We're excited to have professional Photographer Todd Kuhns on this episode, where he talks about the state of photography as an industry, advice for young photographers and designers, and how design could learn from the last 20 years of how photography has evolved.

Todd's work may be found at his website and YouTube channel:

Studio12online.com

Todd Kuhns on YouTube

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks

In this episode, Kristen, Dan, and Lauren discuss the importance and impact of soft skills in your design role and job hunting. The Team covers what soft skills are, how you can talk about them in interviews, and how you build on them throughout your career.

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks

EPISODE 23: Storytelling Your Work
On this episode, the Team discusses tips and tactics for presenting your creative work and ideas in a storytelling narrative. We present ideas for ways to mesh verbal and visual cues to guide you and the audience through your work and how to present ideas in the most professional and goal-oriented manner. We give ideas for how to streamline your narrative, show off your creative process, set up your website, and, sometimes most difficult of all, how to verbally wrap up the story of each piece. Finally, we talk about how these storytelling skills will continue with you in your career, often being utilized to sell ideas to clients and non-designers.

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks

Welcome to a special edition as we wrap up Season 2; the Ok, Team Lounge! In this episode, your hosts will cover a variety of topics outside the world of design and discuss their passions. Buckle up, as the Team covers Dan’s new podcast, horror movies, video games, tv shows we’re loving, D&D, Nicholas Cage’s acting prowess, and Kristen’s favorite cryptid; Bigfoot. We also have a special announcement; Lauren DeMarks will be joining us next season as a full time host!

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks

Indiana State University Professor Nancy Nicols-Pethick joins the team to talk shop and how she uses her unique experiences to push students to find passion in their work, learn how to address failures, and recognize how to aim for higher personal standards rather than settling for their current skill level. We cover mastering creative foundations, work/life balance, and, of course, her thoughts on AI. Join us and our wonderful guest as we discuss art, passion, and finding creativity in the seemingly mundane.

Nancy's Website
Through the Eyes of an Artist - Nancy Nichols-Pethick

Amazon Affiliate Link: Why Art Cannot Be Taught: A Handbook for Art Students

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks

In this episode, the Team talks about accessibility and design. Guest host Lauren DeMarks talks about user experience (UX) design and the spectrum of use cases for ensuring equitable experiences regardless of temporary or long-term physical disabilities.

Show Notes:

Overall, what does it mean to have accessible design?

• Lauren, would you like to give us a definition or overview?
• OVERVIEW Accessibility is the practice of making sure a product, environment or service can be used by everyone—however they encounter it.
  • Including those with blindness/low vision, speech impairments, hearing impairments, cognitive & learning disabilities, motor/dexterity issues—accessible solutions make it so that these folks can actually meaningfully use the designs we create.
  • But accessible design is important in ALL elements and design disciplines.
• Accessible design can also help people with various kinds of impairments (because you probably first think of permanent ones).
  • Situational —walking in high heels, I’m at a loud concert.
  • Temporary— my leg is broken, I have an ear infection and cannot hear.
  • Permanent — I am paralyzed and cannot use my legs, I am blind.
• Accessible designs help EVERYONE
  • Accessible design helps ALL people—even those without disabilities (taking 14 bags of groceries to my 7th floor apartment makes elevators look real nice).

What’s the difference between Accessibility and usability?

Usability issues generally affect all users, both users with and without disabilities. All users have difficulty using a website. Accessibility issues occur solely for people with disabilities when they have difficulty using or accessing a website without problems.

• Accessible design makes spaces and designed products USABLE for EVERYONE, regardless of ability.

Accessibility is important in ALL silos of design

• Digital
• Print
• Physical
• Environmental
• Teaching
• Etc.

Digital

• Mainly consider solutions that benefit low-sight or low-hearing users.
• Cognitive impairments come into considerations too.
• Alt. text.
• Not just relying on color to communicate a message.
• Allowing for customization (text size, color-blind settings, etc) (we also see this in video games).
• Goes beyond just visual, and as a digital designer you need to have a tight partnership with your developers to make sure the code is accessible as well.

Print design?

• Oxo vegetable peeler maBuilt environments & environmental design.
• Take mobility into account more than digital products.
• What things are considered in this area of design?
  • Routes, signage, etc…

Curb cut - Physical products

• Design for folks with arthritis, but they’re just flat out more comfortable for everyone.

Teaching

• Providing multiple ways (within reason) for students to demonstrate mastery.

Host, Producer, & Editor - Mark Cela
Host, Director, & Script Writer - Kristen Pericleous
Host, Social Media Manager, Social Media Content Creator, & Editor - Dan Lawson
Host, Website Director - Lauren DeMarks