Contrary to popular belief a psychology essay is more about the second description of the curtains (what the author meant) than the first (what the teacher thinks). Unless you have a stack of relevant research evidence to support your claims stick to the facts.
In this entertaining TED presentation Rob Reid attempts to break down and rationalise the numbers that the studios typically throw at us to convince us that copyright infringement is a big issue. In doing so he discovers that copyright infringement costs the film and tv crowd more jobs than the industry actually has available and has a financial cost that is greater than what much of the agricultural sector can produce.
Astoundingly he goes on to show that many of the industries concerned about piracy are continuing to grow, suggesting that piracy may not be the deadly killer we have been lead to believe that it is.
Crucially though this presentation is aimed more at the funny bone than the brain. While it's good for a giggle it would not be terribly surprising if the numbers didn't actually stack up.
In the video above Jonathan Haidt argues that spirituality in the form of united religions is a by product of an innate tendency to co-operate with each other. This tendency to co-operate, it is argued, is beneficial as it helps us survive.
While this goes down a strong evolutionary line that may turn a lot of religious viewers/readers away from the contents of this page and the video itself recoiling because of the beliefs of the presenter its entirely possible that these people are missing the point. Wihle the presenter clearly argues against religion as correct he does argue for religion being beneficial.
Religion provides something for people to organise around. It gives them a common set of beliefs and a common higher goal. It gives them something that is more than themselves.
For those who have heard me say I believe in church but not in god this is what I'm talking about. Religious communities can, and should, be a powerful force for good. In the end, as long as that's what they're doing, that's really all that should matter.
Without getting to grim the take home points from this video are:
- It's important to talk about death and how we want to die
As we have extended the life expectancy we have achieved attaining more old age, not more youth. This means that the way in which we die has become a slower, more drawn out process. While there are techniques that can be used to keep us alive longer they will not help us avoid death, they will only help as delay it. At some point people may wish to opt out of these techniques. However by the time people reach that point they are often unable to talk for themselves. As such it becomes important to have conversations about death while we are still healthy enough to do so
- Ask people who they would want to talk for them if they were no longer able to.
- Ask people if they have spoken to the person who they want to speak for them about what they want.
While this video may seem like it is advocating for Euthanasia it isn't really. Euthanasia is typically seen as taking an active role in bringing about pre-natural death. What is being discussed here is more about when you should stop trying to prevent death occurring.
The great thing about hearing Mike Langford give a presentation isn't the fact that you are listening to an award winning photographer. It isn't that he is the president of the NZIPP. It isn't that he has been published an astounding number of times. It is that his words and images convery a genuine sense of wonder for the world we live in.
While it would be simple for the above approach and standing to lend Mike to being aloof or out of touch with photographers around him the opposite is the case. Despite his achievement and standing within the NZIPP he is alarmingly down to earth. Either through his leadership or through some shared belief this attitude to photographers is reflected in the NZIPP itself. It is an institution designed to lift all photographers up to a professional standard and it is one that aims to be all inclusive. It is about sharing knowledge, not about guarding it.
Indeed Mike's lecture itself was geared towards sharing knowledge. While the content was reasonably diverse - photographing for travel books, cook books, kids books, the Australian Geographic, and more - the message that Mike wanted to share was presented as an underlying theme: Photographs are about presenting ideas.
While this concept is unlikely to be new to many people what was interesting was the way in which he suggested ideas can be portrayed. While he did include elements related to composition he really focussed on understanding how images would eventually be used and the importance of making images say what you want, or need, them to say.
Composition is a key element of any photograph.. While Mike covered ideas that you would have heard elsewhere he stayed away from mentioning things like the rules of thirds or the golden spiral. Instead he chose to focus on the role of colour (warm colours project, cool colours recede), his preference for including items in the foreground when using a wide angle lens, and the way that a sentence can be used to structure a photograph.
The idea of a sentence providing structure to compositions reflects the idea that a photograph is intended to convey some sort of meaning or idea. In terms of visual communication things that are in the foreground tend to be seen first. As such the equivalent sentence would typically start with the foreground item before moving back into the picture. For example a sentence structured as "A fisherman and his lobster boat in Costa Rica" would have a fisherman in the foreground with something in the midground showing that his boat is a lobster boat. Preferably this shot would also have Costa Rica in the background.
