Required Reading is a weekly listing of all the bits of visual inspiration, cool videos, news, hip links, and miscellaneous information that rattles my head during the week. The stuff that’s worth bookmarking and gets my brain-juices flowing.

Always one to be intrigued by what shapes great minds, I found this look at Alan Turing’s high school reading list to be especially intriguing. | Brain Pickings

A look at the five types of work that fill our work and creative lives. After doing the suggested work audit I was honestly surprised by how much reactionary and insecurity work I could let myself get sucked into – I am going to try a few of the suggested techniques over the next few weeks to see if some small changed can have some big benefits for my mourning mindset. | The 99%

A collection of broken collodion wet plate images of patients suffering from “Glass bone disease” | How to be a Retronaut

I am so glad Lenlee Jenckes from Lenlee Represents turned me on to this (soon to be shipping) custom cereal service. My studio is downwind of a cereal factory and the amazing smell of fresh Corn Pops regularly filling the studio has turned me into a rabid cereal junky. The only question is what blend to order first: Puffed quinoa, cocoa nibs, and chia seeds? or the ever tempting cookies and  peeps blend? | Cerealize

A brilliant approach to having creative directors give your work their complete and undivided attention | The Toilet Book

Swallow.com has become my favorite online food magazine since its recent launch with its funny and sometimes scathing look at food from an insider’s perspective. Founder Ivy Knight posted earlier this week about her recent experiences eating and traveling in my hometown that included doing shots of Fernet  at one of my favorite bars (Vera Pizzeria – which seems to have become the defacto photographers bar of choice in the city) The incredible art collection of the Knox, The explosively good dining scene, and thankfully did not involve a single chicken wing at any of the tourist traps. | Living the American Dream in Buffalo, NY.

I really like animation and stop motion in music videos, I have ever since I was a little kid. Videos like Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer and Big Time always fascinated me, I still get so excited when I see them today. Gotye’s video for Easy Way Out, directed by Darcy Prendergast gives me that same kind of exuberant fascination.

Forget the iPad,  I want to read all my books on this device from now on | How to be a Retronaut

The tools that allow us to be more plugged in and efficient have caused us to become completely disconnected and over-reliant on information to the point of addiction. They are often our number one time killers. |  A Survival Guide for Beating Information Addiction.

Sound advice | Do Fewer Things and Do them Better

I really get excited about these Three Panels Open projects that are featured on Warren Ellis’ blog, especially this most recent collaboration by Esquivel, Godlewski, and Cody. We should all aim to  live our lives so hard that we wound consensus reality! Check out the rest of the Three Panels Open entries as well for some | Warren Ellis

Taking a look at famous brands through hipster tinged glasses. Pretty funny, till you get to the proposed KFC branding and seriously  wonder why they didn’t adopt it years ago | Hipster Branding

My friend Rhea made this delightful video during a Canadian Road trip for Mazda | Anna Logue

Promise Tangeman’s blog is often full of universally relevant creative thinking that keeps me coming back week after week – but this article on identifying your own creative style though the act of creating and evolving and not consciously “finding” or adopting your style and ending up with someone else’s is fascinating – one of my favorite pieces on her blog. | Promise Tangeman 

A quick and accessible rundown of the 2012 PDN 30 winners and links to their sites. I think this years group was made of of some astronomically talented photographers and I have been spending a few days on some more in-depth exploration of their bodies of work. | Aphotoeditor.com

I saw that Nubby Twiglet linked to this yesterday and it was too good not to share. As a photographer I love seeing the end uses and layouts my images are used for – so layout and design are pretty important to me. This tumblr catalogs an astonishing collection of very cool magazine layouts that I could spend hours browsing. | Magazinpiration

This is important – this is about submarines, werewolves, and bad Russian accents… things that matter! Red Moon is an incredibly entertaining and delightful short by Sirocco Research Labs.

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Required Reading is a weekly listing of all the bits of visual inspiration, cool videos, news, hip links, and miscellaneous information that rattles my head during the week. The stuff that’s worth bookmarking and gets my brain-juices flowing.

• I don’t think I could ever stop loving Polaroids, and this collection of images only reaffirms that love | A Collection of Helmut Newton’s Test Polaroids

• An interesting article on how those in the often abused roles of interns are starting to fight back | Get Your Own Damn Coffee!

• Promise Tangeman’s thoughts on the downsides of ranking and scoring yourself alongside others In your field, and how you are better served by focusing on who you are | Comparing Yourself To Others

• My favorite freelance switch comic in weeks | Self Discipline

• Adam from the Angriest Critic shared this trailer with me the other day – and I have been mildly obsessed with it ever since. I can’t wait for the full release of this film so that I can see even more of its impressive visual style | Beyond the Black Rainbow

• Taking a look at western consumption through photography | Scott Gable Blog. 

• A lifetime infatuation with circus themed imagery has made me an instant fan of this portrait series by UK Photographer Andrew Shaylor | Behance Network

• This new documentary on Wayne White has me so excited to see some importance given to the idea of art actually being fun and exuberant.

• Social media overload can become an enormous detriment to the creative process if it starts to become too much of an addiction – I like this articles take on it as an un-winnable arms war. | Feeling Social Enough yet?

• Light is  surreal, meditative, and beautiful – Sunday Paper has been killing it lately with these provocative video pieces. Also worth checking out is their insightful and sympathetic take on zombies in their recent film Rest.

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