start taking photos? Has your subject preference changed since then?
BS: I started taking photos when I was 17 with a little point and shoot. But it became a serious interest/love/obsession when I was about 21. I started off shooting mostly landscapes; both nature and urban. I still shoot a lot of landscapes, but I shoot a lot of other things as well. Recently it’s been architecture and interiors and skiing and snowboarding.
LC: What kind of equipment are you working with? I know several photographers that care for their cameras like it was their first born. Can you relate?
BS: I have several Nikon cameras and lenses and some studio lights, but the D300 is my main camera. My baby. It comes everywhere with me. I’ve been on the road a lot lately and I always joke that I prefer my car to be stolen with everything in it over my camera.
LC: Would you rather photograph in a space suit somewhere in the middle of the good ‘ol Milky Way OR in the depths of the ocean where undiscovered creatures roam free? Why?
BS: I’d definitely have to say in a space suit floating around The Milky Way for a number of reasons. To experience the galaxy and everything else out there would be out of this world, literally. The bottom of the ocean seems like it would make me a little claustrophobic and I imagine those undiscovered creatures being ugly and scary. My only issue is where I’d set my tripod up while floating around…
LC: Imagine yourself power walking to your next photo gig in 10 years. Where are you and what’s the gig?
BS: I’d be power walking to some remote beach in Tahiti to shoot talented surfers and beautiful models in swimwear.
LC: I’d love to be your intern for that adventure. Your nomadic lifestyle allows for you to take amazing shots from all around the world. Where can I find some examples of your work?
BS: I have a blog that I try to update as frequently as possible. As well as my website with my portfolios.
LC: So, do you have any crazy photography events that you are bursting to share with the world?
BS: Last summer I was sleeping out of my van outside of Yosemite National Park. All the campsites were full so I just found a gap in the trees to pull into on the side of the road. In Yosemite you aren’t supposed to leave any food in your car because the bears are likely to rip into your car going after it. So being entirely unprepared I was sleeping in my van with a decent amount of food, including salami sandwiches. Around 2AM I heard movement outside of the car and upon peering through the window I saw a full grown bear five feet from the car. Instinctively I reached for my camera and flash while making a plan in case it decided to rip the door off. Next the bear stood up and slammed against the side of the van and at this point I was as scared as I could have been. I sat on the other side of the car waiting to slide the door open and fire off a couple shots if he tore through the other door. I wasn’t about to fire off a flash and piss him off because I didn’t know what he’d be likely to do. Fortunately (for me, not the potential photograph that could have been) he just pushed off the car and slowly wandered back off into the woods. So not really a photography event, but I always think of the shot that I could have gotten, but I’m glad I didn’t.
My what a story! Thanks for sharing Brandon! Keep exploring the world and capturing the beauty and don’t forget to visit. I’ll cook you food.
Welcome to our Featured Friday! This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Jorge Diaz, founder of Yumit. I had met him during his stay here in San Francisco, and I now have a new friend to visit in Madrid! I was fortunate to spend some time with Jorge, who is a foodie much like myself. He made my favorite dish, Tortilla de Patata (aka Tortilla Espanola) and I ate it until I could not eat anymore. I learned in our interview that I am not the only one who is obsessed with this meal! Read on to learn more about Yumit & Jorge.
LC: So Jorge, What is Yumit.com and what inspired you to create the website?
JD: Yumit is a web service to share instantly with your friends and followers what you are eating (or about to eat)
LC: Cool! With 246 ‘friends’ and 203 ‘yums’ on the site you are very influential. What is your favorite ‘dish’ or ‘meal’ on the website?
JD: That’s easy. Tortilla de patata!
LC: That sounds about right. What the websites most popular dish? What about place?
JD: Currently it’s also Tortilla de patata. It’s very popular here in Spain, and most of the users are Spanish. Till now, I’m the heaviest home user of the site. I hope this changes soon. The place is my home!
LC: Have you thought about any other variations? Like DrinkIt.com where people upload photos of their favorite beers, wines & cocktails?
JD: Definitely yes!! The one about drinks sounds great. In fact we have thoughts about including it in Yumit.
LC: Sounds great! Do you have any other cool websites we should know about?
JD: All my sites are listed in SixClicks but I guess that the other ones are not that “cool”. Quizzr was my first launch made with Ruby on Rails (That web framework you hate so much! hahaha), and its some kind of social quiz game. 🙂
Lemonade & Origami Blog 