My name is Terri Nakamura, I’m a graphic designer and writer, and I’ve been a social media aficionado and netizen since the early 2000s. On March 18, 2024, my tweets and connections were rudely hijacked, and I was shocked to discover that hackers had stolen my paid “Twitter Blue” @terrinakamura Twitter/X account!
Has this happened to you or someone close to you? It’s worrisome, time-consuming, and, in my case, incredibly frustrating.
Since March 18, I’ve been trapped in a never-ending nightmare, fighting through countless support requests and presenting a mountain of evidence to Twitter. I’ve shared receipts of my payment for Twitter Blue, selfies, a barrage of links and screenshots, and official “Twitter” scans of my legal ID – all hoping to prove my identity and ownership. But Twitter remains unconvinced, and it’s been unbelievable and disheartening.
If any of you know a human being employed by Twitter, or maybe someone who USED to be employed before (according to CNN) Elon Musk fired 6,000 people, I would be beyond grateful to talk with someone who could shed light on this insanity.
Out of sheer desperation, I did something I never thought I would – I recorded a video of myself speaking. I did this to share my story and the frustration I’ve been experiencing, hoping that it might resonate or inspire someone to help.
I’ve been a podcast interview guest with Neal Schaffer, Tim Hughes, Rod Jones, Avery Nishimura, Begoña Pino, Julian Leahy, and others. For me, it’s much easier to answer questions than to just talk by myself. I’d been thinking of posting a YouTube video, and today, I finally sat down and made one. I wish I’d spent more time making myself look presentable, but oh, well. I gathered a few visual props and turned on the camera. I didn’t rehearse, and it was done in one take, with imperfections and all.
The Seattle PD and the Washington State Attorney General have taken up my cause, stepping up to help me reclaim what was unjustly taken from me. Both take identity theft very seriously, wheras Twitter doesn’t. But still, the hackers remain at large, enjoying the show from their parents’ basement.
Have any of you experienced this level of frustration when regaining access to a hacked account? I’ve been told LinkedIn and META are much better neighborhoods when it comes to keeping users safe from account theft. Were you able to resolve the issue? If so, could you please share your story with me?
Your assistance could make a difference, and I will be forever grateful for any help you can provide.
Keeping kids safe on social media. Photo: Unsplash with Andrej Lišakov
Social Media’s Impact on Kids – What’s Next for Tech?
During my four days at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), I had the opportunity to attend only one panel discussion. I’m grateful that I chose to listen and see this particular one in person.
A lengthy queue of eager attendees had formed, all looking forward to hearing insights from the three distinguished speakers, including Mitch Prinstein from the American Psychological Association (APA), Megan Jones Bell from Google, and Ravi Iyer from the USC Marshall School’s Neely Center. The panel was expertly hosted by Corbin Evans, Senior Director at APA.
While my own children are now adults, I find myself thinking about the impact of electronic devices and the potential repercussions of allowing young children access to social media platforms. This concern has taken on a greater significance since I’ve become a grandparent.
The dynamics of social media engagement are vastly different for adults compared to the experiences of children and teenagers. Most adults, myself included, can navigate platforms like Instagram without getting caught up in the potential negative experiences. My personal journey with social media journey dates back to the early 2000s and I’ve been fortunate to encounter very few negative incidents. This contrast underscores the importance of distinguishing between adult, adolescent and pre-teen use.
In sharing this summary, my hope is that it sparks interest among parents, educators, and all who share concerns regarding the profound influence of social media on our kids. It’s a topic that deserves our collective attention as we seek to safeguard the well-being and development of younger generations.
Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, APA
Mitch Prinstein asked the question, did problems get worse when social media began? He talked about the lack of specific data that correlated between social media and negative effects on mental health including suicide, weight gain or substance abuse. They’re unable to say the current youth mental health crisis has been caused by social media.
When kids are asked, they report a wide array of reasons that affect their mental well-being, such as school shootings, exposure to violence and sexual assault, unrealistic academic pressures, increased polarization, climate change and leadership critique of underrepresented identities. These things exacerbate the current situation, but none are the singular cause of the current mental health crisis.
Image: Mitch Prinstein, APA
It’s important to consider that the adolescent brain isn’t fully cooked, and that teenagers and their developing brains are affected by social media. Even though these platforms were made for adults, kids use them instead, and especially when their brains are changing the most.
During this time when the adolescent brain is changing, the rapidity of change is second only to the changes during the first year of life. The first area of the brain that changes is the part that makes kids roll their eyes, especially at their parents. Prinstein says it’s because of the proliferation of dopamine and oxytocin receptors in an area called the anterior cingulate cortex.
Graphic: Mitch Prinstein, APA
They suddenly become very sensitive to what their peers think, and very interested in avoiding anything that could cause them harm or a social consequence. This is happening around the age of 10, 11, 12 when there is a hyper-charged desire to connect with peers.
Not many years later, we see the full capacity of the pre-frontal cortex, the last area of the brain to develop, which is like the “brain’s breaks,” or the inhibition center that stops people from pursuing every impulse they have.
Between the ages of 10 and 25 is when we see the most social media use. A lot of kids are getting their phones at the time when they’re desiring so much interaction with peers. And they’re unable to stop themselves from the hyper engagement with social media platforms for many years to come.
