Blogging And Blogger’s Tools

Click on picture to enlarge!

Los Angeles, CA—I have gotten questions from my readers about how I go about getting material for this blog. They also want to know the tools needed to do the job.

First let me say I write my own material. I don’t rewrite other’s property or lift other’s words.

I make those calls to the newsmakers and the various public information officers. I grab available court records and post them when it helps illustrate the story.

I do a lot of my own video and pictures. Court photography is different because rules require a pool photographer to share video and pictures with all of the other journalists.

The equipment needed is better, lighter and cheaper than ever. If you only use text for a blog all that is needed is a computer with Internet access. If you want graphics and video you need cameras, Photoshop and video editing software. I use Corel Videostudio Pro X2 that sells for around $100.00.

My newest video camera is amazing. It’s the $200.00 Flip Mino HD. It has no tape and will record for 60 minutes. You can deploy it from your pocket in three seconds. The video from the flip has blown me away.

Always make sure your camera’s microphone is close enough to your sound source. The Flip does not allow for external or wireless mics at this juncture. I’m sure future models may allow for that. Whenever possible have a good light source to bring out the color and definition of your video.

The equipment above includes:

1. The Flip Mino HD camera and a small tripod.
2. A good quality digital camera, pictured is the Panasonic Lumix
3. A digital recorder, pictured is an Olympus offering
4. A small rechargeable video light and bracket, this one is a Sima
5. A cell phone with e-mail capability

Not pictured is a laptop or desktop computer.

My Flip Mino HD is smaller than most cell phones you can get you video without people running and ducking to get out of your shot. I have added a video that was shot and uploaded with the Flip Mino HD. Be sure to click the HD button on the YouTube screen to get the maximum quality. This is my friend Andrea visiting from Berlin.

Comments

Anonymous said…

Paul,

I think you have a shoe/foot fetish.

gives you a hug.

July 05, 2009 11:09 PM

Anonymous said…

Santo & Johnny "Sleepwalk" 1959

Ein Volk!

Ein Reich!

Ein Mino!

July 06, 2009 10:57 PM

A 40 Caliber Nightmare Is Caught On Tape.

So you’re confident that that .40 caliber S&W service round will keep you safe. Maybe you’ll have second thoughts after you see this video. One hot summer night in 1994 Tempe and Mesa Arizona police were involved in a pursuit with this suspect who ran into a stranger’s apartment to hide after being shot TWICE in the chest. He was shirtless and you can see the blood pumping out of those two wounds. What’s really frightening is just how agile this fellow is as he struts to the ambulance. If he was not handcuffed and had a knife or a gun, ask yourself if he could still hurt you, your partner or a hostage? If your jurisdiction demands that officers carry either the 9MM or the .40 Caliber S&W it’s time to show this video to your bosses and lobby to have the .45 ACP round authorized. The switch may well reduce the screaming by self-appointed community activists about how many rounds police had to use on a suspect. The really talented and courageous video journalist, Karen Ke...

The origin of the feature film, COME FRIDAY…

CLick On the pictures to see full size versions. Long ago there was a young lady I had the hots for in a big way (Yes, I know that hots is not a word). She was pretty, incredibly bright, and had some real elegance about her. She had a love for children and basic kindness that you don’t often see in someone her age. I met her parents and could understand she came from a much more stable home than mine. I was raised by a single, welfare mom and suddenly found myself way out-classed. For whatever reasons things did not workout they way I had hoped. Sadly for me, we went on our separate ways. From time to time I’d run into this lady in various places where our job had taken us. Whenever this happened my heart would skip a beat or two. I left my hometown Chicago, and moved to Arizona where I founded my detective agency. As a private eye and soon a TV news producer too, my career took me to the highest profile criminal events in Arizona and throughout the country. There’s no question that ...

America Will See Its Worst Race Riot Yet This Summer

Star Prosecution Witness, Rachel Jeantel Sanford, FL —Yes, the George Zimmerman trial here has thousands of African-Americans getting ready for some serious bloodletting. I don’t want to make idle and dire predictions but this nation has never been so divided and racially sensitive. Our African-American President took sides on this case at the very beginning. That ratified a George Zimmerman guilty verdict in the minds of millions. There’s just one little problem, and that is the murder case should have never been filed. It was filed purely for political reasons despite the fact that it was a simple justifiable homicide. Zimmerman was on the block watch lookout program and followed a suspicious Trayvon Martin after he used an improper entrance to a gated community. Zimmerman was acting as the eyes and ears of the Sanford Police Department. Martin did not like being followed and knew that he could easily beat up the out-of-shape...

Search This Blog