December 2, 2023 • 36 mins
In this enlightening episode of The Sneaker Principal podcast, join host Uche Njoku as he explores the vital role of photography in school leadership. Discover how the Canon R, coupled with its RF 15-35mm and 24-70mm lenses, is revolutionizing the way school leaders capture and share pivotal moments, shaping the identity and community perception of their schools.
Delve into the world of visual storytelling and understand why professional-grade equipment like the Canon R outperforms smartphones in a school setting. Learn about the specific advantages of the RF 15-35mm lens for wide-angle shots of events and landscapes, and the RF 24-70mm lens for versatile day-to-day photography, from portraits to classroom activities.
Beyond just enhancing enrollment, Uche discusses how quality photography can celebrate school achievements, foster a sense of belonging, and build a lasting legacy. He shares personal anecdotes and encourages school principals to invest in quality photography equipment to effectively tell their school’s story and build their brand.
Tune in to "Framing the Future: The Canon R and Its Lenses Transforming School Leadership" for insightful discussions on empowering school leaders through the art of photography, and learn why the images we create today are crucial for tomorrow’s legacy.
#EndOfPodcast #SchoolLeadership #CanonR #PhotographyInEducation #VisualStorytelling #EducationalPodcast
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Uchein Choku, and welcome to the Sneaker
Principle Podcast, and in thisepisode, I'm about to do
something that I haven't done ina very, very long time.
I'm a little nervous.
I'm going to talk about geartechnology, specifically cameras
(00:25):
and lenses, and a why, as aschool principle, you should
consider purchasing one for yourschool.
Let's go ahead and start.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
When they see me, they know that every day, when
I'm breathing, it's for us to gofarther.
Every time I speak, I want thetruth to come out.
You know what I'm saying.
Every time I speak, I want toshiver.
I don't want them to be like.
They know what I'm going to say, because it's polite.
They know what I'm going to sayand even if I get in trouble,
you know what I'm saying.
That ain't that what we'resupposed to do.
I'm not saying I'm going torule the world or I'm going to
(01:01):
change the world, but Iguarantee that I will spark the
brain that will change the world, and that's our job is to spark
somebody else watching us.
We might not be the ones, butlet's not be selfish.
And because we're not going tochange the world, let's not talk
about how we should change it.
I don't know how to change it,but I know, if I keep talking
about how dirty it is out here,somebody going to clean it up.
(01:21):
And now he's been promoted.
His job is principle.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So check this out, guys.
It's been a long time since Ilast talked about gear or even
presented a product.
Those of you who followed mefor a while and do the
transformation of my channel.
I used to talk about creditcards, so I would talk about a
particular type of credit cardand the benefits and things of
that nature.
I talked about sneakers.
(01:57):
It was kind of a hot spot ofdifferent things and I thought I
was talking about gear andequipment.
I've done several episodeswhere I discussed this, all my
different things and how I'veset up.
Please part in this.
Right now.
I'm going to try to dosomething that hopefully won't
(02:25):
get me made fun of, especiallyin the camera, video photography
, videography space.
Listen, I'm going to tell youthis right now.
I do not profess to be the bestperson when it comes to camera
gear, but, however, it's anessential part of my, of my this
(02:53):
thing that I do podcasting.
I have a camera right here thatI'm recording with.
You can be able to see it righthere.
It's a Canon RP and it's amirrorless camera.
That's what I used to record my,all my episodes, at least for
the past year or so, if probablyeven longer than that, and in
(03:18):
this episode, I want to talk toyou about why I believe schools
and I'm going to add and myaudience, at least I hope my
audience is primarily schoolleaders, inspiring school
leaders why this is a verypowerful tool that you need and
I know people might say, hey,what are you talking about?
(03:39):
Why would I invest in a camera,you know, for photography, when
I have a cell phone?
And hopefully I'll be able toexplain this to you.
I'm hoping this episode isgoing to be about 15 minutes
long and I'm already way, wayover my time thus far, but if
(04:02):
it's 15 minutes, it's 15 minutes.
If it's not 15 minutes, thenit's not 15 minutes.
And nonetheless, my job rightnow is to convince you, as a
school leader, superintendent,principal, whoever that a school
should have one of these, notsitting in a closet, not locked
away gathering dust, but beingutilized every single day.
