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What to Look for in a... Photo Editor

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Everyone is talking about Photoshop, right? That sounds like the industry standard and the de-facto tool that guarantees success right out of the box. Maybe. Just to be clear, the point of this review is not to bad-mouth Photoshop. It is a powerful tool with a long history of innovation for photo work. Alongside Photoshop, many alternatives, open-source and commercial, have risen in stature and feature-set to openly compete for artists. At the crux of a good photo working application, there are some core things it should have to make it not just useful, but valuable.  Intuitive Design Tools should be foremost functional, which depends heavily upon the ability to effectively use its features. Designs should be built with logical positioning, allowing for optimal use of the space and giving users options to customize the overall layout according to their unique style and workflow. If too much time is required to find features or they are too deeply buried in menus, then it's best to
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What to Look for in a... Video Editor

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Looking specifically at video production with respect to content creation, there are factors to consider, when looking around for means of recording, editing, and producing a "finished video". It's important to look at the process as if a story is being told. There is a plot, information to be communicated. There are characters, which may include you and other "cast" to communicate the point(s). There is a script of sorts, with supporting evidence and development derived from structured delivery.  Elements of Video Production  This is somewhat subconsciously realized, but for every "video", there are both video and audio components. Both contribute to the quality of the production, as do many other things, such as lighting, set, and the people or items captured within the media. When it comes to a good tool that will help manage all these things and make simpler the concept of assembling a production, here are some features to check when searching for
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Where to Find Content Creator Tools and Resources

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How to Start The beginning is a bit bumpy when taking first steps into content creation. For me, I knew I wanted to create and had some experience telling stories through video as a wedding videographer, but had no idea what equipment to use or what software to try. It was incredibly intimidating to start from square one without knowing how to create. The one thing I knew, is that I wanted to build a community of learning, to help people start and enhance their own content creator journey by making plain the tools of the trade. That's my reason for doing what I do. Have a reason, otherwise you'll quickly discover that you'll be wandering without a mission to achieve with your content. Still, I had no idea which tools Where is the Audience? Believe it or not, the answer is simple but can be a hard truth to swallow early in the process. They are waiting for you to attract them. Focus on speaking and delivery - Worry later about gear. An audience will follow someone on a genui
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How to Stay Engaged With an Audience

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INVITE FEEDBACK Ever watched a video or looked over a picture where you felt like the entire purpose was to show off? Performances are entertaining, but the best performers know that the energy of content comes from an audience. Some viewers will enjoy a skillful presentation, but the value of such content is limited to background music. It may inspire others to become more practiced in various arts, but only serves a limited purpose. Truly valuable content conveys relevant information and attracts an audience to participate in the experience and contribute to it. It opens a door to engage and share experience that far exceeds a one-way presentation. This is the framework for communities. This is the basis of meaningful content creation.  RESPOND TO EVERYONE Of course, it's not enough to simply ask questions. The subject should be important to the creator, enough to lead conversation and validate all responses. Some feedback will be encouraging and affirming. Questions, probing the
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It's OK to Feel Deflated

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THE RAT RACE Here's a simple truth that sometimes hits hard in the entrepreneurial world: Some will reach profitability sooner than others. It can be discouraging to watch others reach a place in their business that generates returns with seemingly just a few months of effort while yours survives only by your personal drive to see it through. It can feel like your attempts at creating opportunity are failing. It can appear that nothing you do brings you any closer to feeling like what you do makes a difference or produces enough to justify the continued sacrifice. When you encounter disappointment, give yourself permission to have feelings. Trapping emotion within yourself doesn't make you stronger; It will actually weaken you. Remember that diligence and persistence will always beat out a meteoric rise. SET MEASURABLE GOALS I'm not suggesting to set low expectations, but instead that reasonable, realistic, and measurable goals should be set. If your definition of s
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The Danger in Hustling

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PROGRESS As a somewhat new #contentcreator, I know that I'm still learning the platforms and tools. I don't understand all the algorithms and am admittedly not a terrific networker. However, I have survived my first year, showing consistent audience growth. I couldn't be more proud of my #YouTube channel that is coming into focus and the faithful audience that has joined in my interest of art technologies, helping me cultivate a community of learning. Thank you everyone! THE DANGER I've found a few reliable sources of guidance I've come to trust, but don't necessary agree with 100%. This is not a bad thing, as we'd never challenge our potential and never come to better understanding if all our relationships were based "yes" and "I agree." Questions prompt deeper understanding and force us to solidify our positions. This aside, there is a growing trend of advice that I see in #contentcreators that scares me, and I believe poses a
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How to Deal with Negative Comments

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THE DREAM OF CREATING I've been aggressively working for the last year to develop my YouTube channel, increase my footprint in Twitter, and post semi-regularly in Instagram. Looking back, I'm so pleased with all the attention and momentum my content has drawn. I know I've worked hard and am immensely proud of achieving 15,000 views (and climbing) in YouTube! I've been pleased to receive feedback from dozens of other artists and content creators, who have helped me to build a family-friendly library of tutorials and product reviews. When I started, I had expectations that I would be able to create and engage audiences with meaningful content. What I knew could happen but didn't expect was the arrival of snide, non-constructive comments. These are truly a discouraging nuisance that slap you in the face. DEALING WITH SNARK Some people would suggest "growing a thicker skin". Others would fight back, responding in kind, or simply deleting the comme
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