My Blog Experience

The World Wide Web allows people to get a hold of information within seconds of clicking a button, this has pushed our society forward globally with creativity and innovation. It has affected our communication with mass media and information to people around the world. Media is the heart of our culture now, taking on a progressive face to technology. With mass media being more relevant, it was allowed us to affect how we communicate as well. The use of blogs allows people to communicate their opinion in a free open environment, with no guidelines to follow.

Through blogging, I have learned how to openly express my thoughts and ideas in a verbal setting. I enjoy reflecting on material that we have discussed in class and writing about in my own opinion. With each weekly blog, I found my writing to be more personal because I am able to write down sentences as if I was speaking them. Blogging this semester has also allowed me to discuss certain topics that I would not have normally chosen to write about which has given me more exposure to the world and media.

While writing my weekly blogs have also made me more interested in our daily news, writing about current events that deal with communications was interesting. It also changed my perspective on certain topics because I had a different take. But overall, I enjoyed blogging this semester and being able to use the web as a media resource for this class was unique. I enjoy putting my thoughts/ideas into word and expressing how I feel. As I move forward from this class, I will continue to keep up with checking other social media blogs or pages to see how things are in the mass media world.

Presentation

After the presentations today, I found myself very interesting in the topic of whistleblowers. When the group presented information on this term, I was interested in how impactful they are/were in our society. 

The definition of a whistleblower is a person who informs on a person or organization engaged in an illicit activity. They expose some type any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public. The examples the group spoke about was the Watergate scandal. Mark Felt took down the presidency of Richard Nixon, this FBI figure was the secret informant known as Deep Throat who helped Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward, and Carl Bernstein. Though Deep Throat became a symbol of shadowy Washington sources dishing out information in clandestine meetings, his identity was kept secret until 2005.  He was an internal informant to the whistleblower definition because he was apart of the president's inner circle and knew what illegal activity was going on, he gave inside information. 

But on the other hand, an external whistleblower is a person who reports an organization's illegal, immoral, illegitimate works to someone outside the organization. 

I found both of these concepts interesting and I liked how they connected them to the modern society This section of their presentation I believe was very different because the information is more historical but there are instances where our society today uses them. Overall, the rest of the presentation was good, I was engaged and learned a lot! 

Privacy

After watching the TED talk videos, I found it very interesting when the first video talking about tattoos and how the social media we post leaves a mark on us even after we are gone. It made me think a lot about what I have posted before and what I have seen other people post, and how questionable certain posts are. I also like how the concepts from other cultures are relevant to our society and how they use "immortality" as a threat as if being immortal now is a scary idea because as much as we post, we are forever out in the cyber world or database.

The second video I found very scary, they track our cars and scan our licenses plates every time we pass by a police car or camera. I personally had no idea that there were scanners on the top of the cars that recorded all that data when I'm simply driving by. When the spokesperson showed the pictures of the man's license plate and had a picture of the children getting our f the car, it was unsettling because without knowing harmless kids were recorded. It is an invasion of privacy, it doesn't matter if they argue they may need the information for a later cause; it is wrong. We should be informed of our recording.

In the third video, Soghoian spoke about surveillance in today's society and how it has changed over time to become more relevant to companies with the demand. But what I learned from this video that shocked me was the iPhone phone tap. I didn't know that apple cant track where the messages come from and to, this causes an issue for the government. Soghoian spoke about the encryptions and how the tech companies are making it more difficult for the government to survey us. Although, I agree with the idea that the government should have access to peoples information because of climbing dangers like it was said in the video but, not all persons need to be watched.

The final video was shocking to me when she opened with the story of her boyfriend. How he took revealing pictures of her and exposed her on a website he created. It was shocking that her boyfriend posted that as a threat/ revenge post since they ended. When she spoke about the revenge porn and how 1in 30 women are involved in this act, it made me shake. she spent months in court while she was still exposed for everyone to see, it took a mental and physical tool on her. I can't even imagine this situation to happen. But it's scary how the internet can be used in such a way of harassment that can destroy anyone.  She has to get the department of homeland security and other government officials involved to get these pictures taken down. She had to expose herself even further just to get the photos taken down, which ultimately they did. The TED talk opened my eyes to another form of bullying in such an extreme way. Having clear laws against these actions are important and I agree with what the speaker said, they need to have tougher enforcement.

