university of hawaii - pacific new media social media communication skills - writing &...
DESCRIPTION
Writing and photography are two key skill sets useful in professional social media. Tips and hints for improving your professional or brand image using both. Class instructors: Tara Coomans (Writing) and David Ulrich (Photography) Many images are copyrighted.TRANSCRIPT
Communication Skills for Social MediaPart One
Writing and Photography
Tara Coomans and David Ulrich
The illiterate of the future will
be ignorant of the pen and
camera alike.
—Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, 1936
Lazlo Moholy-Nagy
Creative Commons: Tanya_Little
Your Social Media Voice
Resist Being A Zombie
Human
Opinion
You vs. We
Character/PersonaFriendlyWarm
InspiringPlayful
AuthoritativeProfessional
TextTone
PersonalHumbleClinicalHonestDirect
Scientific
LanguageComplex
SavvyInsiderSeriousSimple
Jargon FilledFun
PurposeEngageEducateInformEnable
EntertainAmplifySupport
The Social and Digital “You”
Creative Commons: Annie Mole
Be Nice To Your Reader. Please.
Reading Online Is Different
Key ConsiderationsTone
Font SizeParagraph Size
LanguageContent Length
Headings
7 Attributes of the Perfect Blog Post
1. 6 Words That Matter - Headline
2. Storytelling Hook3. Short Sentences. At
First.4. Subheadings 5. 1500-word sweet
spot6. Shareables
credit: http://blog.bufferapp.com/perfect-blog-post-research-data
The Art of The Headline
Different Platforms - Different Communication
Talk To The ReaderBe BoldSHORT
Keywords What’s In It For Me?
Surprise: “This is NOT a Perfect Blog Post.” Curiosity: “10 Tips For Perfect Headlines. Number 9 Is Impossible.” Audience: “For Bloggers Who Want More Traffic”
Creative Commons: Annie Mole
Bodies of TextUse SubheadingsDo your best to keep paragraphs simple.
Keep the language simple.
Remember, shorter sentences are easier to read. Pictures break
up text and draw the eye into the page.
Other tips: •Bullets help break up text•Use Active language•Avoid jargon or acronyms•Line spacing
What Makes The Reader Pay Attention
Engaging Writing
Casual, Personal StylesAsking Questions, Requesting Comments
What Would YOU Share?Authenticity, Transparency
Credit Others. Praise Others.
Including Competitors.
• San-Serif Easier to Read on Web
• Impact Your Brand Impression
• Font Sizes Differ On Screen
Typetester.org
pearsonified.com/typography/
the quick brown fox
the quick brown fox
the quick brown fox
the quick brown foxthe quick brown fox
Reading Online Is Different
What the Font?
Keep Language Simple
Stella’s Big Nose Knows
UseActive LanguageShorter SentencesAvoid Acronyms Jargon
Creative Commons: edenpictures
Write Upside Down
Reading Online Is Different
Creative Commons: Annie Mole
Key Take Aways
Reading Online Is Different
Speak To The ReaderPersonalAuthentic
Be Nice To The ReaderEasy-to-Read Font Styles and Sizes
Keep Paragraphs ConciseBreak Up Text
Write Upside Down
Remember RudySimple Language
Basic Communication Rules of the RoadTwitter
Abbreviations accepted, but not preferredHashtags: chat, search, contextKeywordsLeave Room For Retweets (RT)71-100 Character Tweets Get Most RTGive credit to external sourcesLink shortenersConsider your audience & opennessMentions, RT, viewed positively
Plenty of roomHashtags: newly adoptedPhoto posts + content“Tag” people & businesses
Google+
Hashtags: Search, contextKeywordsMini-blog
Different Platforms - Different Communication
Clearing Up Hashtag Confusion
Hashtags = KeywordsHashtags Aren’t “OWNED”
Hashtags Can Expand The AudienceNo Need To Litter
Different Platforms - Different Communication
Key Take Aways
Remember The Rules of the RoadUse Hashtags As a Tool
Be Bold. Be Awesome. Be Headline Savvy.Why Should I Care To Share?
Different Platforms - Different Communication
Five Elements of Photographic Vision
The Frame
Light
The Moment
Color/Tonality
The Subject/Concept
The Frame
Garry Winogrand, NY
Use active verbs
Omit unnecessary words
How does this relate to photography?
