I have been up-to-my-eyeballs recently in executive dashboard metrics and strategy presentations and have come to a startling realization: no one uses pie charts. At least in my experience, everyone wants some trend data or reference, so a pie chart just doesn't cut it.

Then, I ran across this great resource called the Periodic Table of Visualization Methods which shows the options for displaying data, information, concepts, strategies, or metaphors. So many options besides the ever-popular line chart. I love it that each of the options includes a pop-up that shows an example of the visualization method. Enjoy! For those of you who like pie charts, here is one that will definitely make you smile:

Unrelated to the graphic (which I just thought was funny, especially since I work in the display industry), I ran across a great article by Keith Ferrazzi, the author of Never Eat Alone, that he wrote for Reader's Digest. It is a must read for anyone who is resolving to achieve in 2007 and beyond. To take it a step further he has an online, free (yes, free) coaching tool that you might find interesting as you find your path this new year.

Speaking of new year's resolutions, if you are interested to track your progress on your resolutions and find others who share your same goals, see 43things. The interface is interesting.

If you also think this graphic is funny, you might like others by the Flickr artist.

Over the holiday break, I did a little research and created my first photo book. This got me on a quest for things that people (like you) can do with their photos of general appeal, beyond ordering prints or your own gift items, emailing them to friends, or posting them to a Flickr album. I trust you will be able to use some of the ideas here.

Publish your own photo book, for fun and profit: On www.lulu.com you can layout a photobook and then make it available for sale and pocket whatever profit you specify. Would make a great fund raiser for a non-profit after an event. Note: There are other places where you can self-publish, but generally the royalty rates are set, there are up-front costs, and you have to do your own layout and submit PDF files. These companies include www.xlibris.com and www.booksurge.com. The advantages that these guys bring is the assignment of an ISBN number and distribution through regular channels like Amazon. However, if you know who you target market is and can reach them directly, then something like Lulu would work great.

Sell/license your photos: Used to be that when you wanted high-quality stock photography, you had to go to a limited number of places and those stock photo houses worked with a select group of photographers. Not anymore. Have an eye for great landscapes, shots of people in work environments, or the like? Post them to istockphoto.com and you can earn royalties for each use. Or you could log-on to www.spymedia.com and sell your photographs or respond to their requests for photo bounty hunters. Get the shot, you get the dough.

Publish your photos in a magazine: Outside of the periodic photo contest, most amateurs don't have the opportunity see their photos in a glossy magazine. Introducing, JPG Magazine. They post a theme, you upload your submissions, readers vote, the winners get published in the magazine, get $100, and a free subscription. You can vote without submitting, so check it out at www.jpgmag.com.

Print Blog or Flickr gallery: Although the web is an awesome way to distribute content, it isn't quite as emotive (or permanent-feeling) as a book. Since starting a family blog a few years ago, religiously posting photographs and stories along the way, I always wished there was a "print this blog" button that I could push. Now there is. The folks from Qoop are offering a service of blog printing. If you have WordPress, TypePad, Flickr, or other blog or gallery (sadly not Blogger yet) you can easily order up a printed, bound copy of your entries. Note: I have been told you can convert your Blogger postings to a WordPress account and print from there. The layouts are pretty basic, but they seem to have options for you making them available for sale, as well as buying one yourself. I'd like to see this evolve a little more in style and customization, and then I could see giving up scrapbooking all together!

I can't post on the subject of photography without links to some of my favorite amateur (or not so amateur) photographers:
Jason Hill
Allan White or Allan White
Juanita Martus
Kristi White
John Thomas