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Welcome to my World: My Blog
Welcome to my World: My Blog
What in the World Podcast
What in the World Podcast
“What in the World” is an engaging podcast where travelers candidly share their experiences with culture shocks encountered while journeying overseas. Following firsthand accounts of tourists traveling to a new country, we delve into the fascinating, bewildering, and sometimes humorous aspects of adapting to new environments. Whether it’s the unexpected color of Fanta in Europe, to the intricacies of etiquette in Turkey, "What in the World" is your passport to a whole new side of traveling you may have never expected.
In this episode, MSU student Emily Copeland, and I discuss toilettes, architecture, topless beaches, being tourists from the great state of Texas, and the "Wild West" stereotypes we faced. Emily Copeland spent two months overseas in Spain, while I discussed my experience living in France, Belgium, and London for three months.
The week of the 26th
The week of the 26th
The Perfect Cameras for Beginners
Today there are thousands of camera options, from mirrorless to DSLRs, to megapixels, and full frame vs. crop sensors it can be impossible to know where to start. I highly recommend doing some of your research into what you want specifically, but this blog will give you a helpful place to start.
When you are starting your search, it is important to know your price point and what you will be doing with your camera. For instance, will you want to do video and photography? Will you focus on just the photography aspect and avoid videography? Are you trying to vlog for YouTube or do you need a decent durable camera for your weekend travels? Questions like these are important to ask yourself.
As for the price point, it is important to have a budget. While I am not saying settle, or that you can’t go beyond that. It is important to know what you are willing to spend and what your budget range is. You can get a basic Canon camera, like the Canon Rebel series for less than $500, if you are willing to spend a little more, you can get a Sony camera in the $600-$1,000 range.
The Sony α6600 is a fantastic videography and sports photography mirrorless camera. Sony has a history for being great in low-light situations. Equipped with a 24.2-megapixel sensor, the α6600 delivers stunning image quality. It supports 4K HDR (HLG) movie recording, allowing you to capture lifelike videos. It also boasts fast autofocus and tracking: The α6600 boasts the world’s fastest autofocus at 0.02 seconds with Real-time AF and object tracking. Real-time Eye AF ensures sharp focus on subjects’ eyes, even during motion. 5-axis optical image stabilization minimizes camera shake, resulting in sharper photos and smoother videos. The camera houses a high-capacity battery, allowing extended shooting sessions. You can purchase the α6600 as a body-only option or bundle with an 18-135mm zoom lens. Prices range from $999.99 for the body-only version to $1,399.99 for the bundle with the lens.
Whether you’re a photography enthusiast or a budding professional, the Canon EOS Rebel T8i offers versatility and performance to elevate your photos and videos. It is a DSLR camera, with an optical viewfinder: equipped with a 45-point All Cross-type AF System with Face Detection. It also boasts high image quality, it boasts a 24.1 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) Sensor. High-speed continuous shooting up to 7.0 frames per second. 4K 24p Video Mode which allows for capturing high-resolution video. The DIGIC 8 Image Processor: Ensures efficient image processing and an ISO range: From 100 to 25600, expandable up to 51200. You can pick up a good EOS Rebel camera for $400-$800.
It is also important to note, that once you usually pick a brand and spend money on lenses and gear befitting that camera it can take a lot of work to switch. It can cost you a lot of time and money to try shifting your gear kit. So, try to choose a company that is always evolving and that you wouldn’t mind using for years to come.
Week of the 13th
Week of the 13th
The perfect lenses for each situation
In my photography career, I have gotten the chance to try many lenses. When you are choosing a lens it is important to think about what the lens will be used for. Whether for portraiture, landscape, or sport it is important to think of your needs.
One of the best lenses I have ever used and one of my go-to favorites is the Zeiss 85mm f/1.8. This lens is the ultimate in the portrait lenses. Whether you are shooting a wedding, senior portrait, or a concert this lens is sure to be a favorite. With the most beautiful bokeh and background blur you have ever seen, your photos will end up taking on the most dreamy and professional look you could ever imagine. I will even end up using it for smaller court sports, like basketball to get the NBA (National Basketball Association) professional-looking photos and dramatic sports shots.
