Author Archive
Changing My Twitter Name
Over a year ago my personal branding went through a bit of a change. You see, when I first started using Twitter, I created an account under a variation of my nickname. Later, wanting to change my twitter name but not really knowing what I was doing, I inadvertently stole the name that I wanted to use from myself. You can read all about this huge mistake that has taken a year to un-do here. Digging deep into the posts that I had published over a year ago led me to attempt to get the name that I had wanted to change to, but this time I did it the right way! Yes- I had to wait a full year to get the name!!! So, please learn from my fail and follow these seven simple steps to correctly change your name on twitter.
How to Change
Your Name On Twitter
1. ) Start a new email address - You’ll need this to claim your old name in later steps.
2.) Log-in to your existing twitter.com account.
3.) Click On Settings.
4.) Change you Username to the New Name (it will check the availability)–
In the Username field, change the public profile name to the new account name. Twitter will tell you whether or not it is available and if it is, you’re in business!
5.) Save the changes — you’ve got your new name, but beware!
Now that you’ve changed your name anyone can claim your old name once you’ve changed away from it. This is why I had you create a new email address (I just use a new nick name under my google apps user – so that I will get any DMs that come to the old account). What I recommend that you do now is to claim the old name so that you can point it to the new name.
6.) Log-off of your newly created Twitter account and then start a new account as the old name. –You have to use a unique email address, which is why we started a new email account in step one.
7.) Post a new tweet with the account that uses the old name– This lets everyone know that they can find you at your new name.
I’d also suggest that you update the photo and background to make it look uniform to the main account.
I hope that this as been both educational and… well, at least not too boring. Changing your twitter name is easy if you do it right the first time. And if you do not, you will have a long wait in which to ponder the error of your ways!
Photo used on post: twitter_Good_Bad by Rosaura Ochoa
3 Reasons to Ignore your Analytics
I’m a numbers guy, and I have been for a long time. I love the map that they provide – if the numbers don’t add up, do something else. I’ve often felt that the numbers don’t lie- to be a great blogger I need big numbers. This has lead me to believe that to have self worth I need to have numbers, and that’s the danger of metrics.
Numbers can be deceptive…
The Numbers CAN and DO lie
The Numbers DO NOT make YOU who YOU ARE.
I have had to train myself to keep the numbers in mind, use them to shape my behavior, but not change who I am. Recently I read (and if I can find the source – I’ll post it in the comments) that somewhere around 75% of site owners obsess about their Google Analytics but only 20% of them use that information to do something differently. In his book “Crush It”, Gary Vaynerchuk warns us about not paying attention to metrics for the first year as it will only distract you! I love that – but cannot bear to ignore them all together. So here are three reasons that I’m going to tell myself that I need to focus on analytics less.
1. ) It’s not about the amount – it’s about the amount that they care.
Not having the right kind of numbers is about as bad as having no numbers at all. The fact that I have a small number of people who really care about who I am, and comment about what I do is awesome. I think back to others that I have worked with who have a huge number of followers (in the 6 digits) but they could not get any of them to come to a FREE web event. They had numbers, but their numbers only wanted the reciprocal follow back to make their numbers big too. FYI – if you are involved in internet marketing, having a ton of other internet marketers following you doesn’t matter at all; they don’t care about you. If you un-follow them, I’m sure that they will do the same (some automatically) and with that being the case what’s the true value of that relationship?
2.) Your self worth is not in the numbers – nor it should not be.
I know that I said this above, but it needs to be said in more than just one line. After three years of trying, I still consider myself a budding blogger because I am still not where I want to be. But maybe the whole issue is tied up in “where I want to be”. My wife summed me up and called me out in one reply to a rant on Facebook. (I’m so grateful that God gave me a wife that understands me more than I do!) When I posed the question of why I am never happy with my own site design, she said , “Because you need to be constantly creative and when you don’t find creative satisfaction in the work given to you my others, you pursue it in your own endeavors. Also you become dissatisfied/bored easily and therefore seek change for something bigger and better again and again.” At times I have place parts of my self-worth into things that I become unsatisfied with – making me unsatisfied with my self-worth. Regardless of what Fight Club said, you are not your job – you are special, you do matter, and you have meaning. (At least you can!)
3.) If it’s YOUR numbers that YOU are worried about it will remain about YOU.
If the focus of your life is about you – then you’re missing it. Let me tell you from personal experience, you can live with a purpose when you come to regard your needs as secondary. In ignoring your analytics and truly analyze what your readers, your viewers, your audience, regardless of size, needs and answer that call you will win without question every time. If you make them the focus (note that I didn’t say to make them first) they will take notice in your posts, videos, and interactions. Yes, you can get a glimps of what they need via the data trail that they leave in coming and going, but you will not find it if it’s not there. The best way to do this is to flat out ask what they need more of!
