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2009-04-04T23:44:00.000-07:00

END TRANSMISSION:

Thank you to all of my loyal viewers out there over this past while. I sincerely appreciate your reading of my blog, but nkvandriel.blogspot.com will no longer be updated.

Fear not! VNDRL.com is up and running! A new blog is available for your viewing (and commenting!) pleasure. Check it now. Check it often. Tell your friends.

VNDRL

2009-03-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

Updates should be coming soon...

With a break in the action of my day-to-day life, I've managed to undertake the redesign of my website. With a little bit more of a focus on the photography aspect, I'm hoping to keep this page updated more regularly (weekly or bi-weekly in a perfect world) with photo and news updates.

Chase the Sun

2009-03-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a week-long trip to Pasadena, California and the surrounding area. It was a bit of a family trip, meeting my sister and brother-in-law, my parents, and my youngest brother down there to enjoy some sun, beaches and In-N-Out burgers.

One thing that I realized while down there is the fact that I seem to associate myself a little bit with surf culture. Never having surfed before in my life, I find this a bit odd. I've got a lot of surf-inspired clothing, enjoy reading surf/skateboard magazines for the layouts and photo stylings, stuff like that. The clothing styles, the design, the attitude, the social consciousness, all seem to strike a chord with me. I guess I associate this with my inherent need for a new and exciting lifestyle. Not content to just sit back and live in an office, I've tried to seek out random experiences, new life options, traveling and other cultures.

I took some shots of the surf lifestyle down there that I really enjoy. Check my Flickr page to see them.

I'm not sure if I'll ever actually end up living in a tropical country with a beach right outside of my hut, but I know I'll always be looking for the excitement–the rush–that comes with trying something new, something that pushes your boundaries and makes you step outside of your comfort zone.

2009-02-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand...

It's been a long while, and I apologize. Free time has been scarce, but a redesign of www.vndrl.com is in the works. Look for an updated portfolio, new format, and more regular blog posts in the near future.

Meanwhile, I'll use this opportunity to discuss grilled cheese sandwiches.

When growing up, I'm sure we were all raised on a grilled cheese sandwich (GCS) that most likely consisted of plain white bread with either a square of Kraft processed cheese or thinly sliced cheddar. While this classic combination has a place in history, a more sophisticated palette can benefit from some change. Because there are only two ingredients to the basic meat/vegetable/garnish-free GCS, the options for changing up the recipe are somewhat limited. My personal GCS custom combination for the past few months is fresh baked Artisan wheat bread - the round loaf, with the prime GCS pieces cut from the centre - combined with a jalepeno jack cheese, sliced to approximately 3/8ths of an inch for perfect meltability grilled in a pan until the buttered bread is a nice medium brown.

By experimenting with cheese varieties, bread varieties and grilling times, you can turn the simple GCS into a meal worthy of serving to company.

More to come. Maybe photos next time...

back to basics

2008-10-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

I picked up a new sketchbook the other day. A cheaper version of the classic Moleskin, with an elastic to keep it closed. It's always a little daunting looking at that first page and deciding which of the ideas floating around your head deserves the "honor" of being the first thing people see when they open the pages.

Design work for MacEwan continues. Deadlines are coming up, but the projects are going great. The processing and editing for Jay and Francine's photos is nearly completed, and they should have their photos on DVD this week to share with their family and friends.

Things are good.

nathankendall on Flickr

More updates

2008-09-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

I had another busy weekend shooting a wedding for Jay and Francine, a beautiful couple who were married at an outdoor garden south of Sherwood Park. They were so easy to work with and we got some great shots.

Freelance design opportunities have also begun to come my way, which is also something to help keep me busy during the fall days here in Edmonton. If you're looking for help with a design project, company re-branding, advertising, or photography, don't hesitate to send me an email and get in touch about how I can help you on your project.

Freelance

2008-09-24T22:08:00.001-07:00

Well, it's been a while since my last update, but I'm here again with some news. Since leaving Ignition Media, I've been focusing on some freelance opportunities for both design and photography. I had a shoot last week with Brian and Carolin to celebrate their recent engagement, and a wedding this upcoming weekend with Jay and Francine. Very excited about these two opportunities and I'm hoping more come my way!

current situation

2008-09-09T15:13:00.001-07:00

I'm back on the job search after deciding to part ways with Ignition Media. They do a great job with their clients, but ultimately it came down to the fact that the position there was not what I pictured myself doing for the long term, and rather than prolong it, I decided to step back and find a job somewhere else.

Keep checking back for further updates.