So let's get into it, okay.
(04:26):
So typically, I have my thoseof you who listen to this via
Apple podcast or Google,wherever you listen to podcasts
from I'm sorry, I want to besaying a lot of things and
visuals here, so you can listento this in the car and, if you
want to go, wherever you are andthey don't.
You can go to my YouTubechannel or LinkedIn.
I post all my podcast episodeson LinkedIn.
(04:48):
You can actually watch and seewhat I'm actually talking about.
But I'm hoping and I'm hoping,and I will do my best to
verbally express my beliefsaround photography and
videography that's necessary toas a vital tool for schools.
(05:09):
Okay, let's go ahead and start.
Everyday I was, a majority oftime you will find me walking
through my school with a camerain my hand and it's not this one
, actually, what I have in myhand right here, as the cannon
are and I will tell you this wasmy first camera.
(05:32):
This would have been, um, maybeabout four or five years ago
that I had and I would walkaround my first school as
principal.
I would be taking pictures allthe time at events, walk into
classrooms, I would go intoobservations and take pictures,
take pictures of teachersteaching, students working.
I would be in a cafeteria, inthe yard taking pictures,
(05:53):
because I really believe thatBranding is one thing that we're
not taught in school.
Leadership of courses andcertifications we're taught to
on how to run a school.
But if you are in a city like Iam, new York City you have
another responsibility, which isgetting people to want to come
(06:16):
to your school, those of you wholive in places where you know
your school is zoned and thekids you just have kids come in
regardless.
You know you don't have to doanything having to do with
enrollment.
That's not your responsibility.
You know you get kids and youmove forward.
I'm jealous I don't know whatthat's not, what that looks like
or that sounds like, because,as a principal in New York City,
(06:39):
we're fighting.
We're fighting for kids, we'refighting for families, we're
fighting in communities to Keepour doors open.
Anyway, you keep your doorsopen is by having students and
families say I am sending mychild to your school and the
city like ours, where we have alot charter schools and private
schools and options, and I'mI'll tell you right now, I am
(07:00):
not anti anyone else, but I ampro making sure that I'm
presenting my best foot, mightthe best image, the best
narrative about my school andI'll say my schools, but this is
my third school as a principaland I'm Principal struggle a lot
(07:22):
of a struggle with how do weget the message out there.
So we do, like you know, we dothe open houses and we try to
social media.
We do all the different things,and one thing I've learned from
my previous life in in sales andmarketing is you have to tell a
story.
You have to tell a compellingstory.
You have to tell a story.
They has people I'm Talkingabout you, or a minimum planting
(07:46):
the seeds in your heads wherethey can't forget about you,
where you're part of theconversation and and for me this
might sound like what are youtalking about, but I really
believe that, at minimum,photography, catching pictures,
catching those moments, thoseamazing Moments in your school
(08:09):
where something great ishappening in the classroom a
child smiling, teachers engagedin each other, just a day-to-day
things that are happening inyour school.
Those amazing moments thatoften Are not talked about
because we're running arounddealing with all the other
things rather than capturing theamazing things.
(08:29):
Like, I'm sorry, I don't carehow bad a school may be based on
On various factors, there'salways those shiny moments, but
those moments happen.
Absence of Then beingdocumented.
So what's happening is, youknow, you're trying to find ways
(08:50):
to tell a story, one.
The story is happening allaround you, it's just not being
documented.
So for me, yes, I'm gonna tellyou first of all in prefaces yes
, I do have a.
I did major in film and mediastudies.
I am.
I Love photography, I lovevideo, like all.
This is like amazing to me thefact that what you're watching
(09:11):
right now is something that thatI Spent many hours trying to
figure out how to create thisimage, this what you're seeing
right now, where people are likeman, how do you get that?
How do you, how does your videolook like that?
I did that because I waswatching people, other people
watching, create YouTubecreators.
It kind of creates a sayinglike how do they get that
(09:32):
beautiful blurry background, theskin tone and the sound the way
it sounds?
So I spent a lot of time doingthat.
And the pandemic For all thebad things that happened in a
pandemic, they also gave me alot of time to figure out how
the best Present content to myfamilies and my students in a
(09:53):
way that they were engaged.
I remember I was teachingclasses during the pandemic and
kids would ask me mister, whydoes it video look like that?
