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Photo hunt in corn country

By Kedron | Published: September 4, 2009
(In the middle of corn fields, Kurt (pictured) and I found a bridge that had been tagged - if you could call it that)

(In the middle of corn fields, Kurt (pictured) and I found a bridge that had been tagged - if you could call it that)

Kurt, Ken (my brothers – twins) and I went camping last weekend despite the cold wet weather. Ken and I went for a quick 5 mile jog and Kurt and I went on a quick scavenger hunt for something interesting to photograph. It was dreary, wet, cold, and otherwise boring scene – which was what made this hunt interesting.

As creatives we often get assignments that inspire about as much enthusiasm as that cold wet photo hunt. Yuck. As much as we like to tell ourselves that we’re only going to do the “fun” projects we inevitably have to do the boring ones as well.

When we’re faced with projects like that we can either piss and moan about it or we can look for something interesting to bring to the surface.

I think this is a mark of a seasoned creative. Pulling the interesting out of the mundane often takes hard work and special attention to subtleties.

I wont go on about how the creative industry is flooded with shallow, lazy, copycats – rather, leave you with this:

The next time you’re tasked with a boring gig – dig in and make it beautiful. Find it. It’s in there. It will make you a better creative. I promise.

Posted in Photography | Comments closed

Twitter Your Flickr

By Kedron | Published: August 25, 2009

Short URLs come in handy when tweeting a link. Getting a short URL for a Flickr photo used to be a pain, but a while back they decided to make life a little easier for us Flickr/Twitter users.

Flickr has had the “Blog This” feature for quite some time. It’s a handy feature that allows you to post to your blog from a photo. They have taken that same thought and applied it to Twitter. All you need to do is connect your Flickr account to your Twitter account.

  1. Log into Flickr and head to your account page.
  2. Click the tab “Extending Flickr”
  3. Add or edit “Your blogs”
  4. Choose Twitter from the “Add a blog” helper
  5. Authenticate your Twitter account – head over to your Twitter settings on Twitter.com and make sure you approve Flickr in your “Connections” tab

You are all set to start tweeting your Flickr photos! To do this, just jump over to the photo you want to send out. Above the photo you’ll see all the things you can do with that particular photo.

flickrblogthis

Click on the “Blog This” button and choose your Twitter account. Flickr will then grab the short URL for you and put it in a Twitter post.

flickrtweetthis

Nice and easy!

Posted in Photography, Webmastering | Tagged , , | Comments closed

Auditory Web Reference

By Kedron | Published: July 17, 2009

catchthat

Most of the time your Web content is being referenced visually via an active link or something in print – but that’s not always the case. Sometimes we need to communicate a piece of content through spoken word. This transition is considerably harder to make for most users, unless they are in front of the computer when they hear the information you’re trying to direct them to – even then it’s not nearly as foolproof as something they can read or click.

I became acutely aware of how awkward this transition can be several weeks ago when I heard a radio personality point the listeners to a piece of relevant content by saying over the airwaves: “Visit the site and search for xyz.” I instantly felt my anxiety level go up! It was content that was interested in finding, but the idea of being left to a site search left me feeling hopeless. Why would I trust your site search to give me relevant content? How do I know what to search for? Will the search results give me the most up to date article on the subject matter? The list goes on!

There are better ways of directing people to your content than sending them to your URL and telling them to search.

The 2 standards offer much more direction and give the user considerably more hope.

The oldest of the two methods are giving out your URL and suggesting the user search for a specific keyword. This eliminates most of the anxiety for the user when it comes to searching your site, for one reason: it’s assumed that you have done what it takes to make sure that the keyword is associated with the content and will return the content you’re verbally sending them to. If you haven’t done that, then you should assume your users are now frustrated.

The second, and what I recommend, is to give the url to your site followed by a slash then the keyword. eg. www.ailema.com/localhost This method keeps the user in ONE process – typing in the location bar. Users don’t have to figure out where your search is, whether or not the results are going to be accurate, etc.

