One of the obstacles I had to figure out when I got my very first and only DSLR, was to figure out how to get myself in focus when I wanted to shoot video of myself and I was alone.

Think about it, you are in front of a camera and there is no one [...]]]>

One of the obstacles I had to figure out when I got my very first and only DSLR, was to figure out how to get myself in focus when I wanted to shoot video of myself and I was alone.

Think about it, you are in front of a camera and there is no one to help you and you must get yourself focused or your video will turn out like crap.

The method is pretty easy actually and you can do it also no matter what type of DSLR you own.

In a nutshell, let me tell you how I do it and you can also watch my video and I demonstrate the method I use.

This method is especially helpful if you want to place yourself in focus and blur out your background for a good depth of field.

If you are making such a video like that, your focus is very critical.

First thing, make sure your DSLR is in the autofocus mode for taking still photos.

Yep, we are going to take a photo of ourself before we make a video.

The first thing you are going to do is to take a photo of yourself and use the self timer or a remote controller.

This action will actually set the focus of the camera for the spot in which you will be making your video.

Check your photo to make sure you are in focus. If you are, the battle is won and you can go about making your video with confidence that you will be in focus and looking great.

Now, don’t move your camera, just put it in video mode.

When you hit the record button, just make sure that you are standing or sitting in the very same spot in which you took your initial photo.

You should be in great focus and your video will look great.

Check out my video and you can see exactly how I do this with my DSLR which is a Canon 60D by the way.

Shooting HD video with my Canon DSLR is always fun and I always look for those opportunities.

I like to find things to shoot that may be a little different or from different viewpoints and angles.

The cool thing about owning a DSLR that has video capabilities, is that you are always prepared to [...]]]>

Shooting HD video with my Canon DSLR is always fun and I always look for those opportunities.

I like to find things to shoot that may be a little different or from different viewpoints and angles.

The cool thing about owning a DSLR that has video capabilities, is that you are always prepared to take photos or video.

I shoot with a Canon 60D and this camera produces some awesome DSLR video results.

You do not have to have professional skills to get great results with a DSLR.

A lot of people associate DSLR’s with professional photographers. This is not the way you should be thinking.

I think you should be thinking results. What equipment can I use to get the best photographic and video results based on my budget?

The drawback may be cost for a lot of people. My 60D set me back around $1200.

What sold me on the 60D was the articulating screen. I knew I would be able to get some great photos and video from some awkward angles.

As with everything, there are drawbacks to DSLR video. For one thing, there is not an autofocus that you would normally find on a regular video camera.

With that aside, the HD quality and the articulating screen of the Canon 60D can make for some interesting video.

Below is a video of a toad in my backyard that I would not have been able to get without the assistance of the articulating screen.

To get the shot, I simply placed the camera on ground in front of the toad and flipped the screen up towards me so I could see what I was doing.

I pressed the autofocus button and put the focus square on the toad. When it went green, meaning I had achieved focus, I hit the record button.

The results are pretty good. This DSLR produces a very good depth of field. Notice that the blades of grass in the foreground and background are blurry and out of focus.

If you own a DSLR that also shoots video, go out and practice and see what kind of results you can get.

If you want to improve all of your videos, I think the easiest way is to improve your video equipment.

You can’t go wrong if you start shooting video with a DSLR.

The more videos I shoot with my Canon 60D, the more impressed I am and in a lot of ways, it’s [...]]]>

If you want to improve all of your videos, I think the easiest way is to improve your video equipment.

You can’t go wrong if you start shooting video with a DSLR.

The more videos I shoot with my Canon 60D, the more impressed I am and in a lot of ways, it’s more fun.

DSLR video comes with challenges of it’s own. To get great video, it’s no longer simply pointing a camera and hitting the record button.

Shooting with a DSLR really makes you think and you must get to know your equipment better. I’m an advocate of learning the equipment you are using but I’m also human.

Sometimes I want to take a shortcut and just start making videos without digging deeper into how my camera works.

The video that I’m posting is from a recent trip to the park with my Grandson. When I’m with him, I usually have my 60D around my neck.

We ran across what seemed to be a pretty friendly Dragonfly lighting on the asphalt.

I used the opportunity to try and get some close-up video.

Here are the details of how I quickly set my Canon 60D to get the shot.

DSLR Video Tips

• Turn dial to video mode, this is actually easy to forget.
• I went to landscape mode
• Monochrome mode, I thought black & white would be cool.
• Manual mode, this mode allows you to focus on a subject and the background gets blurry.
• 1920 x 1080 30 frames per second. Widescreen baby!

I got the camera as close to the Dragonfly as possible. I was about 6 inches away.

Hit the autofocus button and put your focus square on the Dragonfly. When it goes green, hit the record button.

