Images = Candy
While mulling over some Halloween candy (yes there is still some floating around the office), I started to think about my recent fascination with the image blog. These blogs offer a constant stream of pictures circulating the internet with little or no accompanying text. These single servings of images—a bit like tiny pieces of candy—can be instantly digested and are usually followed by something that is or, at least was totally unrelated.
People are linking to found imagery and original work as they discover them so the linear time-based element that is vital to news-centric blogs is almost irrelevant here. The process of curation, also vital element of the blog, takes full reign and various sites are racing to build a database of worthy images. I am not sure why we need these or if we will be able to find the ones we like when we need them, but these images do offer some variety and relief from the mundane and branded images we see everyday. The only drawback is the extreme high volume of posts almost forces you to start your own collection to save your favorite pieces.
Image Credits: FFFFound image from Ben Pearce. Cover of Eskimo by The Residents, 1979. Tactile is a book about design pertaining to objects and environment. Get it here.
So now feast your eyes on a few of these links:
FFFFound! - An image bookmarking website where you can stream the beta members findings. This site is at a good size now where you can easily view the stream for the whole site. Hopefully they develop some sort of filter or ranking system before it launches.
Monocle – A smaller stream of random interesting images.
Many Stuff – Images and Links to designers portfolios with strong slant toward typography.
Shorpy – Streaming huge images from the Library of Congress.
Sleevage – Album covers with some commentary.
Covers – Book covers with some commentary.
Faces in Places - Exactly how it sounds. This blog makes a strong case for no words and only images.