Some of the most iconic pop culture images of our times come from album art. But for many Blind and Low Vision music fans, album covers are little more than cardboard sleeves to protect precious vinyl. Today, Christine and JJ describe art from Billboard’s Top 50 Album Covers of All Time, and throw in some listener requests for good measure. For Billboard’s complete list, visit: https://www.billboard.com/photos/6715351/best-album-covers-of-all-time/ Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Sep 18, 2021•36 min•Season 3Ep. 69
It's been a harrowing few months in Afghanistan with the Taliban advancing during the US military withdrawal. In mid August, the Taliban took control of Kabul and the chaos peaked. In this episode, JJ describes some key scenes from the Taliban takeover including the seizure of the Presidential Palace and the desperate evacuation at the Kabul airport. Then Christine asks about ongoing protests by the women of Afghanistan, and how US political cartoonists have responded to these troubling and comp...
Sep 11, 2021•36 min•Season 3Ep. 68
Constellations are delightful and magical; a curious mix of astronomy and fantasy. They are also a cross cultural phenomenon, with groups from around the world using their own stories to construct and name connect-the-dot pictures in the night sky. This week, Christine and JJ use Astronomer and Data Visualization Designer Nadieh Bremer's innovative "Figures in the Sky" project to explore and describe the look of constellations. For more on Figures in the Sky, visit: https://figuresinthesky.visua...
Sep 04, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 67
The Paralympics are underway, giving us a new slate of athletic heroes to cheer on. But ParaSports sports receive limited coverage between international tournaments, and that makes them a bit harder to follow. To help fill in those gaps, Christine and JJ break down the visuals of some popular Paralympic sports, including wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, running events, and goalball. They talk gear, skills, body types, and debate the merits of diving across a gymnasium floor to block bell...
Aug 28, 2021•37 min•Season 2Ep. 66
Why are some bugs considered beautiful, and others considered creepy? What is the visual impact of a spotting a single bug versus a swarm? When you cook an insect, does it still look like a bug? Join Christine and JJ for a description-rich conversation about insects that's so vivid you'll swear they're buzzing all around! Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Aug 21, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 65
When summer in the city gets unbearably hot and muggy, many of us dream of a road trip to the cottage. Having just come back from one such weekend getaway, Christine seeks to extend her swim-in-the-lake, sunbathe-on-the-dock, feel-good-buzz with descriptions of a cottage escape. And what road trip is complete without a couple of goofball kids hamming it up in the back of the car? As a special treat, JJ passes his microphone to the backseat so his describers-in-training can read the cottage count...
Aug 14, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 64
The Olympics are in full swing, and daily audio description coverage has never been better. This week, Christine and JJ discuss the visuals that don't necessarily make it into the prime time recap, including Olympic memes, protest signs, and slow motion gymnastics. Plus, a few description-rich stories of Olympic sportsmanship. Audio Description of NBC's prime time coverage and opening and closing ceremonies is being handled by Descriptive Video Works. Check out #NBCOlympicsA11y and #NBCParalympi...
Aug 07, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 63
Ok, this is the big one. In this action-packed episode, Christine and JJ go where no Description podcast has gone before: though a carwash! And not just any carwash -- the longest, most sophisticated, full service car wash in North America. And not with any old microphone -- but with binaural mics for full 3D sound. So put on some headphones, lean back in your seat, and join us for a trip to the AutoSpa. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Jul 31, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 62
For some of us walking through a city is a navigational challenge with little opportunity to stop to and smell the flowers. For others, we're so glued to our phones we barely notice what's around us. This week, Christine and JJ take some time to appreciate the wonderful gems hidden around town; from quirky houses and guerrilla art projects, to tiny front yard libraries and secret doorways to the fairy kingdom! Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Jul 24, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 61
Tattoos are everywhere. In Canada, the US, and the UK, 1 in 3 young adults have at least one, and lots of folks have many more. But how do they look? And how do they age? What does a prison tattoo look like? Or Inuit skin stitching? And is it true that JJ has the Talk Description to Me logo tattooed on his back? To find out, join us for another description-rich episode! Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Jul 17, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 60
The Euros, one of the world's biggest soccer tournaments, is wrapping up this weekend, which has us thinking about the visuals of the planet's most popular sport. As curious outsiders, Christine and JJ describe the particulars of the game, and how they affect the uniforms, the athletes, the celebrations, and the hilarious on-field drama. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Jul 10, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 59
It's the 4th of July weekend, which means there are lots of celebratory visuals for a couple of curious Canucks to talk about. From red-white-and-blue picnic foods, to stars-and-stripes fashions, and fireworks exploding in the sky, Christine and JJ consider it all. If you are interested in taking your fireworks experience to the next level, check out the innovative verbal description technique we discuss in this episode: "FingerWorks", developed by the good folks at VocalEye. Below are links to ...
Jul 03, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 58
There's nothing quite like the delightful, exuberant, emotional, titillating, joyful, emboldening, dramatic, euphoric, dance-tastic pleasure of being at a Pride parade. To celebrate Pride month, Christine and JJ do their best to conjure the glorious vibe of Pride with description-rich tales of Toronto's legendary parade. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Jun 26, 2021•43 min•Season 2Ep. 57
Toppling a statue is a powerful, emotional and symbolic act. Often celebratory, sometimes angry and vengeful, the removal of a statue -- whether by lawful means or mob rule -- is an event rife with potent and dramatic visuals. In this episode, Christine asks JJ how statues are brought down, and what it looks like when they fall. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Jun 19, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 56
From the little dots over lowercase I's and J's in the modern English alphabet, to the evolution of Egyptian hieroglyphics, and fine brush marks of traditional Chinese characters, there's a lot to describe when discussing the visuals of the world's writing systems. Luckily, Christine and JJ have a whole half hour in which to pontificate! This tip-of-the-iceberg episode on the visuals of writing systems will answer some questions, pose a few more, and hopefully leave you appreciating your grandma...
