The document discusses the author's experience learning to do video blogging. He decided to start creating video posts in addition to written work. While technology intimidates him, he wanted to challenge himself. He had his camera equipment set up by his technologically savvy brother. The author found the small buttons difficult to use and was surprised by how unphotogenic he looked in his test video. His goal is to create short instructional videos for YouTube, though he has yet to figure out how to upload content without help. He remains determined to master video blogging in the next couple days.

1. Learning to do video posts/blogging
by Kent Spoerlein | on December 12, 2012
As those of you who have been reading my stuff know, I decided to take the plunge and start doing
video blogging in addition to the more traditional written word.
I sometimes struggle with technology – hardly ever use my cell phone for instance - maybe 1
minute/month – so the idea of doing videos was a bit intimidating. Nevertheless, I decided that I had
to step FAR out of my comfort zone and give this the “old college try”.
My camera arrived from Amazon yesterday. My brother, the “techie” in the family, told me what to
buy, special memory chips or cards or whatever they’re called, a quick-charge thing for replenishing
the battery – I’m “loaded up”. So the first thing I did was charge the battery- even I can do THIS. This
also, by the way, concludes things that I can do and now am dependent on my brother’s guidance or
the kindness of strangers to move forward.
You don’t get a manual any longer – you get a disc with instructions in (I’m not kidding) about 40
languages – they even have 2 in English (UK and USA – can’t imagine the difference there unless I
have to take the “lift” somewhere or use the “loo”) – I digress. So the USA version is 111 pages –
looks like WAY more than I want to know.
After all, all I really want to use this for is to film/record a series of short (5 to maybe 10 or 15 minute)
videos in my office and upload them to my YouTube account (yep – I’ve got one of those – opened it
when I ordered the camera).
So my brother walked me through all the various details that fall under “set-up” like setting the date,
setting the “face recognition” – whatever THAT is, turning on the anti-shake feature and on and on.
The buttons you use to complete these tasks are impossibly tiny and provide an extra level of
challenge to completing the list of tasks. No matter, we persevered through it all and now I’m “set up”.
Whew!
So I shot about a 3 minute test video to check picture quality, sound levels, etc., etc. I had heard/read
that “the camera” puts on about 10 pounds but I was most surprised how un-photogenic I am
apparently. Maybe I need a better make-up person than the one I currently use or maybe I should
move back from the camera to obscure a few of the (many) flaws I detected in my first video venture.

2. My only hope is that people might possibly be more interested in my message than my appearance.
That’s the only thing that can save me. And I look a lot older (have you heard the expression “rode
hard and put away wet”?) than I thought I did – YIKES!
Anyway, now I’m trying to figure out how to upload my test to YouTube without bothering my brother
– so far, no success. Looks like I gotta wave the white flag again, surrender to all that I don’t know
and ask for help.
Tomorrow is another day. I will figure it all out and will be posting videos in no time – hopefully in the
naxt day or 2. I will soldier on…
It actually is NOT that complicated (relative to rocket propulsion theory or advanced brain
surgery…hahaha).
Next stop – YouTube land…