Trends in album covers design

.
On a rainy day me and my artistic half we hanged around in a mall and we decided to see the design trends for album covers for CD-s and DVD-s.
As you can see from the slide we prepared, with some of the best that caught our eye – it goes from a simple one to a very complex, old or new style. And I noticed it didn`t really matter how famous is the artist. A simple cardboard, a look of a blank CD, an old stylish design, abstract designs, hologram design. I sincerely didn`t enjoy the ones that didn`t say anything – like just the picture of the band/ singer or just some image.
But, is the design of an album cover that relevant when you buy a CD?
I would say less then 10% - because the majority will go for what is inside that album, not really for the cover.

AUDIO

If you would like to see some controversial album covers over the years, follow the link.

How about the movie DVD covers?

If you don`t know much about the movie – I would say the cover has a great impact in just attracting you to give a chance to that DVD. And you`ll probably notice from the slide that the most interesting ones are promoting horror or fantasy movies.

VIDEO

What makes an artist choose a certain design? It may depend on a person tastes, but mostly on what is promoted- it may be a feeling, it may be a theme. Or it may that they let the producer choose.

Next time – take a look! Do you really like the album design cover of your favorite artist or movie? What would you change?

You belong to a Time Elapse! - full version

.
A time elapse video - 24hours made in the same technique.

Enjoy!

Toronto 24h - Time Elapse HD (4:00 pm July 20 2010 - 4:00 pm July 21 2010)



Copyright Scutu Studios (c) 2010 - music, photos and video editing.

One day in 2 minutes, our life with a different time perception. The time compression rate it's 720:1, that means 720 real sec in one second from the video.

12 min in 1 sec :)

He used only his Nikon D300, 16mm, f:4 for the 2757 shoots.

Some details about the time elapse technique see in the previous post.

You belong to a time elapse

.
Toronto - Time Elapse ( 9:00 pm - 6:00 am)

Enjoy a time elapse video by Scutu with a background music by Cipi604.

Time-lapse photography is a technique where each film frame is captured at a rate much slower than it will be played back. When replayed at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing.

Processes such as motion of the sun or clouds become very pronounced. The frame rate can vary to any degree, from a rate approaching a normal frame rate (between 24 and 30 frames per second) to only one frame a day, or even a week, or more, depending on the slowness of the subject.

The new old stylish

.

Some people like old things...because they got something that the new ones are missing. Except the dust, the hand to hand touch - they become unique because they are rare and different.
Or is just the age that gives them this famous look?

A camera from around 1950 to capture pictures from around 2010.
Camera: Ikoflex IIa (early model)
Manufacturer: Zeiss Ikon; West Germany
Model number: 855/16
Produced: 1950–1952
Viewing lens: Teronar 75mm f/3.5Taking lens: Zeiss Opton Tessar T 75mm f/3.5
Film: 120 film
Image format: 6×6cm
Shutter speeds: B; 1s–1/500s


Next on the spot some pictures with the new old jewelry.

The World Cup 2010 Final Bet

.
You probably heard about the Octopus soccer fan and predictor. And if you didn`t hear – no problem – you`ll see him now. He is quite famous and has a lot of supporters waiting for its choices.
Surrounded by cameras the Octopus makes his last prediction for the 2010 World Cup and predicts Spain as winner.

The two-year-old Octopus named Paul correctly predicted Germany's wining over Argentina, England, and Uruguay and the country's loss to Spain and Serbia. After its correct predictions on Spain vs Germany his owner received even death threats. He lives in an aquarium at the Sea Life in Oberhausen in western Germany and was born in captivity. I just wonder if after that prediction the German team got intimidated, I hope not.

Octopuses are highly intelligent. They do have both short- and long-term memory. Octopuses have keen eyesight and can distinguish the polarization of light.
To help Paul pick a winner two boxes are lowered into his tank. Both boxes have the competing country's flag and have food inside. The box Paul opens first is the team predicted to win.



PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia has asked for the Octopus release, but as he was born in captivity the Sea Life members do not consider that such a good idea.

Coincidence or not, the Octopus chose Spain as the winner of 2010 FIFA World Cup. We`ll just have to watch and see.

Bring me a beer, Robot!

.
Didn`t I tell you last time that robots are becoming our friends? A team of Willow Garage engineers has just taught a robot to bring a person a beer from the fridge.
Not convinced? If you really want a beer, get a robot to bring it to you!

The robot can select the correct brew from the fridge, it brings it to the person, and even opens it as needed. All commands are sent to the robot via internet. The Robot can notice if you ordered a type of beer that is not in the fridge and will notify you, and can recognize a person face.