From there, you just try to hold it steady. DSLR’s usually do not have an autofocus feature so you have to maintain the same distance to your subject or you can easily go out of focus.

The best rule of thumb I use when shooting DSLR HD video, is to focus…shoot…stop. Focus…shoot…stop.

Anyway, you do not have to be a professional or have professional abilities to get the kind of results that look like you are a pro videographer. Let the equipment work for you.

Check out my Canon HD Dragonfly video. If you already have a DSLR that shoots video, I encourage you to get out of automatic mode and start experimenting with manual.

Go have some fun shooting some HD DSLR video.

I am constantly watching movies and videos on my computer with the QuickTime player.

The Apple Quicktime player is probably the internet’s most universal video player and you will find it on Mac’s and PC’s.

It’s a great player that does a lot more than allow you only to watch videos.

Did you know [...]]]>

I am constantly watching movies and videos on my computer with the QuickTime player.

The Apple Quicktime player is probably the internet’s most universal video player and you will find it on Mac’s and PC’s.

It’s a great player that does a lot more than allow you only to watch videos.

Did you know that you can directly upload a QuickTime movie file directly to YouTube without going to YouTube?

As a matter of fact, the QuickTime player will allow you to directly upload videos to Facebook, Vimeo, Flickr & iTunes.

What is the benefit in doing this? It may be a little bit of a time-saver for you. For my example, I have QuickTime Pro version 10 installed on my iMac.

The process is simple. At the top of your browser while you have the QuickTime player open, click “share” and choose where you want to upload the video.

You will see multiple choices. For this illustration, I will choose YouTube.

Select YouTube and you will get a drop down asking you for your log-in details.

Once you sign in, you will get another drop down and you will fill out all of the information including title, description and tags.

Click the next button. This page will be mostly informational and there will be a share button. Once you click the share button, the upload process to YouTube will begin.

You can see the blue progress bar for YouTube.

It’s just that simple. You actually do not have to log into the YouTube website to upload a QuickTime video file.

Using this process, you do not have to convert to Quicktime or select a particular video format. It means if you are already watching a video on QuickTime, the video is ready to be uploaded in it’s current version.

If you do not have the QuickTime player on your computer, click here to download.

I want to share with you a quick and easy tip on how you can share a large video file online with someone.

Most of our first thoughts would be to just send someone an email and attach the file.

You have probably heard of a file sharing service, but even that is not necessary.

There are times when you may need to rotate a quicktime video, especially if you receive a video by email and it’s not orientated correctly.

In other words, the video needs to be flipped 90 degrees so you can view it without turning your head.

So many people have smartphones and they like to send [...]]]>

There are times when you may need to rotate a quicktime video, especially if you receive a video by email and it’s not orientated correctly.

In other words, the video needs to be flipped 90 degrees so you can view it without turning your head.

So many people have smartphones and they like to send quick videos.

You receive a video in your email and you have to turn your head 90 degrees just to view it.

You may want to save the video to your computer or share it on social media but you don’t want to post a video until you can rotate it properly.

Here is a screen shot of a video I received on email. As you can see, it came to me sideways and I need to rotate it at least 90 degrees.

I received this video on email, and I want to flip it 90 degrees.

Ok, so here is how to rotate a video in QuickTime. Only takes a few seconds.

In my case, I work on a Mac, so I right-clicked the video and chose to view it in Quicktime.

I have Quicktime Pro installed on my MacBook. The pro version gives you a lot more options and flexibility. The pro version of Quicktime only cost $29.99 from Apple. If you work on a Mac. it’s well worth the money.

Here is the video when I opened it up in Quicktime on my Mac.

Now I want to turn this video 90 degrees.

Your next step is to click “window” at the top of your browser, and click the video properties. A new window will pop up. Click the video track and you can see the option to flip and rotate the quicktime video. You can also see that you have some other options to make changes to the video.

Below is a screenshot of my video after I rotated it 90 degrees.

Now my quicktime video is suitable to watch and I can even share it on social media and no one has to turn their heads 90 degrees.

Since the new release of the iPad 3, you can imagine there are a lot of owners who will be attempting to sell their older iPads.

Did you know that Apple may be interested in purchasing your older iPad from you?

If Apple can determine if your old iPad has any monetary value, you can [...]]]>

Since the new release of the iPad 3, you can imagine there are a lot of owners who will be attempting to sell their older iPads.

Did you know that Apple may be interested in purchasing your older iPad from you?

If Apple can determine if your old iPad has any monetary value, you can receive an Apple gift card.

The process is simple. Go to the Apple Recycling Program Page.

You will find a “get started” link where you will fill out all of the information about your device.