The cyber world is scary and can change a persons reputation or life in a second. After watching all these videos, they have taught me that people need to be so careful about what they are posting and how they are posting on social media. Privacy is critical to have a safe life and we need to pay close attention to it.

Media Consolidation

When going over the research of what Media Consolidation is, the definition I found was "a process whereby progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing shares of the mass media". To put into simpler terms, I found that it means small firms are dominating the media industries and its very concentrated. But are in contact with large/ global companies use Media Consolidation as well. Companies with the highest revenue from Media Consolidation are "Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, AT&T, CBS Corporation and Viacom per Forbes." 

Media ownership is generally something very close to the "complete state control over information" in direct or indirect ways. this can lead to many issues because if media Consolidation is concentrated in one or more of the ways, a number of undesirable consequences follow. This may include but is not limited too, commercially driven ultra-powerful mass-market media. This is primarily made up of loyal to sponsors, (advertisers and government officials) rather than to the public interest. Another issue is, few companies representing the interests of a minority elite control the public airwaves. this can cause an alarming amount of people to pull away. which is another issue, the healthy, market-based competition is absent, leading to slower innovation and increased prices. All these problems have occurred/will if media ownership is present with complete control. 

With all that being said above, media consolidation can be a very good policy to have or a very bad one. With having control over information, companies and their competitors will have to continue to grow and re-event themselves to be better than one another. Or other companies like Comcast who has spent billions to "kill off" their competitors than improve their service or build out their networks. 

The FCC and the Justice Department should protect our ability to connect, communicate and organize for social change by blocking dangerous mergers and boosting diverse media ownership.

Personally, I feel that I do not have a large social media presences. I like to keep my social life private to my friend and family only. All my accounts are very well secured and I have to do this also because I am on the lacrosse team here. My coach always says what we put out there is a reflection of ourselves and our team and the team comes first. I agree with that statement and I also don't feel comfortable having random strangers know personal information about me.

But when I do use my social media accounts, I would say that Instagram is my main source of publishing something or checking posts. I post pictures of myself, my family, friends and my dogs on Instagram. It is a positive reflection of my life and if people were to follow me on this account, they would see a real side to me. On Instagram, I have other social media account called vsco what is a picture posting app and its different from Instagram because you don't need likes to know its a good picture or comments, its just a more "artsy" way to view photos. The link to my vsco is in my bio of Instagram and I have to admit that is probably the only way people who I don't know or don't follow would see something about me. I don't post anything bad on here (my coaches follow us on this account as well) but it has different standards of picture posting that Instagram that is fun and unique.

On the flipside of things, public information that is out there about me is very small, if you google me one has to be very specific because my full name (Kimberly Jenkins) is common and a picture of myself or information doesn't show up on google. But on the off chance you do, I have found my LinkedIn profile which is supposed to be public and my High Point Lacrosse profile which is also public. These two accounts share my hometown and zip code but I believe no address. They also share my family and siblings names/ages. Along with my LinkedIn, it shows my work experience and schooling. My phone number and email are shared on my LinkedIn to contact me for jobs but I feel confident that no one will try anything creepy on there.

Which leads me to my final point, I do think social media can make some lonely, you can get so caught up in what other people are posting and such that you lose track of who you are. Or you become so invested in them and how they look that you lose confidence in yourself. I am guilty of it, seeing skinny girls on extravagant vacations, I get jealous and wish to be them. Social media can change someone, make them more addicted to there phone and the constant notification that come in. it's not healthy and I know I'm at fault as well but, I am working on it and other people should too because in the grand scheme of things it's just an app and a screen.

