Real Talk (Take it to the Streets)

#shameless video up! now some peeps think i'm uber confident to walk up to strangers and maybe i am but that doesn't mean i don't feel awkward and scared! cause i do! but then i think, "hey, this guy is asking me for a minute of my time so why not ask him a minute of his?" but as i said, do the thing that scares you. because the more you do it the more confident you become. AND great content for my viewers :) i better be super woman by the time this year is up!!!

the real progress report

wowzers! i'm gonna fall back some. uploading that last video made me realize i need to prioritize my life. making videos every week is killing my personal and work life.  i'm gonna stick to a video every other week as i stated in my very first video, which will allow me to blog more, create stuff, and hopefully i can catch up. since i'll be making a video every other week i hope i can invest more time in filming and editing and delivery fun, quality videos :) so for those that want regular updates in between...ya'll gotta visit me hur! editing and uploading videos when i really should be spending time with family or editing my photography...um yeah...i'm still #shameless :)

maybe i'll even get some sleep

i have equated being on the road to being on my laptop...geesh!

lots of fun stuff coming!!! i'm trying really hard to get that video up today but it may be late :(

working on immigration stuff...

second gear

i feel like i got my homework done early! after posting my latest video on YouTube "talk about what?" a flood of ideas came pouring in thanks to my real world and cyber friends. i guess i can't stand talking about me..."get over it maya!" i'll be stalling again this coming week with an inspiring interview with Andrea Lewis from TGAW, but Tuesday, May 22 will be maya's world in full effect. the best thing about this #shameless challenge is the massive support i've been receiving from everyone. i really had no idea so many people were in the same boat as me. so thank you for supporting and encouraging me to get over this nonsense.  i haven't even begun to scrape the surface of #shameless. i'm still not doing a very good job...gotta kick myself into second gear...
lots of fun entertaining things are lined up. my biggest challenge is balancing my personal, career, and creative life. so many diy's i want to do but the time! it'll come...

in terms of this challenge, moving forward i'll be dissecting #shameless with interviews and discussions as well as #shamelessly plugging myself and the fun things it is i do. a still from footage with Andrea Lewis on location at The Highline

Camera Ready

what a week! i so wanted to do a post on some sort of fashion diy, but i must now spend my sunday editing video for YouTube and write this post! i'm working out a system so everything is timed to the "T" and i have more than enough time to do my hearts desires. but for now i thought why not share some of the things i learned for creating a video with ME in front.

1) first you need a camera. i'm using my canon 7d. point and shoots work as well and i've used them for previous videos. even some built in phone cameras get the job done.

2) have a good mic!!! i forgot to bring my Rode mic for my last video but not this time around :) if you don't have the funds for a mic and happen to have an iphone they have a dope a$$ built in mic which you can definitely use.

3) do your makeup and hair and wear clothing that looks good on camera and represents you! if i'm gonna put my face out there for people to critique i might as well put some effort into getting camera ready. i don't usually wear powder makeup but i busted out my Rupaul kit to get even skin tone and color. i also chose fun colors cause i'm all about it :)

4) get used to being in front of a camera :) in my instance it's my friend so i can be myself, flaws and all.

5) pick an area that has nice day light and compliments yo face. i love both photography and filming with natural light. if it's day out, best believe i'll be filming by a window or outside.

6) edit your video! people get bored FAST! keep it short. i need to refine the art of 2 min videos. but it's a good idea to have different angles and locations when shooting. i edit using imovie. i have the new final cut but they totally revamped it, i kinda have to re-teach myself. i'm happy to be a mac user since it comes with so many fun and cool programs for free! but editing moving images? is a whole other beast. i imagine i'll get faster and better but for now, slow and steady wins the race. if you don't have editing software, YouTube gives you the ability to edit your footage.