Even in challenging lighting situations, the Batis 1.8/85 ensures successful hand-held shooting. Its built-in optical image stabilization compensates for camera shake, allowing you to freeze moments with clarity. They offer fast, quiet autofocus and are fully compatible with all E-mount cameras. Additionally, they are heavy and fully metal coating making the lens extremely durable. It is highly protective and provides serious protection against dust and weather. The lens benefits from the legendary ZEISS T- anti-reflective coating, ensuring exceptional image quality and color fidelity. In summary, the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 lens combines speed, optical excellence, and ease of use, making it an ideal choice for capturing stunning portraits and memorable moments. If you’re looking for top-tier image quality, this lens won’t let you down.
There are only three downsides to this lens. One is the price, it is a pretty penny about $1,500. The other downside of the 85mm is a prime lens which can be less versatile than a zoom lens. The final issue is that the ZEISS Batis lenses are specifically developed for mirrorless, full-frame sensor cameras from Sony. This means that even if you had a mirrorless camera and an E-Mount adapter, it wouldn’t work as well as it was designed to.
Even though it comes with its problems, this is a lens you will not regret having in your kit. It is an extraordinary lens that is highly capable and extremely functional. Some of my best photos have come from this lens!
Week of the 20th
Week of the 20th
Social media
In recent years, there have been many technological advances. The future is leaping forward at a record pace. One such example of a recent technological advantage is social media. Social media has only been created recently in the eyes of history, but it has already changed our worlds in ways we could have never expected. From the history of social media to the job opportunities created by social media, and the mental health issues that come from social media.
The origins of social media trace back to the late 1970s. While platforms like YouTube and Facebook dominate today, the early pioneers of electronic communication set the stage. From the emergence of ARPANET in 1969 to the launch of the first true social media platform in 1997, the digital landscape has evolved dramatically in a short amount of time.
Social media has created an entirely new category of jobs, and its impact on employment is significant. Over 84 percent of organizations actively recruit via social media, with more planning to do so. These roles span various skill sets and responsibilities and allow people to work from virtually anywhere. From influencers to content creators, to social media account managers, to small business owners: social media is a tool that has helped many people achieve their dreams. But not everything is all well and rosy with social media.
Many people know how social media can affect an individual's mental health and how it can become an addiction., but many fail to understand the depth of the issues it causes. It’s a double-edged sword—it helps us feel connected, yet at the same time it is a vortex of anxiety and comparison. Ironically, despite connecting us virtually, social media can make us feel more lonely and isolated. Scrolling through feeds can exacerbate feelings of disconnection from real-life interactions. Constantly checking social media for updates can lead to FOMO. Fear of missing out on events, inside jokes, or social connections can cause stress and distraction. Social media apps trigger the brain’s reward system, akin to playing a slot machine. The dopamine rush from likes and notifications can lead to addictive behavior.
Social media is now an integrated part of our society, and even now it is changing and adapting. While it is relatively new in our history it has already changed the way we think and the careers that are offered to the world. Unfortunately, it does cause some serious issues with one's mental health.
Sources found courtesy of AI Bing Copilot in the Bing search engine.
Photo courtesy of Adobe Firefly AI image generator.
Week of the 31st
Week of the 31st
Lesson Plan: Exploring Art with Augmented and Virtual Reality
Objective:
Students will learn about AR and VR technology and its application in both art and museums. They will explore artworks using AR and VR and create their own AR/VR -enhanced interpretations.
Grade Level:
College
Duration:
20 minutes
Materials Needed:
Computers or Tablets: One per student or shared in pairs
Writing supplies: pencils, pen, and paper
Introduction:
Explain what AR and VR is and how it is a rapidly growing field
Virtual Reality (VR): immerses users in a simulated environment, convincing their brains that they are somewhere else. It achieves this through head-mounted displays, headphones, and sometimes hand controls or props
Augmented reality (AR): AR enhances our existing reality by overlaying digital information onto the physical world. It supplements what we see, feel, and hear.