Good compositions must also consider how the final image will be presented. If it is a magazine or book cover it needs to provide space for the title. If there is a gutter that will cut the image this needs to be considered. If it will wrap around the book, filling the front and back covers this should also be considered, perhaps through the inclusion of a surprising element on the back cover. Importantly though it is not simply the page on which the image will appear that should be considered. It's position relative to the rest of the images in the book should also be considered. If a rhythm is formed it should be followed.
Yet while these subcomponents are important they are pointless if the image itself has nothing to say. Great images, equated to award winning images by Mike, are those that show people something different. They are images that make the viewer stop and ask questions of the image, the subject, or something larger. Great images tell a story that comes from the photographer. Critically great images may not ever occur without the intervention of a photographer.
At this point those of a more photojournalistic bent may recoil from this definition of great imagery. How can an image be great if it is dishonest? Simple. Photographs illustrate ideas. In many cases, once you know what the idea is, it becomes clear that the image will tell a better, more accurate story if you as the photographer intervene. This intervention may be in the form of directing light to points of interest or it may be in the form of moving objects in, out, or around the frame. Such intervention can help tell the intended story more directly to the viewer. One could even argue that the intervention makes the image MORE honest rather than less through providing a clearer illustration of the truth of the idea. An example Mike gave was a shot where a harvester was working in a wheat field. In order to clearly show what the harvester was working on Mike gaffer taped some of the wheat to his tripod, lifting it above the rest of the crop and clearly showing the grains. This dishonest lifted wheat made the story in the photograph come through more clearly, in essence making the image speak the truth about what was happening with a louder voice.
Overall the talk was well worth the trip to Parnell. Not only were great tips about photography shared, the notion of what it means to be an NZIPP member was brought into focus. For those that are still reading I don't mind you knowing that, as a result of attending this talk, I intend to join in the near future.
I've spoken about this is previous posts as well but if you want to optimise your website for search you need to understand how search worls. In this video from Google Matt Cutts explains how relevant results are indexed, searched, and ranked to produce the search engine results page that google users see. once you understand these basic elements of how search works, or how google thinks, you're ready to dive into SEO on a deeper level.
In all likelihood what follows will probably get me in trouble at some point. That being said, here goes:
Wedding Professionals often come across as being out of touch with reality.
They will tell you that your wedding needs to be the best wedding in every possible way then (deliberately or unwittingly) prey on the fear that your day will not reach this crazy fantasy standard without them.
See the link below for an example http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10793565
Wedding professionals are at risk of confusing high cost with high value.
They are in danger of telling brides and grooms that a wedding needs to be expensive to be memorable or even good.
This is nonsense.
Some of the best weddings I have photographed have been small, intimate affairs with a budget to match.
Do not get distracted by things that people tell you you need to buy or spend money.
If you focus on making your wedding a celebration of your relationship that involves friends and family members you care about and who care about you your wedding will be wonderful.
This has nothing to do with money.
Weddings are not about party favours.
Weddings are not about locations.
Weddings are about relationships and emotions.
Don't lose sight of that.
Rather unexpectedly I got to help out the awesome Perspectives Photography team last night. Even more unexpectedly they turned out to be shooting with a Canon 5D MKIII. They produced some excellent results in low light (with wet weather sprinkles to boot) and also took the time to create some great photographs.
Is Peter Hurley's Art of the Headshot worth the $300 pricetag?
To summarise what follows, probably. In fact if you're in a studio environment with more than one photographer shooting anything related to faces the answer is almost certainly yes.
Peter Hurley's art of the Headshot is 4 1/2 hours that you can spend with a top New York Photographer explaining his craft any time you like. While you might expect him to get bogged down in camera and lighting details or even stick to basic procedures he goes well beyond this. Instead he explains his complete approach and the trajectory of his career. From how he started out on his own as a natural light photographer to how he operates today charging $1100 per headshot shoot while working with a team including retouch and make-up artists.
Perhaps unexpectedly equipment and lighting set-ups end up taking a back seat to client-photographer interactions. In fact Peter makes the point that the reason he is a successful headshot photographer is that he is 10% photographer and 90% therapist. Rather than worrying about keeping his camera happy he focuses on making his clients comfortable.
