Photo Editing/Picnik Update

I just got the following comment on a prior posting, Captured Forever:

Hi Diane,

My name's Jenn. I work with a team of former Picnikers. Thanks for spreading the Picnik love! I just wanted to give you a heads up about PicMonkey, it's an exciting new photo editor that's sure to fill the hole Picnik is leaving in your heart.We're taking what we learned by building Picnik and making PicMonkey even better!

Sign up at www.PicMonkey.com and we'll keep you posted on launching. And shoot me an email if you have questions!

Don't know about you, but I have my fingers crossed that PicMonkey can deliver!


Image captured from PicMonkey

Most Loved Children's Books

The link to this graphic was sent to me by Sarah Fudin, of MAT@USC. I'm happy to share it here and to add an endorsement for both “March into Literacy” Month, and its sponsor, Toys for Tots Literacy Program. (I have no ties to either the university or to Toys for Tots).

As a librarian, bibliophile, mother, and now, a prospective grandmother, I celebrate reading and its importance in the development of children. Make time to share these and other stories, both written and oral, with younger generations. It's the gift of a lifetime.


Via MAT@USC: Become a Teacher

NOTE:
I would certainly not have included the Twilight series as a "children's classic."
What would you add or delete?

Captured Forever

In about a month, my favorite editing site, Picnik, is shutting down operations. This has spurred me to action on two fronts.

Photo editing sites
According to Flickr,

"Picnik is closing on April 19, 2012. That means that after that date, you will no longer be able to edit your Flickr photos in Picnik. But don't worry! We already have plans in the works to make sure you're still able to edit your photos on Flickr. We'll post more about the new and exciting editing options on the blog when they are fully baked."

One of the benefits of Picnik, in addition to its array of tools and effects, is the fact that it links directly to Flickr, eliminating a few steps in the editing process. While the following sites don't have that option, they might match, or (in the case of Aviary, in particular) even exceed, Picnik's capabilities:

• FotoFlexer - touted as a Photoshop replacement. Export/Import your pitures from Flickr, MySpace, Picasa, and Facebook, and others. Save photos and create albums. An account registration is required. For a comparison with Picnik, read this review from PCMag.
• Pixlr - free online photo editor, no registration required. A key weakness seems to be its import and export options. TopTenReviews evaluates Pixlr's features.
• Aviary - offers a suite of tools, including image and effects editors, a music creator, and an audio editor. Free, registration required. One of the drawbacks mentioned by reviewers is the "fairly intense learning curve" for novices. Read more about Aviary in the Women in Business review. [one big plus for educators, as mentioned on Free Technology for Teachers: "If you are a Google Apps for Education school, Aviary can be added to your suite of services to allow students to save their works within their Google Apps accounts"]
• iPiccy - free, no registration required. This reviewer found iPiccy's options to be very similar to those on Picnik. The site is still in beta, so I would be sure to keep backup options in mind. More information, and a link to the iPiccy video tutorial, can be found on MustSeeOn.net.

Photo Archiving
With Picnik disappearing from my life, and mindful of horror stories about deleted Flickr accounts, I've also been considering digital curation options:

• One photographer suggested using "NAS (network attached storage) with RAID 1+0 or RAID 5 (redundant disks in case one fails)" and pointed to a wiki with vendor links. I need to do a bit more research about this, and consult with my in-house tech support (my very knowledgeable son-in-law).
• External hard drive. No, I don't have one yet, and yes, I need to buy one!
• CDs or DVDs. Storage, and longevity issues make these unsuitable for use as the sole backup for photos.
• Desktop apps. After reading a few reviews, including one from a member of my online network, Kevin Jarrett, I decided to purchase the Pro version of Bulkr. My initial backup took a few hours, since my Flickr account has over 16,000 photos, with more added each day. Now I update about once a week.
  

