The best and cheapest lavaliers!

I don't talk too much about products, but I need to mention these lavaliers I bought months ago from Giant Squid.
It was $30 plus shipping and I also feel I got quality lavaliers (compared to other brands I experimented with). The store owner is Darren Nemeth, you can contact him at dnemeth01@charter.net.

This is the cardioid lav I use with my Zoom H2 and also the Olympus DM-520 digital audio recorder that I place inside an eyeglass case (I've drilled a hole into the end of the eyeglass case so the audio cord can pass through).


Such a deal!

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded Nobel Peace Prize this year!

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded Nobel Prize this year!!!!

I was fortunate to record the President of the Republic of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's speech at the University of Tampa commencement convocation on May 9, 2009 at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The first woman president on the continent of Africa, President Sirleaf was elected in November 2005. In 2006, Forbes magazine named her the 51st most powerful woman in the world.

In her address, Sirleaf told the Tampa graduates that they should not get discouraged in the current economy if they can’t acquire their ideal job. She suggested that they possibly travel and work in another land to help out the less fortunate.

Sirleaf then segued into discussing her own life and career, including her campaign to become president of Liberia.

My photo is exhibited at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts!!!!

Special thanks to my buddy, Doyle Harrell who came with me to the exhibit and took some pictures. Special thanks to the model :) and Creative Loafing for creating this exhibition for photogs in Tampa Bay.

The Dangers of Nuclear Energy

What the media doesn't tell you about the #nuclear #energy. Listen to Helen # Caldicott's presentation recorded at USF's College of Public Health!

How to land a job? Research, prepare and be confident

According to USF's Career center, in today's competitive market, it is vital to meet employers' expectations when interviewing for positions both on and off campus.  To ensure that you are adequately prepared for your interview, adhere to the following minimal guidelines:

Before the Interview:

.       Research the company
        o    You can gather information about their products, services, culture, industry and
              market position from the company website
.       Dress for Success
        o      Business Professional Attire is expected - this includes a coordinated business suit
                for both men and women
.       Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer. This will convey your interest and
        eagerness for employment with the company
.       Bring extra copies of your resume to the interview
.       Review and practice answering sample interview questions - including both
        traditional, behavioral, and situational

 Students are also encouraged to participate in Career Express at the Career Center and speak with Counselor about Interviewing Tips. Career Express runs from Monday through Thursday from 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00.

During the Interview:

.       Be on time. Arrive 10-15 minutes early and allow time for parking
.       Use a firm handshake and maintain good eye contact
.       Articulate why you are interested in the position and how your knowledge and skill sets
        make you the best candidate
.       Convey confidence and enthusiasm
.       Be honest
.       At the conclusion of the interview, inquire as to the best way to follow up

A Research!America Research Partners Forum-- October 27

A Research!America Research Partners Forum

Let Me Be Clear: Science Journalism
in the Age of the Genome and Twitter

Embassy Suites-Tampa USF, 3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa, FL

October 27, 2011

12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Florida is home to an increasing array of leading health and research institutions as well as some of the nation’s most respected media outlets. The state is thus in a unique position to shape the future of science journalism and health communications and their impact on public policy.

Research!America, with the University of South Florida and Pfizer, presents a Research Partners Forum: Let Me Be Clear: Science Journalism in the Age of the Genome and Twitter. Results from a new Florida poll will provide a springboard for an interactive conversation about media, health research, science and public understanding of these issues in a time of increasing complexity in all of these areas. Two high-level panel discussions, each followed by Q&A, will address these important issues. Leaders in science, health communications, journalism and social media will explore ways journalists and scientists can work together to communicate research news in today's fast-changing environment.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Jay Dean, PhD, professor of molecular pharmacology and physiology, USF Health
• Elie Dolgin, PhD, news editor, Nature Medicine
• Eric Eisenberg, PhD, dean, University of South Florida College of Arts and Sciences
• Steven Klasko, MD, MBA, dean, University of South Florida College of Medicine
• Sheril Kirshenbaum, science writer and research associate, University of Texas Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy
• Karen Liller, PhD, dean, University of South Florida Graduate School; associate vice president for Research & Innovation, University of South Florida
• Alice Park, senior reporter, TIME Magazine
• Fred Pearce, PhD, director, University of South Florida School of Mass Communications
• David Sampson, director, medical & scientific communications, American Cancer Society
• Charlotte Sutton, health editor, St. Petersburg Times
• Jack Watters, MD, vice president for External Medical Affairs, Pfizer Inc
• Ralph Wilcox, PhD, provost and executive vice president, University of South Florida
• Mary Woolley, president and CEO, Research!America

A look at ethics in documentary filmmaking

Summer went by soooooooooo fast, this is not even funny!!!! My internship at USF Communications and Marketing Department comes to an end and I wanted to share one of my last articles I wrote last week. I enjoyed meeting very talented professors, who go above and beyond to be an example for students and USF! One of them is Dr. Butchart.....