While comfort is a key part of the therapy component of the shoot his therapy extends beyond this. Peter shares tips with his clients (and you the viewer) about how to create excellent photographs. For Peter this element of teaching is perhaps the most important aspect of his photographic therapy session.
Conveniently you are not required to take his word for this. As part of the DVD you are supplied with 6+ recorded headshot sessions. In these sessions you will see clients coached from average photos through to stunning photos as a result of the environment and education that Peter provides. Critically these sessions are not all performed with people who simply 'get' what Peter wants or how he wants them to behave. At times he encounters resistance and you the viewer get to see how he gets through that to reach the goals that he needs to achieve.
While this DVD has been marketed at photographers it could easily be marketed, perhaps in a condensed form, to models as well. The tips that Peter provides are the sort of things that models will be able to apply in most, if not all, of their photoshoots throughout their career. Check out the video at the bottom of this page for an example of one of the lessons.
However it's not all good news. Those who are taken aback by the pricetag might ask, isn't this the sort of information that I can get elsewhere for less than $300 or, in this modern age, for free? The answer to the question is yes... but. What Peter Hurley's DVD does is collect and assemble the information, that you will be able to find in pieces, in a way that not only works but has been shown to work. It's the difference between being able to find all the pieces necessary to make a car and having a fully functional vehicle. What is that difference worth to you?
While that point might be considered good news (in that you are getting some kind of value for your money if you do proceed with the purchase) the next point is cause for some concern. When Peter talks about equipment he stresses the importance of a pro-level dSLR as a minimum requirement. This is nonsense and probably stems from the fact that he is out of touch with the dSLR market (he admits to this but it is surprising that nobody on the F-stoppers team thought to question this point during the production of the video). Consumer level dSLRs would now be perfectly capable of performing the functions required for a headshot shoot and would be a much better investment for someone just starting out in photography than the pro-level equipment that will be outgunned by lower level cameras by the time the beginner has generated enough income to recoup the cost of their initial camera. As a reference point Peter shoots at a low shutter speed and at low ISO. Almost any decent consumer dSLR will perform well at these levels. If anything invest in a quality lens and a body that is good enough to get the job done.
Beyond this it is important to recognise that this DVD is about headshots. This means the techniques that you will learn will be useful for photographing people. Typically people on their own. Typically people from the shoulders up only. In fact the advice that Peter gives out during the DVD is all about the face and how to make it look its best. Now, don't get me wrong, faces are very important and these tips are extremely valuable but if you are expecting something more than this you won't get it. in this sense the DVD does what it says on the box - it tells you how to take a great headshot. While you can take some of the photographic lessons and apply them to other settings the headshot is where the focus stays. If you try some of the body positions Peter suggests in a full length shot you will end up with some very odd results.
Ultimately then whether or not you should buy Peter Hurley's art of the headshot depends on what you expect to be able to take away from it. If you are happy to take away photo related tips that focus on enhancing the faces of your subjects with little focus on any other body parts then this DVD is a no brainer. If you want to know how Peter Hurley runs his business, built his business, lights his studio, sets up his camera, selects clothes, guides make-up artists, or runs an individual session then this is well worth the money. But if you are looking for anything beyond this, such as how to take a great group portrait, and do not have the imagination or ability to take lessons learned in one area and apply them to another keep you money in your pocket. This is a DVD about taking great photos of individual faces that show a connection with the subject. While the rules can be applied to multiple subject shoots that application is left to you.
1) Failure to provide value to the client
A website that has great SEO but no real value to it searchers will not reliably click through or refer friends.
2) A segmented approach to SEO
Focus on optimising your site through the whole customer experience. Align your marketing message with your SEO strategy.
3) Time Consuming Work Arounds
Stay up to date with current best practices to avoid wasting effort. One example is flagging content in such a way that causes google's spiders to disregard it completely.
4) Getting caught in SEO trends
The most dangerous trend to get caught up in is chasing the search engines rather than users. Search engines try to emulate users. If you chase users you and the search engines will be working towards the same goal meaning algorithm changes should help rather than hurt you.
5) Slow iteration
Update your site continually to provide maximal optimisation
Do these:
1) Do something cool
2) Include relevant keywords in your copy
3) Be smart about title and meta description tags
4) Sign up for e-mail forwarding in webmaster tools (it will send you information about problems etc.)