Jun 12, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 55
Children’s shoes. Tiny, colourful and empty. In this difficult but necessary episode, we discuss memorials found across Canada that honour the #215Children whose remains were recently discovered on the site of a former Residential School in British Columbia. To recognize the past and current trauma felt by Indigenous communities across Canada, this episode includes descriptions of artworks by Indigenous artists that give expression to Indigenous experiences. Counselling support for Residential S...
Jun 05, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Moolah, bread, bucks, scratch ... cash by any name is always sweet! But what does the money you covet and carry actually look like? Today, Christine and JJ break down the visuals of banknotes: the art, the portraits, the security features, and even the cheeky graffiti that's scrawled onto bills and put into circulation. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
May 29, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 53
May is the perfect time of year for listening to and watching birds. In this episode, we talk about the visuals of our fine feathered friends -- colours, patterns, shapes, nests, and flight. Then Christine asks why sighted people are so transfixed by hawks, and JJ gets picked up by a flashy bird with sweet dance moves! Send us a quick note! Support the show...
May 22, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 52
This podcast began with the notion that the visuals of pandemic life around the world needed to be described. Many months have since passed, and those visuals have changed. This week, Christine and JJ check in on COVID and lockdown visuals around the world. From anxiety on the streets of Toronto, to India's infection rate graphs, and vacationing goats in North Whales, to vaccinated wales in New York museums, Talk Description to Me has you covered. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
May 15, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 51
If you go way way up, and look way way down, what you see can be surprising. In this episode, Christine and JJ describe satellite images and discuss the intriguing perspective they provide. From ecology to archeology to a view of ourselves, the big picture has an awful lot to offer! To explore Google Timelapse, as discussed in this episode, visit: g.co/Timelapse Send us a quick note! Support the show...
May 08, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 50
This year’s landmark Audio Description of the Academy Awards got us thinking about a hallmark of Oscar night: glamour! What are the visuals of glamour? Is glamour about wearing the right gown and accessories, or is there more to it than just fashion? Has glamour changed over time? And just who gets to be glamorous, anyhow? Send us a quick note! Support the show...
May 01, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 49
On April 20, 2021, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts in the death of George Floyd, a murder which sparked protests across the U.S. and fuelled the Black Lives Matter movement around the world. In this episode, Christine and JJ discuss the visuals surrounding the trial's conclusion, then describe the wave of tribute art, which seeks to honour and memorialize George Floyd. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Apr 21, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 48
In recent days the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent has been buried under ash by volcanic eruptions. Meanwhile, spectacular drone footage of the lava-belching volcano outside of Reykjavik, Iceland continues to intrigue and amaze. This week, Christine and JJ break down the terrifying and mesmerizing visuals of erupting volcanos. Then, set your creep-o-metre to high for a brief description of the aftermath from one of history's most famous volcanic disasters: the haunting ruins of Pompeii. Send us ...
Apr 17, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 47
For a lot of us, architectural terms like Gothic and Art Deco conjure vague, incomplete mental pictures. Well not anymore! In this episode, Christine and JJ cover thousands of years of Western architectural styles, and describe and contextualize key design elements. Check it out, and prepare to wow them at your next dinner party! Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Apr 10, 2021•37 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Last week, the world stopped and gaped when a container ship the size of a skyscraper got stuck in the Suez Canal. Using descriptions of satellite images, news footage, and even memes, Christine and JJ tell the story of what happened, why it mattered, what was done about it, and how social media (as usual) found ways to poke fun. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Apr 03, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 45
With the first of four monthly SuperMoons set to rise this weekend, we’re turning our attention to Earth’s little buddy. If you’ve ever wondered about the look of the moon, its phases, craters, or size, this is the episode for you! Plus, Christine poses questions asked by listeners about the Apollo moon landing, and of course, the famous Moonwalk by astronaut Michael “Buzz” Jackson. Wait, that doesn’t sound quite right… For audio direct from the surface of Mars check out: https://mars.nasa.gov/m...
Mar 27, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 44
Ever wonder what skin looks like under a microscope? How about hair? Or snowflakes, or sand?! This week, Christine and JJ examine award-winning photographs taken through microscopes, and describe a few clickbait closeups, too! Send us a quick note! Support the show
Mar 20, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 43
We've all been cooped up far too long. Let's get out and do some exploring! Today, Christine asks JJ to describe three Wonders of the World: Niagara Falls, the Taj Mahal, and Angkor Wat. Join us for some description-rich virtual travelling! Send us a quick note! Support the show
Mar 13, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 42
What does dancing look like? It's a big question, but it's one that listeners have asked us many times, so we're gonna take a crack at it. The precision and perfection of Ballet, the wild spectacle of Swing, the strutting of Disco, and the mad skills of Hip Hop; we leave it all on the dance floor describing the look, the vibe, the movement, and even the fashions of well-known dance styles. Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Mar 06, 2021•36 min•Season 2Ep. 41
To cap off a busy, emotional, and celebratory Black History Month (and to add a bit of pep to a grey winter weekend) let's all journey to Toronto's legendary Caribana Parade, North America's largest street party. Today, Christine hits play on a 2018 parade route video, and JJ live-describes the costumes, floats and dancers twerking by. It's Caribbean Carnival day on this bonus episode of Talk Description to Me! Send us a quick note! Support the show...
Feb 28, 2021•12 min•Season 2Ep. 40