Yes, I know my preferred method requires some technical attention on the administrator side – but doesn’t all affective UI?

Posted in Webmastering | Comments closed

Short URL Your Flickr for Twitter

By Kedron | Published: July 1, 2009

Wait! Looking to Twitter your Flickr? Click here!

flickr short url

Several weeks ago I noticed tweets with links that used the Flic.kr as the URL base. My first thought was that there was a Flickr service at Flic.kr that would shorten my Flickr url or better yet, allow me to post a photo to both Twitter and Flickr at the same time. That’s not what you find at Flic.kr but a few short weeks later 1 the problem has been solved.

The Twitter to Flickr thing has been worked out. Great. But what about a short URL from a Flickr photo to Twitter? That’s where flic.kr comes in. Not quite seamless, but accessible enough for those willing to invest in the integrity of the internet (more on that in a minute).

Want a short URL for your Flickr photo without using a 3rd part service? Here is how!

Flickr publishes a short URL for every photo via the tag. View the source of the page you want to send people to and look for

<link rev="canonical" type="text/html" href="http://flic.kr/p/6uYrJN" >

Grab the value of the href and you’re good to go!

OK, I can hear the non-technical people hating on the idea of viewing the page source. Like I said, it isn’t seamless. This is where you can give Flickr a pat on the back for using the tag though. Go to: RevCanonical and paste in the URL of the photo you want a short url for and it will look up the link for you!

The whole process is still NOT seamless, but it’s only a matter of time before Flickr or a 3rd party makes it so. Until then, hardcore Flickr users can take advantage of these methods – while making the internet a safer place!

Further Reading and Resources

Footnotes


1 Flickr has done well to adapt to Twitter shaking things up. Twitpic may have the lead, but it lacks the depth and appeal that Flickr does long term – IMO.

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Posted in Photography, Webmastering | Tagged , | Comments closed

dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip

By Kedron | Published: June 15, 2009

scroobius

The Twittersphere has declared Monday as “Music Monday” – which totally bucks the powers that be that have declared Tuesday as the official day to talk about what’s new in the music world – which, in my opinion, says less about the wisdom of the masses and more about our agonizing attraction towards abstract alliteration. I digress…

So for this Music Monday, I would like to introduce you to dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip. I stumbled onto this duo a while ago because this video made the rounds on a few sites I frequent.

Scroobius Pip isn’t mainstream rap or hip-hop – but he’s got more rhyming skills than most records you’ll find at FYE. Some might call him a beat poet. I call him a breath of fresh air on the hip-hop grind. If you’re interested in something fresh, insightful and dare I say – inspiring – pick up Angles – dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip.

Thou Shalt Always Kill

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Roaming Grand Rapids

By Kedron | Published: June 9, 2009

My little brother (one of two that are both bigger than I) went on a short photo safari last night around Grand Rapids. We ducked in and out of buildings as the clouds let a few rain drops loose which only added to the excitement of the evening. We had a blast.

We both commented last night on how shooting with someone challenges one another and inspires the creative eye. I had forgotten what that felt like. As a creative, I tend to live in my own little world and its rare that inspiration comes from an actual human interaction – most of mine comes from the Web, environmental design, nature and architecture. I can see where I’ve been missing out – which will change.

Grand Rapids in focus

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To multi-site or not

By Kedron | Published: May 1, 2009

Strategy is king when you’re dealing with limited resources – extra true when you’re dealing with the Web.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who is constantly on the front-lines when dealing with limited resource while effectively executing her responsibilities on the Web. The conversation was one I’ve had countless of times with other Web professionals who, like most, are in the same boat. It centers around meeting a wide range of requirements, and filtering those into a strategy that works for everyone – and more specifically, throwing “sites” at the problem as opposed to strengthening the entire tool-set.

Most of the time when people propose a new site it’s because they don’t feel that the current resources are sufficient for what they “require” – which may be the case, but hardly reason to build something new.