I was like what do you meanthat?
I it looks like a YouTubechannel and that was intentional
because I knew, you know, ithad certain factors that no
(10:14):
matter what?
no matter what you're doing, ifthey're not an alignment, people
tune out and that is audio.
How do you sound?
That is, um, the imagestability, like things being
still and they can watch it likethey're watching a movie or TV
show.
Lighting.
(10:34):
That's pleasing, it's veryclear and Video quality, you
know.
So these things were things Istudied because I wanted to make
sure that I could present To mystudents my family during the
pandemic something that keptthem engaged.
And one thing I would tell youis, in the world we live in
right now with social media, howmuch we spend on on Instagram
(10:58):
or TikTok, swiping whilewatching Video we're hearing
sounds, even on Instagram watchdifferent pictures and think
about all the things that makeyou stop just compelling images.
They make you go, say they makeyou say like, whoa Like, and
then you're also in your sharingwith other people.
(11:18):
You know.
Now think about how do we putthat into our school spaces, and
it starts with Making sure thatyou have the tools to make it
happen.
Yes, we have amazing phones andwe can do all the stuff we
could do with our phones andeverything else, but the thing
about the fund that that I don'tlike.
No matter how better, how muchbetter, even squads getting and
(11:42):
the things we can do with ourphones, that's not the tool that
was intended for what I'mtalking about.
I'm talking about really sayinghow do I commit energy?
Am I saying principles orsystem principles or school
leaders should be the ones doingthis?
I'm doing it because this issomething I'm passionate about,
(12:05):
but it might be somebody on yourstaff who is whose job is to
document Listen in one of myprevious schools, because as a
principal, I'm also busy.
You know, even though I wannabe the one to do it all the time
, I teach kids some of mystudents to be the ones behind
the lens, taking pictures,recording video and I'm talking
(12:28):
about high quality pictures thatwhen you post it on a website
or you share images from anevent, it looked like it was
done by like a million dollarmarketing agency.
You want your school to looklike a million bucks.
So that's the thing, like youknow, being able to capture
those images in a way that looksamazing, but it's also
(12:51):
thoughtful, because this is notyour phone, okay.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
This is not your phone.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
This is a camera that has a specific purpose, whether
you're recording video or youare taking pictures.
This is when you're in thatspace and you're using a camera
like the one I have in my handright now, your brain shifts to
a different place.
It's the purpose you'rerecording these images.
You're taking these picturesand you're gonna utilize them
(13:18):
for a purpose of really tellingthe story about your school.
And when you do that, you startto form an identity.
You start to create a messageor narrative where people see
you the way you wanna be seen.
And the great thing about usingphotography and amazing images
(13:40):
compelling images is that itchanges everything perception.
You know how people talk aboutyour school community, how
people tell the story about whatthey're seeing.
You know, the same way that weget engaged on social media, the
same way, if we do this rightway, people get engaged with
your school.
(14:01):
So yeah so, yes, for those ofyou who are saying I have my
phone, it's wonderful If you'redoing with your phone, great.
But I think when you commit toresources to a particular place
and then you have the people itmight be a photography club, it
might be kids who are just doingit, you know, and they're ever
honing your skills then what youend up having is a very, very,
(14:23):
very powerful tool.
So, okay, let's talk about thegear.
You know, I know people arelike okay, you're saying some of
you are like I'm convinced,some of you are like I'm not
convinced and you've already,you know, moved on to another
video.
I'm all power to you.
So now, those of you who arelike, yes, I'm down, I'm game,
but I don't know where to start.
I'm gonna tell you one thingthis requires some time and
(14:46):
effort to learn, you know.
But, however, the great thingabout cameras is that Allow them
a future AI.
If you put the right settingson, you Can literally point and
shoot and create and get prettydecent images what I mean by
decent Way better than yourphone, you know.
(15:07):
And but the thing is, where doyou start?
My thing is this my favoritecamera walking around and I have
a couple of them, but myfavorite one is walking around
every single day.
Those of you follow me onsocial media and LinkedIn, you
see my images.
Typically it's right from thiscamera here.
This is a Canon R is afive-year-old camera, so if you
(15:29):
might be like five years old, no, it came out five years ago.
You still buy them brand new.
You buy them used and I want tosay they're like roughly about
1500.
