If you have a WordPress or any other blog site there will probably come a time when you will need to use some HTML code to make your site function more like a basic website. You don’t have master code or even be particularly code savvy. You will need to spend a little time deciding exactly what you want to do and be able to visualize the page. Continue reading
As we continue to experiment with social media it becomes increasingly necessary to decide where to place a message, learn who is talking about that message and quantify the impact of what they are saying.
Developing a good social media strategy is key to any personal or corporate media plan. Continue reading
Smaller….faster…..better…..more powerful. Our always connected mindset has spawned a whole new generation of high-tech tools. You can now shoot, edit and deliver content in many ways using a variety of tools. We may have the tools but do we know how to use them? The following tools, tech and training sites offer some interesting perspectives.
Vimeo video editing app “Cameo”
Just Creative 5 best photo apps
Best iPhone camera editing apps
Shoot video like a pro on your phone
Mobile video tips and techniques
Jack Hollingsworth on iPhoneography
iPhone video image capture (This is a quick option that works on Cronkite computers.) Image capture is in your applications folder.
Camera Awesome: Cool Camera App
Best sites to learn about iPhoneography by Make Use Of
If you have additional tools, ideas, tips or techniques please enter them in the comments section and I’ll review and post them.
OK. You’ve created a video in Final Cut Pro. You want to put it in your blog. What now?
Once again find that calm place in your mind. It isn’t that tough.
Now what do I do?
In Final Cut Pro, click in your timeline. (Make sure you don’t select a specific element.)
Go to File>Export>QuickTime movie.
Name your movie and export it to your desktop so you can find it easily.
When it finishes, double click on it to open it using QuickTime Player. Play it to make sure everything is OK.
While you are still in QuickTime Player Select File>Save for Web. Name the file and save to your Desktop. Check the box Computer H.264, 5 Mbit/s maximum data rate.
Uncheck the other boxes. Select Save.
When that is completed, find the folder created on your desktop. Right click on the video file inside the folder that says computer m4v. Right click and open it using QuickTime Player. View it and make sure everything is working.
When you are satisfied, upload the file to either YouTube or Vimeo.
Open the video, copy the URL.
In your WordPress account simply paste the URL of the video into the Post Edit screen. When previewed or published, WordPress will automatically embed the video.
For more help with WordPress check out this Ultimate Guide from Make Use Of. Provided via Creative Commons “share alike” license.
There are many different ways to organize your interview footage, b-roll, sound bites, graphics and voice overs to create a coherent news package. Each journalist will develop a process and workflow that specifically works for him or her. One structure that has been particularly helpful to my students is attached.
Slideshows are much more than just a random collection of pictures. In fact they are much more than a connected collection of pictures.
By definition they are a group of pictures viewed in a sequence. They can however be used to convey messages, advertise products, illustrate ideas and demonstrate artistic content among other things.
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the use of material found on the Web. When in doubt there is a good rule of thumb you can use. If you don’t own the item, document, file, track, pic etc. or have written permission to use it you can’t.
If you don’t own it, don’t use it.
That sounds pretty harsh and things aren’t always “black and white.” There is this whole thing called Creative Commons. Essentially defines several types of licenses and rights that an individual can provide to others without surrendering their own copyright protection and ownership.
Within the Creative Commons community are a number of people and sites that publish material that is available for use in creative work. Attached is an in depth description from Professor Trish Anderton at the Cronkite school that will help you in your quest to honor intellectual property.CreativeCommons
Another good resource is “A picture’s Worth 1,000 Links.” This post by Amanda Milligan provides a good guide to finding and citing images.
Becoming a master of style is just as important as collecting great content. Print, broadcast and web all require great writing that is similar. AP Style is still king. Accuracy is a requirement and great grammar is imperative.
The least understood medium is the web. We are still learning how people consume content and what type of content is most effective on which type of device whether it be a desktop computer, laptop, reader, iPad or smart phone.
Here are some helpful thoughts for developing your own skill as a web content creator.
Just because we can doesn’t mean we should. That pretty well sums up Photoshop ethics. Your job as a photojournalist is not to create the moment or the story but to capture it. To that extent there really isn’t a lot required if you have captured a great image to begin with. My general rule of thumb is that minor cropping, color correction and dodging are about all that is necessary. The photo should accurately and truthfully tell the story by itself.
Steve Elliot from Cronkite News Service created this great presentation for the Reynolds Institute that illustrates some of the ethical challenges confronted by our media.
I am often asked what is the best camera. Naturally I have my own personal preferences. After a lot of thought I think the best camera is the one you have with you at the moment. No amount of discussion of lenses, F-stops, sensors and mega pixels will do any good if you don’t have a camera with you that will allow you to manage all the tech stuff. You can however capture quality images using even a cell phone if you become a master of its capabilities and learn to manage light and composition. Here are a few helpful tips and tricks.
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