Diffusion of Innovation

In 2006, the app Twitter was founded; this application is used for news and social networking service on which users post and interact with messages known as "tweets".  After our discussion today in class, I would classify myself as a laggard because I don't use twitter. I had the app at one point, which I used in middle school around 7th-8th grade I would tweet stupid updates about my life. But after a while I found the app to be annoying and within that year I deleted it and haven't used it since. 

I believe not having Twitter does not affect my life in any way. Yes, I miss out on some funny social media posts or news stories that don't normally air but, I see no need to download and sign up for twitter once again. On the other hand, I would say the younger generations love twitter and use it constantly to interact with one another or to see what celebrities are doing.  I would classify them as early adopters. I can easily do the same thing on other social media such as Instagram or Snapchat and not waste data.  

Twitter to me just seems to be a constant loop of updating people on what you or they are doing. I did not find the app keeping me in connection with my friends or family like  Facebook or Instagram does. I know Twitter is used to post either political or religious views that I personally wouldn't feel comfortable doing so, why would have the app? But other people around the world like to get their message out there to the public fast which is a positive of Twitter as well which is why I can see both sides as to why people have this app. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't matter if you are a pioneer of Twitter or a laggard like myself the Twitter app is our their for your use. And if you want a good laugh my tweets maybe still up, follow me @kimbotweets20!! 

Protect Dissent

After a discussion in class, my partner and I found that to us the most important Value of Free Expression would be number eight, Protect Dissent. When looking up the meaning of this word, I found it means "the expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially held". it is a lack of agreement, we shouldn't have to agree with everything the government says, we all have our own beliefs and values that are each individual.

This is a value that everyone has equal rights to agree or disagree with the government. In fact, it is our "patriot duty to criticize the government", You should be allowed to criticize people for what they believe in because it won't always match your values. 

The First Amendment protects minority views, which means no matter how unpopular you have the right to strongly disagree with the government. It breaks a tie between government views and basic human rights, there is no majority view. This is important because it protects us from mob rule in our system, not allowing one person or party to have full power over a group. 

But on the other hand, it is not only the government we must protect dissent from but, it is also from everyone else. It's important to keep that in mind when you challenge value or if someone challenges you. 

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is a unique system of Justices, they are the highest level of the federal judiciary of the United States. There are only 9 positions by stature and are only nominated by the President with Senate confirmation.

After watching the video in class, I learned a lot of interesting things about the supreme court and far they have from the time of Marshall. When the Justices spoke about the rules and gestures that go into decision making, it made me wonder how influential they really are. For a case to reach this high into the court system they have to "nitpick" in a way that hits the most controversial topic to which they settle.

In the video, they discussed the process of coming to a decision and how some of their mindsets have shifted from one side to another throughout a discussion. I find that very unique because they have been elected for a specific standard and to not follow through on that belief/value can change a case entirely. One Justice spoke about having an outline for each case with is a decision prior to the meeting so he can see how is mindset changed or to return to that decision for recurrence. To me, that seems like a responsible way to take on a case, outline the pros and cons of a decision to see what is the best outcome.

I enjoyed watching this video very much and I enjoyed the part when they highlighted Ruth Bader Ginsburg because has been in front of the court on multiple occasions, both sides. She spoke about the anxiety she felt speaking before the court and realizing halfway through that they (the Supreme Court) had no choice but to listen to her. So, she let herself roll with it. The tips she gave about having a strong leading statement to draw in the Justices is important and if they have time for it, a closing statement is critical.

Luke Perry

News broke yesterday afternoon that the beloved "90210" and "Riverdale" actor Luke Perry passed away at the age of 52, due to a massive stroke. Emergency responders were called to his house Wednesday of last week in Los Angles and taken to a nearby hospital.

Perry was surrounded by his childern, Jack and Sophie, and his fiance Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, along with many other friends and family.

