Tilt/shift Sunday..

SOS live – Billboard, Tokyo..

Alvira Street, sometime last century..

Tilt/shift Sunday..

Toy studio..

Tilt/shift Sunday..

OK, so, as usual, I’m a day late and a dollar short but this time it’s worth the wait because I reckon this page here has some of the best T/S stuff I’ve seen in a long while. Here’s a small selection..

(photos via digital artist’s toolbox)

Bennett Freed’s three-step guide to successful band management..

It’s a question we get asked all the time: what qualities should I look for in a good band manager? Choosing a manager for your band can be one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your career, and it’s one that needs to be approached with much careful consideration. Here we’ll take a brief look at the working methods of one of the unchallenged masters of this most difficult of crafts, Mr. Bennett (Hellooo Tokyooo) Freed..

Step 1. Adopt an air of quiet authority. Dress smartly but unobtrusively. Bands are renowned for their colourful, often childish behaviour, but it is your job to stand aloof from the fray and conduct their business affairs in a sober, adult fashion..

done

Step 2. Maintain a commanding presence when dealing with the record company. Let them know that you’re in charge. Once again, your appearance and demeanour are crucial here. The band must feel confident that you are negotiating on their behalf in a professional manner..

done

Step 3. Protect your artist at all times. It is of the utmost importance that you let no distractions interfere with the artist being able to carry out their task – for example, during a prestigious photo-shoot for the cover of an influential style magazine it is your job to ensure that all parties are focussed on the job in hand, and to take swift and firm action to put a stop to anything which may cause the artist to be, even momentarily, distracted..

done

What the hell is going on with the bloody BBC?..

Woke up to this headline this morning. “Chelsea boss sent death threats” …Really? .. Well, no actually..

“Chelsea boss receives death threats”, you sensationalist numbskulls. And shouldn’t I really be getting on with something else?…

UPDATE: This just in..

Haha! It’s now two hours later, and the headline on the BBC website has been amended to read “Chelsea boss gets death threats”.. see for yourself.. Oh well, I suppose ‘receives’ was probably beyond them – all that ‘i before e’ business.. But, hey! You see now, the power that I wield?.. No? Yeah, you’re right, I really should be getting on with something else..

Hey.. it’s the return of tilt/shift Sunday!..

Tilt/shift Flatiron, just to make Ms Cheech a little homesick..

Prize Brooker

Charlie Brooker, ladies and gentlemen..

Happened to tune into this segment in the early hours a couple of nights ago, and thought it was about the best bit of TV commentary I’d seen in quite a considerable while. And, hey presto, sure enough it’s already up there on Youtube..

Dunno, I just like it..

Subliminal packaging

There’s a nice little design touch in the FedEx logo which I certainly wouldn’t have noticed were it not for this article..

..anybody get it without looking?

Actually, The Sneeze, which is home to the above piece, also carries my absolute favourite food review series, the marvellous ‘Steve, don’t eat it!’, which I was lucky enough to be directed to some time ago by Cheechwizard, and which I still consider to be possibly the funniest web page currently in existence..

First day at school

From ‘Images that changes the world’. I’m so proud..

1957

“…It was the fourth school year since segregation had been outlawed by the Supreme Court. Things were not going well, and some southerners accused the national press of distorting matters. This picture, however, gave irrefutable testimony, as Elizabeth Eckford strides through a gantlet of white students, including Hazel Bryan (mouth open the widest), on her way to Little Rock’s Central High…”

(by Will Counts)

More trouble for Apple

It’s the Zunephone! Welcome to the, er, social..

Tilt/shift Sunday

Tiny Roppongi, or ‘Midtown’ as the cool people now call it..

(more Tiny Tokyo pics here..)

Blogged with Flock

That bloody book they’re always going on about..

…and, while we’re at it, here’s a spoiler for that other bloody book they’re always going on about..

Animated flashlight film

“..Takeshi Nagata and Kazue Monno made this wonderful animated film titled ‘Pika Pika 2007′ by taking long-exposure photographs of people waving flashlights and stitching the photos together..”

(Via Boing Boing.)

Illegitimi non carborundum

 I’m indebted to Louise for furnishing me with the following snippet from the letters page in yesterday’s Times..

Trying times

Sir,
As one of a rare breed, a teacher of Latin in a state comprehensive, I feel that the rendition of Kirkcaldy High School’s motto ‘Usque conabor’ as ‘always strive hard’ takes unnecessary liberties (report, May 19).
The motto is an affirmation rather than an order; a translation more faithful to the Latin, and perhaps to Gordon Brown too, is ‘I will try to the end.’

Andy Connell,
Appleby,
Cumbria

… As anyone who’s familiar with me can attest, this is clearly not the work of my hand. I never strive hard, and absolutely do not ‘try to the end’. I may have occasionally stumbled to the beginning, only to wander off and have a good sit down …

What the papers say

Ah, ‘Yes Prime Minister’ how we miss you. Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds – another holy trinity..

DNA Portraits: Art from within

..thanks Dosfer..

 ”Portrature that’s more than just skin-deep.”

“The process begins with the DNA being collected using a patented, non-invasive technique: using a special swab (much like a Q-tip) to painlessly collect cheek cells. The whole process is simple and takes less than 30 seconds. This sample is then sent to our highly secure, certified laboratory, where the DNA is extracted to create a unique genetic fingerprint, using a technique that takes advantage of the variation that occurs among the DNA sequence of every individual..”

The title just tickled me..

This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Acrylic on Wood
David Chung 2005

Despite the advancing years, Barbie still looking good

“I’ve always taken a pride in my appearance,” said the trim 47 year-old, “and I don’t see why that should change just because Ken is no longer around.”