What Scientists are Asking
Scientists don’t usually ask if social media is all good or all bad. The scientific community is asking a variety of other questions to try to understand the effects of digital media on adolescent development. In what ways is social media benefitting or fostering the development of important competencies or relationships?
What are the ways kids are showing problematic effects of social media use, like addiction? What are the opportunities that kids miss each minute they’re on social media, like sleep and exercise? What ways are kids more susceptible to misinformation?
Overall, when we talk about social media, there are 3 separate aspects.
Content on SM that kids generate, seek out, or things that are presented to them
Specific features of SM, the “like button, the endless scroll, the follower counts — these are things that are new and different and change our social relationships.
The AI piece, which is new and evolving, and we know less about.
Parents wonder how much time their kids should spend on social media. If they’re reading the New York Times and talking with their friends about political issues, maybe 20 hours a day? joked Prinstein.
But if they’re on SM and being directed to content on how to cut themselves and how to keep it from their parents, less than a minute would be too much.
We have to think about ways of building competencies that could help their development.
10 Recommendations for Parents, Platforms and Policymakers
Build and encourage use of functions that promote socialization
Tailor platform design, functionality, and permissions to developmental capabilities
Monitor use for early adolescents
Remove content and mininimize exposure to content that promotes illegal or psychologicall maladaptive behavior
Remove content and minimize exposure to content that promotes prejudice, hate or cyberbullying
Routinely screen for signs of problematic use
Limit use that interferes with sleep and physical activity
Limit use that encourages social comparison
Precede use with training teens in social media literacy
Provide resources for continued research on the positive and negative effects of social media on development.
(Excerpted from the graphic below.)
Graphic: Mitch Prinstein, APA
Our recommendations are reflective of a scientific perspective, on how social media can be used to foster healthy and adaptive social milestones, but we need parents to be monitoring social media use. Not looking over their shoulders, but to talk with their kids about what they’re experiencing on social media.
We’re asking tech companies to really think about the adolescent brain and its unique vulnerabilities and capabilities, and to think about making the experiences of an 8 year old on social media different from the experience of an 80 year old on social media. We’re looking at different ways to screen for problematic use, we’re calling for a take down discriminatory and harmful content — content that encourages maladaptive or psychiatrically disordered behavior.
In particular we’re interested in fostering a conversation around social media literacy. We don’t just give kids the keys to a car and wish them luck as they head down the driveway. We make sure they know how to operate a car in a way that would be safe for themselves and others. With social media, there are no tests to demonstrate that they have the competency to understand fake profiles, mis- and disinformation, how to combat cyber-hate and how to engage in adaptive ways of solving interpersonal conflict. This is based on psychological science. Psychologists have developed interventions to teach kids these skills effectively, so we have those tools. It’s time to bring them to scale.
Parents can do so much in this space. There is no psychological science that shows kids are harmed by NOT being on social media. We can stop social media use after 9 PM, use parental controls, and build social media competency.
Prinstein suggested that social media should not be allowed during class time, and that schools/teachers should be teaching kids how to use social media safely, and that educators should be teaching kids about the online world. (My note: I’m not an educator, but I have an issue with integrating social media into schools. I see teachers as being burdened with integrating societal changes, which has had a significant impact on their work, and I doubt that educators have the capacity to handle “one more thing.”)
We need to get lawmakers to make sure that kids and their data are protected and we’re not sacrificing their development to help others make a profit.
And we need the tech industry to think of ways that they can put child safety over the model of increased and constant engagement. There are ways this can be accomplished, and that’s what we hope for.
Megan Jones Bell, PsyD, Clinical Director, Consumer and Mental Health, Google
Megan Jones Bell leads consumer and mental health across Google. She shared an overview of how Google approaches the objective of keeping kids and their mental health in the spotlight, highlighting their work on YouTube.
Google is all about creating online experiences that empower kids. Its goal is to provide enriching, safe, and age-appropriate online spaces that respect children’s unique needs while giving families control over technology. Jones Bell said Google builds these experiences with safety in mind from the start, and she shared some recent work done on YouTube, although the efforts extend across Google products.
Jones Bell focused on recent work they’ve done on YouTube. Kids’ mental health, which requires special protection online. They’ve developed 5 Youth Principles that form the core of the work that Google does to create a safer and more enriching environment.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google. (Excerpt from graphic, below)
Kids’ mental health requires special protection online
Parents and caregivers should have a say in how technology is used within their families.
Every child deserves access to high-quality, age-appropriate content that suits their interests and needs.
Developmental needs of children differ from teenagers’, so tech should reflect that.
With the proper safeguards, kids can benefit from and use innovative technologies.
Google has already introduced features like “take a break” and bedtime reminders in many Google products, but they’re enhancing them to be more effective by creating moments for pause and reflection.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
One thing they’re about to roll out is an all-screen takeover (third panel). These will be more disruptive and create more moment to pause which we know is more likely to get someone to disengage.
They’re also changing the way they recommend content by focusing on limiting repeated suggestions of videos that might promote unhealthy social comparisons or social aggression among young viewers. They’ve been eliminated from the “watch next” algorithm on YouTube.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
Google wants to ensure that the content they suggest is safe and positive. To support users during difficult moments, they’ve updated their crisis resource panel to encourage safer searches and offer crisis resources more prominently. (It was a small blue bar in its earlier iteration, but the new “pause” page on the right, is a full-screen takeover.) This way, people are more likely to find help when needed.