5) Attract Buzz, often referred to as creating link bait
6) Stay fresh and relevant
Here's an interesting spin on the Nigerian Prince scam.
Dear Sir/Ma
I am a Sunni Arab and a member of a strategic committee in the oil industry in Iraq ; I write to seek your partnership in a lucrative oil business.
My ideal partner should be trustworthy, reliable and have the ability to operate a business in a western nation. You will not be required to travel to Iraq or to leave your country.
I seek your partnership because of an urgent need to move my family out of Iraq due to the deteriorating security situation due to sectarian violence and the strong prospect of a civil war as the U.S. has finally pull out its troops.
To indicate your interest or request more details, please contact me by email:
Vulnerability is the birth place of creativity, innovation, and change.
Creatioin is making something that has never been made before, there is nothing more vulnerable than that.
Shame is the birthplace of vulnerability.
Shame identifies a problem. Shame leads to creativity, innovation, and change as long as shame exists there will be a desire to avoid it. It is best to avoid it by removing the source. The best way to remove the source is through change.
This idea is related Adler's idea of compensating for inferiority. Shame is the idea that there is something bad about ourselves. It is the idea that you, or something about you, is unacceptable.
Shame leads to the feeling of being an imposter. Ideally this leads you to work harder to feel like less of an imposter.
If you're on Orcon Genius and you find that your phone isn't working try the following things:
1) Turn the modem off and then on again
If the phone icon is red you probably just need to turn the modem on and then off again.
If you do this make sure the modem stays off for about 1 minute.
2) Check the phone itself
If the above option doesn't work check the phone itself.
a) Check that it is connected to the correct port on the modem
b) Check that the phone has the right kind of connection, Orcon Genius Modems do not accept the standard BT connection that you will be used to using.
c) Check that the phone works by testing it at a friends house. If it doesn't work there it probably doesn't work at all
d) Check whether the modem rejects your phone or all phones by trying a different phone (such as one from a neighbour or friend)
e) Check to see if your phone requires an additional adaptor
Orcon Genius uses VOIP to make phone calls. VOIP lines carry a lower voltage than standard lines. Older phones designed for standard lines may require an adaptor such as a DialGizmo.
3) Contact Orcon via cellphone. You should be able to use their toll free number.
Competence is no longer enough.
Laziness and procrastination are the enemy.
Madness is not a necessity.
Hard work is not enough.
Passion is important. It should be followed.
Passion is not the same as something you find interesting.
Passion is a great and consuming love.
Relationships have become a modern excuse. It is possible to be successful and be a good person.
In this Ted talk Andrew Stanton of Pixar fame outlines what he believes are the keys to a good story. Chief among these are the idea that storytelling is joke telling.
Make your audience care
Make a promise
Communicate that the story will be worth the audience's time
Ask them to solve a problem
The audience wants to work for their meal, but they don't want to know they are doing this
We are born problem solving
The absence of information draws us in
Don't give people 4, give them 2+2
Have a strong underlying theme
While it is important to have something guiding action and uncertainty moment to moment it is also important to have a larger idea or question to carry people through the entire film.
Aim to create a sense of wonder
If you capture your audience's imagination you have them along for the ride.
Use your structure
The order you present things is important to the equation of story
Should you tell your story linearly or non-linearly? What will make people care the most?
Good Stories are inevitable but not predictable
Good stories are propelled forward by something. Often something within one of the characters, something that drives them forward. This drive makes the progress of the story inevitable but, hopefully, not predictable. There must be something of which we are unsure in order for us to want to learn more.
Avoid Static points in the story.
When stories go static they die
Create characters that have a spine
Great characters have an unconscious itch that they can't scratch, a driving impulse such as a need to please one's father
Wall E's was to find beauty
Nemo's father's was to prevent harm
Woody's is to protect his child
This itch can lead to 'bad' but understandable choices
This is the WHY idea again
Make your main character likeable
Woody was likeable despite a need to be the top toy
Drama is anticipation mingled with uncertainty
What will happen next?
How will it all conclude in the long term?