Assistant Professor of Communication at USF Garnet Butchart gave a lecture on ethics and cinema at the JerusalemCentre for Ethics at Mishkenot Sha’ananim in Jerusalem in July.

Butchart’s lecture was part of a Seminar on Documentary Filmmaking Ethics of the 28^th Annual Jerusalem International Film Festival for which he served as a juror for the Israeli Documentary Film Awards on July 7-16. 

Cinematographer Dan Geva invited Butchart to present his research on documentary filmmaking ethics, which had been published in the international journal, CommunicationTheory. 

According to Butchart, the two main ethical issues in documentary filmmaking are participant consent and the audience’s right to know and to hear.

“People have the right to control their own image, and to avoid being manipulated in the process of filmmaking. People have a right to information about issues that concern the public, and documentary cinema is a major vehicle for providing this. The idea is that it should do so in a way that is not misleading,” Butchart said.

He argued that typically, documentary filmmakers are held to commons sense ideas about moral duties and obligations. But this limits the filmmaking process. 

“This tends to put the documentary filmmaker into a box. I argue that because ethical issues are difficult to regulate through media policy, filmmakers are their own best judges of their ethical practices,” he said.

“My main argument is that ethics, in the context of documentary filmmaking, is usually confused with morals. Ethics and morals are not necessarily the same,” he said. “Morals are part of a set of known values and norms that structure a culture and that guide our actions. We often take these for granted. On the other hand, we can think of ethics as a practice. Ethics is devoted to what is not yet known or cannot be recognized from the prevailing norms and values we take for granted.”

In the context of documentary cinema, according to Butchart, ethics is not a moral problem, but rather, a semiotic problem. 

“What that means is that ethics is an issue of perception—of looking at people and of making images of them. It is not quite a matter of right and wrong,” Butchart said. “I argue that some of the ethical difficulties in documentary can be solved semiotically—that is, if filmmakers include the presence of the camera, as well as themselves, as part of the documentary. This helps to break the illusion of the movie.”

He offers two techniques: “doubling” and “redoubling” the gaze of documentary. 

The first technique is when filmmakers include moments when participants look directly into the camera lens, address the filmmaker directly, or acknowledge the presence of the camera in some way, he said.

“When participants look into the lens of the camera, this puts into question the role of the filmmaker, and that in itself is an ethical practice,” he said. 

The second technique is when the filmmaker reflects on the practice of making the documentary.

“When a filmmaker shows audiences the process through which a movie is made, this is also an ethical practice. It demonstrates that the filmmaker is self-reflexive about the process,” he said.

Butchart said that Israeli documentary filmmakers are more progressive in this regard.

“They often include in their movies images about the making of documentary. In so doing, documentary is disclosed as a process of interpretation rather than as factual film. This helps to address many of the ethical problems typically linked to participant consent and to the rights of audiences to be informed about issues of public concern,” he said.

Butchart said that his teaching, research and lectures are all connected through his critical approach to mass media and human communication. 

“I emphasize a critical approach to mass media and human communication. I encourage my students to think carefully about the way in which media images help shape how we think about ourselves and the world,” he said.

“The image making techniques I talked about in my lecture can help to cultivate among audiences a healthy skepticism about images in the media. They remind us that even the most objective forms of cinema, such as documentary, are products of interpretation and careful composition,” Butchart said.

See the light and colors

Yesterday I attended Tamira's silk painting class is from 10-4 at Cakewalk Co-op. It was a great opportunity to get to know artists or artist-wanna-bes!  All shots were shot using available light and/or with on-camera flash in a long and narrow room. Lighting was good and ceilings were high. Braces will be set up to stretch the silk.
Thank you, Tamira for the great photo opp.  Please, visit Tamira's Facebook page to find out more about her classes!