We know from our research that slowing people down in moments of crisis will lead to disengage from problematic search.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
In terms of promoting high-quality health information, they’re working to elevate high-quality mental health content for young teens by collaborating with experts at the National Academy of Medicine and organizations like the World Health Organization. They’ve also partnered with Common Sense Networks to provide training and resources for creators, helping them make responsible and helpful content and promote digital well-being. These are just some steps they’re taking to create a safer and more enriching online environment for kids and teens.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
Ravi Iyer, Managing Director of the USC Marshall School’s Neely Center
Ravi Iyer was present to discuss how we can design social media to have a positive impact on mental health. While social media isn’t solely responsible for mental health issues, there are ways to make it better for those who are affected negatively. Here are two key takeaways:
Platform Accountability: We should hold social media platforms accountable for their design choices, not just the content they host. Creating spaces that discourage harmful activities and incentivize positive ones is essential.
User Experience Surveys: We can use surveys to gauge user experiences and validate whether platforms improve their design. By listening to users’ concerns and feedback, we can ensure that the changes implemented align with their needs.
During his time at Facebook, he realized that existing policies didn’t cover some harmful behaviors, such as fear speech and subtle misinformation. They focused on design changes to address this, like removing engagement incentives that encouraged negative interactions. They also introduced rate and functionality limits to prevent a small group of users from dominating discussions.
These ideas have been compiled into a design code for social media. It acts similarly to building codes. While preventing every bad thing from happening online is impossible, we can hold platforms responsible if their design choices promote harmful behavior. By doing so, we aim to empower users to engage with content that aligns with their aspirations rather than just what grabs their attention.
Says, Iyer, “We’ve started measuring user experiences by asking people about positive and negative encounters on social media platforms. This helps us understand which platforms are improving and where improvements are needed. For instance, LinkedIn stands out for having fewer negative experiences and fostering a more positive environment.”
In the world of AI, we’re also keeping an eye on user experiences to catch potential harms early as AI adoption grows.
In summary, we can create a healthier online environment by holding platforms accountable for their design choices and continually measuring user experiences to ensure progress.
Postscript
CES, one of the largest global tech events in the world, offers thousands of compelling reasons to be make the pilgrimage.
Among the foremost is the chance to be present for groundbreaking product launches. It’s a place where B2B deals and investments are made. It’s a chance to witness the debut of inventions and feel the sensation of the future unfolding before your eyes. You can not only observe but actively interact with innovations. The experience far exceeds articles on the Internet, or mere observation.
We have access to the stories and inspirations behind new technology that exemplify how visionary founders and engineers were driven to bring their dreams to fruition. We can hear from the inventors first-hand and feel the passion fueling their journeys.
In addition to introducing new technology and innovations, CES is a knowledge hub where industry luminaries deliver breaking news at press conferences, and lead thought-provoking panel discussions. These sessions provide an invaluable opportunity to glean insights into the ever-changing landscape of our world. The perspectives are the most up-to-date and feature the best practices across various sectors.
The “Social Media’s Impact on Kids” session featured a stellar panel of speakers. They offered rare glimpses into the behind-the-scenes initiatives driving research and policy, bringing changes to the forefront. It was a journey into understanding the relationship between education, research, and technology, showing how these forces combine to safeguard our children and families.
I did my best to accurately represent the concepts shared by the panel. Any omissions while conveying their thoughts, were unintentional.
In closing, thank you for your interest in this post. CES is the convergence of innovation, knowledge, and potential in technology. It’s a realm where the future is not a distant idea but a tangible reality waiting for us to explore. It was my privilege to take part.
Additional Information:
There are countless resources to support consumers who seek information on social media and its effect on children and adolescents. Here are a a few links to articles related to this post.
Thoughtrow Podcast | Hosts: Rod & Inci Jones | 12/2/21
Click image to listen
SHOW NOTES – Thoughtrow Podcast
Episode 51: Terri Nakamura – Harnessing the Power of Social Media
In this episode, show co-hosts Rod & Inci Jones share their quote of the day and motivational thought, and then discuss the pros & cons of social media and how its impacted their social media presence.
After Rod & Inci’s brief discussion, they introduce Terri Nakamura, who is a Social Media Consultant, Designer, Writer, and Author of “Blogging on Instagram: Engagement Writing on One of the World’s Best Social Media Platforms”.
Their guest Terri Nakamura discusses with them the power of blogging on Instagram and its benefits. Teri shares her tips on how to be more effective in building your brand and notoriety on social media.
She gives the number one takeaway from the interview today, and what would benefit people most when it comes to building their social media presence.
The Consumer Electronics Show is the world stage to show, see and get hands-on experiences with new technology. Twelve months ago, CES was the last normal thing I remember about 2020. The pandemic changed the way we work, live and play, and in keeping with all of our pivoting, the first all-digital CES began Monday, Jan. 11. When CES first appeared in 1967, 17,000 people showed up. In recent years the show has attracted about 180,000 visitors and last year there were 4,400 exhibitors.
CES in 2020 by Terri Nakamura
I had high expectations. If anyone could pull it off a digital extravaganza, it would be CES, right? But the first day wasn’t ideal for me. I’d poured through dozens of advance press releases and did due diligence to determine which products interested me. Some were added to “My Exhibits”, which one would assume to be a shortcut. But I experienced glitches with the links. By day two, all was well. Since I didn’t know what I was doing, it could’ve been me.