It is still unclear what led to Perry's stroke but it is believed that it is an "ischemic strokes. That is when a blood clot prevents blood flow to the brain. Though the risk of suffering a stroke typically increases with age, a 2013 study found that roughly 15 percent of all ischemic stroke “occur in young adults and adolescents.”

In an article from Fox News, by Madaline Farber, she discussed that although strokes only affect the older individuals, it is not only a disease of the elderly the article discussed. But due to the death of Perry, it has brought awareness to the fact even young and middle-aged adults or children can be affected by this. Farber wrote that “In fact, there is evidence that stroke rates among young people are increasing in the United States and this requires additional research.”

R.Kelly leaves jail after posting $100k in sex abuse case

Friday in Chicago, the news started to break that the R&B star R.Kelly was taken into custody after being charged with aggravated sexual abuse.

He pleaded not guilty to all accounts and spent the weekend behind bars while his lawyers, who worked vigorously to defend his name. He was charged with 10 accounts of aggravated sexual abuse. A judge set a bond at "1 million, meaning Kelly had to post 10 percent of that amount to be released"(Tarm). With that being said, he also is not allowed to interact with girls younger than 18.

The article spoke about the past decades and how Kelly has been trailed for years by allegations that he violated underage girls and women. Videos have surfaced into evidence from the past years of Kelly and a 14 year-old-girl. But he has constantly been denying any "sexual misconduct".

His defense team left the press with this quote "everybody is entitled to a defense. Everybody is entitled to the presumption of innocence. We should take a step back. Let's see what happens, what the evidence is and how this plays on"- Steve Greenberg. Although Kelly has been bailed out of jail today, the case still remains and more evidence is being collected, as far back as 1998 Kelly has been in the cites of the prosecution.

I'm excited to see what will come in the months to come following the release of Kelly, I think more evidence will be released and justice will be served to all parties involved in this misconduct.

Tattoos

This weeks blog I decided to change it up and do something personal. This past October, I lost two very important people in my life to a drunk driver. I have family out in Northern California and my cousin Hector was on his way home from work and went to go pick up my eight-month-old baby cousin from his parent's house. Her name was Camila and I never had the chance to meet her but the pictures I saw and the videos that were posted about her, made me feel as though I did.

So, on the way home from work, Hector was driving and a woman who was drunk swerved on the road and hit a road that crashed and hit into my cousin's car. It was a really hard time for my family, they were both fighting for their lives but unfortunates god had other plans. They were taken from us so quickly and shockingly that it took a huge toll on our family.

But as time went on the story of them never settled with me right and never meeting Camila hit me very hard. Which leads me to the reason why I decided to get a tattoo. Camila's name stood for flower, light, and purity. Also, her middle name was rose, I debated for a long time to get a rose tattoo because it seemed so fitting but I decided on another flower. It felt right to me and was symbolic of three flowers together.

The tattoo is behind my right ear, choose this placement because its hidden to most people and when my hair is up, one can see the design from behind and on the side. It isn't a huge tattoo but it's noticeable or at least I think it is. But nonetheless, it's in a personal spot that I will always have with me and I will always have Camila and Hector with me even when they aren't on this earth anymore.

New York Times reported that " President Trump said on Tuesday that he would consider delaying a March 2 deadline to reach a trade deal with China, saying the United States might not impose higher tariffs on Chinese goods if talks with Beijing were going well"(Solomon).

American officials have spent a week or so trying to reach an agreement on the trade deal with China.

The two countries are trying to work out significant differences ahead of the March 2 deadline, when, the United States has said, "it will increase tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent"t. Both Trump and President Xi Jinping have  previously said although the biggest issues are not resolved, this date is a firm deadline. but with recent talk and negotiating, Trump and his other top negotiators have said they may extend the timeline, they need to "iron out the remaining differences before a final deal is reached"

Although this new information is coming forward, the whitehouse and other counterparts are beginning to scramble to find a solution to the trade war and other economic damages on both sides. The president has agreed to sit down before the deadline to discuss the issues further but it does not seem likely a deal will be struck.

