062 – Your Digital Fingerprint

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie explore ministry implications of the new amateur communication channels that exist on the web and chat with professional photographer Lori Ashbrenner about simple ways to improve digital photography skills.

Podcast: Download (30.2MB)

The discussion:

“Publish, Then Filter” – In today’s discussion Martin and Sallie look at the effects of the amateurization of communication as they discuss the fourth chapter of Clay Shirky’s Here Comes Everybody. The enormity and permanence of web-based (public) communication via e-mail, web sites and social networks offers unique opportunities and challenges for ministry. Because the communication channels are so new, standards for filtering or ignoring certain communication aren’t yet established.
- Etching Yourself on the Internet

The interview:

Digital photography (17:14) – Lori Aschbrenner, WELS member from Beautiful Savior in Everett, WA and professional photographer, talks with Martin and Sallie about photography tips and tricks for the beginner (read the manual!) as well as those looking for the “sweet hour” who want to take their digital photography to the next level.
- www.MomentsInTimeByLori.com
- Book recommendation – Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
- Learn more on the web
  - www.BetterPhoto.com
  - www.ILovePhotography.com
  - The Picture Perfect School of Photography – ppsop.blogspot.com

The tidbits:

Picks of the week (37:12)
- FTP client software – www.filezilla-project.org
- Text substitution with Texter from Lifehacker
WELS.net feature (43:09)
- Check out the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society site for devotions, prayers and mission projects plus rally and convention information – www.lwms.org
Community feedback (44:20)
- The WELSTech listserve has been a busy place! Check out the archive for these interesting threads:
  - Content filtering – Information shared has been added to the WELSTech wiki
  - Worship presentation software – Is anyone using EZ Worhip or Media Shout? If so, please share your impressions of the software.
  - Hymnsoft
  - Mass e-mail solutions
- Ben Polzin asked for an example church web site that is doing a good job of separating member and visitor content
  - Check out www.shepherd-of-the-hills.com
- John Schoosmith from Redeemer in Yakima, WA reported that Google Video is turning down uploads. This is the platform that had supported closed-caption video and longer video lengths. Stay-tuned to find out what solution emerges to fill this gap.
- We heard from Rachel M. & David Savatiski via the #WELSTech Twitter conversation, and both reported that they got ideas for their congregational web sites from our last episode discussion of “Five Don’ts“.
- David Savatski also shared a link to www.VoodooPad.com and left us a voicemail requesting ideas for teaching members to make use of congregation and school digital communication.
  - Create screencast “site tour” videos with Jing – www.JingProject.com
Coming up on WELSTech (1:00:53)
- Episode 063 – Next week we’ll explore all things PDF – editing, optimizing, merging and more – and talk with our ShopWELS Lenovo partner, Patty Ullsperger