On a more personal note:
If I can ignore or make analytics or metrics less important and in the process recognize your needs more, I think that I might have a shot a getting to where I want to be.
So I guess the next question is:
What do you want more of???!!
I was going to post a poll – but then I’d have to guess what it is you’re looking for – so I’m going to leave up to you in the comments to tell me. We’ve had tons of response regarding backup solutions, and becoming a better computer users. I’ve also had guest writers who have spilled their guts about what’s working for them in their new DSLR workflows. Because I’m making Powered Production about you – you’ll need to tell me what you want (please).
BTW – If you’ve not read Seth Godin’s book, “Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
Real Work Requires Real Tools
If you are doing a job, make sure that you are using the right tools for the job. It brings me great pain to see people not using the proper tools. Whether it be going with cheaper parts or not upgrading your system when your system is a decade old, if you plan to drive income from a task, that task requires tools.
You don’t always need to get the most expensive, latest and greatest gear. You have to know what you are going to use it for. For example, someone who is just surfing the web and writing blog posts does not need the same kind of system as someone who is cutting HD video. In these cases it’s important to enlist the help of a pro and make sure that you are investing in the right equipment to get the job done efficiently.
Here are the top five things that people often forget to factor in when dealing with their computer system:
1.) Your computer is not like a fine wine –
Age is critical
You need to remember to schedule a system upgrade every 3 – 4 years. This keeps you on track with operating system release and upgrades in software versions. Let’s face it – new software is written to function on new hardware. If you can discipline yourself to not upgrade every time offered, you can extend the life of your system – but there are nice things that come with a new version of software, namely new features that will bring time-saving productivity, and security increases that they discover along the way.
2.) If you have one copy – you don’t have a backup
I was very fortunate to have a close family friend who would constantly challenge me when it came to my practices on backups. Most of us don’t fully value the data that’s stored on our PCs until it’s mangled or just flat out gone. The fact is if you only have one copy of something, you don’t have a solid backup. Unless you have been living under a rock you have probably heard of cloud based backups like Mozy. These services allow you to back up securely to the internet. It works – and you don’t have to worry about it.
3.) Choosing the right hardware
The wrong components can sink you! Not understanding how your computer will handle the tasks you plan to throw at it can be even worse!! When it comes to video editing systems there are key components that you just can’t skimp out on. Video editing systems need fast throughput to the drives, solid GPUs, and buckets of RAM never hurt. The main thing is to know what your jobs will require- if you don’t know, be sure to read number five on my list.
4.) Power is critical
Most, if not all, computers are just not as fun when they don’t have a power source. Too many times we forget that our tools require good, clean power to make them run. Not only are our tools not fun when the power cuts off – the process of the power jumping on and off can kill them too.
Here’s a fun tip: the power strip that says it’s a surge protector, isn’t going to protect you! For those of us who make our living off of our workstations we need to be sure that we can properly shutdown our machine if we have an outage or in the event of a storm rolling through. Uninterpretable power supplies are sold according to VA ratings (Volts * Amps) to see how high of a VA you need, I’d suggest APC’s UPS Selector. This doesn’t mean that you have to go with an APC model, but they do make great products (with very easy to exchange battery blocks).
5.) Hire a PRO!!!
You do not have to know everything! I have assembled a team of folks who know their way around a motherboard and have hundreds of thousands of hours of experience doing top level, real world research into what works best in all situations. When it comes to the machine that you are going to be working on every day- the one you rely on to make your paycheck – you don’t just want some toy. When you hire a pro (like my team) you insure that your machine will be up to the task of doing what you need it to do, whatever that task might be.
With all of the above being said, if you need to upgrade your machine or you need pointers on how you can make your backups easier to manage or more secure, contact me! I have a team of geeks that can walk you through the paces to make sure that you have what you need to get the job done. This is by no means an exhaustive list of things that we all forget to factor in. What have you forgotten to factor in when maintaining your system?
Photos used in post:
Vintage Wine by Guttorm Flatabø
Power to the people by Boliston
Review – Zunow WEX-075a Wide Angle Lens Adapter
Review
When I was approached by Scott Cantrell of Tapeworks Texas to review and assess the aspherical lens for the Sony PMW EX3 by Zunow, I was pleased to assist. Scott and indeed all the personnel at Tapeworks, offer a higher level of customer attention than any of our other vendors. This combined with their competitive pricing has made Tapeworks our first point of contact for equipment acquisition.
