Graflex.org

davebias · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 43 Location: New York City

Is it klotz@graflex.org? or Les?

I would like to volunteer my services as a web designer to spruce up the venerable graflex.org. I sent an email last night to klotz@graflex.org but have received no response...

Just wondering if I sent it to the right place...

help?!?

_________________
When does interest become obsession? You should ask my girlfriend...

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

Klotz has the key to the 1's and 0's so you sent it to the right place.

However, like the man behind the green curtain, he's pretty much a hands off kind of guy. I've hung around here long enough that I have the keys to the long guns and get to keep one bullet in my pocket in case the rabid ******** fanatics desend on the site.

I"m by no means a "computer guy" but I suspect he keeps things simple around here to keep the band width low and the cost with it--notice any pop ups and banner ads?

The best you can do is wait at this point.

davebias · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 43 Location: New York City

Low bandwidth is my favorite way to be. I'm more about organization, readability, consistency, things of that nature. I'm all about minimal graphics and a killer style sheet (which takes no bandwidth). And color. This site needs a bit of color.

No Flash. No .gif animations. Just strong design that will load instantaneously on any computer with a 56K modem and up.

I love the look of the graflex stuff from the end of their run, especially the packaging associated with the XL. I'm going to put together a mockup of a new home page just so you can see what I'm thinking about.

Feel free to check my personal site which you'll find by clicking on my name. Therein you'll see my work, which, granted, is mostly music related, but will give you a sense of my aesthetic.

I understand that, to some, change is bad. The way things are is the way things should be. It's totally cool with me if you guys decide against my offer - it'll save me a buttload of work. But when I show you what I have in mind, I hope you'll see it as a good thing.

Please email me directly at me@davebias.org if we continue discussing this. I don't feel that it has much place in the forums.

_________________
When does interest become obsession? You should ask my girlfriend...

larrys · Joined: 30 Dec 2002 Posts: 42 Location: SW Ohio

RichS · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 4:03 am Post subject:

davebias · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 43 Location: New York City

You guys kill me. Let's not get hung up on the color thing. The LAST thing I want to do is to piss everybody off or upset the boat.

"Why?" Because designing is the thing I do best, and I want to contribute to this community in the way I know best. As corny as that sounds, or as scary - depending on the way you see it - that is the honest truth.

And it's not that you have to dress it up for the neighbors or anything, but there's a difference between a site that's usuable and a site that's actually a pleasure to use.

If the consensus is that the color scheme stays, I can certainly work around that and still deliver a site that will give every single user of this site a better experience.

_________________
When does interest become obsession? You should ask my girlfriend...

RichS · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 5:27 am Post subject:

Lighten up

Since most of us shoot B&W, it seemed the obvious thing to make fun of. You have to get used to the sense of humor around here. I'm still double checking my spelling after someone made mention of how bad I am at it (but I still blame the keyboard!)

Besides, there's only one person who 'owns' the site and it's all up to him. Whether or not he takes anyone's suggestions we couldn't guess.

Personally, I like the site. I would also like to see it kept in B&W with a 50's style. Just because it's on the net doesn't mean it has to be 'modern'...

Good luck with your re-design. I'm interested myself in seeing what you come up with...

_________________
----------------------------------------
"Ya just can't have too many GVIIs"

----------------------------------------

davebias · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 43 Location: New York City

I didn't mean to come off heavy or mad or anything...

I actually have a hard time writing light, even if I'm totally making jokes. And I don't use smilies to intone my thoughts. Why is a long story. I know they help, especially with someone like me who writes so dry.

I totally get the 50s/B&W thing. And I could do wonders with it. But as I mentioned, I'm partial to the Graflex XL style. The bold logo on solid color fields. From a designer's viewpoint, it was pretty hot, and that's what I'm going to use it for my first pass. This past Saturday, I bought some XL manuals to scan and sample...

I'll send private messages to a bunch of you "regulars" as soon as I get something cooking.

d

_________________

When does interest become obsession? You should ask my girlfriend...

[ This Message was edited by: davebias on 2003-11-05 21:50 ]

[ This Message was edited by: davebias on 2003-11-05 21:51 ]

RichS · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 6:42 am Post subject:

Almost all of us have problems either reading or writing messages from time to time. That's why we try to use the smileys so we can tell people when we're kidding.

I don't mind color and of course use it myself. But B&W seems to fit Graflex somehow. Maybe just to me?

On the other hand, it's partly due to the Art Deco styling of the Graphic View II that makes me like it so much. That's in silver and red...

Now a 50's Art Deco site I'd like to see!

_________________
----------------------------------------
"Ya just can't have too many GVIIs"

----------------------------------------

45PSS · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 7:44 am Post subject:

[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-12-26 20:47 ]

primus96 · Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2003 8:57 pm Post subject:

Some of the information relating to the availability of sizes of sheet film certainly needs updating.
Me? Im going for 4x5 anyhow.

larrys · Joined: 30 Dec 2002 Posts: 42 Location: SW Ohio

45PSS · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2003 3:35 am Post subject:

[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-12-26 20:49 ]

RichS · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2003 4:04 am Post subject:

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853 Location: Alabama

With all due respect, I like it the way it is. Now I'm all for keeping the info up to date [?] and speeding it up would be OK, but the design here is sorta classic now. I'm not for change just for the sake of change. Leigh has done a wonderful job so far. If he wants to change it, he will.