We are excited to start a new blog series, Be Inspired, which will feature someone who inspires and moves us. We are hoping you all will also be inspired by the featured enthusiasts in this new series.

Our first feature is Sam Davis. He is an environmental engineer for Hunt Valley, Maryland based EA Engineering and an avid nature photographer. His career in contributing to safeguarding the environment will help preserve the hobby he enjoys in his free time.

Having always enjoyed the outdoors and the environment, nature photography was an easy fit for Sam. When the quality of digital technology caught up to its convenience over traditional film cameras, the rewards and interests expanded for him. He uses the internet as a place to exchange tips, technology, and his growing interest.

I asked Sam about his photography and he told me, “I find a great deal of satisfaction in taking an otherwise overlooked or ordinary scene and creating and composing something appealing. This preserving a fraction of a second in time for me or others to create a mood, emotion or trigger a memory can be rewarding. Planning the composition, lighting, equipment capabilities , and visualizing the final photo is a great mental escape from the day to day. With a little experience one can get a sense of what works and doesn’t.  The hobby is obviously very subjective on many levels and that makes it interesting to see people’s reactions to photos, whether positive or not, based on their experience.”

Here are more examples of Sam’s amazing work:

Shad In Tow

Rams

Fox Facing Sunrise

Pintail

Gp05

Cormorant, Assateague

Grizzly

Heron and Minnow Blackwater NP

Untitled

Sperrysunset

Iceberg Notch Wildfire

Climbing Mt Piegan

Elk at Dusk

-Caroline 

Take a walk on the vintage side with Ting belt flooring. Yup, tile flooring handmade out of salvaged belts. At $75 a square foot, its a far cry from a budget item, but I bet you’ll look differently at the belt rack next time you visit your local Goodwill.

http://www.tinglondon.com

Ande
www.orange-element.com

When you think of the Audi brand you most likely associate it with sleek lines, sharp reflections and high contrast photography. Well, try this for a change:

I ran across this ad on abduzeedo and wanted to share. It is a great ad that brings a more personal and light-hearted touch to the clean brand. There are no long dirt roads stretching into the sunset or rugged tires bouncing over rocks while still providing a smooth and safe ride for your family but instead just a simple animation. I loved this idea because it’s a perfect testament to the fact that the simplest ideas can turn out to be the most creative and expressive. It isn’t until the last few seconds that you realize the illustrated man is building a car but since Audi has built a reputation that can pretty well sell itself on reliability and style, why not show off the product with a simple and somewhat humorous approach. Take a look and enjoy- great music too!

-EJ

Technorati Profile

Both Rachel Stuart and Tracey Halvorsen have tagged me in response to Darryl Ohrts’ “7 Things” meme. I’m to share 7 things that I feel you should know of me, and then choose 7 people to go and do the same. Here goes:

1. I prefer to listen, which makes telling you all 6 more things, well, weird.

2. One of the most peaceful and accessible places I have found in the US is Campsite 23 in the Smoky Mountains. You can access it from Gatlinburg, TN. It’s an easy flat hike (~ 4.5 miles) in from the parking lot, where the site is positioned on an island between a wide fork in the river. As you make your fire and watch the stars, you can hear nothing but the river on both sides of the camp. It’s like relaxation in stereo. Go and respect it. Hike out and drive to the peak for a visit to Clingmans dome where you can see for miles and miles.

3. I spent years drawing and reading short stories with hope of illustrating for The New Yorker (or similar magazine) some day. It then took me years to remove conceptual analysis, sequence and series from my personal artwork. I now like to use my drawing time to make whatever comes to mind. Much more relaxing and I can save the concept development for Orange Element design.

4. I plan to enjoy snowboarding and skiing for a long time. I would like to make it the occasional “family trip”, complete with Aspen-style sweaters and hot chocolate. Of course, my kids will probably hold an entirely different plan.

5. There are 89 swimming holes in Vermont, many of which are in beautiful remote locations. Map out a trip and hit as many as you can. Make sure you include Historic Route 7A as part of your drive. Take your tent and save lots o’ moolah. I’ve hit a few along the Battenkill River and hope to make a return trip this summer.

6. I was once asked by a man wearing a sling if I’d help him change his tire. He was odd and downright nasty. I agreed anyway, and was treated quite poorly while removing the tire. I pressed on. Upon completion, I was greeted with hidden video cameras and laughing actors. It was a “karma test” presented by MTV. They rewarded me with a restored 1970 VW Bug for completing the odd experience. A tangible example as to how good karma pays. So help someone change their tire if you see them in trouble – maybe you’ll win a car!

7. I must see all seven natural wonders of the world. So far, I’ve seen two – Victoria Falls and the Grand Canyon. Next up is the Northern Lights because my kids will think this one to be the least interesting.

And the 7 people from which I would enjoy learning more:
1.    Elizabeth Brady
2.    Andy Bonner
3.    Amy Goldberg
4.    Greg Cangiolosi
5.    Hollis Thomases
6.    Wendy Scherer
7.    Jeff Goldsher

Image courtesy of Aesthetic Apparatus.

I was fortunate enough to be handed a PaperSpecs business card at a letterpress seminar I attended during the 2008 HOW conference in Boston. I encourage you to check out Sabine Lenz’s online creation and mega resource: www.paperspecs.com. While anyone can enjoy general postings related to the paper industry, (see the Obama printing link below) the key is to become a member. You’ll have access to the most recent paper info like weight, enviro specs, sheet size and just about any question you might have regarding a sheet of paper. My two favorite features: Pantone related color guide–compare a sheet to a Pantone swatch without having to own the mill’s swatchbooks. Which leads to my second, see the latest swatchbook produced per mill with a direct link to order your own. That way, you’ll always have the latest on hand. We thank Sabine and her team!

Inaugural Paper Choice:
http://www.paperspecs.com/hotnews/200911052106.htm

Brooklyn-based printer invitation video:
http://video.aol.com/partner/cnnmoney/the-inaugural-invitation/news:2009:01:05:news:obama:invitations

Ande
www.orange-element.com