I'm gonna avoid saying pricesright now because I I don't know
right now what they are.
I just have estimates.
But again, some of you mightsay 1500.
That's a lot of money, but youriPhone probably cost more than
(15:52):
this.
Call what it is.
Let's really call it what it is.
Okay, this is the investment inthe right tools to tell your
story.
So why?
Why the Canon R?
User friendly, it's easy to use.
You, you're learning, turn iton and if you put an auto, you
just point and shoot, takepictures.
For Beginners those of you arejust brand new to even Using a
(16:19):
camera it's easy to use and thegreat thing about it, there's a
million no one Lili a billionand one videos on YouTube you
can watch.
You just to set up a camera,understand how to use it.
It's not that complicated,because one thing about cameras,
it's all about repetition.
The more you use it, the moreyou figure out the different
(16:39):
settings, the more creative youget with it and the more you can
you can do so.
And the great thing about this,this arm are the R is the first
mirrorless camera, and what doyou mean by?
What do I mean by mirror?
By mirrorless you have?
Prior to this, the technologywas a DSLR and, and what happens
(17:02):
with these DSLR cameras?
It has a mirror inside, so thebody had to be bigger and the
mirror was the technology, and Iwant to say it's right now.
This is not a tech review, likewith all the low numbers and all
that stuff.
Now this is more qualitative.
So the old versions of thesekinds of cameras were much
bigger and those are the formfactor, you know.
(17:24):
But they were still great.
And if you have a DSLR andthat's great, you know because,
again, it's still the same thingit's just that the mirrorless
are just newer technology, whichalso comes with Much better
focusing, these new Joints.
Right here I'm telling you andthis is five years, five years
(17:46):
ago the quality would you getwith focusing and being able to,
like, get crispy, beautifulpictures with buttery
backgrounds.
You know new technology, so youhave these right here and.
But what you see right here myhand is just a camera body, if
you're noticing I'm sorry forthose of you who listen into
(18:07):
this in your car or you listento your headphones All I have in
my hand right now is the body,that's it.
If you could tell, you can seethere's no lens, or you see you
in front of me here.
It's just, you know, the camerabody with a cap in the front.
So I want to get the pick upthe cap and there's where you
put a lens.
Why get a camera with a lens isbecause you have more options.
(18:29):
You can get a point and shootcamera, which is just literally
that way, has a fixed lens onthere.
But you're limited.
You can only go, but you canonly take pictures, typically a
white, nice white angle, whichmeans you get a good chunk of
space into the image and you canzoom in, probably Maybe where
(18:50):
you're standing.
If I say you want to get apicture of a student or a
teacher teaching the classroom,you'd probably have to be a few
feet away from them, maybe twoor three feet away from them to
get a nice picture.
And in the school space yes, behonest here, that's not ideal.
You know you want to.
You don't want to be walking upto somebody's teacher teaching
to get a picture, or it's anevent.
You know you want to be able,if need be, be far enough away
(19:12):
and zoom in and zoom in the yourlens so you can get closer
without having to physically getcloser to them.
So this one I prefer to have acamera with, with where I, where
I get to choose what lenses.
So I'll tell you this for thepurpose of this video.
I would tell you what I wouldsay to purchase with this camera
(19:35):
.
Okay, and again, one more thing.
There are several other cameras.
I'm just saying this will dowhat you need to do because if
and again, it doesn't have to becanon, it can be so many Fuji,
whatever you choose.
I'm a canon guy, I know can isand I'm comfortable can and so I
tend to not move away for whatI know and Can is typically it's
probably the most popularcamera.
(19:55):
Most people have cannons, buthey, whatever you choose, but
you have to have a lens that youcan put on here.
So my Fave.
But first, lens house, I'mgonna suggest two, and and it's
a budget constraints I'm gonnasuggest one.
I Okay, they can kind of fitthese two, but again I'll tell
(20:17):
you why I'll suggest it to.
So the first one is this this isa 13 to 35 millimeter camera.
13 would give you a nice whiteangle.
I can stand in the corner of aclassroom and take a picture of
everything pretty much Frompresenting that corner that I
can see by naked eye.
Okay, that's a great thing.
(20:38):
Remember, schools.
You have classrooms, classroomstypically not a lot space in
there.