PR2, the Robot from Willow Garage can also play pool or can do the cleaning.
More here:


..........



The Robots start to integrate our lives. Get prepared in welcoming them!

Damn internet - Spain scored!

.
The other day I wanted to watch the game - you know - World cup - Spain vs. Germany, so I took my lunch break late 2.40 pm - just for the game. Everybody else in the company was doing the same thing as me – watching the game, especially the boys. At the break in the game I decided to start working again, so I can watch the game later. Around minute 50 of the game I was back in...watching the game.

It was for me minute 62 when a colleague came around and said to me that Spain won.
"What are you talking about? I`m watching it live now!"
"The game ended 10 minutes ago and Spain won, they scored at minute 70 or so...Your internet is lagging, but watch it!”So, I watched. Only that at minute 68 my "live" transmission froze and a message appeared on my screen "The game has ended"

Just lovely...I just didn`t get to see the goaaaaallll :(( !

Raise your voice for nature

.
A big number of people are enjoying the nice – hot weather we experience for a few days now. But, is this normal so up North?

For some years now the nature is having a bad flu - too hot and too cold climate, sneezing with volcanoes, cough with earthquakes, and hard breathing with tornadoes...We should change our behavior to help her heal properly.

Climate change is a shift in climate that takes places in a long period of time and is measured by changes in temperature, precipitation, winds, and other indicators.
Climate change can be caused by both natural processes and human activities. These processes include solar radiation, deviations in the Earth`s orbit, other planetary arrangements, formation of new mountains and continental drift (the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other), changes in greenhouse radiations (gases that absorb or emit radiations). Human activities have the potential to disrupt the balance of this system. Particularly important is the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is released through the combustion of fossil fuels. The last 600 years have been the warmest globally. Related to this warming, glaciers are retreating, sea levels raised, and the climatic zones are shifting.


The potential impacts of climate change are reaching us, changing the landscapes around us, with impact into the infrastructure affecting our economy and health. Climate change is a global problem that requires real solutions. At a higher political level people are trying to take some actions, organizations are raising their voices to save the nature. We don`t have the power to change the sun change in worming or other cosmic arrangements, but we can put our efforts together in keeping a cleaner planet.
We are in a time of drastic changes…and at a lower level all we can do is to acknowledge this situation that is affecting our dear planet and sustain actions for its rehabilitation.

How weird can weird be?

.
The other day me and some friends we went for a photo shooting in one area of China town – interesting part of Toronto city, I dare say. After a walk in the streets we decided to find a spot where our photographers could place their equipment – umbrellas and staff. So, we find a park…It looked a little bit strange from the time we approach it – but it was a good décor for the shooting. People with big tattoos, dressed vintage and very colorful. This doesn`t seem very weird, doest it?
By the end of the photo shooting we were part of that team of natural unprofessional actors and the stage was this small park circled by bushes.
What was happening there?
I`1l try as best as I can to describe this amazing reality show play. I `ll go in a circle. First of all many of these persons out there were smoking pot, but … I assume or the pot was really strong or they were high also from other things.
Not far from us there were two girls sitting on the grass reading books, the most normal people from the area. On the other side of the alley there was this girl juggling with balls or skittles – very nice – she was in her training hour. Then there was a kids playground – but, I don`t recall seeing kids – just adults in colorful outfits swinging. And then, it started the party. There was this group of people with guitars, tattoos and dreads, skates and dogs…smoking pot. Opposite from them on our side there were two other groups – one resembling them, and one formed as of Chinese mafia – same…smoking pot. On our right there was a small group of poor people with bags and packages and colorful mixed clothes and another group of black muscled people showing their strengths to their white wives and mixed kids. And close to us there were these two people doing yoga – or something similar.
And us – with umbrellas and other photography equipments – flashing cameras, modeling, jumping, floating the hair, dancing to get good shoots.

When the effect of weed got into some of these people we had an entire show. From the group in from of us, one guy was trying hardly to play his guitar while skating; one from the opposite side, just in his shorts was singing voice and guitar so loud for the entire neighborhood to hear and he was accompanied at moments by a punk delirious dancer, one Chinese mafia started a monologue that lasted for about one hour – I don`t know exactly about what – something war, energy, America, kids, environment, also screamed out load and accompanied at moments by a guitar and a saxophone from two people from different groups trying to compose something together. I forgot to mention the pantomime romance on two benches, some yoga movements and strengths acts.

I could say everything was normal – and funny and entertaining. But what is the chance that you get to see all this in one little, little park?

Pictures to come...