Change is constant

"Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road." - Stewart Brand

If you’ve been following at all, you know that this blog was a discussion of technology: past technology, past predictions of technology, present technologies and future technologies. Oftentimes one post would include not one, not two, but all of these things. A discussion of cell phones began with telegraphs, evolved to rotary phones, took a detour through “futuristic cell phones of the past” and eventually ended up at blackberries; this is the formula many of my posts followed.

Why did I approach topics this way? What did it teach me?

It’s simple, really: nothing lasts forever.

Today’s technological advances are often tomorrow’s stone age devices. Remember Windows Vista? And how that was around for oh, I don’t know, 2 seconds? (In case you haven’t picked up on this, I exaggerate things. It’s for effect) How about the original iPod? If you still have one of those things, you might as well use a Walkman.

Things change. Personally, I think it’s scary.

I’m a communication major with a focus in public relations. Public relations, like many other concentrations, is constantly evolving due to changes in the field. The difference with public relations today, is, that social media has been adapted by PR pros (and aspiring pros like me) as our own. Twitter, linkedin, blogs, foursquare: PR toys.

As a young PR student, I’m worried. Or, as I like to say, "optimistically aware." Should I bother with these “toys?” Should I learn them, become a pro at them, earn the title of “guru” and garner the respect of my peers….for a year? Will the industry still be using twitter when I graduate? Or will I have experience in a useless tool? If someone has some insider info on that one, I would greatly appreciate it.

My point is we don’t know. We don’t know who will invent what and when. The social media tool of the future may already have been invented, may be in use right now, but it’s not widespread. Facebook and Twitter didn’t take off overnight. So what if it’s out there, waiting for me to use it, and I’ve got no clue it exists? It’s weird to think about, but it’s very possible.

I know that this occurs in almost every field of study: every day has the possibility of creating a new theory, a new tool, a new way of thinking that can revolutionize the way things work. But I’m in PR, so that’s what I worry about.

All I can say is learn to adapt. That’s what I’ve learned: to be open to learning. I know. It sounds really, really simple. And it is—somebody just needs to let you in on the secret simplicity of success.

So for now I’ll tweet, I’ll keep blogging, I’ll eventually figure out how to use foursquare and I’ll continue to change the privacy settings on my facebook until it hardly exists at all.

Or maybe I won’t—but that’s for tomorrow to tell me.

Happy Sunday, & Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom and to all other Moms.

Rule of Thirds 3.0: Don't say I didn't try

Caution. Broken stairs outside of Hagerstown.

WARNING: I have no photography experience. Bear with me.

This was one of the first shots I took while on my lovely Thursday afternoon photo-shoot. I left Hagerstown, my humble campus home,

and saw the broken bricks on the stairs, said "This is kind of artistic," and took a picture.

I think I lack inspiration.

This week I got a different assignment in Info 3 pt. 0. I wasn't assigned a blog topic, I was assigned....an assignment. We were sent out with our cameras & camera phones and told to learn something about photography. To take what we were taught in class and apply it in real world settings.

I tried.

So the photo above is my first example. While not perfect, I think I did some good things here, that I would like to point out. The rule of thirds, as I mentioned in my previous post, is a way of positioning the subjects of your photograph so that the most important, most eye-catching items are placed at the intersections of divisions of thirds. In my cleverly named "Traffic-Cone Photo," the black railing is roughly one-third of the way down the photo, marking the top third of the scene. The bottom third roughly coincides with one of the steps in the bottom of the photo. The black railing, which is a color that stands out against the reddish brick dominating the photo, leads the eye into the undoubtedly most exciting part of the photo--the orange traffic cone. The traffic cone is positioned in the top right third, and coincides with the top right intersection (of the rule of thirds lines.) The lighting is a bit bright in the top of the photo-which I was going to edit out-but I decided to keep it because it makes the reflector strips on the traffic cone glow, which I feel adds more emphasis to the focal point of the picture.

Try #2.

I like this one. Probably because of my lovely model Jenn. Once again the black railing in this photo pops against the color. Whereas in the other photo, the horizontal divisions were extremely clear, the vertical divisions in this one almost draw themselves. Jenn is standing on the left division, the green tree takes up the middle, and the black railing and the red tree set the third division. Cool.

The horizontal divisions are drawn by the end of the pavement (and the beginning of the tree) and the top of the tree, which almost lines up perfectly with the bubble-wand and the bubble Jenn is blowing.

But Kelly, these pictures are not of technology!

I know. But I have a point.

Jenn's blowing bubbles. Jenn's also almost 20 years old. Some other friends of ours walked past while we were shooting these photos and amused themselves by chasing the bubbles around and popping them. Simple pleasures.

I've also got a friend with an iPhone. This friend has an iPhone app which, to the best of my knowledge, consists of nothing other than popping virtual bubbles on virtual bubble wrap. Seriously? Some new things (virtual bubble wrap) will just never replace old things (real bubble wrap, or real bubbles.) In short, technology is not always the answer. Sometimes it's better just to do things the simple way.

Some Others:

The red car is sitting on the top third intersection in this photo. I wanted to highlight the several aspects of technology in this photo--the cars, the brand new building and the crane in the background. I also enjoy the lighting in this photo.

Chinatown. I had to go see a play for another class near the Verizon Center, so I went up early and walked around a bit. This photo is taken at the intersection of the Verizon Center part & the Chinatown part. I know, that sounded intelligent. But, hear me out--the left third of the photo contains the colorful chinatown arch. The middle and top center part are of an at&t building, but they incorporate the same colors as the arch. The bottom center and the right third are full of grey cars and a gray building to the left. The bottom third is divided by the digital bulletin boards on the at&t building, another immediate contrast to the gray cars and the boring building in the background.

MOVING ON.

I may not have followed all of the rules for this photo (AKA please don't grade me on it Prof Yaros!) but I had to share because it's downright adorable.

Back to regular blogging next week!!

Happy Saturday & Happy Easter =]