So you want a lens that you canget a nice decent Angle shot
and incorporate the full fieldof the classroom.
Right, this would do this foryou.
So you can zoom from from froma white, nice white shot at 15
(21:01):
millimeters, and then you canalso Come as close as 35, and 35
is typically what they say thehuman eyes can see.
So this is where maybe you'reLooking at a student working,
all group of students working.
You can get them all to fit inthat frame with a cap, with a
lens like this.
Okay, and the great thing aboutthis, this is a About to get
(21:25):
technical right now.
So if you can be like.
What are you talking about?
So this is a 2.8 aperture andmake sure, and and that's all
that means is how much light canget in there.
Just be honest here.
A lot of our classrooms are notthe most well-lit spaces, so
you want to be able to havelights.
You know enough light becauseit gets into the camera.
What did you remember aboutphotography?
(21:46):
Photo means light.
Graphy or graphic is thecapturing of an image, right?
So the more light you have inthere, the better images are.
Some people might say Well, letme just put a little flash on my
camera.
Do you really want to be havingflashes going off in the
classroom as things arehappening?
(22:07):
Or you want to be asinconspicuous as you can to get
images, document to what'shappening in school?
So I Choose to go to fast lens.
All that means is that 2.8 orthe aperture it's the lower the
number, the more like the cameratakes in.
So again, I would suggest this1350, 1335, perfect lens in the
(22:34):
classroom, right?
Get, if you want to get whiteshots, you know, and get more of
what's happening in theclassroom.
No, now the other lens.
Number two, again, if you havethe Canon R, and I would say
You're able to do it.
Get two lenses again the 15 to35, second will be the 24 to 70.
(22:57):
We think about 24, 70, 24 stillreasonable, you know white or
white lens.
It falls right in between a 15to 35 sweet spot, because the 70
70 millimeter allows me tostand Pretty much where I want
to in the classroom and takepictures and because I'm able to
(23:19):
zoom in without having to be ina kid's face, and often when
I'm taking pictures I don't evenknow if I'm taking pictures of
them, because I'm using outsideroom a few feet away.
So I can get great shots or theteacher's teaching and I want
to get that still shot for, forfor Twitter or X or for
Instagram or for the website Ican be.
(23:41):
It's more versatile.
I don't have to be in your face, I can stand further away from
you with this lens and again, ifwe're having events at school.
I don't have to be all up onstage trying to take pictures.
I can still be.
Recently, far away enough toget nice images was happening in
the space.
So these are two lenses righthere, that the 15 to 35 and the
(24:05):
24 to 70.
Right, but now If you're like,okay, that's too much, and again
I'm over here telling you aboutlenses, let me show you.
You have your camera, you knowyou take up the cap and then you
take your lens Lens right hereto get the cap from the back of
(24:29):
the lens.
This is the 24 to 70 and youare lining up and then click Now
to see how your camera righthere, right and and again to.
I recommend two lenses.
If I'm in the classroom, I justgo with my 35 to my 15 to 37
because I'm trying to get bigshots.
If I want to be more intogetting more shots of particular
(24:53):
students doing stuff, the 24 to70, again, was suffice.
I don't walk into class withboth lenses, switching lenses
out.
I just figure I asked myselfwhat is it I'm trying to capture
?
Where am I walking into?
And I put the lens, the lens onthe camera.
It's most appropriate.
So I would tell you, typically,I'm walking to a class with 24
to 70, but I want to keep asmuch distance between the camera
(25:17):
and Life that's happening in my, in my classrooms, right so, or
even in the hallways, whereveroutside, to have put this on
here and this is what you have.
But some of you might be like,listen, I don't want to have to
think, do all that thinkingbetween Facing 13 millimeters to
35 millimeters, or 24 mil, 24millimeters, 70 millimeters.
(25:39):
And then you might ask, what ifthe person I'm trying cats a
little bit further away?
What do I do then?
Then I would recommend this guyright here, which is actually
cheaper than these other twolenses.
This is a 24 to 105 millimeterlens.
So now, why is it cheaper?
But you would think, wait aminute, these two that lens can
(26:02):
go.
I mean, it's not as wide as 15,but it does start at 24, like
this, like the 24 to 70, andgoes 105.
But again, the 24 to 70 is alsoa very fast lens.
It's a 2.8.