Use a graph from ARtilley Intelligence to show the growth of VR users
Exploration:
AR in Art:
Explain the difference between site-specific AR art and interactive AR art:
Interactive Art: AR transforms static artworks into dynamic experiences. Viewers can scan paintings or sculptures to reveal additional layers, animations, or stories.
Site-Specific AR: Artists create location-based AR experiences tied to specific places, merging art with the environment.
Explore AR Artworks:
Watch the video of a short AR experiment Cinema VR produced for The National Museum in Krakow. The Museum used a high-res photo of the famous "Frenzy" by Polish artist Władysław Podkowiński and made it an AR artwork.
Discuss how AR adds layers of information, animations, or interactivity to the artworks.
VR in art:
Talk about how VR allows artists to create entirely new worlds, transporting viewers to fantastical realms. It blurs the line between reality and imagination.
Build, create, and think in 3D
Explore VR artworks:
Watch the video created by Adobe to show off some interesting VR artworks that are being created currently by cutting-edge artists.
AR in Museums:
Talk about 4 of the major benefits of AR in museums:
1. Interactive Exhibits: AR breathes life into static artworks. Visitors can scan paintings or sculptures to reveal additional information, animations, or historical context.
2. Guided Tours: AR guides users through museum spaces, providing insights about exhibits, artists, and cultural significance.
3. Accessibility: AR experiences can be delivered via smartphones, making them accessible to a broader audience.
4. Storytelling: AR allows curators to weave narratives around artworks, enhancing engagement and understanding.
VR in museums:
Discuss 4 commonly used ways of including VR in museums:
1. Enhanced Experiences: it allows visitors to virtually explore artworks, historical settings, or even fictional worlds.
2. Deep Dive into Art: VR enables users to step inside paintings, sculptures, or architectural marvels. Imagine walking through a virtual gallery filled with masterpieces from different eras.
3. Accessibility: Although VR often requires specialized headsets, it can be scaled up for large museum exhibitions or scaled down for individual experiences on smartphones or tablets.
4. Education and Preservation: VR facilitates interactive learning by allowing users to dissect an artwork’s layers, understand its context, and explore hidden details.
Class Activity:
Have my fellow classmates create a VR or AR art piece or create an AR or VR exhibit at a museum.
Solar Eclispe
Solar Eclispe
On April 8, 2024, an awe-inspiring celestial event unfolded across North America. The skies darkened, and millions of people witnessed the Moon’s graceful dance as it slid between the Earth and the Sun, creating a total solar eclipse. Another eclipse like this will not occur for another 20 years: the total solar eclipse. It was incredible to witness. While I was not in the full path of totality I witnessed a 95.6% eclipse.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon positions itself directly in front of the Sun, completely obscuring its face. As the Moon’s shadow sweeps across the Earth, the sky transforms to a dark sky that gets dark as night. The first location on continental North America to experience totality was Mexico’s Pacific coast, precisely at 11:07 a.m. PDT1. From there, the shadow continued its voyage, crossing the United States from Texas to Maine and eventually fading out across Canada’s Atlantic coast.
Wichita Falls was in the path of about 96% totality. On campus, the students loved every minute. Students gathered in the courtyards where free glasses were being handed out. After the groans of disappointment faded after the glasses ran out, students borrowed each other's glasses as they stared in awe at the eclipse.
Among the wide-eyed stares and students spread out across picnic blankets, the temperature continued to drop as the moon danced across the sun. The tree’s shadow created a pinhole effect where the tree’s shadows mimicked the eclipse in the sky.
For many of my friends, this was one of the first eclipses they can actually remember, and the most covered one they have seen. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Many waited for an hour before it began just to get a chance to get glasses and grab a good spot. Many classes let out early and so many students were content just to be able to be in the presence of the moon and sun. They laughed, giggled, shouted for joy, and spread out along the ground to be able to be able to see better. Science students explained the event to others who may not have known.
On top of the student's fascination, scientists were also extremely interested in this incredible experience. They tried to gather as much information as possible considering this won’t happen for another 20 years.
The Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, is typically invisible due to the Sun’s intense brightness. However, during a total solar eclipse, the corona emerges, revealing its ethereal tendrils. Scientists seize this rare opportunity to study this mysterious layer of our star.
Scientists both on and off the path of totality studied the corona to understand its dynamics and behavior. Using NASA’s high-altitude research aircraft, researchers captured images of the eclipse from an altitude of 50,000 feet above Earth’s surface. These high-resolution images helped reveal new details about structures in the middle and lower corona. Additionally, the observations aimed to study a dust ring around the Sun and search for near-sun asteroids. This Project was led by Amir Caspi at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder.
The eclipse also provided a controlled opportunity to study the ionosphere, a charged layer of Earth’s upper atmosphere. Led by Bharat Kunduri of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, researchers used an instrument called an ionosonde, which functions like a simple radar, to measure the ionosphere’s charge. Understanding the ionosphere is crucial because many critical signals for communications and navigation pass through it.
After the 2024 total solar eclipse, the next one visible from the contiguous United States will be visible on August 23, 2044.
Photo courtesy of Adobe Firefly AI image generator.
AI and the future media
AI and the future media
With the creation of AI bots like ChatGPT and Bing, the world launched into a new era. With this rapidly changing era, comes the expansion of the media. With graphics, images, text, and videos, being able to be created with ease, using prompts. Content and the media are being affected in ways one could never imagine. So where is the media going? That is one of the questions I wanted to answer.
Using Bing, I posed the question of, ‘what is the future of emerging media’. The answer I got was long-winded and went like this:
“The future of emerging media is shaped by several key trends and technological advancements. Let’s explore some of these trends:
User-Generated Content (UGC): Short videos and social media platforms continue to drive user-generated content. People create and share their own content, contributing to a more diverse and engaging media landscape.
Immersive Experiences with AR/VR: Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are transforming media consumption. These technologies offer immersive experiences, allowing users to interact with digital content in new and exciting ways.
Cloud-Based Solutions and SaaS: The adoption of cloud-based solutions and Software as a Service (SaaS) models enables seamless content delivery, storage, and collaboration. Media companies are leveraging cloud infrastructure for scalability and efficiency.
Personalized User Experiences: Crafting personalized experiences is crucial. By analyzing user data, media platforms can tailor content recommendations, advertisements, and interfaces to individual preferences.
Generative AI in Content Creation: Artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, is revolutionizing content creation. AI algorithms can generate music, art, and even entire stories, enhancing creativity and efficiency.
In summary, emerging media will continue to evolve as new tools emerge, consumer demands change, and technology improves. Mobile video, AR, VR, and data analytics will all play significant roles in shaping the future of digital media. Additionally, innovations like spatial computing and emotionally intelligent AI will redefine how we perceive and engage with multimedia content. Exciting times lie ahead for the media industry!”
Honestly, I felt like the AI did a very good job of creating something that was detailed and explained the way the media was going. I liked that it provided links and data to back up its supporting argument. It provided a lot of extra information so you can find out more while summarizing it as much as possible.
When asking questions to an AI it is best to make as direct as possible. “What is the future of emerging media” gave me a more relevant answer than asking the question, “what technology will help lead the media in the future.” The question of “what technology help lead the media in the future” provided answers like process automation and virtualization, connectivity like 5G, the internet, edge computing, content automation, and quantum computing. The more direct you are with your questions the better the AI understands and responds. If you are abstract when asking questions it gets harder for the AI to understand what you mean.
Now AI is great at providing a starting point for future research. The short amount of information is great to be used later on, but it isn’t so great at being your sole source of research. AI shouldn’t be used to completely write up everything. If you were to submit this to professors it would be very obvious. The tone is different from a normal person's tone, and people don’t usually provide data in the way AI is used to. Also, there are now tools to track AI-generated text.
As we leap toward the future it is becoming more common to see AI being used in different ways. We need to make sure we don’t become too reliant on AI to do our thinking for us but use it in such a way that we can use it as the tool it is.
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