Declan

Howdy y'all, Declan here,

If you were to ask five close friends of mine what one word describes me, they would say "Nerd".  And here's why...

Back in 2016, I was given an iPhone 4. My parents rarely traded phones in so we kinda gained a collection of phones. With my iPhone, I would explore everything about the phone for the next 4 years I had it. I also learned stuff from the phone, even at the age of 3. Little did I know this was the beginning of my whole tech obsession.

Anyways, enough of me and my whole story on why I'm basically an iPad kid. I know how to code HTML & CSS. I built a website at the age of 10, and eventually ended up using Google Sites because it was easier and free. 

My knowing of cameras was from my dad teaching me how to use a DSLR back in 2021. For probably 3 years I never took good photos on that DSLR, cause I just really never knew how to use it. When I bought my first DSLR I went outside with it to test it, and now the photos from that day are up as banners on www.declan.fun. Later, when I went to Mackinac Island, I brought my Sony ZV-1 just to take videos of the place. I left the U. P. with 150 photos and videos... and now I'm the one paying for new DSLRs cause my dad just kinda gave up on them. On top of that, my whole nerd personality actually comes from my dad.

Originally, I used to live 80 miles north of where I live now because we weren't really ever going to move. However, the whole action of me moving was caused by my dad getting a job THIS FAR from our old house. And FUN FACT, I wouldn't be writing this website if I didn't move! My oldest brother does travel baseball and has caused me to go to more than 15 states because of him. Meanwhile, my other brother...likes cars!

I'm only putting this part on because Kora did. I'm kinda an ambivert, and I only say that because I'm not that person who wants to be social always. One of the things I do is talk about a subject a little too much. Most of the time, when I'm making a video, 8 minutes can be cut from the video because I overshared or talked too much. Also, when I'm out in public filming a video, I just don't do the video if even one person is nearby. I find it really awkward to film when people are near me. One time I made a video for my class in 5th grade, and as I was putting the tripod in my backpack some lady walking on the sidewalk next to me stops to say..."Hey, is your scooter charged?" I was holding a camera in my hand while putting a tripod in my bag with the other hand, so I looked up with a confused face at how she really didn't catch the hint I was recording earlier. So I respond to her just saying yeah. But then she responds with, "Oh, what are you doing if you don't mind me asking?" I look at her with an even more confused face than before. "I'm just filming a video for school." I'm not really shaming her for anything, it was kind of her to even ask. But it shocks me how she didn't see anything in my hands, and this tripod was a BIG tripod too.

As for my online life, I run a YouTube channel held at the handle @mrdkmkl. Almost everything on there is sometimes tech-focused and mainly me trying to come up with a video idea and making a video complaining about it. I started my channel on Jun 12, 2024, for my website. I used to make videos and post them to my website! Pretty cool right! The only problem was that my server...was junk. So every video LAGGED. As a last resort, I started my channel, with the name @MrDkmkl and a rubber chicken as my profile picture. The name mrdkmkl comes from my gmail account, because dkmkl was too short. My username dkmkl comes from 2015 when my Dad gave me an email.

When it comes to editing, one thing you can ask from me that I will GLADLY do is making a video for you. I use Premiere Pro and have been ever since my channel started, except for that one time I got the Final Cut Pro trial. In my opinion, if I were to choose the best editing software, it would be Premiere Pro. When switching to Final Cut I realized something that Apple had forgotten, easing. Easing is when you make keyframes to zoom in or pan the camera in editing and you want it to look smooth. With Final Cut it's almost like it hits a brick wall when you try to play back a keyframe. It abruptly stops, and this has been an issue for quite some time now. Apple seems to ignore the fact that their software is missing a crucial feature needed for a smooth watching experience. Other than Premiere, DaVinci Resolve is a great software too, that is affordable, and HAS EASING. At least I think, I've heard great things about it but I've never used it.  Unlike Kora, I've never edited or taken photos for another person except my family.

Welp that's it, here's some of my videos and the gear I use if you are interested. BYEEEEE!!!