Don't be afraid to break the standard rules of story telling
Pixar's rules for Toy Story
- No songs
- no I want moments
- no happy village
- no love story
- no villain
These went against all the standard rules of animated films at the time (think of any standard animated Disney film ever)
Use what you know
All writers write from experience (in fact there is a deeper argument here about how imagination necessarily relies on experience but we won't go into that)
Andrew Stanton uses the particular example of how, early in life, he was given a second chance. It is that idea of a second chance that comes through in Finding Nemo. Nemo is the father's second chance.
In this video Barry Schwatz argrues that incentives are a poor way to create better workers not only when better is defined by morality or ethics, but also when it is defined by efficiency. The talk focuses on the importance of moral character and addresses the fear that we may be losing it in the modern corporate environment.
Often when I'm tutoring the personality course students seem to misinterpret Introversion as some kind of undesirable, disease-like state. This Ted talk seems to suggest that this is a misunderstanding that extends beyond the classroom.
One key misunderstanding about introversion is that it is the same as being shy. In fact many people believe that introversion is essentially being painfully shy, this is incorrect. In its simplest way introversion reflects a preference for quiet activities rather than noisy activities. This includes smaller social situations rather than rowdy parties. If introversion were shyness introverts would not simply express a preference for quiet small gathering with friends over large parties. Instead they would seek to avoid any social contact at all. Finally it should be noted that introversion and extroversion exist on a spectrum. It is not a binary state of being, everyone is a little bit of both.
There are arguments that introversion (or extroversion) is biologically based and this is reflected in the way that the preference for quiet activities emerges. Introverts require less stimulation to reach the same level of internal neural excitement as extroverts. In fact if they are given the same level of stimulation that extroverts require they may become overloaded leading to an unpleasant experience. One popular example of this is the lemon drop test. In response to a drop of lemon being placed on their tongue introverts produce more saliva and introverts. A more practical difference is found with risk taking beavhiour. As increased risk equals increased stimulation introverts typically seek out options that are less risky than their extroverted counterparts.
With these things in mind we can now move from an understanding of introversion as shyness to an understanding of introversion as a different level of optimal stimulation. In this way it should become obvious that introverts should be able to thrive in areas where extroverts will find it difficult to do so as well as the other way around.
One key area where introverts tend to pull ahead is with creativity. Creativity requires an incubation period. Such incubation is often induced through isolation. People more comfortable with isolation are more likely to get to this point.
In the video above Susan Cain argues that the modern emphasis on Extroversion is the result of cultural accumulation. The focus on the doer rather than the thinker, the salesman rather than the inventor, who you know not what you know, the extrovert rather than the introvert. She argues that this is potentially dangerous primarily because there is no correlation between the person with the loudest voice and the person with the best idea. To put it another way the introvert and the extrovert are equally likely to be the person the group should listen to but society teaches us to listen to the one who is likely to spread their words or volunteer their voice. Society volunteers the extrovert leaving 30-50% of people's ideas in the dark.
Susan's calls to action:
- Stop the madness of enforced and constant group work
It's also important to work on your own
- Go to the wilderness
Isolate yourself for a while to help ideas form
- Examine your 'suitcase' and ask why it's there
Share and engage with these things, make sure that the whole population is heard not just the loudest 50-70%
Paraphrasing is about putting something in your own words. Rewording involves taking someone else's words, making minor adjustments (such as changing a word here and there or re-ordering the sentences) and presenting this bizarre creation as your own.
With proper referencing paraphrasing lets you avoid plagiarism and helps create flow in your essay.
With proper referencing rewording is plagiarism and will probably destroy or prevent the creation of flow in your essay.
In order to avoid rewording by paraphrasing successfully you should follow these 3 simple tips: 1) Take notes in bullet point form
The great thing about bullet points is they are an effective way to pull out what you think the important ideas are. After all when it comes time to write your essay the important things to present are the ideas. Additionally If you take notes in bullet point form rather than by copying out entire sections you will not have the original content when you come to write your essay. This is actually beneficial as successful paraphrasing is about presenting ideas in your own words. If you deprive yourself of the original material you will be required to use your own words as you will have nothing else to fall back on.
2) Write your paragraph without looking at the original content
Even if you don't take notes in bullet point form you should never write your essay while looking at the original content. If you have the original content on hand you will find it difficult to break away from the structure of their sentences. Remove the temptation to cheat by rewording or reorganising their work by removing it from your environment. If you find this scary remember that the structure of their sentences is not what's important, the ideas that they present are what is important. If you are having trouble separating structure from ideas go back to the original content and take notes in bullet point form.