In weeks to come, we will see a shift in both the U.S and Chinese government. It will be interesting to follow two presidents as the argue to reach an ultimate compromise for both parties.

Japan's swim star diagnosed with leukemia

Someone who was a seemly healthy girl was shocked earlier today that the swimming sensation, Rikako Ikee has been diagnosed with leukemia. 

The swimmer complained of feeling "ill" and was quickly sent home from a swimming competition in Australia. Soon after, she was sent to the doctors to find out she was sadly diagnosed with leukemia. Ikee was completely shocked by this news and has come out with a statement that she will be taking some time off to focus on her health and family. 

The 18-year-old, who was named Japanese Swimmer of the Year last month, according to an article written by James Masters. (CNN). She won six gold medals at last year's Asian Games and had been expected to challenge for honors at her home Olympics. She was "one of Japan's most talented swimmers and a contender for multiple medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics"(Masters). Ikee, who swam the fastest 100m butterfly and second fastest 50m butterfly in the world last year, has to now take a step back and focus on her health.

Being an athlete myself, this is a scary realization that we are not invincible and we have to take care of our bodies in such a special way. It saddens me to see such a young girl hopeful and exciting career be cut short, I wish her the best in this fight. I'm rooting for you.

Super Bowl Commercials

The New England Patriots have won the Super Bowl again. This is the 6th time they have been victorious in the NFL playoffs. But what people really tune in to watch are the commercials, and this year was a center stage for female roles. "Women are leveling the playing field- in the ad breaks", Claire Atkinson from NBC news writes. She points out how this is a huge culture shift, which reflects the #Metoo movement that has been making waves across the country. This movement has increased social activism and brought attention to gender equality for many companies. Which is why when viewing the Super Bowl this year, the attention was geared towards the female perspective.

With almost half the audience made up of women, it makes a lot more sense to run female empowerment ads. Given that they have performed well in previous years according to Atkinson article for both with men and women.

"We are seeing the death of sex appeal in Super Bowl ads," Charles Taylor, professor of marketing at Villanova University School of Business, told NBC News. There are many more female celebrities this year; Ad Age magazine counts double the number of female stars, as compared to last year.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Zoe Kravitz commercial brings light to how far things have come. They both appear in beer ads. This is ironic because the former “Sex and the City” star plays her character, Carrie, trading her signature Cosmopolitan cocktail for a Stella Artois. While Kravitz stars in a spot for Michelob Ultra. That ad was "made by a predominantly female team"(Atkinson),and who told Advertising Age, First and foremost, as "a woman in marketing, a woman in beer, with all the conversations around diversity, I feel that I want to use my power for good and I feel a responsibility to try to create equity in the industry by creating opportunities for women". 

I found this article relevant and interesting to read because personally I never thought about the male-driven perspective they have until this year. I enjoyed reading the article and bringing more perspective to my life and the athletic world. 

5 News Sources

New York Times

I know there's always been a lot of talk about the New York Times and the "fake news" they spread but in all seriousness, it is a very reliable and interesting news outlet. I enjoy research articles from their writers and seeing how in depth they go. Understandably, they have not always been creditable about certain pieces they've written, I would still highly recommend them and still continue to read them when I'm looking for information. 

Twitter

Twitter is an interesting way to get your news about our country and the countries around us. The reason Twitter is on this list is due to the "melting pot" of views they have. Comparing them to a major news outlet, Twitter has million upon million users who all view things differently. Not to mention most of the time the information that is being retweeted are articles we wouldn't normally hear about on TV.  Which allows us to be exposed to a variety of information that I enjoy reading about. 

Buzz Feed

If you want to take a quiz that can link you a famous actor or show, Buzz Feed is a go to website. Not to mention the really out of the box stories they write about. I wouldn't say they are always reliable when it comes to information but they do know how to capture a readers interest. Whether it's a story on soup or foods, they know readers will enjoy it. But on the other hand, I would not be referencing them in papers or such in the future. 