Summer winds down

2008-08-28T21:33:00.000-07:00

With a chill in the air and the days getting shorter, it's easy to tell that summer is winding down and fall is approaching quickly. I had a chance to do some thinking on my 30km bike ride today and came up with a list of things I enjoyed these past summer months. Festivals, music, friends, weather and bike rides topped the list.

It seemed like every weekend Edmonton was host to a new festival. Folk Fest, Taste of Edmonton, Heritage Fest and many others. Trying to attend all of them, I was able to experience new cultures, try new food and hear amazing music I might never have been able to if I were not in Edmonton. I was also able to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in years, and meet some new people who caused me to step back and see things in a new light.

While the sun gets lower in the sky, I'm also looking forward to winter. Outdoor activities, putting on my big jacket and touque and trudging through the fresh snow, the crisp, cool, fresh mornings. I'm really not sure if I have a favorite time of year...

Check out some of my photos at Flickr and let me know what you think!

2008-07-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

My apologies for not updating recently. With all this rain we've been having, you would think I would have had some spare time to update the site...

Things are going well for me lately. Work has been steady and I'm working on some freelance jobs that are a lot of fun and right in line with my hobbies and passions, which makes spending time on them easy and enjoyable.

June was bike month in Edmonton, so I spent much of the month commuting on two wheels instead of 4, and it was a great month. I would take my road bike on 60km bike treks up and around the city of Edmonton with my camera. There is something to be said for capturing scenes as they unfolded in front of you, waiting for that brief moment when you feel it is the exact time to push the shutter release to freeze the action.

Once again, faithful readers, I remind you to stop by my photo page on Flickr and let me know what you think of my latest shots.

Another site I visit daily that I would suggest you check out is Daily Dose of Imagery, run by Sam Javanrouh, a Toronto-based photographer who has an eye for amazing photos.

Injury Update

2008-05-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

Due to a session at the skatepark on my BMX the other night, my big toe has sustained some damage and I fear I may lose the nail. It has been seeping blood the last day and a half and the nail seems loose.

Update

2008-05-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've given the site/blog a bit of an update. Not so dark and ominous anymore. I like the fresh open look of this new theme.

I've been having a fun time walking around on weekends with my camera. There have been some events around my place lately that have been full of colour and movement and it's been fun to try and capture those elements through the lens.

Other than photography, work has been keeping me busy. Long days updating projects for clients, brainstorming in creative sessions, prepping stuff for print... all part of a designer's life.

I've got a trip coming up next month back to Smithers, BC for my brother's graduation. It's been about 4 months since I've been back to see the mountains and I can't wait to see the trees, smell the fresh air and drink the glacier water again.

That's about it. As always, check my updated photos.

Create

2008-05-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

I've settled into Ignition Media nicely, and the variety of projects that I've been able to be involved with has been great. From new companies looking to establish themselves to companies who have decided to rebrand to bring fresh, new energy to their industry.

I'm looking forward to the summer here in Edmonton. It's been a while since I've spent the summer months in the City of Champions, and I remember the festivals and events that pepper the weekends with excitement and opportunities to experience new countries and customs.

Also planned for June is a weekend trip back to Smithers for my brother's Graduation Ceremony. It will be nice to see the mountains again and to feel surrounded in such beautiful creation.

Updates to my Flickr site are ongoing. I also recommend checking the pages of Bri, Nathan, and Sam.

Coming soon.

2008-04-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

I realize it's been quite a while since my last update. I'll be back soon with more details, but things are going pretty good right now for me job-wise and life-wise. More to come shortly.

In the meantime, be sure to check out my newest photos at Flickr.

Feel free to leave comments on my shots.

Today's quote: "The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." - Einstein

Found a Home

2008-03-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

Well, after going through the interview process at a number of Edmonton's design studios, I've found a home at Ignition Media, a mid-sized studio that services a wide range of clients and markets.

Thanks to all the studios who took the time and effort to review my portfolio and give me an interview.

I leave for Los Angeles again in a week. The weather down there is currently 25•C and sunny, so I'm looking forward to my second summer of the year so far. It's going to be great to see all the family again, and to meet Dustin's side of the family also!

Business Cards

2008-03-01T23:32:00.000-08:00

Business cards are in the work for vndrl.com I'm thinking something with a die-cut, foil stamp, emboss on one half, deboss on the other. Probably 10 or so spot colours with a few different layers of varnish, on a 150lb stock. If I can get a few hundred cards for under $20, I'll be happy.

If you're a designer, you probably caught the sarcasm. If not, don't worry. In all seriousness though, new cards are in the works.

As always, check Flickr for my photography. I want to get some work done on some RAW shots I have from recently in the next day or so to update the pictures.