Frame = noun and verb
Frame = context, what to include.
Less is more
Robert Frank, The Americans
Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother
Arnold Newman, Igor Stravinski
Nicholas Nixon
Franco Salmoiraghi: The Angel of Death
Diane Arbus
Alec Soth
Harry Callahan
Emmet Gowin
Sally Mann, 1988
Light
Sally Mann
Andre Kertesz
Ansel Adams
Edward Weston
Alison Beste
Ed Ou, Revolution, Egypt
World Press Photo of the Year 2011Samuel Aranda, Spain, for The New York Times.Sanaa, Yemen, 15 October.
Sally Mann Immediate Family
Sally Mann
The Moment
Henri Cartier-Bresson
To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction
of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a
precise organization of forms which give that event its proper
expression.”
—The Decisive Moment, Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson
2nd prize Sports StoriesAdam Pretty, Australia, Getty ImagesShanghai, China, 17 July.
Arnold Newman
Paul Caponigro
Ansel Adams, Grand Tetons Minor White, Grand Tetons
Mitch Dobrowner
Lisa Hornak
Color/Tonality
Elaine Mayes
W. Eugene Smith
High Key
Edward Weston
Low-Key
W. Eugene Smith
Paul Caponigro
Contrast
Edward Weston
Harry Callahan
Color Dialogues
Georgia O’Keeffe
Anne Marie HamiltonJulienne Kost
AnneMarie Hamilton
Cindy Sherman
Ansel Adams
Making a Photograph
Ansel Adams
Previsualization
CameraRAW + Photoshop
David Ulrich
Subject/Concept
PICTURES ARE NOT ABOUT PICTURES
Pictures are about something
Lisa Hornak
Kauro Kaneshig
a
Richard Misrach: On the Beach
Shinji Salmoiraghi
Zac Noyle
Regional/Hawai‘i:Ocean
Wayne Levin
Culture: Kaho’olawe Project
Franco Salmoiraghi
Wayne Levin
David Ulrich
Dewitt Jones
Running the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait,
Chris Jordan, 2007
Plastic Bottles, 200760 x120"
Chris Jordan
Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes.
New Technologies
New Technologies
Size in Pixels
Wordpress: 1024X768
Flickr:• 75x75 pixels square• 150x150 pixels square• 100 pixels (on the longest side)• 240 pixels• 320 pixels• 500 pixels• 800 pixels *• Large (which will be 1024 pixels if it exceeds that
length)• 1600 pixels *• 2048 pixels *• The original size
iphone: 3264X2248
iphone 4s, 5: 3264X2448
Size in Pixels
Instagram 2048 X 2048, 12 meg
Sensor size
iphone 1/3.2
Apps
Instagram = publishing platform
Camera + = digital image editing
Easy Release = model & property releases
Snapseed = enhance and share from Nik software
Text Edit
When you need a photographer
Fashion
Advertising
Product
Journalism (10mpx: RAW)
Head shots
Wedding (prints, lighting)
Print Media
Specialized skill and equipment
Chicago Sun Times?
Words and photos
Illustrative
Narrative
Metaphor / parallel meaning
Pictures / captions
Narrative
Metaphor/Parallel meaning
Barbara Kruger
Captions & Attribution
who, what, why, when, where
who made the photo?
(alt tags)
Alecia Hoyt: Waikiki After Dark
Honolulu Weekly: “Prostitutes and Night Life”
Social Media: “Prostitution in Chinatown”
Legal & Ethical• Copyright
– metadata
– public domain
– Google image search, FB thumbnails
vs Pinterest (thumbnail vs publishing)
• Public space vs Private property
• Journalism (Factual images) & image
editing/manipulation
• Privacy, Libel, & Annoyance factor
–restaurants, movies, lectures, clubs,
movies
– Back channel?
Legal & Ethical
• Journalism (Factual images) &
image editing/manipulation
Legal & Ethical
Finding your own voice and vision
Be Authentic
emotion
stay loose: be spontaneous
revise, revise
experiment
awareness
speak of your life; yourself
epiphany and insight
David Ulrich
website: www.creativeguide.com
blog: www.theslenderthread.org
Tara Coomans
http://akamai-marketing.com/@taracoomans