Photography is an integral part of my daily life, but it's not only my own photos that I wish to preserve. I've been photographing, scanning and uploading images of family artifacts, including my parents' World War II photos (my mother's snapshot of King George VI and the royal family has been viewed more than 2100 times!), my maternal ancestors, family gatherings, even heirloom jewelry. These are not just static images: these are the stories of our lives.

I hope that Flickr will continue to survive and thrive, and that there will eventually be another site that mirrors the ease and flexibility of Picnik. But I'm not willing to risk my photographs on wishes and desires.

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” -Aaron Siskind

"She glances at the photo, and the pilot light of memory flickers in her eyes." -Frank Deford

"Remember" by dmcordell

Macro Photography: The World Up Close

In my continuing quest to remain relevant as a self-embedded librarian, I've Skyped with students in a number of states, frequently on the topic of photography.

Mary Kreul's class, in Whitefish Bay, WI sent me a list of questions, which I answered using examples from my Flickr sets. Their favorite photos (which happen to be my favorites as well) were the macros. As a follow-up activity, these fourth graders created a slideshow featuring Mystery Math Macros.

It's challenging to demonstrate photo techniques from afar. The children did a wonderful job, choosing a nice variety of examples for their project. I could recognize why some of their pictures weren't exactly what they had envisioned, because I've had the same problems myself.

For example, the following are three shots of the same fishing fly:


In #1, the camera has focused on background details rather than on the desired object. Adjusting the angle of a shot can help prevent this error #2 shows what happens when you move in too close, a common mistake. #3 backs up a bit and is the most successful of the series

Although editing tools can correct color and enhance the final product with interesting effects, excessive cropping causes a photo to lose clarity and leads to a blurring of the image.

As they become more experienced photographers, the students will begin to "see" with the camera's eye, discovering the strengths and limitations of the device they are using. They will be better able to plan shots, matching their vision with their camera's capabilities.

And they will have FUN learning!


*I'm always happy to Skype with classes about reading and/or photography. Leave a comment here or contact me, @dmcordell on Twitter, to arrange a visit.


For more photography tips, view my SlideShares , visit the Club Click or Using Digital Images wikis.


"Mystery Math Macro for Mrs. Kreul's Class" by dmcordell
"Macros: Flies for Fishing" by dmcordell

Action Plan

I've had almost a week to process my experiences at ALA Midwinter; for the past few days, I've been participating virtually in EduCon. There is a conversational thread running through these and other gatherings, a sense that the time for talking is over, the time for acting is now.
How can I be part of the recasting of librarianship in particular, and education in general?

For all my talk of being self-embedded, there are limitations to what I can accomplish as an unattached teacher/librarian. With no students of my own, I must wait to be invited into a classroom. I am an afterthought, an add-on, rather than an integral part of the learning process.

I need to leverage my solitude, increase my productivity - and keep my sense of worth in the unfamiliar and unstructured world of retirement.

Here's my menu of possibilities:

• continue to construct slideshares on topics that interest me, e.g. photography and storytelling
• periodically remind members of my social network that I'm available via Skype for reading to, or chatting with, students
• consider new options: would my friend's home-schooled child like to have a personal librarian or research buddy? Is there some way I could volunteer in our public or community college libraries?
  
• spend less time chatting at conferences and more time actively participating in sessions, with the intent of investigating new topics for personal exploration
• become more active in my professional organizations
• seek out additional opportunities for writing

It's sketchy, but it's a plan. Retirement requires a tricky balancing act. I don't want to waste my time, I want to spend it wisely. Travel is fun, but after a while people tire of being around a dilettante.

In the words of the immortal Barbarella:

"A life without cause is a life without effect."

"Barbarella" by pellesten

The Self-Embedded Librarian

I recently had the pleasure of returning to the school where I had served as K-12 teacher/librarian - not to read stories, but to speak to a photography class.

The art teacher, Leslie Gould, and I have remained in contact via Facebook, so she knew of my passion for capturing images. After a few postponements, I was finally able to participate in the first of what I hope will be a series of onsite classroom experiences.