3) If you get stuck, try to explain what you have read to a friend or family member in 1-2 sentences
Often people freak out about their ability to paraphrase. They feel that the existence of a technical term means that paraphrasing is a technical skill that can only be completed by people with that skill. That is nonsense. Paraphrasing is simply putting an idea in your own words. You do this naturally all the time when you summarise what happened in a movie, tv show, or lecture when talking with friends. If you get stuck think of what you have read as something that you might want or need to explain to a friend. Figure out what you would say then use that explanation as your paraphrase.
A good essay flows. It does not stop and start. It does not jerk the reader around. It sets the reader on a clear and easy path towards the conclusion guiding them through the arguments that are required to reach it.
Flow may feel like an undefined concept; a source of sense that has not been pinned down. This feeling of loftiness does not stem from flow itself but the tendency of tutors and teachers to gloss over it as if it is more myth than fact. In fact there are 5 simple steps you can take to improve the flow of your essays.
1) Understand the role of your introduction and use it appropriately
Readers expect your introduction to act as a roadmap. Readers expect that whatever you mention first in the introduction will also be covered first in the body of the essay. This presents an excellent and easy opportunity to create flow in your essay. Simply present each idea in your introduction in the same same order as in your body paragraphs. Writing the introduction last can help with this.
2) Structure your argument around a logical flow of ideas
Flow is all about the logical flow of ideas one into another. there are 3 key ways to create this flow - Cover Broad content before specific content
This point is common to every essay you will ever write. If you cover the broad topics first your readers will understand what you're talking about when you reach the specific points later on.
- Use your essay Question
Here's where the structure becomes essay specific. At least 90% of the time the essay question (in combination with the idea of covering broad topics first) will provide the structural skeleton on which your essay can be built. Consider the question below:
Compare and Contrast the Personality Theories of Freud and Rogers
If we order that in terms of broad to specific we get the following:
Personality Theories
Freud and Rogers
Compare and Contrast
That is the order in which the topics should be covered.
- Use your Introduction (see point 1)
An introduction (and by extension the structure of an entire essay addressing this question) might go something like this: While there are many personality theories available to the modern researchertwo earlier and influential theories were those of Sigmund Freud and Carl Rogers. While there were some common points at an ideological level, including a belief in the importance of clinical applications and the idea of the danger of internal conflict, the theories are more marked by their differences. In particular their belief about the core motivations of individuals, sources of conflict, and the means of conflict resolution will be examined.
3) Use paragraphs appropriately
Every time you want to present a new idea it should be presented in a new paragraph. Similarly everytime you start a new paragraph you should be starting a new idea. This may mean that some of your paragraphs end up being very short while others end up being very long. This is fine. It is the presence of a new idea that indicated the need for a new paragraph NOT the length of the current paragraph.
Here is the introduction from before with new ideas indicated by changes in colour. Every colour change from purple to blue and vice verca indicates where we would expect a new paragraph to begin in the body of the essay. This is not to say that these are the only times that a new paragraph would be appropriate. You can think of this as a minimum number.
While there are many personality theories available to the modern researcher two earlier and influential theories were those of Sigmund Freud andCarl Rogers. While there were some common points at an ideological level, including a belief in the importance of clinical applicationsand the idea of the danger of internal conflict, the theories are more marked by their differences. In particular their belief about the core motivations of individuals, sources of conflict, and the means of conflict resolution will be examined.
Within each paragraph you should follow the SEE format:
Statement
Example
Explanation
4) Paraphrase, don't quote
This suggestion may seem surprising at first. Surely quoting is better than paraphrasing as the person you're quoting from is more respected as a writer than you are right?
Wrong.
The words the original author or speaker used were designed for use in the original material. They were selected because they were compatible with that flow of ideas. This means that the word choice may not be compatible with your flow of ideas. In fact it may be downright disruptive. If you use your own words you can keep your essay on track. If you use someone else's your risk taking a detour.
5) Practice, practice, practice
Flow is a characteristic of good writing. While the above tips are useful in helping create flow the best way to improve your writing is through practice.