Leading up to CES, I’m usually working overtime to clear deadlines out of the way. I’ll travel to McLaren International Airport where I’ll be greeted by my friends Diane and Steve Brogan — my hosts the past two years.
But this year CES is VIRTUAL. So Monday I woke up at reasonable time, ate my Cheerios, then turned on my computer. BOOM. I was there.
Best-laid plans
Monday, I sat in on several live events. If something wasn’t interesting, I wandered away, so in that respect, it was like the real deal. In between the keynotes and presentations, I visited dozens of companies and viewed their content. Some of the exhibitors were “present” when I “stopped by,” so if I typed a question in the chat box, they answered in real time as they would if you were there in person.
What I’ve liked so far
So far, two events made big impressions. One was the 30-minute “Better Normal for All” press conference by Samsung. The storytelling was superb from the “Mad Men”-style opening graphics to the host (name) and introduction of products, of which some I’d normally feel under-excited about, like washers, dryers and vacuums. Samsung pulled out the stops and even the refrigerators seemed cool (pun intended). The reveal felt like what I might normally see at CES — exciting showmanship and lots of “wow.” Entertaining animal actors and vacuum robots that keep a camera eye on your pet clean up after them made for fun context for their products. Here is a link: https://youtu.be/DqXsTtW5VEo
The Samsung Jetbot90 AI+ robot vacuum keeps an eye on your pets and when it sees a mishap, it goes to clean it up.
The other was a “thing” rather than an event. Over the weekend I had a chance to explore The Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA). TTA came closest to what I imagined digital CES would feel like. A cool video greets you upon arrival visually touching on some of the companies and products. It did a great job of setting the tone and I liked this quote: “There are ordinary people and extraordinary dreamers.”
Screen grab of the Taiwan Tech Arena at CES 2021
TTA was a virtual reality experience that featured more than 100 startups. Their arena was set up like you’d expect to see an exhibition hall: visitors could navigate to five categories and wander from exhibitor to exhibitor. Each startup featured multimedia presentations and I had the sensation I was wandering around the show floor. Thunderzee showcased a zinc air battery which hopes to usurp lithium ion. The zinc batteries eliminate the fire risk associated with lithium ion batteries and are more lightweight, cheaper and reportedly better for the environment.
Verizon’s presentation focused on 5G. They’ve been working to educate consumers about 5G because many of us don’t know anything about it. A series of Twitter chats have focused on it and introduced consumers to ways 5G is beneficial. (Disclosure: I have been a paid brand partner in Verizon 5G promotions). In addition to learning what is really exciting about 5G and how Verizon is partnering with businesses to enable almost incomprehensible speed in everything from medicine to delivery to sports to gaming and entertainment, it also gave us the chance to experience a live concert using virtual reality. By aiming at a QR code, viewers were taken into a VR environment to feel the reality of walking around the performers and viewing them live in 360°
By scanning a QR code while watching the event, you’re taken into the concert as it happens
Tuesday and Wednesday I spent spelunking in smaller exhibits and companies. A few that have interested me so far include:
American Printing House for the Blind and their “Road to Code” that makes coding activities accessible to visually impaired students, preparing them for future careers.
DeepScore enables people without traditional credit to earn “trust scores” based on facial responses to pressurized questions using AI to detect fraud/
Nomadplug is a product designed for travelers who are tired of lugging around a bag full of adapters as they travel from country to country. It’s attractive and compact and uses magnets to morph from one adapter type to another..
NinuPerfume positions its product as the first “smart perfume” that personalizes fragrance and is guided by AI. At the real-life CES you could experience what it smells like.
What works
It’s actually easier to make a one-on-one connection with companies at this digital version of CES, so if you’re interested in what they’re doing, you can chat or email and they quickly respond. The immediacy makes the virtual nature of CES feel more satisfying. Also, as anyone who has attended the CES knows—the guards start shepherding people out of the venues around 5 or 6 PM. With the all-digital CES and the linked micro sites, visitors can wander around in the middle of the night. You can explore whenever it’s convenient.
What’s missing
I really miss the crowds, atmosphere, mind-boggling immersive displays like taking a simulated helicopter ride. And the accidental discoveries of amazing products, ideas and services like when Alibaba previewed real-time voice translation in 2019.
In the demo, people spoke into the camera and both speakers were simultaneously were translated in different languages. Screen grab from video by Terri Nakamura
And I miss hanging out in the media room writing, drinking coffee and having lunch with friends, journalists and analysts who share something in common — a love of technology.
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PS. A crazy thing about this story — I couldn’t publish it. We had a huge power outage from Tuesday evening until mid-day Wednesday. It’s ironic to have no Internet during a major tech event. It was like 2018 when the lights went out in the Central Hall at CES — another unforgettable moment that could only be experienced in person!
I’ve been using Instagram since April of 2011 when the site was about 6 months old. It seemed like a creative challenge and I didn’t know if I was up to the task. Back then I was most likely shooting photos with an iPhone 4 or 4s (can’t remember which) capturing images at less than 400 pixels per inch. By comparison, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL I now use are capturing 12.3 megapixel images—so massively greater image clarity is possible.
