A recent survey of Detroit-based non-profits revealed a wide range of styles and functionality among their web sites.  While I admit to trolling sites for possible business opportunities, I quickly considered donating my time to at least one non-profit for the purpose of redesigning their site.  It was disappointing to see first-generation web design promoting grass-root organizations who contribute daily to making our city a better place to live.  So, just what am I prepared to do? Fair question.  Let’s pick two sites, look at their current design, and suggest a better...

Without getting into why I’ve neither posted for weeks or why my new theme is not published, let’s just say the ends justify the means.  I’ve taken more shots in the last four weeks than the last four years!  I am really proud of myself.  I have to confess that without the guidance and encourage of my friend Juan Rivera, I would have never gotten here.  So what does that has to do with tilt-shifting? Not a whole lot, but without this invaluable buddy system I don’t think I would have had the spark of curiosity or creativity to venture forth. Tilt-shifting...

Probes Originally uploaded by nyceflickr This is a photograph taken by a friend who has an amazing eye. I really dig this particular shot for too many reasons to explain adequately. The Combination of empty space, lines, form, function, and many other descriptive accolades my amateur photographer mind can’t articulate properly. This is what I aspired to shoot someday. Thanks Chris for sharing your work with us.

Since the arrival of my Nikon D40, I’ve attempted to find a new theme of perspectives to test my hypothesis that I indeed have an eye for photography.  Big words coming from an amateur.  However, I do seem to be more willing to try new angles while shooting, or at least finding subjects beyond my comfort zone of flowers, trees, and waterscapes. I dug this right away because of the color contrasts, but the absence of all but one swing, no kids, a lone, empty bench, and a small slide in the corner was just as poignant for me.  So, what creative lessons can I share in...

I’ve always admitted I’m somewhat slow off the mark when it comes to adopting essential skill sets. While I do a good job identifying great tools and practices before the really become popular, I myself can’t seem to get around to actually LEARNING how to put the newly acquired tool set into practice. But, that’s changing soon enough. So let’s pick up where I left off more than a year ago.  To review, there has been a proliferation of frameworks of all kinds throughout the web development community.  If you’re coding PHP, then you must...

I’m not sure why I’ve been so reluctant to speak about webapps, but now is as good a time as any.  The question I wrestle with is which ones are most apt and useful to developers and designers in the trenches.  Webapps have come and gone, but now that “cloud computing” is starting its push into the lexicon of web-speak, there are many that make developers and designers better collaborators.  And with more on the way, webapps will  make learning web development and design much more accessible to the constant flow of newbies. If you happen to have been...

Do you see the forest or the trees?  I’ve pondered this dilemma endlessly as it pertains to what this site should be about.  Should it be a portfolio of my work; a treatise on standards-compliant and accessible web design?  Or maybe just the musings of an infatuated software junkie? One poignant idea of late is to just write about the things I’m doing every day with the technology, tools, and methods used to create sites and applications.  That’s still a tall order for someone who often considers himself a novice learner.  The truth is that I’ve...