Now to the lens itself:
Basis of the test
As we have also been using the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 wide-angle lens specifically designed for the EX3, it seemed this was the best comparison. If it were to compare favourably to a task-specific design then this would give video professionals the best assessment. The images were assembled on to a DVD, which is available at Tapeworks.
The images acquired were fractal for the most part with complex and varied texture and were shot in varying lighting conditions. In addition, the test sequences chosen varied from close (1 meter) to mountainous areas at a range of a mile or two. The full range of field of view and focus were captured.
Physical build
When I first opened the box for the Zunow I was struck by the fact that this is a very substantial piece of glass. It is well made and possesses a simple and robust bayonet locking method for direct connection to the standard 1/2” Fujinon lens for the PMW EX3. This is true example of the benefits of “keeping it simple”. Mounting did require the removal of the protective UV filter that was installed on the Fujinon lens. There is little doubt that this adapter would provide a long period of service.
Due to the fact that it is aspherical and is meant to cover such a wide range, it is comparatively heavy. The Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 is lighter than the WEX-075a Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 combination, however this does not preclude its use as a field adapter. If it would be used for prolonged periods one may become a bit concerned about stresses to the lens mount on the camera. This is most likely not an issue as the most likely use of this adapter, and indeed its benefit, is that it can be mounted only when required. For those who feel the PMW-EX3 is too light and should feel more substantial, attach this adapter and you will have the weight your desire. As an aside, as we will frequently trek into very remote areas carrying significant amounts of gear (often in hostile circumstances) the light and agile capability of the EX3 is welcome. The WEX-075a is of course lighter than the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 and much easier to place in backpacks, etc.
There is a distinct advantage to the approach of using a wide-angle adapter, as it does not involve the removal of the lens and therefore exposure to dust and the elements. There are several times in the past when this would have been a most welcome part of the kit. To prove the point, during the tests a few particles of dust inadvertently found their way on to the lens mount and are visible in shots of the sky. We left these particles in the final images to make the point.
The lens hood that comes with the WEX-075a is roughly the same size as the Fujinon XS8-4AS-XB8 as would be expected. Here again design simplicity was key with a straightforward slip on and tighten method of attachment being used. The lens caps are of the slip-on type but are adequately snug.
Considering the value and price point of this lens and its greatest potential use for the field, I would like to have seen a more protective case rather than the nylon pouch that is provided. For our purposes it will require more protection.
Image performance
A series of four tests were conducted to test the characteristics of the Zunow adapter against the Fujinon wide angle. Each test was conducted with no Neutral Density on the first test during which the full range of the zoom function would be employed and then a subsequent identical test with a neutral density of 2 set on the PMW-EX3.
A variety of image surfaces were chosen in four separate lighting conditions. Test Number Four was conducted with a strong backlit situation to attempt to force Chromatic aberration to be apparent.
In all tests the following characteristics were consistently observed:
The Zunow adapter provided a surprisingly sharp image especially when considering the large amount of glass being introduced into the image stream. In some cases it would rival the purpose-built Fujinon lens. On some images of relatively small objects in motion, the difference in clarity between the two lenses was difficult to distinguish (if at all).
Of course with a large aspherical adapter there is a tendency for distortion to form in the corners and depending on the degree of magnification, along the outer edges as well. While the Fujinon lens held the clear advantage in this regard, the images made with the Zunow were still useful and the distortion hardly noticeable when the images were not being “zoomed”. Corner distortion was also most apparent on those sections of the image, which were highly fractal.
As regards the equivalent focal lengths are concerned, the Fujinon actually allowed a wider angle of view whereas the Zunow enabled a closer focus when fully zoomed in to the subject.
A remarkable and distinct difference between the two lens arrangements was the narrower depth of field achieved by the Zunow adapter. It was in fact a most pleasant surprise, which yielded some above average images. This characteristic was naturally most noticeable when a narrow field of view was used and the Neutral density on the camera was set to 2. The bokeh is acceptable and perfectly usable for a video lens. It was certainly more dramatic than the Fujinon lens. Therefore this could be used in certain circumstances when the use of a 35mm adapter is not available.
There was a difference between the two lenses in regards to contrast and colour representation. The colour presented on the Fujinon was more vivid and the contrast more in keeping with the camera settings. The characteristics of the Zunow however were well within adjustment tolerances both on the camera settings as well as in post-production.
Chromatic aberration was only apparent in several conditions and only in the outer extremes of the image, as one would expect. It was however far better than was expected.
