How do I?
• Register
• Write a story
• Post a comment
• Send a story to a friend
• Create a Gallery
• Subscribe to an RSS feed
• Upload files (videos or pictures) from my computer
• Send photos and video from my cell phone
• Take great photos
• Shoot great video
• Record great audio
Register:
1. Click on the “Register” link on the home page, or here.
REQUIRED INFORMATION:
2. Add your first and last name. You can also use a “pen name” here if you prefer to remain anonymous.
3. Provide your city, state and zip information.
4. Provide an active email address and verify it by typing it twice. The site will be sending a verification/activation email to this address to complete your registration.
5. Provide a password that you will use every time you log into your account.
OPTIONAL INFORMATION:
6. Middle initial.
7. Address. The station may occasionally send out invites to town hall meetings and other information about the site. If you provide your info, you’ll be on that list.
8. Phone number. If the station uses your story, they may call you to check facts or just to let you know.
9. Cell phone number. If you plan on using our mobile publishing feature, you’ll need to add your cell number. This will enable you to publish stories, pictures and video direct from your phone to the website.
10. About me. This is where you can add a little info that you’d like your community to know about you.
FINAL STEPS:
11. Once you have filled out ALL the REQUIRED info and any optional information you chose to add, you’ll need to check the box stating that you read, understand and agree to the Community Correspondent® agreement and privacy policy. Community Correspondent® takes your privacy seriously and does not rent, sell, or share personal information about you with other people or nonaffiliated companies. Please review our privacy policy here.
12. Click the submit button. This will trigger a confirmation and activation email to be sent to your account. This email sometimes ends up caught in your spam filter (different email clients have a spam folder in various places, check with your email provider to find out their specific protocol.)
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Write a Story:
1. Click on the “Post Your Story” button on the right side of the page, or click here.
2. If you are not logged into the site it will prompt you for your user and password information. Enter that information and click login. If you have not registered, then you cannot post stories. After you register you can come back and learn how to post stories.
3. Write a title.
4. Write your copy in the content section. Hint: It may be easier to pre-write your story in word processing program before you get to this site and then cut and paste your text into this section.
5. If you have it, upload a picture, video or sound file to your story.
6. Click the submit button. You’re done!
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Post a comment:
1. To post a comment you need to be a registered user. Please register or log-in.
2. Once you have logged in, click on a headline title to view the story.
3. In the “Add your comment” section, type in your thoughts.
4. Click the “post” button.
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Send a story to a friend:
1. To send a story to a friend you need to be a registered user. Please register or log-in.
2. There are two ways to send a story to a friend. You can either click on the share link in the run down of the headlines on the home page or you can click on the share button inside of the story.
3. Enter the email address or addresses of the people you’d like to send the story to. You can enter in multiple email addresses by separating them with a comma.
4. A default personal message will already be written for you in the “personal message” section. You can choose to use this message or delete it and write your own.
5. When you are done, click on the submit button.
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Create a Gallery:
1. To post a gallery you need to be a registered user. Please register or log-in.
2. Once logged in, click on the orange button “Create Your Gallery” in the left column, or click here.
3. Create the title of the gallery by typing it into the title section.
4. Write a short description of the gallery by typing it into the description area.
5. Decide if you would like others to add pictures to your gallery. If yes, check the “Public Gallery” box. If no, do not check the box and move onto to step 6.
6. Start adding pictures! Each image cannot be more than 3 MB. The allowed image types are JPG, GIF, and PNG. Click on the “Browse” button to find images on your computer. After each image has been attached another “Browse” button will appear. Keep going until you have attached all the images you’d like to include in your gallery.
7. Once you have finished adding your images, click the submit button.
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Subscribe to an RSS feed:
1. At the bottom of the right column of Community Correspondent®.com you should notice a box titled “RSS Feed”. Click on the location you would like to receive a feed from.
2. After you have clicked on the location you’d like the feed from and prompt from your browser will appear asking if you like to add this feed to your browser. Click “Add”. Done.
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Upload files (videos or pictures) from my computer:
1. First click on the “Post a Story” button on the top right side of the site.
2. After writing your title and story content, click on the "Choose File" button and select the file you'd like to send us from your hard drive.
3. Click the "Submit" button to upload your story and file it to Community Correspondent®.
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Send photos and video from my cell phone:
1. Register as a user on Community Correspondent® and include your cell number in your profile.
2. After capturing an image or video with your device, use your phone's Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) to e-mail attachments to wlga@communitycorrespondent.com. Call your service provider for instructions specific to your particular phone.
3. Type in some descriptive text into the message area describing your photo or video. Do not write text in the subject line, only in the description area.
4. Click send.
5. SPECIAL NOTE: Whereas there is no charge to publish photos or video from your cell phone to the Community Correspondent® site, your carrier may charge you for the data transfer. Please check your plan if you are concerned with any charges that might be incurred.
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Take great photos:
Compose your pictures like a professional by following these tips when you are out in the field.
PHOTO REQUIREMENTS
Format: JPG, GIF, and PNG
Maximum file size: 3 MB
1. Use the rule of thirds
When taking a picture, don’t follow your first instinct to place the subject directly in the center of the frame. Instead imagine the frame with imaginary lines dissecting the scene into three sections, horizontally and vertically. Then place your subject in one-third of the frame - just slightly off-center. Using this technique to frame your shot gives the subject room to "move" in or out of the frame; it also adds a little special something to the overall photograph, displaying to the viewer the surroundings the subject is in. For another explanation of this technique, visit Wikipedia.
