Handmade :: Sourdough

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I love making bread.  I originally started because I thought was “fun” after reading Little House on the Prairie and American Girl’s Kirsten books.  Yes, I was one of those people who wanted to try out the “pioneer ways of life”.  I’ve come a long way since then.  Now I love trying out new combinations of grains, seeds and herbs – and the texture and density has improved significantly from when I first started.  I’m not saying that my bread is by any means anything like this

Image from TARTINE Bakery, SAN FRANCISCO

but it holds its own and actually tastes good.

The bread I aspire create to is pictured above and made by the good people of the Tartine Bakery in San Francisco.  The point of all this prattle about bread is that 4SP Films made a short documentary about the bakery and I would like to share it with you (click on the the sliced bread below to watch the film)

Image from Tartine Bakery, San Francisco

Why share a film about a bakery with you? Well there are several reasons

  1. The graphics in this film inspired the graphics that I created in “Out of Print,” so obviously I like the use of graphics.
  2. I like the use of light and the camera work.
  3. Although bread could seem like a dry subject, it’s actually brought to life as its own character in this film- almost like the live sourdough starter that creates this famous bread.

So now that I’ve made you hungry for artisan bread, go find a loaf you love and enjoy!

Handmade :: Cobble me a shoe

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by cineastas

I don’t know if I’ve ever really thought about the design and craft that goes into the shoes that I wear- probably because I’ve never contemplated making shoes myself. Admittedly, I noticed the vents in new pair of running shoes a few years back.  These shoes kept me nice and cool, but they also let in a lot of water.  Not so good in a rainy climate.  But over all, I never really thought about the design.

So besides the fact that I got a sense of how shoes are made, there are two things that I really like about this film:

  1. I love the different textures that the camera captured.  Often image can seem flat when we try to capture the little details of an object, but this film is full of texture.
  2. I think the sound editing was executed perfectly.  It really enhances the image and the text on the screen and that is always a plus in my book.

April Showers Bring May Flowers…

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… Or so the nursery rhyme says.  This year, the rhyme seems a little obsolete as everything seems to have bloomed extremely early.  None the less,  for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, May is that glorious month when Spring has most definitely arrived and Summer is suggesting its arrival.  It is also the time of year when we really begin to notice the new life popping up around us- flowers, animal babies are out and about etc.

Following this idea of renewal and creation, I’m celebrating the month with the theme

Made-by-Hand

So much of what we buy, wear, consume, is made by machines, but there is nothing like those items made carefully and lovingly by human hands.  Admittedly, not everything that we create without the assistance of machines looks or functions as well as we would like, but I think there is something special about handmade items.

So here’s to those creators and their craft, documented carefully by the lens of a camera.

Runoff :: Swimming Laps

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by Corduroy Media

Swimming has never been anything but a recreational activity for me although I enjoy it very much.  I’m always in awe of what professional athletes endure to make themselves stronger and faster.

Nathan Adrian, who teamed with swimmers like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte at the 2012 Olympics, seems like a superhuman (as Olympic athlete do).  But in this video, he’s just like anyone else in their twenties, give or take the time he spends training.  That’s what I like though.  He is only human, with the exception of his amazing speed in water.

Run Off :: Return of the Salmon

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Back in January, I posted a short film, “Year of the River,” which talks about the removal of dams in Washington State that started in 2011.  This has been a huge step in ecological recovery in the state and has created all sorts of research into 1) the effects of dam removal and 2) how long it will take nature to recover from human impact.  Researchers at the University of Washington, National Geographic, and National Park Service Blog, to name a few, are all participating in the collection of data.

Enough of the ‘lecture,’ my point of mentioning this video was more to do with another point that I made in the same post- I promised to talk more about a film project that I worked on concerning a very similar topic.

Salmon.

Picture from National Geographic

Yes, those large fish that you can see fly between fish vendors’ arms at Pike Place Market in Seattle and more than likely have eaten while in coastal towns in the US, UK, Scandinavia etc.  Salmon is a huge part of the culture in the Pacific Northwest, even if we take it for granted.  Salmon live in our rivers and adorn our cities in ornate sculptures and artwork.  It’s so important to us that when I was five, my Kindergarten class spent a month learning about Salmon. Continue reading →

Runoff :: Downstream

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by NeymarcVisuals

Out of the rapids and into the current.

I have spent many, many hours in boats.  Training.  Rowing.  I rowed in high school, in college and when I was injured, I coached.  I even raced  the women’s counterpart of the team shown in this video.   This video makes me want to be back on the water.

This video shows everything that I love about the sport: the challenge, the camaraderie, the adrenaline and most of all, gliding through the water.  I don’t think there’s anything more wonderful than cutting through the smooth surface as the sun glimmers around.  Yes, the sport can be exhausting and the hours are not ideal, yet there are those of us who still do it- and this video encapsulates it all.

Runnoff :: Foz de Iguacu

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Foz-de-Iguacu

Foz de Iguacu, Argentina

These falls straddle the boarder between Brazil and Argentina and attract thousands of visitors each year.  The mist makes every thing hazy and of course soaks anyone standing  on the observations decks scattered around the park.  I took this picture from the Argentine side and I looked like I had gone for a swim in the falls by the time I made it back to the park entrance.  I would definitely advise wearing a swimsuit when you visit and keep a spare set of clothes in a waterproof bag.

Having said that, these falls should be on everyone’s list of places to visit.  They are beautiful and a cool reprieve from the hot and humid South American temperatures.