Pixelshot

It is with much sadness but a lot of excitement that I announce my departure from National Geographic. Rather than go into details (since I’m on a strict gag order), I’ll just say that I’m leaving for bigger and better things, still to be determined. While some may see it as the end of a chapter, I see it as the beginning of a new, even more adventurous and exciting chapter.

Sadness: I have truly loved my time at NG and had some great successes, such as the NG Video product which has grown exponentially since I’ve started, the user-generated video site Everyday Explorers, which satisfied my creative urges, and U2 3D, which was just downright cool. But, I’ll miss my work friends (and I do consider them all friends) and the great NG perks.

Excitement: This gives me the opportunity to truly focus on some exciting projects I’ve had in my back pocket for a while. Having some time at NG has given me some important skills, credentials and exposure to some very interesting things. I can definately parlay them all into some exciting new stuff. Stay tuned!! (Certainly Pixelshot will finally get that much needed overhaul and I’m planning good things with the content so keep reading!)

Obviously I wish only but the best for NG digital media. I’m sure that the web site will continue to grow and flourish.  I will miss you all. Please stay in touch.

For anyone out there on cyberspace who’s looking for a fresh mind to kick some serious cyber-butt, you know how to reach me…

Cheers.

Today was stake conference here in DC. It was a great day basking in love and spirit. One message that was particularly memorable for me was by the new stake Relief Society president Linda McKinney. She hit a similar chord that we’ve heard a lot of recently: hope.

She pointed out that hope is given its power by its sisters: faith and charity. Sister McKinney pointed out that it’s our resposibility to make hope an active part of our life.

A different speaker during the conference described how she kept hope in her life. When she was a young girl she, in her mind, would look through an imaginary window and see happiness. She would see men who “were patient and spoke with soft voices.” She imagined what happiness would look like and then she aspired to be that way.

I had to ask myself if I did that. Or, if I looked through a window and saw unhappiness. Do I look out a window and see the beauty of the tree and the golden yellow leaves and the cycle of the seasons, or, do I look too far into the details and see dirt and grime.

As was said at the last general conference, every life has both scarcity and abundance, depending on how you look at it.

Sometimes I see the scarcity. I’m trying to stay focused on the abundance.

I know you’ve been thinking: “What will I get Scott for Christmas this year?” It’s ok. Lots of people think that.

I’m here to help you.

Let’s say you’ve got an extra $2500 bucks sitting around and you’re wishing that the next Scott and Robin Christmas Movie is filmed in HD, well you might consider the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR camera.

“But it’s an SLR camera?” you ask. “Not a video camera!”

Ah, well that’s where you’re wrong. Yep, the camera does video. HD video!

“But those kind of cameras don’t record audio!” you might add.

Wrong again. This one has an audio-in jack to patch in microphones. Nifty.

Not convinced? Haven’t pulled out the checkbook just yet?

Check out this video filmed by said camera:

Of course, the real genious of this rig is the interchangeable lenses. Say you have a 200mm lens for your Canon, like me. You can slap that puppy on and do some nice zoom video shots. Ditto for wide angle and macro. You can also do some sweet zoom and focus tricks that you just can’t do on any other cameras except the ones that George Lucas’ camera crew carries around, and let me remind you that those rigs are just a little more than $2500 bucks.

Oh, and did I mention that it also takes photos?

Think about it. You’ve got a few weeks…

Today’s Sunday’s With Scott thought connects to the election, but probably not in a way you might think. Robin and I have been talking about how we might react if we were in the situation that many members of the LDS church find themselves in currently in California. So, this post is intended for the LDS readers but could have value for everyone.

This past election cycle, California’s Proposition 8 has caused controversy to say the least and the members of the church are in a particularly difficult position - whether or not they supported the proposition. To some, this situation has put their own strongly held beliefs on a collision course with Church leadership. We, as Mormons, can feel the world looking at us.

I’m sure that this will not be the only time. So, I prefer to think it through now, rather than be surprised by it some time in the future.

But I don’t want to discuss the proposition itself, I just want to pass on a devotional address by Neal A. Maxwell, one of the recent apostles of the church, given almost 30 years ago. In his message, entitled Meeting the Challenges of Today, he pointed out that in the future “events will require of each member that he or she decide whether or not he or she will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions.”

He adds that “not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ.”

He suggests to “never hesitate” to follow the counsels of the Church leaders even if it comes at odds with your social or professional life. Certainly he would encourage studying out the issues and individual thought, but not to take it so far as to put your own eternal goals at risk.

Anyway, read through the talk and let me know your thoughts.