The New Yorker

Although its reviews and events listings often focus on the cultural life of New York City, The New Yorker has a wide audience outside of New York and is read internationally. its a very reliable source, but it is a strong read with a lot of stories and essays. If you want to take some time and really dive into research and the city lift, this magazine if your guide. 

USA Today

I normally check this website almost every day, I find it up to date on the latest stories and reliable for people to read. They provide interesting stories about our country and those around us. The journalist also write in a unique way, they help the difficult stories become more understandable to those who aren't well "versed" in political speech. 

Hello!!

Thank you for all the help you have given me over this semseter. I have learned so much that will help me in my Communications Major later on. I hope you have a great summer.

Here are my three videos.

Enjoy :) 

Blog 5 Commercial

Why I Choose This Commercial 

    This was an interesting assignment, I looked at various commercials trying to find something I found unique and hit all the boxes on this blog. I finally found this commercial from Wellsfargo about two moms adopting a deaf young girl. This relates well to any hearing-impaired audience members because it displays sign language and subtitles as well. It is also nice to see as a viewer who is not hearing-impaired as well because personal when I see subtitles I follow those along instead.

     With all that being said, I think this commercial could have done a better job at making some different noises for the visually impaired because it was the same sound throughout. I don't think they that would understand how the scene is changing when they are listening to the same music. But if I was hearing impaired, my only critique would be the subtitles not overlapping one another.

      

      This commercial was obviously targetted for hearing impair viewers but should have kept in mind the visually impaired as well. 

Sound Effects

     For this blog, I actually took a lot of time to think about my still image project and situations in which id need specific unique sounds. I found myself really in love with having it dramatic and have rain falling which I used the sound of a shower for. To go along with the drama of the still image I recorded the sound of myself typing because in one of the images I may use, I am sitting at my computer. I thought correlated well. My final sound is kitchen dishes clinking, I'm not sure if I'm going to use this sound but my friend was doing the dishes and I thought it was a fun interesting sound that I kinda enjoyed listening to. 

Still Image Project

Still Image Post

Here I have constructed my Still Image project, it was fun and also frustrating to put together. From losing my work to my computer crashing I have put a lot of time and effort into this. I applied all my skill's I learned in class thus far and I'm very proud of my work. I hope you enjoy the video and the Mac and Cheese like my friends did! Thank you.

https://youtu.be/Dv2Ppa7pWpw

#3 Audition Effects

Adobe Audition Effects

     With the still image assignment coming up, we were assigned to create a still image video using audio and pictures to create a short film. I began to think about my project and all the tools that I will need to help enhance my work, throughout this blog I'm going to take you through my effects and though-process of three effects.     

Noise Reduction Effect

      In some of the audio I recorded, there are background noises that are disruptive to my work. I plan to use the noise reduction effect to reduce as much background noise as I can. This would help limit any distractions from the main story.

Transitions 

       Effects such as transition are beneficial to my project because they help move one of my images to another. I used the page drop effect along with the fade in/out effect. This helps draw the viewer in while moving throughout my project. 

Echo 

     Another effect I used it is the echo effect, this is useful in emphasis on certain topics in my project. It also makes it fun and different than hearing the same monotoned voice constantly. 

These are just a few of the effects I used in my still image project so far, I plan on using some more of the effects audition has to offer. Thank you 

Movie Trailer Mashup

About The Project. 

           In this video, I have created a mashup that includes audio from the movie trailer “The Dark Night Rises” and video from Disney’s trailer of “The Lion King”. I used the Adobe Premiere Pro, I was able to create this movie trailer. I used the audio and video from two different movies make this trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O0cGzVbwfA&feature=youtu.be
My Process. 
     I first uploaded the files from Blackboard into an Adobe Premiere Project, this is where I could begin editing process and separate audio and video of both clips. 

