Recently I've really be interested in graphic design... so I decided to leverage this new found interest by trying my hand at creating a couple simple projects in Photoshop,  Although these aren't specifically photography project, it still allows me to learn some new PS skills, and stretch myself in a direction that I've never really gone before. Therefore, I still think this falls under one of my Year's Resolutions.

The first project I did was creating a wallpaper calendar for my second monitor. I was inspired by a calendar I had seen online, so I decided to see if I could create something in the same vein, but make it my own. The final product looks very simple and clean, which is what I wanted, but it still took me a lot of time... I realized I'm can be a bit of perfectionist sometimes, and this project definitely brought it out in me. (If you by chance would like a wallpaper, let me know. I can send you a copy of the final version. I can even change the color to your liking.)

Here's the inspiration (from this site):

 My first draft:

My final version:

The second project was taken from a Photoshop tutorial for beginning users...  The tutorial provided step by step instructions on how to create the end product. Unlike the calendar, where I used a lot of trial and error, this time I followed the instructions provided. This was useful in that I could learn the techniques they were trying to demonstrate.

So here's their product:

And mine:

Overall, both projects were fun to do, and taught me some new Photoshop skills.

A Little Face Lift

As you might have noticed on my website, things are looking a bit sharper... I've been doing some slight "remodeling" around spencerchan.com. The look's a bit more modern, the layout's a bit cleaner. But probably the biggest change is my logo. I commissioned my roommate Dan (who's in school for graphic design) to create a logo/watermark for me that would look more professional than the hack job I created many years ago.  He was great gathering my feedback and requirements, and molding them into a sharp logo that I'm proud to use. Dan was able to take the idea of a traditional Chinese chop and transform it into a contemporary look. Here's a couple versions of the logo he created... pretty sweet!

So, Dan, if you're reading this, thanks again for the hard work and fantastic final product!

(This one is actually a stand alone logo. The grey background is part of the website.)

Snow Days 2014

We had our first big snowfall of the season three weeks ago... We received about a foot of snow here in the neighborhood. Seattle's not know for it's ability to operate when the white stuff sticks, so many people in the area got to some snow days. B, Tucker and I enjoyed it as much as we could -- our days were filled with walks, sleds, and even downhill skis. Here are some pics from the winter wonderland that was our neighborhood. (A side note - how quickly the weather changes here. This weekend we've been enjoying spring temps and sunshine. Love it!)

My brother Jenkins took some pics of a friend and I skiing down my hill...  Take a look. (By the way, Jenkins is a great photographer, so check out his site when you get a chance.)

 (courtesy of Jenkins Chan)

(courtesy of Jenkins Chan)

(courtesy of Jenkins Chan)

(courtesy of Jenkins Chan)

  (courtesy of Jenkins Chan)

(courtesy of Jenkins Chan)

Since that time of skiing and some sledding soon after, my house has been dubbed "The Chalet" (or as I like to call it, the "Chan-let"). All we need now is a rope tow. It's hard working hiking up the mountain in ski boots!

Utah and Colorado

Nearly four months ago, I took some time to visit Utah and Colorado. In Utah, I got to see my cousins and friends, catch the Huskies play the Utes, and drive down to the scenic sites of Moab and Arches. Although I didn't bring my camera to the football game (dumb, I know), I didn't forget when I headed south for the canyons. Here are a few of the shots, as well as link to the larger gallery. I've also mixed in a couple shot from my flight out of Seattle.

(Update: I found a pic from my iPhone from the game.)