When you build something new you:

  • Introduce one more technology to maintain – which has security implications, version control, man hours, etc.
  • Dilute you’re user experience (at best) – new navigation, new layout, new new new learning curve
  • Divert resource to something other than your core platform – you could build the “tools” being requested into an existing strategy – centralizing resources on a small team is a MUST – you can’t afford to lose ground when you have to fight for every cent you get
  • Administration becomes exponentially more complicated and time consuming – checks and balance nearly get lost when offshoots are birthed
  • Message gets less focused – with one voice for the Web site things can maintain an clear message from front to back, but with a multi-site strategy things get distorted quickly
  • Multi-site strategies often reflect poor planning from a corporate perspective – “needs” need to fall in line with a corporate web strategy, not emotional knee jerking – constituents feel and notice this sort of thing, even if they can’t articulate it
  • Data-sharing, and cross-site connectedness becomes increasingly complicated – authentication; need I say more?
  • Data management turns into data mismanagement – dated content gets updated on one site and not another, data often gets duplicated, data integrity pretty much takes a beating

Small teams need – must – focus their efforts when it comes to execution online. Every new “thingy” you introduce dilutes your resources either in development or maintenance. You can’t avoid that if you want to move forward, you just have to be very strategic in how you go about the advancement process (and sometimes it does require an offshoot site – but think long and hard before headed that rout).

From my experience, unfortunately, companies totally miss the boat on this one and pursue a new “widget” or site instead of looking out for the user, big picture, and ultimately – the bottom line.

Posted in Webmastering | Tagged , , , | Comments closed

Nike: Exercise in fail

By Kedron | Published: March 23, 2009

Nike has positioned themselves as an innovative company, often leading the pack with new technology for as long as I can remember. Six years ago or so I started using the Nike run tracker they had on their Web site – which, at the time was light years in front of everyone else.

It wasn’t long after Nike hooked up with Apple that they began losing their forward motion on the tech front. You would think that the two companies, both with a strong innovative track record, that they would continue to lead the pack – stronger than ever.

Granted, the Nike+ integration with the iPod Nano was a step in the right direction – more like a baby step in what could have been a marathon of innovative leadership.

At the time, the Nano was a nice option for runners who wanted nothing more than to pound pavement to Lenny Kravitz or the Black Eyed Peas – it was the smallest iPod with a screen.

It wasn’t long after the Nano integration that the online run tracker was only available to those who used the Nike+ system. Personally, I think that was a poor marketing move – who shuts out THOUSANDS of users who are motivated to use a product that is little more than a marketing tool with “sticky” features? Fail.

Yes, I know the Nike+ is only $29, which is not a big jump – that’s assuming you own one of the two supported iPods – Nano, and recently, the Touch.

Since the iPod integration, Nike has invested an untold amount of money into integrating their technology into their shoes, and telling us all how “must have” their little device is.

I’m not tracking their logic with this one at all anymore. I think at first (however many years ago its been now) it was a step in the right direction – sync a pedometer with a media device – love it. But now what? Not only have they locked all of us out who don’t want to buy their gimmicky shoe or strap a gadget to our New Balances AND buy a Nano – we’re 2 versions into the iPhone and STILL no Nike support! Are you kidding me? There are apps on the iPhone that can measure your heart, blood pressure, track where and how fast you ran, and the list goes on – and yet STILL no Nike.

Why Nike? Because you know you’re $29 gimmick has no more value on the iPhone?

Nike has gotten SO far into bed with their own proprietary technology – that USED to lead the way – that they are having a hard time pulling out (so to speak).

Can’t these companies learn from each others mistakes – your proprietary technology, albeit cool, WILL get replaced by accessible, open and piggyback-able technology. Get over how cool you think you are and find ways to share while still creating revenue. It can be done, and for the record, I think Nike can still do it.

The closer your revenue is attached to YOUR technology the more vulnerable you are to technology itself.

