Interviews

In my job search I've only had a handful of interviews. As in... I don't have to use all five fingers...

BUT: I have the most exciting interview in about an hour. I have never been this close to such a great opportunity. I almost feel like it fell out of the sky.

No matter what the outcome is I am just impressed with myself (can I say that?) because I was considered for a second. I said something in my application that caught their attention. And I genuinely feel that way. Of course I would be very sad if I don't get this position - who wouldn't be, it's amazing - but life will go on. 

I truly feel that I want to dedicate my life to making the world a better place. Adding to the public knowledge, showing realities that others can't see, enlightening: these are the only way I know how at the moment and I can't wait to start that it actually hurts my heart sometimes. 

I don't want to jinx the opportunity so I won't say what it is until the decisions are sent out in a few weeks but if there is anyone out there who follows my occasional updates, I'll keep you posted.

On the occasional update note - I apologize for the lack of photo updates, this last year I took more of an editorial and directorial role in my activities so my shooting time went from overdrive to... not overdrive or news related. I did gain invaluable experience that may not be shown in my own work but adds to my knowledge of photography and journalism, and I can see my mentoring in the work of my staff and other students. Realizing that sharing my knowledge to help my peers become better photojournalists is something that I did not recognize at the time but can see in their work now. And I think that's kind of cool.

Video

Being a multimedia or multi-platform journalist is something that I have been somewhat resisting. This is probably a mixture of not wanting to fail at something, knowing where to start, or having the same resources to learn from that I took for granted while in school.

However, I took the Nikon School's video seminar a few weekends ago. It was pretty close to information overload on my brain, but there is no way I could have figured out all of that in one weekend on my own. This is my first step in becoming a multimedia journalist.

I immediately turned around and powered through a super intense application for three days. I flew to Pittsburgh and was sick with the worst cough/cold I've had in years - still a little sick two weeks later. Came back, went to the Society of Professional Journalists' regional conference for the southwest this past weekend and here we are. 

So. Now that we're in the present, I'm going back to applying for jobs and with my free time I'm going to apply what I've learned in the video class to my projects. The week before the video class I was going to buy some portable lighting accessories but now I think I'm going to buy equipment that can be used for both speedlights and continuous lighting.

I am thinking of buying some small LED lights. I see myself making interview-type of videos, pretty intimate, so I don't think I need crazy lights at this time. Also, I'm unemployed so... #budget. The sound equipment is really important so I need to do my research and buy the highest quality stuff for the most affordable prices. 

I am excited to begin filming. I know most of the stuff I start with will probably be super rough but I think that's the nature of teaching yourself something.

My sister graduates from the University of Hawaii this month, so spending a few days there could be some practice time. Aloha new projects and inspiration.

Doing something right the first time around

I have finally stopped complaining and replaced all of the photos here with sRGB colorspace ones.

When I first purchased my domain, I didn't really know about the visual differences on mobile phones and tablets when looking at RGB and sRGB. I think I had my site up and running, semi promoting it to my friends and applying to internships, for about a year or more before I realized everything looked terrible. It was all blue and green if I didn't export it into sRGB and I kicked myself for another year but felt like I didn't have the time or energy to tear down my entire site and replace it. 

Taking the time to learn basics like this (and many others) was something that didn't really happen for a few reasons. But now that I've stumbled through some of this stuff the hard way, learned it through conversations, my own investigating, etc., I feel like I am starting to come into my own confidence when it comes to technology. 

It could be much easier if I were to make photographs and throw them onto the internet willy-nilly. But it's more empowering when I can figure out my own tech or program problems. 

I have a newfound (or deeper) appreciation for the one-man-show photographers and journalists who are out there freelancing or doing any kind of independent project. If you can create all of your content and then figure out how to display it on multiple platforms, troubleshoot, and then some... kudos. 

I still have so much to learn about - and most of it I don't even know that I don't know it - so that's frustrating but also the part that keeps the brain excited and challenged.