Looking back at my early photos, they look kind of awful. Despite some images with halfway decent composition, the clarity is “not good.” Below is a sample, and you can follow the link to blog post with more examples and “tips.”
Minimal Activity = Stagnant Follower Count
I’m not good at “gaming” followers, and unlike many of the huge accounts out there, I have never bought any. So while I was doing “okay,” my account was never great. Then it got worse. In 2016 I accepted a full-time job. It was demanding and negatively impacted my ability to create and engage on most of my social channels, including Instagram. I was basically on “maintenance mode.” I tried to post an image most days, but weeks or months would go by, and I would “like” a bunch of photos, but I wouldn’t exchange comments with anyone! Needless to say, my account stagnated, I lost followers, and I’d be lucky to get 30 or 50 “likes on an image. I was stuck at about 2800 followers and nothing I did seemed to make a difference.
Some of you who know me pretty well are aware I left my job about a month and a half ago. The reason is long and boring, but suffice it to say I’m on the road to recovery and feeling better each day, and one thing that has been soul replenishing is reconnecting with people on social media. Engagement has been essential. I’m now up to about 4100 followers and have made lots of fabulous connections with fun and interesting new people.
Ramping Up
Assessing my Instagram situation, I realized there are now a lot of great photographers there, some of whom have massive audiences, and I seriously needed to up my game. The first order of business was to be more thoughtful about what I was shooting; then looking at how I was prepping the work, and how I framed the image’s narrative. I’ve been a brand partner of Verizon for about 5 years and I wanted to do a better job representing their products and service, so it meant changing up the way I had been doing things. Instead of “maintenance mode,” it was more like, “Banzai!”
Before and After
I’m going to share a series of “before and after” photos, so you can see what a difference it makes to properly prepare your images. This means cropping, sharpening, adjusting contrast, boosting the color saturation, and applying filters.
Here goes:
Kind of a “blah” shot of Alki Beach, right?
After being cropped, adjusted and filtered, it looks so much more interesting, AND detail in the bird that I didn’t even know was there, shows up.
One thing I’d like to say about Instagram — there is no shortage of brainy people there. Seems that each time I post something and don’t know what it is, a number of viewers will chime in and school me! An example is this shot below. I didn’t know what the flower was, and boy, did I get some great feedback!
The bee isn’t very apparent. Maybe because there are many distracting things in the shot, plus the color is subdued.
That’s better! And as Verizon says, “Better Matters!” And for the record, the flower is an Allium.
Reg Saddle @zaibatsu and I frequently discuss things like what the algorithms are rewarding or penalizing, and how it affects what we do. One of the things we go back to is what our audiences want. Think about what you post and which things get the most traction.
Here’s something “off the beaten path” for my feed — a glassblower in the Glassy Baby hot shop, not far from where I live. One of the most necessary steps was to crop this photo. You’ll see what I mean.
Interesting but a lot going on, right? Below: where the action is.
My “boyfriend,” Hunter. Dark. But cropped and adjusted:
I don’t know about you, but our cats are shedding like crazy!
So my brother-in-law is the head of the California Leafy Greens Board. His wife (is she my sister-in-law?) said this is NOT a thistle. But man. I’ve never seen an artichoke this tall. The main thing is, too much is going on and did you see the bee? Take a look:
I almost hate to show you this one. Check out this tree photo, taken on a dreary Seattle day in late spring. I have a thing about shooting UP a tree. This is a classic case.
I didn’t like the way the trunk was drawing the eye away in the bottom right corner. Cropping was calling. But how about those colors? Drab!
Through the miracle of filters, the tree came to life!
So this is a weird one. I noticed this magnolia blossom was so heavy, the bough brought the blossom to my eye level. When I peered inside, I was like, “WHAT?!?” Very cool, but I knew there was potential in making this better. As shown below, I cleaned up the shot, and there is now more detail and clarity.
Yes, folks. The bees were having a cabana party! Interestingly the following day, ZIP.
This shot is just plain beautiful any way you look at it. But even something this perfect can look better through cropping and a number of adjustments.
Things to Try
So, you can see that even a somewhat hopeless-looking photo has potential. It’s about post-production. Some things to think about:
Composition
Cropping
Color Adjustment (including saturation)
Ambience
Sharpening
Clean up
Filters
I’ve witnessed incredible transformations of the images posted by beginners who then found their mojo. Their photos went from “not good” to amazing!
If you’re on Instagram and follow me, simply post a comment on one of my images to let me know that you’re following, I’ll reciprocate! Here’s a link to my feed: https://www.instagram.com/terrinakamura/
If you’re NOT on Instagram, what are you waiting for? 🙂
If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you. Just let me know!
Next month will mark the four-year anniversary of a small journey my husband, David Horsfall, and I started in 2014. Alki Surf Shop began as an online store that became a brick and mortar reality once we were able to locate retail space on Alki (pronounced ALK-eye) Beach. Retail spaces are rare, and it was through a chance conversation that we learned of an imminent storefront space opening up. Tucked around the corner from Homefront, the most popular ice cream store on the beach, it’s not the easiest place to find, but people find us, and somehow we’ve become a destination of sorts. We’ve cultivated a loyal base of customers—many of whom have become our friends. Our fans and supporters want us to succeed, and they bring in friends and family whenever they have visitors, from everywhere.