Summary
Some may feel that putting an adapter up against a dedicated design lens to be a bit unfair, however I would assume that at the price point, that would be the consideration most videographers would be making. Therefore I felt it was important to see if such an adapter could serve the professional to an acceptable standard. To me the answer is yes, under certain circumstances. Indeed as previously mentioned, it would be extremely handy in the field and can be quickly applied when needed. Certainly the unexpected benefit of a narrow depth of field provides a creative solution to many situations.
If one is aware of the potential shortfalls of using an adapter of this size, it can be of significant value. In our case it will not replace the Fujinon lens but is being seriously considered for inclusion in our field kit.
Well done Zunow.
Review Provided By:
Philip E Hewitt
Seventh Victory
P O Box 1123
Qunicy, CA 95971
(( Disclaimer – Powered Production was not paid to post this review nor did we conduct the tests of the equipment, TapeWorksTexas is a friend of ours, and is who we choose as our vendor in the Houston, Texas area.))
How Not to be a Spammer
It’s said, “There is a fine line between love and hate”. Love and hate are not opposites, they are two sides of the same coin, the opposite of love is indifference. The opposite of being a spammer is not being one, but on the other side of the spamming coin, is being a publisher. How can you as a publisher avoid the spam label?
What is Spam? (Not Shoulder Parts and Meat)
Spam has many definitions (type define:spam into Google and see for yourself) the most common is unsolicited information, unwanted repeated calls to action, and sometime letters from your long lost Nigerian cousin who happens to be a prince and is desperate to give you millions of dollars. The best part is that spam is something different for everyone, but the one things that is universal is that no one wants spam. In the good ol days of teh interweb we only had to deal with a Russian picking up your email address that you posted online somewhere. You knew that you’d been found when your emails in-box would start to fill up with offers of cheap (but real) pills.
In an age of “Opt-in” what is spam?
First, why do I say that we live in an age of opt-in? We have all grown accustom to giving out our email address to receive an offer, or if you don’t – do you follow people on Twitter? The process of following, is a form of granting permission for them to send you messages – the purest from of opt-in. So when we follow the wrong person, do we have right to shake our fists at our lcd(s) rip our garments and cry out, “STOOOPPP SPAMMMMING MEEEEEE”. No, we just un-follow – in some cases, we block – or report them as spam.
Dude, you opened the door to their sales message, you have to be responsible and slam it shut!
But, What If YOU are Labeled a Spammer?
There are a number of Twitter Cleaner services out there (TwitCleaner & TweetBlocker to name a few) these services take a look at your following list and let you know at what level a twitter user that you are following is a spammer. So what are some of the things that they are looking for, things that in moderation are fine, but if you’re doing it non-stop you’re going to start looking following due to spam filters on twitter!
Top Three thing that if you do, you might be a spammer
1.) Do you bomb your twitter stream with @replies
Once a week (for #FollowFriday) is okay — well not really, but it’s not going to label you as a Twitter Spammer. Sending constant @Replies is a tactic that some bots use to gain following, they send you a message (often with a link) to a person that they are not following, and have had no interaction with, and these bots typically send the same message to hundreds of users, who never asked for their message. This activity (sending repeated messages to people who were not expecting and did not ask for them – IS SPAM.
So of you send 300 @replies to people on #FollowFriday – you might be a Spammer.
2.) Do you use spammy speech in your tweets?
What is “Spammy Speech?” You’ve been to those sites that will sell you this snake oil system that will cause you to want to quit your job because in 4 hours a day Google and Bill Gates will just start sending you cash! These get rich on the internet sites are loaded with what I call “Spammy Speech”. They make stupid claims and often have ridiculous headlines, don’t follow these broken patterns, the era of mile long sales pages is over, I would even venture to bet that sales letters on the net are dead altogether! If you make hyped up claims and send people to a unrelated or irrelevant link – IT IS SPAM.
If your message is clouded in a vail of hype – you might be a Spammer.
3.) Do you send nothing but links?
This is a real gray area for me, but none the less it will get you registered as a spammer quickly. If every message that you send on twitter is going out with a link, it’s bad form. Some times we just have to make statements and that be the final word. It can be bad form if every message that you send is targeted to get them to click a link.
If your twitter steam look more like a RSS with “Read More” links, you might be a Spammer!
Are these hard and fast rules, NO, not at all – and as twitter goes, and more people figure out how to exploit new features the rules that will label you as a spammer are going to change. The best way to not be labeled as a spammer is to treat others as you would want to be treated, would you want to be bombarded with a list of names telling you to follow these people? Would you want to be told about a new system for getting hundreds of followers, non-stop? If you wouldn’t want those things sent to you, why send those kinds of messages into the world?
Oh – also note, don’t publicly spar with a person who might be a spammer, as you can be labeled as one too!