Category: art

Pixlr O-Matic

When I read the Pixlr-o-matic post on @NimishDubey’s CellShutterbugs.com, I was pretty impressed with the screen shots. The post was on the android app. Out of curiousity I just googled pixlr o-matic, and it looks like they have a standalone web app as well. And it produces gorgeous results. See for yourself below.

I made:

IMG_1398

into:

Oldish

Exactly the same image. Added a filter, an overlay, and a dirty border. It looks like an authetic b/w photograph taken in the 70s and accidentally found in a Kumbakonam loft.

Yin Yang Everywhere

The concept of natural dualities is everywhere. The Chinese call it the Yin-Yang. It is there in several places in Hinduism as well such as the Hari-Haran duality. The Ardhanaari duality etc.

Anyways, during one very contemplative after lunch walk, I found this to be a classical duality example.

yinyang

(Shot using my blackberry and post processed using ipiccy.com)

Reforestation

Just viewed a TED talk called “The silent drama of Photography.” Though the talk by Sebastiao Salgado is about a moving story about how he dropped a career as an economist (PhD in economics) and got into photography, how photography almost killed him, how he got back to photography ; the talk has a deep call to action — bring back the forests.

[ted id=1729]

Sebastiao is not a native English speaker (he is Brazilian), but he presents beautifully. At a whole new level. Being a big presentation enthusiast, some of my observations are:

  • Beautifully simple language. No complicated words, talks, jargon.
  • Punctuated by short periods of showing photographs. Two things stood out here. Each time he wanted to show some photographs, his tone would be of such humility that it would almost be like, requesting to indulge him a bit. Second thing was, he did not speak a word during those photographs. No description. When he took it. Why? Who? Nothing. He let the photographs sink in to the audience. Powerful technique.
  • Body language showing a lot of sincerity.
  • Just one joke, but that too, bringing a deep meaning to it. About how trees help soak water for us. (Relating it to drying hair for people with normal hair vs his bald head).
  • Call to arms. At the end of the talk, he says – “It is easy. I did it. And so can you.”. Collectively we can do it. In a very non intrusive way, he also says, we did it in Brazil, but it looks like you guys (in America) need it too. So get going. Do it.

A Boy And His Atom – World’s smallest movie

Well, the first time you are reading the title, you are probably thinking (like I did), that this is going to be another animated short, but maybe this is really really short. Well no. It is the world in which the movie is shot that is small. This movie has been created by IBM by  moving actual atoms and molecules on a surface. Well, there are two reactions that are pummelling with each other in my mind — “IBM is the only place which can produce such an amazingly cool thing.” vs. “Engineering folks at IBM have a lot of time in their hands”. 🙂

For engineers like me, the cooler video is the next video – “the making of the movie”. Mind blowing.

God made a farmer

The beautifully simple Dodge RAM commerical during super bowl 2013. Wow. A visually telling story. The commentary is awesome as well. Full of emotion. Just looking at those images, and the commentary on why God made a farmer, brings in a single simple thought in the mind – “God made the farmer. And the farmer needs a great vehicle. He deserves it.” That is the power of a good presentation.

Update: Watch this parody too. This gives the true state of farming in the USA.