It’s been an amazing learning experience, and I can say with certainty we are doing most everything more intelligently than when we started (there is always room for improvement, though). Along the way we have met thousands of people from all around the world and have 4 volumes of guest books to prove it. Packed on every page are drawings, messages of goodwill, and touching expressions of friendship spanning every continent and country, often written in the language of the visitor.
In the store’s nascency, I brought in a Nokia* tablet to use, but eventually we needed full-powered computer and replaced the tablet with a 21’ iMac. Our music continues to be piped out onto the sidewalk with a UE Boom* that it has been in use nearly every day for the past 3 and a half years and is still going strong! We have a WeMo* camera for security, and our Verizon service has even rescued us when our credit card terminal service was down by enabling us to use Square to process transactions. This is all to say, for a very low tech-looking, laid-back beach store, we depend on technology to keep the wheels turning each day.
It’s gratifying that beside that fact that we offer a valuable service, our business provides so much joy to our visitors. Most people enjoy the friendly vibe where we take time to learn where people are from and what brings them to Alki. Each day we have customers hug us as they’re leaving. How many businesses can say that? And many exchange a conspiratorial wink with us when they introduce new people to our store. They whisper, “Are you going to do the ‘horn,’” which is actually the blowing of a conch shell and shouting of “mahalo” as customers depart.
We’re in the midst of our busy summer season and look forward to some fun upcoming 2018 events:
Beside the special events above, on an everyday basis there are things happening — Saturday salsa dancing, volleyball tournaments, beach parties at the fire pits, paddle boarding, bicycle rentals, and happy people everywhere.
Looking out at the view from our store and seeing the Olympic mountains and Puget Sound, we are reminded that life is better on a beach.
We’re grateful to our real-life and social media friends from Twitter and IG who have visited Alki Surf Shop. If you’ve visited the store please let me know so I can add your moniker here!
Some of you know I’m an Instagram fan, and try to post a photo daily. I love Instagram for the variety of images I see every day and that it allows me a place for self-expression.
I’ve been shooting with a Google Pixel2 and a Verizon Google Pixel 2XL for quite a while now. I have to say after being a devoted iPhone user since the beginning, I now think Android is a piece of cake, but more importantly, I am in love with both Pixels.
It’s not just the ease of using an Android. Once you get the gist of how they work, it’s pretty easy to figure out any of them!
So ease of use is important. Service quality is important, too. I’ve mentioned numerous times we have a house near Mount Rainier that is listed on AirBNB, and Verizon is still the most reliable service out there.
But the cameras on these two devices! Wow. They’re amazing. They capture such minute detail that often I’ll shoot something then blow it way up and crop a tiny part of it to post, still maintaining incredible details.
This week I stopped by my mechanic, CarTender, on Capitol Hill. Paolo, one of the guys who works there, told me he bought a Pixel 2 BECAUSE of my INSTAGRAM PHOTOS! Wow!
So I’m sharing a few of the photos I’ve shot this month. From the top down, are:
Peonies from my sister’s garden
A view of the Jimi Hendrix Park in Seattle
Wild roses from my garden
Basketball scrimmage after school
The “Eraser” sculpture at the Seattle Center
Weird graphic asphalt lines leading to the Museum of Pop Culture
A view of the Madrona Bathhouse on Lake Washington
The view from the end of the bar at 13 Coins in Pioneer Square
Plants reaching for the sky
A shed in Madrona with a pretty patina
Glimmering city of Bellevue seen from Madrona at Lake Washington
Happy sunflowers!
The first Amazon Bookstore, located in the University Village of Seattle
Century Link Tower seen through a gap in a grate
A tree before it budded
Expressive clouds seen from the Montlake Bridge
I’ve posted more than 16,000 photos on my Instagram account. As an early adopter, I went crazy at first, sometimes sharing a dozen or more pictures a day. Now, usually just one a day, although sometimes I skip.
I’d love to have you check out my photos. If you follow me there, post a comment to let me know, and I’ll follow back! And if you see the photos I’ve previewed below, you’ll usually find a more complete description on Instagram
Thank you for looking! And remember: #BetterMatters
Last month I was invited by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) to attend the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV. It was my first-ever experience at CES, and I had the honor of attending as a Key Online Influencer. My badge was met by curiosity as well as respect. I was given a press credential that was a special all-access pass to all of the various venues, and I was also able to use areas reserved for journalists, bloggers and major media from all over the world. I met inventors, CEOs, educators, international executives, journalists, geeks, and all manner of people who were working the showroom floors. It was incredibly exciting!
My donut and Google Mini outside the Google Donut Shop #CES2018
I spent the first day wandering around in a surreal haze of light, sound, motion and colors, with electronic eye candy in every direction. My real-life friends and family know I lack an internal gyroscope, so it wasn’t surprising that it took me two days to get a good handle on where things were. I can’t adequately describe how huge CES is. And it’s not limited to the Las Vegas Convention Center — there are CES events taking place in hotels and other venues all up and down the Las Vegas strip. Some of the things I saw and experienced were so amazing, there were times I simply wanted to share with someone! Like the moment I went into the Google Donut Shop and won a Google Home Mini, I had to call Reg Saddler @zaibatsu immediately!
