Karen Walrond

"Dude, this looks like a movie," she said. You totally need to make this into a movie." As she said this, I remembered watching a fantastic stop-motion video made by supremely talented photographer Casey Templeton, where he admitted taking dozens of bad shots in order to get a good one. I so get that. In fact, when I shoot, I tend to do it very quickly -- I'm constantly talking to my subject, we're joking and laughing, and all the while my finger is firing the shutter so rapidly, it sounds like I've got the camera on a sports setting. Usually, when I take portraits, people are surprised that I'm finished as quickly as I am; but really, I've taken tons of shots during that moment.  Read more

Every now and then, I receive an e-mail from someone who is interested in getting into photography on a more serious basis -- would like to know how to take better shots, what kind of camera he should buy, what some of the biggest mistakes new photographers make, that sort of thing.  Since these e-mails are coming with a bit more frequency lately, I figured in a rather unorthodox change of pace, I'd share some thoughts on how to improve photography skills, in the off-chance that some of you might be toying with the idea of picking up photography as a hobby. So, without further ado (and with apologies to David Letterman), my Top Seven Photography Tips for Anyone Who Wants to Learn How to Shoot Decent Pictures:  Read more

Last week, I mentioned that I was flying to Salt Lake City to attend the Altitude Design Summit. I left for the Altitude Design Summit and Salt Lake City really not knowing what to expect; and admittedly, I was a bit intimidated attending a conference filled with people who spent their time studying good design (really, what does one wear to a conference like this?).   Read more

News of the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday is barely 24 hours old, and already I have to turn away from reports -- they're too difficult to read, and hear, and watch.  As a native of another Caribbean island, Trinidad, this news feels very close to home. In the same way that someone from Texas might deeply feel the misfortune befalling citizens of the neighbouring state of Louisiana (Katrina, anyone?), those of us from the Caribbean are deeply moved by any catastrophe that a neighbouring island suffers.  I feel helpless. As an artist, I wonder how I can help.  Read more

Well, folks, it's the last day of the year, that time when you're supposed to sit down and make all your resolutions for the coming 365 days.  I don't know about you, but I find myself so conflicted this time of year.  On one hand, I truly hate making New Year's Resolutions -- they  just seem like recipes for disappointment.  I mean, really, how many times am I going to make the work-out-every-day-lose-25-pounds-in-two-months resolution before I realize that I just don't like exercise enough to make that happen?On the other hand, I do love a good goal, and find that setting them makes me far more productive than otherwise.  So, how do you set goals for the new year without feeling like a failure if they're not met, to the letter?  Read more