           I then dragged and dropped The Lion King" video over "The Dark Night Rises" audio. Using the “Time Selection” tool to select and copy sections of the video and audio that I was going to use in the project. This helped me in the process of making the words from The Dark Night Rises trailer match with the video of The Lion King trailer. I used the “i” and “o” keys as a shortcut for this cutting and arranging my scenes/ audio. 

            I would use these short cuts, along with using the by the command click technique. This would help me create subclips, in my bin folders in the audition software.These clips were used a secondary or "B-roll" sequence for my project. They are used to cover up areas of the trailer that didn't match up well. When I was finished going through the trailed a couple of times and the frustration was over, I uploaded my final product onto youtube. Enjoy. 

Shortend Story!!

Story About Liv's Soccer Experience 
           This is the story about my best friend Liv's soccer experience her freshman year of high school and how she broke her arm while trying to make varsity.

This was originally a 5 minutes and 39 seconds story. I edited down about a minute. I first started a multitrack session, then i went on to interview my friend. I took out all the unnecessary parts using the razor tool. Once I was somewhat satisfied with the content I had left I cut out my intro because it made the session to long.

Since we were in a quiet room recording this interview I didn't have any background noise that would distract any listeners. But if I did, I would use the waveform editor we went over yesterday and edit out the background distractions. 

 Lastly, I then selected all the files and exported the selected files and uploaded the complete track to Soundcloud and embedded it in this blog! I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did, Thanks!!

 Introductions to Photo Madness!!
       Step one- Choosing a friend
 For this blog post, I decided to do the last option for the photo madness blog. Here I have photoshopped a picture of my friend and put her in a unique setting.

Step 2- Choosing a background  

I started with a picture of my friend from a trip we took to Baltimore, she thought the background was pretty and wanted me to take a dramtic picture.

I found this picture on google of a concert stage and i thought the photo of my friend would suit this image perfectly. The stance of my friend matched up with a performer taking on applause from the audience!

Step 3- Edit

Here is my finished product, the cropping of the photo was difficult because the tool was rounded and it was difficult to go around her legs and such. But this is was a fun project and I enjoyed cropping my friend in different areas. 

Blog Post 6

         For this blog, I took a picture of my tapestry in my dorm room. I used tools in InDesign such as the eyedropper, along with the rectangle tool to portray my colors. I used the eyedropper tool to also capture the exact color of my image. Then I was able to change the tint to make it a lighter % than the original color.

Photo- I wanted to take a photo of lively colors but not ordinary ones you'd see around, and I thought my tapestry was the best fit for this assignment. 

 Swatches- I used the eyedropper tool to pull the exact same color from my image. I was then able to make squares and fill each one in with the colors I pulled from my image. I also made sure there was no border around the squares I made. Then from there I arranged the colors in order from appearance. The far left is the original colors, the middle is set to 75% and the far right is 50%.

 

Nameplates- I took this information from my LinkedIn profile where I wrote a little about myself and my major/ minor. I actually like these nameplates and the contrasting colors, they are on the warmer scale of colors and give you a lively feeling. This would brighten my profile and draw people in. 

Blog post 5

1. Limiting Font- The fonts used in this brochure are quite pleasing to the eyes, they are just big enough to draw one into the information, and yet still leave white space around the area. Also, the font is a type that is easy to read and not complex to read. But on the other hand, I would change the titles to be bigger and more attractive to the eyes. They are somewhat boring.

2. Limiting Color- The colors used for this brochure were actually spot on. They are consistent and not too bright. They don't take over the brochure but I think it could use some more color to make it more inviting to the reader. The colors are lively and warm but don't take up a lot of white space. 

3. Contrast, Contrast, Contrast- I think the contrast of this brochure could be a little better. The brochure colors should cover some more space and enhanced as well. Although it is an informational brochure, you want the reader to be relaxed, and happy reading it. 

4. Trifold Writing Tips- Overall, I think the brochure is organized and neat. The fonts all align, along with the information is in a parallel fashion. The titles match up with the information in a clean way, while the information is not too long and compact in each column.  Also from the reading, we have had I think this brochure represents those tips very well. I enjoyed reading this brochure and analysing the layout.