USF student gives back to community

Joanna Koulianos says that her experiences at USF give her opportunities to serve her community in Tampa Bay and beyond. This summer she will stick around and feed the homeless, teach classes for students who have never been to school and she plans to start a community garden in her hometown Tarpon Springs.
Volunteering is a break from her thesis and work, says Koulianos, a graduate student in English literature who specializes in film, critical theory and modern American literature. When she is not working on her thesis, teaching composition or tutoring at the Writing Center, she is bettering the community. She has recently started a Food Not Bombs chapter in Tarpon Springs, a nonprofit that connects the homeless and the working poor with the community.

“It is a community event that happens every Tuesdays at Craig Park at 6 pm. We provide not only food but entertainment and space for people to come out, mingle and socialize with individuals outside their own classes and groups. A lot of the community members are very talented and don’t have an outlet to express themselves and relax. This week, we do a banner painting, too. It is a lot of fun to connect with other members of the community whom I would otherwise not meet,” she said.

She says that Food Not Bombs is more than just feeding the hungry; it is about stepping outside the comfort zone, getting to know the community and making friends. She also plans to start second non-profit, Tarpon Loves Animals and a community garden.

“We are working to create a business directory which will be available at the Chamber of Commerce that features vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants in town. I also hope to organize a companion animal festival which will focus on educating the public about proper pet care, encourage pet adoption, and hopefully have a free-spay and neuter van, or at least vets available for consultations, on hand for anyone who needs it!”

In July, she will teach classes in a new context at the St. Petersburg Free Skool. She says that her teaching experience in a structured environment will come in handy.

“I am very excited to teach people who have never been to school. I am very thankful for my teaching experiences at USF,” she said.

Koulianos plans to grow her community work as a communications intern at Farm Sanctuary in New York where she will work 40 hours a week for three months copy-editing and exploring her new hobbies in videography and photography. She says her experience at USF and writing samples made her stand out as an applicant.

“I will be working for an organization I admired for a long time. I believe that I got the internship based on the experiences I have had in the MA program where I had a lot of opportunities to teach. The tutoring at the Writing Center made me grow as a writer and as a person. I have a wider skill set to offer. I am very thankful for that.”

Bloggie versus Flip

I have always wanted to have a SMALL camera and voila, meet my new buddy, BLOGGIE. But it took me a while to find Bloggie because there are many small cameras that take video and fit in your pocket. One alternative was to buy a Flip but then I heard that Flip is pulling out... The Bloggie versus Flip debate is a hot one, but for me it was simple to make up my mind.
- Sony does not plan to stop making this camera
- slender
- offers high quality video (1080 p 30 pfs) and photo resolution (12 M)
- 8 GB memory

Check out a video I did using Bloggie! Unfortunately, I don't own a Flip so I could not compare the quality of the videos.

Here are some pics I took using Bloggie.

Social Media Buttons- post all or just a few on a website?

All or nothing- well, it depends how many of these social media platforms do you use, what is your goal and target audience...http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I just happened to come across Selene Bowlby webdesigner who has some great ideas on web design, shttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifocial media and more. Since I am in the process of redesigning my site, I can't thank her enough for the list of social media buttons on her site that give me an idea to use them in the navbar or even provide a "subscribe to" RSS feed option at the end of my content!

She even has a FAQ tab in the primary navbar! She posts great ideas on her 15 Key Elements All Top Web Sites Should Have article, check it out!

Here are my take aways from reading her articles:
-Consistency (in navigation)
-Primary navigation above the fold (logo, main sections)
-Include ALL SM icons (same size, same position, on all sites)- MySpace, FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, iTunes
-Include “search” box
-RSS feed or Newsletter option
-Add a Sitemap in footer (links to all sites)
-1 or 2 featured contents per page
-Have the website available for mobile devices
-FAQ
-"Speak live with…" option

Social Media to Grow as an Entrepreneur

I must admit that I am a Twitter addict. I love social media, but I use these platforms for different purposes: I post pictures on Facebook, connect with photographers on Twitter, and I blog, blog, blog more than I ever did before. Needless to say that my social media activities are connected to my website to rank it higher on Google searches. Marketing strategies have changed for many businesses- traditional marketing is out, social marketing is in. This is good and bad because most business owners and freelancers must have a social media presence- they have to blog, interact,and network with clients, competitors, vendors and future clients.
There are two Tampa Bay photographers, Andy Diamond, who uses the RSS Grafitti app to spread the news on social media platforms and Carrie Wildes who religiously blogs about her work and more on her blog.
If you are techie, like Ryan Scherf, you can post cool social media buttons on your site! He has one of the best websites regarding simplicity and creativity! I will think of you when I design my site :)!

