Pointing The Camera At Yourself.

A friend of mine recently watched one of my vlogs (video blogs), for the very first time.
He told me this via Twitter and whilst he made no comment about the actual content of the video, the one comment he did make was to say that he could never do that himself.

This is a very common reaction when people, especially friends, see one of your vlogs for the first time.
I can understand that.
Pointing a video camera at yourself can seem a little strange, when you think about it.
There is a big difference, in my opinion, between recording yourself on a webcam, in the privacy of your own home and filming yourself out in the open.
We've all grown used to seeing people filming with video cameras in just about every imaginable situation. Maybe even when we haven't thought that the filming was appropriate?

But, how often have you seen somebody pointing that ubiquitous video camera at themselves and talking into it? And if you have, what did you think?

My own reaction and i suspect that of all vloggers, would be to inwardly congratulate that person (after all, i wouldn't want to disturb a fellow vlogger now would i?) and to wonder who they were, what they were recording and for what.
But, i imagine most other peoples reaction would be to look, maybe stare and to think that the person was a little weird. I've seen that reaction myself many times. I've also seen it when somebody has filmed me talking into a camera.

Most of us aren't natural extroverts and those first tentative steps into vlogging can be a little daunting.
I can't pretend to have completely overcome those feelings of self consciousness when i do it now. But, it's amazing how much more confident i am now at pointing the camera at myself, after 4 years of vlogging experience.

In fact, a recent experience proves just that point.
I was in London meeting up with some friends from San Francisco. People who i had met via YouTube and vlogging, as it happens.
At the end of our time together, i decided that i wanted to record a short vlog, talking about the day. Without thinking, i got out my camera and recorded a vlog between myself and one of my friends, in the street. This filming attracted some of the usual strange looks from a nearby construction worker. But, i didn't give it a thought.
Maybe, it's just easier to point that video camera at yourself, when you are not alone?

So, i guess what i'm really trying to say here is that the vlogger is really no different to anyone else. They just tend to use their cameras a bit differently to the rest of the population.
I doubt that many vloggers first pointed their video camera at themselves, outdoors. I suspect that we all first did that in the privacy of our own homes and that makes perfect sense.
I can still recall the first ever vlog that i made at home and how i felt when making it. It was a strange experience. But, once i'd done it, i got the bug and have never looked back.

You may well feel, like my friend did, that you couldn't ever do it yourselves. But, i felt the same myself at one time.

Since getting into vlogging and video making generally, 4 years ago, i have tried to encourage others to follow my path. Most vloggers will tell you that the vlogging experience has changed their life, in some way. I am no exception to that and would encourage everyone to, at least, give it a try. After all, what have you got to lose?

By all means, make those first tentative steps using the webcam on your computer. Many people record all their vlogs this way and why not?

Why not watch some vloggers on YouTube first, to see how others do it?
One thing to be mindful of here though. Don't be put off my the apparent good quality of the vloggers you watch and discover. Many of those vloggers will have been vlogging for years and they will all tell you that they are a lot better now, than when they first started out.
We all have to start somewhere. I still watch my very first vlog and cringe a little. So, you are not alone.

So, are you convinced yet?
If so, get recording and let me know how you get on.
Best of luck.

All of the above doesn't, of course, answer that age old question of why on earth you'd ever want to talk into a video camera in the first place.
What drives the vlogger to vlog?
What do you talk about?

Well, the answer to those questions is material for, potentially, many more blog posts.
Watch this space.

AudioBoo - No Nov Boo Vlog Blog Month.

AudioBoo - No Nov Boo Vlog Blog Month.

November can be a busy month, in the world of social media. Well, if you let it that is.

This was originally posted on my personal blog, Moose Musings. But, i felt that it was relevant here as well.
I hope that you agree.

4 Years And Counting.

Originally posted on YouTube on 13th August, 2010.
That was the 4th anniversary of opening my YouTube account.
Some reflections of my time on YouTube.

I actually posted my first video on 25th August 2006:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSKnhJ...

Wired

Originally posted on YouTube on 23rd September, 2009.
Thinking about Social Media & Social networking.
A stream of consciousness video.

Crisis Of Faith?

Originally posted on YouTube on 30th August, 2009.
A video inspired by a conversation on Twitter. Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places.

Social Media & It's Use.

Originally posted on YouTube on 11th August, 2009.
A vlog inspired by three blogs/articles i'd recently read.
Have you changed the way you use the Internet & social media.
Does your age determine how you use social media?

A Secret Life?

Originally posted to YouTube on 19th July, 2009.
This was a response to my own "Digital memory bamk" video and to a comment from another YouTuber.
Many of my videos have come from viewers comments and feedback.

Digital Memory Bank.

Originally posted to YouTube on 18th July, 2009.
As with so many other videos, this was inspired by somebody else. On this occasion it was:
http://www.youtube.com/user/atree3

This is her video explaining what she's doing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lprtC_...

My original AudioBoo about this topic:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/44506-a-digit...

Happy archiving. 

I Like.....Vlogging.

Originally posted on YouTube on 11th July, 2009.
This was a response to a "tag" by a fellow YouTuber. Tagging has been quite popular on YouTube, during my time there.
The title says it all really.

What Is A Vlog?

Originally posted to YouTube on 6th August, 2008.
These are just my own thoughts as to what a vlog really is.
I have recently found out that this videos was quoted and referenced in an academic paper about "Real vlogs": http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2699/2353

Internet Friendships.

Originally posted on YouTube on 26th January, 2008.
Can Internet friendships ever be real friendships.
This is also the first "beach vlog" included here and does contains some scenes of the sea.

The Global Village.

This video was originally posted on YouTube on 20th September, 2007.
It was inspired by the use of one of my videos, by an English teacher in Bogota, Columbia. Showing how our videos can be seen and affect people around the world.

The Great YouTube Learning Experience.

This video was originally uploaded to YouTube on 21st February, 2007.
It is the 3rd in a series of videos about YouTube and is the follow up to "Are you a secret YouTuber?".

Are You A YouTube Virgin?

This video was originally posted onto YouTube on 11th December, 2006.
The video was posted to try and persuade others to take the plunge and make their own first video for YouTube. It was also the first in a short series of videos i did about my early YouTube experiences.