There were amazing displays of OLED screens (like the one shown in the video below), phones, cameras, drones, robots, speakers, VR (virtual reality) headsets, and AI (artificial intelligence) integrated into everything from cars to personal assistants, games and more. There were accessories for everything, including accessories for your accessories. There were phone cases, and stuff to clean your phone cases or stuff to protect screens before you put your device into a case, and beautiful and utilitarian gadgets for every imaginable purpose. There were drones, bicycles, motorcycles, and there were cars, cars, CARS. I had no idea the huge role cars would play at CES.
I became interested in autonomous vehicles and spent a lot of time talking with various chip designers about self-driving vehicles, which, up until that point, weren’t of serious interest to me. But after CES, I was ready to roll. Almost. A friend, Doug Dobbins @takesontech, was arranging to have me picked up by a self-driving BMW. Um…wait. Did you say 7:30 AM? It was tempting, but I didn’t know what I’d do once I arrived at CES and had to wait an hour and a half for the convention center to open. Probably I blew it when I said no, but something tells me I’ll have another chance to ride in a self-driving vehicle one day.
This is a cool looking plexiglass model by Intel, showing the placement of dozens of sensors (represented by the aqua colored lights) that gather data from all directions to protect passengers in autonomous vehicles.
I’d like to explain something I didn’t understand about self-driving vehicles: They aren’t simply cars that drive around by themselves using a GPS. There are dozens of sensors located around, in, on, and under the car. And at all times the sensors perceive data: objects, traffic, people, motion, proximity, speed and other factors. Now stop for a moment and think about getting that phone call from your office, informing you of an urgent matter. Even hands-free, can you be sure you are not in the least bit distracted? Autonomous vehicles are always tuned in. I now feel accepting of the idea that an autonomous vehicle might, in some ways, be safer than one driven by a person!
Over the course of five days, and even being surrounded by all sorts of connected devices, I was naturally worried about running out of phone power. So I used both my Verizon MotoZ and Pixel2 to shoot most of the photos and videos posted here and elsewhere on my personal and workplace Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and elsewhere. The Motorola has a battery “mod” by Tumi, and basically was impossible to run out of juice. And thankfully, I found super connectivity in all parts of Las Vegas.
I’ve never been personally impressed by robots. I’ve seen them all my life on television, in cartoons and sci-fi films, and I know robots have changed our world forever and will continue to do so. CES was the first time I had a close-up experience. I was singularly UNimpressed by the robot that straightens up a messy room. Each action took so long, I wanted to jump over the barrier and show the robot I could perform its tasks in milliseconds. But these robots are like children—sometimes you need to stand back and just let things happen.
There were coding robots I thought were amazing, fun and cool. Children are so quick to grasp coding through the understanding of programming a robot, and there were all levels of robots, from small spheres to forms with articulated arms, legs, pincers and artificial faces. And I made contacts that could be useful to my workplace, UPrep.
Cute kitty-faced Robot #Sanbot at CES 2018
Not all of the things you see at CES are done deals. There were concept vehicles and machines, like the Laundroid robot, that folds and catalogs your laundry (not ready for prime time) but also massage chairs, 3D images created with emitted light, medical gadgets, smart assistants and VR make-up applications where you could see what you would look like with blue eye shadow. There was even an autonomous helicopter…which didn’t inspire the same confidence I felt about self-driving cars. While most things on display are actually in production, some were conceptual and showing us what we might expect in the future. There was a hall devoted to CES innovation award winners, which included some of the most successful new design and engineering inventions of the past year.
I saw this beautiful, light-weight, foldable electric scooter at #CES2018. It had hub-less wheels! #Ujet
CES has been around for 51 years. My real-life friend, Marsha Collier @MarshaCollier has been going for two decades. I really only became aware of it in 2008 when I would read about friends and acquaintances on Twitter who were making the trek to Las Vegas. Like SXSW, it sounded so cool. But I lacked the self-confidence to venture into such an alien world alone and didn’t know anyone well enough to buddy up. Having gone to this incredible show and spending 5 days by myself, I urge anyone to go and explore. If I can do it, YOU can, too!
Undoubtedly you find yourself meeting a lot of interesting people you would never otherwise meet. Curiosity and common interests make for easy and fun conversations. I wandered into the Gibson venue and was so glad I did. For days I could “HEAR” it from far away and didn’t know what was waiting inside until I walked in. I’m glad I saved it for my final day.
There were so many opportunities to take photos and was glad I had great devices to back me up. I especially appreciated Travis Ames, the drone rep at Uvify who allowed me to film with my hands just beyond the protective netting. And guys, I apologize for the vertical video. Ugh. I can’t stand watching them but I was kind of excited and wasn’t thinking clearly.
If you’ve never attended CES, or even if you’re not a technology geek, don’t let that stop you from going. There is literally something for everyone at the Consumer Electronics Show, whether you’re a hobbyist, aficionado of large or small screens, a music fan, a gamer, or simply curious to see what all the hubbub is about. I learned so much. If you enjoy learning, you will love CES!
I hope some day you have a chance to go to Las Vegas and experience CES. If you decide to go, book your hotel early. By the time I started looking, about a month before the show, it freaked me out. Everything nearby was booked or insanely inexpensive—like $800 a night! Luckily I found a great AirBNB about 20 minutes away, and was even able to convince the host to drive me to and pick me up after the show each day, all for about $450 total, for five days/four nights.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to CTA (Thanks, Erica Corley!) for making the entire experience possible for me, and Richard Kassissieh @kassissieh, the assistant head of school for academics and strategic planning at University Prep in Seattle, who recognized the honor and value of the CES experience, and supported my participation.