With a few critiques here and there, overall the brochure is a well put together pamphlet. I think that each column in the brochure matches up nicely, and the colors of the brochure contrast nicely with the information. 

Forum 4

When going through the Photostory, I found two vastly different articles. The first one I found very interesting because every photo had a detailed description of it along with a message behind why they choose this picture.


The title is very inviting, I had a clue what the article was about but once I read more, I got a better understanding. It also made me curious about what I was about to read.

The articles layout of the pictures seemed to have been set up in a way that grabs the readers attention. One very large photo in the center is a very distinct picture. There are no pictures seem to relate much to one another, which is nice to read because one gets different views of the story.

Unlike the article, I spoke about previously, the one above is not a good example of a photo story. The title, for instance, should have the words "sweat" and "gears" capitalized with the word "Blood". 

The layout is cluttered, it feels as if all the pictures are clumped together and each photo does have a description but the reader has to go through and connect the photo with the article which can be confusing. 

Also, the pictures seem to be about the same size, which does not draw the reader to have the main focus of the article. 

Distracting Elements

Distracting Elements 

In the first image, one can see how there are multiple objects in the picture that are distracting elements. With the crop tool in Photoshop, one can use that as an important tool to remove distracting elements from a photo. As you move through the pictures, using the crop tool I brought focus to the main painting in the room. I enhanced the picture along with adjusting some of the layers and highlights as well. 

Blog #2- Aesthetics

Blog #2- Aesthetics

When taking photos, one has to think about the viewpoint you want your audience to get. The way you take a photo will set the tone for every person interpretation.  It's not an easy task and by no means am I a professional. 

 

Lines 

This photo I find interesting because I have the lines going one way with the bananas and the contrast of lines in the background going another way. This allows the eyes to wonder and yet still focus on the center object. 

 Extreme Long

This photo is probably my least favorite, although it gets the full view of the bananas and the area around it, I wasn't sure how to capture an extreme long without losing the center object to much. 

 Viewpoint/ Angles

Here I wanted to take a picture from the top to show the size and width of the bananas. This is one of my favorite images because of the lines in the background showing the depth to the object. This allows there to be more of a focus in the center when it cuts the lines. 

 Layering 

In this shot I took it close up of the object, allowing us to see the defined layers and height of each banana strategically. This allows us to get more depth and have a better idea of the object while contrasting with the lines on the side.  

Negative Space 

In this photo I wanted the object to not be the center of focus, although the eye still catches the object there is still room for it to linger in that negative space not overdrawing one's eyes. 

Using these technics along with many others, will allow one to go from an amiture photographer to an almost professional one.

About me

Hi! My name is Kimberly Jenkins. I am from Moutain Lakes, New Jersey and I am a freshman here at High Point. I am the youngest of three, My brother Michael attended Syracuse University and graduated in 2015 and my sister, Emily is currently a Junior at The University of Alabama. I also have three dogs (Roxy, Rocco, and Jake) and pet fish named Guppy.

Education
I recently decided on my major which is, Communication and I will also be minoring in International Marketing. I choose this path because I enjoy engaging with others and learning about different points of view, along with my love to travel.

Free Time
Along with my academics, I am also on the Division 1 lacrosse team here at High Point. This was ultimately the reason why I choose the school, besides the weather of course. But being on the lacrosse team here has taught me a lot about time management and the importance of working with others. It can definitely be hard at times, and my body is constantly sore but it's all worth it in.  But when I'm not on the field, I am either watching Netflix in my bed or hanging out with my friends in my free time.

Fun Facts
Some fun facts about me are, I love movies. It doesn't matter the genre or the actors in the movie, I'll watch anything. I also love to quote movies too, which is fun when other people get my references. Another fun fact about me is my love of baking. I enjoy making baked good for people and following recipes.

I am a very social person and I enjoy making people laugh too! I look forward to this class and meeting new people along the way.