Alternative Spring Break Video

Service is a huge part of everything I do. For the past four years I have taken part in Cardinal Stritch University's Alternative Spring Break Trips. Usually this means spending a week with Habitat for Humanity. This year we traveled to New Orleans and worked with Camp Restore. Each day we worked in a different area of the community and it was really exciting to be able to help out where there is still so much need even seven years after Katrina. 


I also had the honor of creating a short video to give a general idea of our experience to people who supported our trip. It was a challenge to show them both sides of the trip. One that was so emotion filled because there is still a huge amount of need for volunteers in New Orleans and the other that shows the fun we had coming together as a group. The two combined to give everyone who attended the trip an amazing set of memories from their spring break, myself included. 


Here is the link to watch the video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keEdJB-a6kE


Let me know what you think!

Landscape Photography + Gradients

One of the first things we are taught in Graphic Design 101 is to beware of the gradients. Gradient generically laid over a background is an easy cop out. 


However I came across today and interesting series of photographs by Robert Schlaug. He stretched out the colors of the landscapes to create linear gradients in different portions of the photographs. I am attracted to the photos where the gradient begins at the horizon line, creating an abstract background such as this one:





This image is my favorite because of the color combination and even though the sky is obviously a gradient, I think it works well in the photo. The other images are worth a look as well. You can find them here:


http://blog.gessato.com/2012/03/27/landscape-photography-by-robert-schlaug/