2. Know your way around your flash
In dimly lit situations it always best to use a tripod, film with a high ISO rating and/or a flash that is balanced with the available light. Another technique is to use your flash at a slower shutter speed. If you can, take the flash off your camera and avoid pointing it directly at the subject. You can also try bouncing the flash off the ceiling, wall or white board (called a bounce board) if your camera has that ability. A tip to keep this in mind is the best flash photographs are those in which you can't tell if the photographer used a flash.
3. Take numerous photos
It's always better to have more photos to work with than you think you’ll ever need. Sometime the photographs you take on impulse may turn out even better than your intended shots.
4. Always check the background
It’s best in photography to avoid busy backgrounds. Simple backgrounds often work best. Don’t forget to make sure your subject doesn't have anything sticking out of his or her head, like a tree or a utility pole. (It happens more than you think.)
5. Keep the camera steady
The camera has to be steady in order to get a good shot. You can use something to prop your elbows on to steady the camera or you can always use a tri-pod.
6. Don’t forget to frame your elements
Use the elements from the foreground of a scene, like tree branches, to create a frame within the edges of your photograph. The use of framing draws the viewer to the main subject and adds depth and interest to your photo.
7. Plan out the story of your photographs
Think ahead about what pictures you want to take. Try writing a script before you go out, if you are planning on shooting a story. Remember to show contrast in your shots. It takes different angles to tell a complete story.
8. Be sure to have enough lighting
Always consider the quality of the natural light around you when you're taking your pictures. The golden light available in the afternoons and early evenings is much more illuminating and flattering than the harsh daylight in the middle of the day. Always remember to keep the Sun at your back.
9. Get a little closer
The best shots are often the simplest ones. Move close to the subject to capture their emotion and intimacy. So, no matter what story you are telling, always be sure to get plenty of close-ups.
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Shoot great video
VIDEO REQUIREMENTS
Formats accepted: AVI, MOV, WMV, 3GP, 3G2
Formats NOT accepted: MPG and FLV
Maximum file size: 30 MB
If you want to shoot great video, follow these tips. They will help you do everything from framing your shot to using the available lighting to your advantage.
1. Always make sure to have plenty of material
When shooting video, the general rule is the more footage you’ve shot the better off you are. Make sure to have an abundance of B-roll, or alternate material, in order to add dimension and secondary footage to your story. B-roll helps with cutaways and gives a much more fluid “look” to a package.
2. Use the rule of thirds
The same rule applies to video as it does for photography. The rule of thirds, or "golden cut," is a compositional rule to help frame your shots in a more natural and engaging method. Since your TV monitor is a rectangle, you should visually divide it into horizontal thirds, and line subjects up a little bit off center. If your subject is directly in the middle of a shot, it will be wooden and stiff. But if you use the rule of thirds, you anticipate your subject's movement and allow for some background information to be in the frame.
3. Use a tripod
Many tripods are available at retail stores for $15 to $50, and they can be a worthwhile investment. They'll make your shots steady and sure.
4. Hold your shot
Hold your shot for at least seven seconds, even if you don’t need it to be that long. This will ensure that you’ve got plenty of material to work with.
5. Always think about the lighting
Have well-lit surroundings, and always use daylight whenever possible. Avoid fluorescent lighting if you can, this will give your footage a green look. Don’t be afraid to move the shot - if you're in a poorly lit situation. If it will make your footage look better, ask your subject to move outdoors or to a better-lit area.
6. Even though you’re shooting video, don't forget about the sound!
If you don't have sound with your video, your viewers are missing a huge part of the story. The more natural, or background, sound you can tape, the better. Try pointing your camera at the ground for a few minutes to absorb some natural sound at the event you're covering, whether it's a concert or a protest. You can use that as a bed for background sound later on when you're editing.
7. Avoid pans, zooms and dissolves
You may feel like getting creative with some of your shots, but every video expert agrees that video clips are better when they use static shots. If you must pan, it should be tight and quick. An overuse of dissolves tells the viewer that there was not enough footage to make the story work. Static shots make a video look cleaner and more professional.
8. Bring an extra battery
Don't get caught with a dead camera in the middle of a great story. Other things to keep in your bag: extra tapes, a notebook and pen, and something to eat (just in case).
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Record great audio
AUDIO REQUIREMENTS
Formats accepted: MP3, MP4
Maximum file size: 30 MB
Do you want to record great audio and get compelling sound bites? Here are some of the top audio tips follow.
1. A microphone is an important investment
Portable recorders will require that you use a microphone for the best possible sound. A good investment to make is in an omni directional microphone, which will pick up sound from all directions.
2. Keep your mind on how you hold the microphone
Firmly hold the microphone and steady it at its base. Position it four to six inches away from the interviewee's mouth. However, the louder the environment, the closer you should hold it.
If your interview is a long one, your arm will probably start to droop. Don’t worry, merely ask your subject to pause for a moment and switch to the other arm. Always handle the microphone yourself.
3. Wear headphones when you're recording
Your ears may unconsciously filter out background noise when you're recording audio. However a microphone is very unforgiving. It will pick up rustles, faraway traffic, and wind. To be more aware of the noise you may be recording, wear headphones this will ensure that you're noticing exactly what your microphone is picking up.
4. Block external sound if it’s possible
It’s surprising how much external sound recording devices pick up. Be imaginative when recording audio and use whatever you can think of to block sound, such as your body, a wall or a windscreen. If there is noise or wind, stand in front of the interviewee to block it. If you're outside and the noise is simply too loud to block, use the interior of a car. It can make a very handy and almost sound proof interviewing space.
5. Zip your lips when shooting
Audio equipment is usually very sensitive, so be quiet and keep down the noise of others working with you. You may want to laugh, cough or "mmm-hmm" your assent to your subject, but resist the urge.
6. Get compelling and clear clips by editing
The right cut of a newsmaker or a witness of an event is key to telling an accurate story. It must be newsworthy, it must be brief and it must be compelling.
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