Nike, I love you. You were the first running shoe I ever owned. But as a friend, please, you gotta get over yourself. If you want to run with the pack, you’ve got to think about business in a Web+ world and not a Nike+ world.

Posted in Random | Comments closed

We’ve met before haven’t we?

By Kedron | Published: March 19, 2009

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook (FB). On one hand, it’s a great way to connect with people and on the other, it’s a great way to annoy and be annoyed. It’s a communication device that’s still in its infancy phase when it comes to establishing social norms., so we’re all in this experiment together.

From what I gather, FB parallels the type of person behind the account – generalizing of course. For example:

Social Spotlight
This user has 300-500 friends on FB. They request a FB connection with everyone they meet.

Introvert OK
The hardcore introverts are barely breaking 50 friends (assuming they are even online), and that’s only because they have family as friends.

Can’t Help Myself
Then of course there are the people that just can’t say no – no to anything or anyone. They end up with far more associations on FB than they ever care to keep up with, but because someone requested the connection, and they couldn’t refuse, they have a FB tumor growing. I suspect that this person dreads getting online.

Pragmatic Please
The pragmatic user is one of my favorite. They are the user who ignores every friend connection that doesn’t personally impact their life. They probably don’t have a lot of friends on their list, but the ones they do have are close and well connected.

Absentee Friend
We all know, and probably are friends with, the user who only has an account because their child or spouse told them they had to have one. They never update ANYTHING. Yawn.

Users we avoid

The needy
Easy to spot with their 1000+ friends. Do they really care to keep in touch with the daily happenings of 1000+ acquaintances? No, probably not. My guess is that this is the type of person that defines themselves by who they know and who knows them – I call them the “Look at me” crowd. When you have that many “friends” non of them feel important – we’re just cattle in your make-believe fan club. Mooooo… I mean boo…

There is an exception for the poor user who works in the spotlight though – they have a million friends because, well, they have to. But just like the rest of their life, the social scene looks a LOT different than the masses.

MMD
Masters in Marketing Douchery – this is the person use uses their personal account to promote whatever they are doing that makes them money or gives them fame. Yeah, you know the person, and if your offended by this it’s probably because you’re that guy. If you want to promote your business, make a group and commit to communicating only to those who, through their own will, subscribed to that group – or just continue to annoy us all with your MMD – we’ll talk about you behind your back though. Promise.

The Preacher
I’m not necessarily talking about the profession as so much as the user who uses FB as a soapbox. The ONLY thing they post is about saving the ozone, ending the war, saving your soul from damnation – or whatever their particular bent is. This is the guy we all avoid when he walks up to the water-cooler. *cough* Sorry, I gotta get back to that TPS report.

Estranged Relative
Are we even related? I haven’t spoken to you in 15 years and now we’re friends on FB? Why? Why? Why? (fading into the distance…)

The Pouncer
This is the guy who, every time you log in to FB he is there – ready and waiting – to pounce! He starts chatting with you the second you log in, he comments on EVERY post any of his friends EVER make and he fills your inbox, well, crap. The last word – is always – HIS!

Which one are you? Which ones did I miss? Do tell!

Posted in Random | Tagged , | Comments closed

Welcome. Shoes off at the door please.

By Kedron | Published: March 18, 2009

Some of you have missed me – others could care less. Either way, I’m back on blog radar. Here are some quick things you should know.

  1. I used to blog under this same title – What’s the Point?. I took some time off (several years) but now I’m back.
  2. I think most blogs are a waste of other people’s time – including this one. The majority of blogs function as therapy for those writing them, but apart from that they are nothing more than internet static. There will be a lot of static here.
  3. I’m a “creative” by nature and profession – which means I can be melancholic at times (yes, I know I just generalized all creatives). I’m done apologizing for that. With that comes a bit of cynicism and sarcasm – don’t take it all that serious though; I don’t.
  4. When it comes to cyber bulling, I have 0 tolerance. So be nice in my house.

Let the good times roll!

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