Movie recommendation of the week: Once . Simply a beautiful movie from start to finish. That's the only way I can describe it.

2008-02-26T19:26:00.001-08:00

There's something about the sun that can change the way you look at the day. No matter what the situation you're currently dealing with is, a sunny day can make it easier to deal with. Life's thrown a couple curveballs my way lately, but waking up today and seeing the sun shining was a reminder that the little things we deal with daily aren't going to be the things we remember 20 years down the road. It's about the big moments. The times we share with friends. The hockey games with roommates. Sharing a John Fogerty concert with my Dad. Visiting my sister as she plans her wedding in Malibu. Playing volleyball against my brothers (and winning). These are the things that last a lifetime.

Remember this when you see the sun come up on a day when you're stressed out over some minor details.

Flickr has some new shots from recently.

2008-02-16T23:10:00.000-08:00

Beautiful day in Edmonton today, so I took a walk down Whyte Ave with my camera over my shoulder. Some of the pictures from today are on Flickr now, and there should be more in the near future.

Here's an interesting quote from a movie I watched the other night, Gone Baby Gone, starring Casey Affleck:

"I always believed it was the things you don't choose that make you who you are. Your city, your neighborhood, your family. People here take pride in things, like it was something they'd accomplished. The bodies around their souls, the cities wrapped around those. When your job is to find people who are missing, it helps to know where they started. I find the people who started in the cracks and then fell through. This city can be hard. When I was young I asked my priest how you could get to heaven and still protect yourself from all the evil in the world. He told me what God said to his children. "You are sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpents, yet innocent as doves."

2008-02-15T22:32:00.001-08:00

Site updates are continuing. I've added a portfolio page now and am continuing to find the best place to host the PDF online so that it can be downloaded. So far this whole site has been basically free, and I'd like to keep it that way.

In other news, I'm back on the trail searching for jobs. I have interviews coming up this week that I'm looking forward to, and I'm sure the right one will find me.

Also coming up soon; Janelle's wedding in Malibu in a month. That means I have to leave the frozen tundra again and go down to summer weather and beaches. Such a difficult life...

New pictures to be uploaded to Flickr tonight..

2008-02-13T18:02:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite movies from the past year is the film Into the Wild, directed by Sean Penn and based on the book by Jon Krakauer. It recounts the true story of a young man named Chris McCandless and his journey across and around the US before eventually finding himself in the wilderness of Alaska, surviving on the land.

Two years he walks the earth. No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes. Ultimate freedom. An extremist. An aesthetic voyager whose home is the road. Escaped from Atlanta. Thou shalt not return, 'cause "the West is the best." And now after two rambling years comes the final and greatest adventure. The climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual pilgrimage. Ten days and nights of freight trains and hitchhiking bring him to the Great White North. No longer to be poisoned by civilization he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild.
— Alexander Supertramp (aka Chris McCandless) May 1992

I think Chris went through an epic journey that intrigues me to an extent that I honestly feel has changed me forever. I don't know if I will ever forsake society to the degree that he has, but his words have sparked in me that desire to seek out that which God has brought us onto this earth to fulfill. It's a reminder to me not to get too caught up in the mindset that money solves everything. That we need not follow the path that everyone else follows. That civilization and material things are not the only sources of happiness.

Also, the soundtrack to this movie, arranged by Eddie Vedder, is also amazing. Buy it.

2008-02-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

I'm back in Edmonton now and have survived temperatures that would kill a mortal man. It's been interesting scouting the neighborhood and surrounding area, looking for photo opportunities and places to ride my bike. I eagerly await the spring, but enjoy the cold and snow while it's here.

A self portrait of myself in my warm basement.

2008-01-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

A couple photos of Janelle and Dustin from my trip down to Los Angeles.

More photos from the Los Angeles trip can be found at my Flickr page.

Chasing the sun

2008-01-09T22:16:00.000-08:00

I'm planning my trip down to California next week. As much as I'm looking forward to the sun, I'm loving the snow right now. Being down in Kelowna where the rain and sleet was their sorry excuse for winter, the snow up in Smithers was a welcome change.

While there I'm planning an engagement shoot with my sister and her fiance, Dustin. Kind of an early gift to the two of them as they plan their new life together.

Song of the day: Sunburn by Muse

Switching it up.

2008-01-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

vnrdl.com version 2.0 up now.

Stay tuned for a more detailed list of portfolio items and news updates.

updates coming soon

2007-11-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the temporary home of vndrl.com

Design portfolio coming soon.

Photography at Flickr.