Fun Five is a monthly email I send out on the 5th. Each edition is a short list of five things I’ve been enjoying lately. Things like inspiration, design, music, food, small curiosities, and more.
July is here and the summer heat has officially arrived in Montreal. Between enjoying the outdoors and starting to plan out the details for my upcoming move this September, I have found some great inspiration in a few different places. Here is what caught my eye this month.
1. Demystifying colour grading
As a photographer, I am always looking for ways to refine my editing process. I recently came across this video about colour grading by Sean Dalton, and it is exceptionally well done. He breaks down the process in a way that feels very approachable and easy to digest. It has me thinking about how I can bring more of those muted, earthy tones I naturally gravitate towards into my own visual style.
2. Rethinking desk space
Since I am moving into a new place in a couple of months, I have been thinking a lot about how to optimize each room's layout and space. I found this TikTok showing a double-decker desk setup, and it feels like it could be a brilliant solution to combine my art desk and my regular work desk into one footprint without taking up double the room. I am still trying to figure out if this exact setup will work for my workflow or if I need to brainstorm another creative approach, but it is definitely getting the gears turning.
3. Chickpea chocolate chip banana cookies
I love chocolate chip cookies but don't like how bad they can be for you. So, when my partner told me she was able to make a healthier cookie using chickpeas as an ingredient, I was obviously skeptical. However, I can confirm that these "healthy" gluten-free chickpea chocolate chip banana cookies are both amazing and super easy to make. Now we can keep things on the healthier side while still satisfying a sweet tooth.
4. A hidden gem for interior design
With the new apartment on the horizon, I have been diving deep into interior design, and the Five by Nine YouTube channel is such a hidden gem. I love his calm tone and how he breaks everything down with fantastic visuals and clear examples. It makes the concepts so easy to understand and actually start applying in your own home. I particularly loved his videos on the science and psychology behind good interior design, as well as his guide on how to spot bad design in sixty seconds.
5. The craft behind the perfect shot
I saw this post by Kait Devir showing the live moments versus the final photo from the New York Knicks championship parade. What an incredible scene to be able to capture. There is so much life and energy in the frame. Seeing the side-by-side of the video and the final photograph really highlights the craft behind good photography and how you can distill the chaotic energy of a moment into a single shot. With it being 53 years since the Knicks last won, those are the exact once-in-a-lifetime moments you want to do justice to as a photographer by pairing the event with your own creative vision while still representing it to the best of your ability.
Thanks for reading the Fun Five. If there’s something you’ve been really into lately, or if you have any tips for space-saving apartment setups, feel free to reach out and share it!