Thanks to them, and thanks for reading! I’d love to know if you’ve visited CES, or would like to some day!
The past few weeks have afforded me opportunities to connect with friends, old and new, in real life. For a social media aficionado, there’s something special about getting to meet the people behind the half-inch avatars we encounter on Twitter.
It was great to see Suzanne Kantra @Techlicious, Megan Wristen @MeaganWristen, Josh Kirschner @joshkirschner, Terumi Johnson @helloterumiand see other familiar faces at the CTA Seattle Technology Event produced by the team at Techlicious.
But what was even more cool was to get a hands-on opportunity to check out some of the most popular tech gift ideas for the coming holidays. It was fun to take a retrospective look at what was popular in 1997 and 2017…like, “VCR*?” Remember them?
It made me wonder how the 2017 top of the list will look in 2027?
Personally, I enjoyed using the TREKZ Titanium Bone Conduction Headphones. The name sounds weird, but they work great! The product design is unusual, but the proof was in using them. The sound quality is rich, and because they sit outside my ears, which again sounds odd, they allow me to be aware of what’s going on around me. They were originally developed as a sports headphone, and would be a terrific gift to use while running or working out.
Another cool and affordable item was the iHome | Control wifi-outdoor smart plug, which works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. I don’t have my lights up yet, but it will be great to be able to control them remotely, and after the holidays, other appliances using my iPhone. “Hey Siri? Turn on the lights!”
There was a great variety of products on display. I took some photos of a few of them and loved learning about them.
If you’re interested in any of the products here, just click the link to find out more, or contact Danielle Cassagnol, CTA: DCassagnol@cta.tech (email) @ConsumerTechnologyAssociation (Twitter).
What would you say to making holiday gift exchanges a pain free, sure thing ?
Every year our family members shop brick and mortar stores, and scour the Internet to find gifts for each other. We often email wish lists with ideas, and to make it mistake-proof, sometimes there are even links going to the exact item! (I’ve been guilty of this.)
Most often, the same list goes to everyone in the family, so if we don’t check with each other, it’s not unusual for two people to buy the same gift for someone. Duplicates have been re-gifted, returned or traded, but inevitably, everyone smiles and says thanks!
There is at least one person who doesn’t believe in gift lists and buys whatever feels right, regardless of whether someone wants it or not. And at least there’s no chance of duplicates!
For a couple of years I’ve been wanting to try an experiment during the holidays. It’s really a pretty flexible, and potentially stress-free strategy.
I have the best family. Six months ago I asked them to try an experiment for our holiday gift exchange, and this is the year everyone is on board!
The experiment🙂
Instead of sending out lists of things we want, each person is simply in charge of buying their own presents this year. Each present we buy ourselves will be designated as a gift from another family member. Family members will have no idea what they are “giving.”
For example, I could buy myself a new LG K8V smart phone and wrap it up as a gift from my husband, David. He knows I love technology and gadgets, but he is a self-avowed neo-Luddite and wouldn’t know which features matter to me or what phone I’d want. But if I know I want an LG K8V and I buy it, when I open my gift from David, he will be surprised, and I end up with a perfect present!
For David, it might be a load of lumber to build a new basement stairway at our vacation home. I don’t know a thing about treads and risers, but HE does!
Do you see how this can work?
In all cases, there will still be an element of surprise because no one knows what they are giving to the other recipients. It might even provide insight into the things some of us really like. AND, all clothing will fit; there will be no unwanted duplicates, and whatever a person’s budget is, it will work! Furthermore, we end up buying the same number of presents as usual…or maybe even fewer.
My brother, a retired Sr. Technical Fellow for Boeing, asked, “Can we buy one gift and make it from everyone?”
AND OF COURSE, THAT WORKS!
If you’ve been wanting a big-screen television, or a computer, you can buy it and make it a gift from the whole family. One-stop shopping and you get something you really want and need.
Or maybe you are tired of getting “stuff” and are trying to purge things instead of acquire more possessions? You can buy a bottle of your favorite nail polish, a pound of your favorite coffee, or a new supply of socks or underwear. You get the idea — maybe kind of unglamorous stuff, but things you really want, need and will happily use.
If the thing you love about gift exchanges is the look of surprise on someone’s face, just remember, it can still happen. It’s just that the look of surprise is on “your” face when you see what you’ve given someone!
So, what do you think? Is this a hair-brained idea or a stroke of brilliance? I’ll report back with the results of our experiment whether it’s a success or a bust!
Meanwhile, U.S. residents who leave a response to this post by December 12, 2016, will be eligible to win a new Verizon Smartphone: the LG K8V— a beautiful Android device with a ton of amazing features, including a large 5” HD display, a hands-free “selfie” feature, an SD-slot and removable battery. And it’s a good traveler since it works in more than 200 countries. I’ve been impressed with LG for its amazing color quality, quick charging and ease of use.
The winning comment will be chosen by one of my cats. The selection will be posted here, and you’ll need to check to see if you’ve won. I’ll give the winner 2 days to get in touch with me to provide me with mailing information. If I don’t hear from him/her, I’ll move to the next in line.
Who knows? You could end up with your own Christmas gift, courtesy of Verizon 🙂
Last month I was invited by the Consumer Technology Association (
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