Our planning was done via an exchange of messages and emails. After the students left, Leslie and I discussed how we might collaborate in the future. I've begun utilizing Pinterest to archive project suggestions and to display my own collection of photography- and creativity-themed books, so that she can match my resources to her curriculum.

I've interacted, via Skype, with students in a number of states, even another country, but there is something very satisfying about being physically present during a lesson. I would love to expand this aspect of my professional involvement, becoming a "blended" visitor.

As many of you know, I'm nominally retired, but still active as a writer, consultant, and collaborator. After years of learning about, and reflecting on, libraries and librarianship, I just couldn't walk away from the profession. For anyone in a similar situation, I've created a short SlideShare that offers some suggestions for reshaping your career after retirement. If you have additional pointers, please share your insights!

The self embedded librarian

View more presentations from Diane Cordell

"Welcome Mrs. Cordell" by dmcordell

Flickr Badge Generator

This posting originally appeared on January 2, 2010. I thought that some of my friends, who are just beginning their first photo-a-day (in a leap year, 366) project, might be interested in the information contained here.

Many members of my PLN have decided to participate in a 365 Challenge, taking and posting new photos at regular intervals.

Although some people choose to set up a unique blog for the project, I found it easiest to upload and tag my images in Flickr sets, separate ones for each calendar month and an additional set for the entire year.

If you're a blogger and decide to use Flickr for the Challenge, it's fun to add a badge to your site. Just go to the Make a Badge page and follow the simple directions.

"There are two types of badge to choose from: HTML or Flash. You will be able to select to display things from your own collection, one of your groups, or everyone's uploads. You can also filter any of these options by a tag, if you wish."

Be sure to tag your photographs and send them to your group(s). I also share my "picture of the day" on Facebook, Plurk, and Twitter.

Inspiration for 2012

I've noticed that many of my online friends are posting inspirational quotes on this, the last day of 2011.

With that example in front of me, I've selected some guiding thoughts and reminders for 2012:

Pay Attention to the Story

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/5762598591/

"There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story." -Linda Hogan

The Poetry of the Earth is Never Dead

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/5719341693/

"The poetry of the earth is never dead." -John Keats

The Fair Adventure of Tomorrow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/5782250450/

"The day shall not be up so soon as I, To try the fair adventure of tomorrow." -William Shakespeare

In My Own Time

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/6056551063/

"Just like the butterfly, I too will awaken in my own time." -Deborah Chaskin

The Dance of Life

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/6033860528/

“The journey between who you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place.”- Barbara De Angelis

WHEN I AM AMONG TREES

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/5215544196/

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine."
-Mary Oliver

2011: My Year in Review

2011: My Year in Review

View more presentations from Diane Cordell.

Learning More Deeply

"measuring up" by woodleywonderworks

In a recent posting, Buffy Hamilton took advantage of winter break to reflect on her professional practice:

"My colleague Kristin Fontichiaro inspired me earlier this year to hone in on helping teachers and students go beyond surface level knowledge and the 'shininess' of students merely producing something with a web 2.0 tool and to look at how digitally created content reflects rigor in terms of content and composition."

I would strongly recommend that you visit The Unquiet Librarian and read Midyear Reflections: Challenges of Supporting Student Digital Nonfiction Composition in its entirety. Buffy's self-assessment is tough but fair, displaying the type of rigor, that can be defined as "the quality of being extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate" rather than "severity or strictness; excessive sternness."

If our educational goal is to have students acquire knowledge, rather than merely complete tasks, we must provide the scaffolding, exemplary models, and formative assessments that Buffy is striving to infuse into her students' learning experiences.


"It might be easier to define rigor by noting what it is not: Rigor is not a synonym for ‘harder,’ and it does not mean moving first-grade curriculum into kindergarten, or algebra into the seventh grade. … Rigor means teaching and learning things more thoroughly – more deeply." -Nancy Flanagan