Read more about Carrie Wildes in my last posting on Social Media to Grow Your Business.

What to put on a main webpage?

I have been doing research on what categories to include on a hompage that I design in Dreamweaver. Needles to say, the answer is- IT DEPENDS. First of all, figure out what is the use of a homepage?
- to sell yourself/ employment purposes (the focus will be on you and your work)
- to build your freelance business
- to showcase your work
.... or because you are just bored, you want to learn web design, but you can only learn it if you try to design a site.

So, after much redesign and research, here are my categories: multimedia, photos, video, print, radio, teaching, research, blog, about, contact and related links (besides my logo in masthead and copyright in the footnote). These categories sounds exhaustive so I have two options:
- I can leave the categories as is or
- I can create a main category called multimedia work/portfolio (include the multimedia, photography, print, radio categories). This way there would be less categories on my site but if I state under my name that I am a multimedia journalist, this should be fine?
Which option do you think is the best in web design?

I've got mail?!?!?!

Emails, Facebook messages, Twitter updates come and go, but personal mails STAY. Communication patterns change, I hope this is due to the availability of technology only. I do appreciate this mail from my good photographer- friend, Mike MacKay who took the time to write me a personal note on a handcrafted postcard. I feel the sun is shining again!

It's been so long since I received a personal note on a card! Thank you, Mike for shaking up my communication patterns, my creativity and spirit!!! I learned a lot from you as photographer, mentor and friend!!!

Some Web Design Basics

This is my journey in the realm of web design: information overload but I hope to learn a lot and I hope to learn FAST from Debbie Wolfe, a web designer, instructor, and freelance journalist in Tampa Bay.
A couple of things Deb pointed out in her web design workshop:
- file management (understand where your file lives)
- use appropriate key words (because the search engines are like a spiderweb)
- use the 2 clicks rule to design your site
- place the most important items in the top 20% of your page
- most websites are shaped like an F
- use heatmaps or Google Analytics to measure your views
Her last advice- you are selling yourself, not where your stuff got published, so don't place logos from other media companies on your site!!!!

Portraits with Alexandra

I shot Alexandra last weekend Downtown St. Pete. She is a journalist and she also likes to be a model. Thanks, Alexandra for the opportunity. It was a pleahsure working with you! The weather was great and I even had nice clouds to photograph.


Check out Alexandra's album on Flickr.

Strobist Photoshoot at the Pier

This was fun!!!!! I did some strobist style portraits this weekend in St. Pete.
Thanks to the model, Candy Cooke.

Family Photoshoot with the MacDonalds in Treasure Island

My recent photoshoot with the MacDonalds went well. Laurie wanted family portraits, a portrait of Ian for the invitation for his communion and business portraits for their website. They own an insurance company in St. Petersburg.
Time went fast, photoshoot was done all at once at sunset in Treasure Island.
Thank you all for the participation, it was a lot of fun!!!!

Maternity Photo Shoot

A glimpse into maternity

Using Social Media to Grow Your Business

Use Social Media to Grow Your Business, says Carrie Wildes wedding photographer + social media diva. Carrie demonstrated how she uses social media as a marketing tool attract clients and market herself:
- she blogs about the events and people she photographs to generate buzz
- she posts "thank you" emails she receives from clients and vendors
- she pays attention to keywords (keywords depend on your business, of cohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifurse)
- she created a Google business profile (it's free)
- experiment with all social media platforms: Word Press, Twitter, Facebook, Squarespace, etc.
- she uses a blogsite as her website
- she uses hyperlinks and tags to rank her SEO
- she also uses her blogsite as her working photography archive- keywording makes even more sense now :)
- she creates photo galleries on Facebook, tags the subjects in the photo and through a link she redirects those interested to read more about the event and the subjects on her website!

But she agrees, using social media as a marketing tool takes a lot of time. It is well worth it for her and she schedules blogging and Facebooking into her work.
If you plan to follow her path, you should learn to manage your workflow and your time. She religiously blogs and monitors her Google ranking- you should do the same because it is fun and FREE!

I also suggest you follow other photographers to learn how they use social media for branding and creating a buzz!

Thank you Carrie Wildes for sharing the information and spreading your love for photography at the Menaul Gallery. I am looking forward to attending your next workshop on social media on June 6th at the Menaul Gallery in Clearwater! Special thanks to Jerri and Scott Menaul for hosting these workshops.