So I was having a chat with my friend Josh a few nights ago about how the iPhone has a very distinct component base and that there should be a simple magnet set to build ideas. I love the set of iPhone app magnets, but wanted a simple iPhone cutout that I could place a on top of a picture. While thinking about actually making these magnets, I thought about other heavily engrained digital experiences we have, and their call-to-action, so of course I had to make a Youtube playhead,  Youtube timeline, and a Facebook “like” button. This was going to be a fun little experiment.

Conclusion

Adding elements of specific digital experiences really do change the way one experiences the medium. Take this simple photo on my refrigerator of my girlfriend (far left), and her cousin (birthday boy), father, uncle, and grandmother taken in the late-80’s:

By adding some of these new elements,  the experience of  a simple photo suddenly begins to change.  I began with adding an iPhone screen with a call-answer screen in the middle, and found that I naturally began to think about voice, and what the man centered in the screen would sound like on the phone, and what he would be calling about. I then completely changed the parameters and added a YouTube interface on top of the photo, which suddenly made the photo feel much more real, and I naturally began to see the birthday party play out in my head. Thinking about what happened before and what might happen a few seconds after that frame.

YouTube creates some amazing popular pop culture references, so I had to create  T-Pain and Obama magnets to add some social dynamics within the photos as necessary. Who doesn’t want an auto-tune birthday party!

This was a fun exercise to remind myself how much the medium affects the message, and that just the flat remnants added to a still photo brings some of their unique qualities into experience. If you would like some of these magnets, let me know, and I’ll what I can do;)

Another night of photobooth fun! This time was a little different, as it was my eldest sister’s wedding! I had a few hours the day before the wedding to scout out a location within the reception venue, 632 on Hudson, a converted residence decorated with an astonishing collection of antiques and artifacts from all over the world on the edge of Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

My favorite photo of the night was Tad, experiencing the booth for the first time before the wedding began.

Because everything in 632 on Hudson is basically a priceless antique, the setup had to be minimally invasive, quick to setup and takedown, and alcohol proof (easy-to-use and protected) which led to this setup.  I didn’t bring any set pieces for the backdrop because the room was beautifully decorated to begin with. The room was also shared with a self-serve bar, which guaranteed traffic, a very important aspect of photobooth setups.

Over 500 photos were taken during this reception. Some photos were pretty, some racy, but always fun and entertaining. View all the images from the night here. I’ve also included a very rough iPhone photo of the setup for those curious.

Young kids love to imitate their parents. Which can be really cute, but not when a toddler sits on your lap seemingly determined to bang on your laptop keyboard until your hard drive is erased. It was this observation that lead myself and a small crew of fellow web-obsessed digital agency folks to create Little Keys, a local art project-cum-computer game created for wee ones.

The group of us sold the limited edition computer program-keyboard pairing at flea markets around NYC. The reactions from kids and parents alike was astounding! Lots of curious little hands and big smiles made the project a success and we sold out in no time.

concept, design

This physical installation uses human voyeuristic tendancies to examine the relationship between exploring and being explored. By positioning the mannequins “seeing eye” in a place where the voyeurism of the spectator is most concentrated, the traditional relationship between the seer and the seen is comprimised. By then projecting the captured image of the spectator in a removed location the spectators experience is then shared and recognized by all spectators.

The spectator walks into a space and sees a mannequin on two platforms with a short skirt on. He/She approaches the mannequin hesitantly to investigate and get a closer look at her. The spectator’s natural curiosity encourages him/her to take a peak at what is between her legs. They see a camera and know they are being watched. The spectator then walks away, possibly hoping no one saw them. As they continue through the space they encounter a gold frame with a picture and video of them being projected inside. They realize that they have been captured as an image by their own voyeurism.

Please visit the website to learn more.

concept, design, physical installation