The form will estimate the value of your iPad or other Apple device.

You will receive pre-paid shipping information to ship your device.

Once received, Apple will send you an Apple Gift card by mail.

You can use your gift card in any Apple Store or online. Pretty simple.

Apple will also accept any of your old computer equipment if you just want to get rid of it and recycle.

Give Apple Recycling a shot if you do not want to deal with the hassle of trying to sell your old iPad on Craigslist or something similar.

I make money producing social media videos for small businesses in my area.

It’s a rather simple process and one in which you can easily duplicate yourself.

If you have a video camera, a wireless microphone and you are the least bit proficient in video editing, you can certainly earn at least a part time [...]]]>

I make money producing social media videos for small businesses in my area.

It’s a rather simple process and one in which you can easily duplicate yourself.

If you have a video camera, a wireless microphone and you are the least bit proficient in video editing, you can certainly earn at least a part time income producing social media videos.

You will find through research that most small businesses in your area need any additional marketing they can get.

You will also find that most small businesses do not have the staff to solely concentrate on their social media advertising and presence in the community.

That’s where you fill the void.

If you know how to make short videos of good quality and upload them to YouTube, you have a business waiting for you.

Here is my recommendation. Find a business who is willing to let you promote them and produce 2 or 3 short videos for them.

In the very beginning, work for free if necessary.

If they do not have a YouTube account, start one for them and upload these videos.

Promote these social media videos on their Facebook page as well as yours as well as Twitter and Google Plus.

You now have a small video portfolio in which to work and advertise your services.

Once you have built some confidence and have examples of your work, begin charging for your services. Do not work for free.

How much do you charge to produce a video?

My advice is to let your client set a budget and you work from that budget.

If a small business such as a landscaper is interested in your social media video services and can afford $400 per month, decide how many videos you are willing to produce for that amount of money.

Plan your videos. A nice sunny day where the landscaper is working on a beautiful yard can easily produce several videos in one shooting.

Be creative in your own marketing of your services. Use social media, craigslist etc. to spread the word that you are a social media video producer. You can become a local social media expert.

Below is an example of a social media video I produced for a local insurance company. The insurance company is now heavily promoting this video through all of their social media channels and website.

You can do this.

One of my goals this year is to place more emphasis on YouTube.

I’m doing better than I have in the past, but I’m not utilizing YouTube to it’s potential yet. I’m kind of like a turtle coming out of the starting gate in a race.

How can you check your Youtube stats to [...]]]>

One of my goals this year is to place more emphasis on YouTube.

I’m doing better than I have in the past, but I’m not utilizing YouTube to it’s potential yet. I’m kind of like a turtle coming out of the starting gate in a race.

How can you check your Youtube stats to help determine your progress?

It’s actually easy and I like to look at my YouTube stats by comparing data over a similar date range.

I’ll look at my YouTube stats and you can easily check your stats also, here’s how.

Go to your YouTube channel page and click your channel icon on the top right hand side. Click settings.

Now look for and click analytics.

By default, YouTube will show you the stats of your channel over the last 30 days. Your page will list the amount of views you have had and also how much money your videos have made if you have monetized your account.

There is a lot of information on the page including your top videos and YouTube subscriber stats.

Your stats page will also list your top 10 videos for this period.

There is a button provided on this page to help you select a custom date range.

Below is a screenshot of my YouTube stats from last year (2011) from Jan. 1 – March 15.

Below are my stats from the same time period for this year, 2012. As you can see, a big improvement and I have even made a few bucks over the last 45 days.

Let me offer you this advice. You don’t have to create masterpiece videos. You just have to get in the game and participate.

Continuing on from my last post on how to embed Facebook videos, let’s take it a step further.

This time, I’m going to show you how to embed the videos from “other Facebook” members on a web page.

It basically works like this, go to the photo and video album of the other member [...]]]>

Continuing on from my last post on how to embed Facebook videos, let’s take it a step further.

This time, I’m going to show you how to embed the videos from “other Facebook” members on a web page.

It basically works like this, go to the photo and video album of the other member and select the video you would like to embed.

Go ahead and click the video to begin playing.

Once the video starts playing, you will notice the video url in your browser.

Once you have the set of numbers copied, I want you to paste the code below into your editor. Replace the numbers highlighted in blue with the numbers you copied from the url.

<object width="500" height="314">
<param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/123456789012345"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/123456789012345" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="314" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>
</object>

I used this exact method to embed the video you see below. Note that you can adjust the width & height numbers in the code above to suit your needs.

Below is a video from my friend Josh Whitford’s Facebook page. “Mito The Cat”.

Important Note: If you embed someone else’s Facebook Video, the video might not appear unless they have their video set to public in their settings.