It gets a lot of light in there.
So the thing is, with the 24 to105, this lens right here, do
(26:27):
what I own is a has an apertureof four, so at four, so it
doesn't end as much light.
It's not doesn't mean it's abad thing.
Okay, I don't get into all thelittle unnecessary details for
what we're doing Big taping inthe school building.
A four is perfectly fine andthe great thing about it stays
(26:48):
as a constant four, so it stillgets pretty good light.
You're not gonna get crazyblurry backgrounds.
But that's not what you reallywant to do in a school.
You want to catch as much aswhat's happening in the
backgrounds, right?
So this lens, right here again,could be your one lens.
It's your camera and again,you're taking pictures.
You you're going aroundDocumenting, but a great thing,
(27:10):
by these chemistry to do video.
You know you could hold thecamera and do videos, interview
students, to get moments.
Then you have all these qualityimages up to 4K.
Okay, I stick to 1080p, whichis a standard high quality video
.
People always assume that myvideos are 4K, are recording in
(27:31):
4K.
Now, this is 1080p.
I've always done 1080p.
It's easier to manage.
I don't have big files.
I can edit, post.
It works perfectly for me.
So this right here again, youcan walk into a classroom.
You're not gonna get as wide as15, but I'll be honest with you
, there aren't too many timesthat I need to go that wide.
(27:54):
24 tends to be work perfectlyfor me.
But with this lens here,depending on where I'm at, it's
perfect because I can standacross the room and zoom in.
I can stand back out of theroom and record a teacher, or
even zoom in close to them totake a picture or do a video,
and again, this lens right herewould do it.
(28:14):
This is probably the mostversatile lens.
It's just that, my creativeside being I don't wanna say I'm
a filmmaker, but the filmmakerhobbyist in me and the
photographer in me, I want, likethe first, fertility that I get
with these other two lenses.
And I have a bunch of otherlenses, but these two little
(28:35):
ones that you're gonna see mewalking around the school with.
But this lens right here, whichwas much of my first lens that
you came with, the Canon R.
This did a lot Proms likelisten, I do not hide
photographers from my proms.
I bring my camera and the goalis to train students who will
(28:56):
come to our events and be thephotographers.
It is a skill.
It's a skill that pays reallywell if you know what you're
doing.
So, despite here, the Canon R24-105 F4, that's the job just
as well.
So, yeah, that's, I'mforgetting.
(29:20):
I'm going through my notes.
That's why I make sure I goteverything.
Now, again, when you have thesetools, you can tell a story.
You'd be surprised how aphotograph, one image, teaches
laughing kids, laughing kidsdoing works something amazing.
Or a video, a short clip, canreally, really, really define
(29:40):
you as a school community.
You know, and one of the things, too, I say all the time is
principals, please learn how tobe in front of a camera.
Learn how to be in front of aphotography camera or in front
of a video camera, because youare the chief executive of your
school and often you are the onethat determines when a family
(30:04):
says, okay, I'm bringing myskills, my kids, to your school
and I've learned this the hardway because I have families who
come who bought their kidsbecause I was the one there,
because I told such an amazingstory about my leadership that
they were like whoa.
I want my child to be at thatschool.
I told such an amazing storyabout my teachers and my
students and images and videoand they're like whoa.
(30:27):
I want my child to go there.
Look at that, think about it.
It's like a commercial.
Let's be honest here how manyof you guys have ever bought
something because you saw acommercial and hopefully the
thing was good?
But sometimes you get thatthing.
You're like this thing sucks,but it's such a good job in
promoting and creating anarrative and the image of that
(30:47):
thing.
I mean, please, I hope I justrealized what I just said.
I hope that your school doesn'tsuck and you're doing
everything to make sure yourschool's up to par in the story
and the message you're puttingout.
There is alignment with what'shappening in reality in your
school.
But again, it's very importantto realize we live in a world
(31:08):
where images and sounds are thefirst thing people relate, rely
on and making their decisions.
Often, decisions are veryimpulsive because we have a very
short attention span, so if youdon't hook people in early
enough, then you find yourselfin a position where you're like
why am I not getting anyfamilies, why am I not getting
(31:31):
kids coming to my school?
It's because they don't knowwhat the story is, and that is
completely in your hands.
So document, document, document, document.
Buy a camera.
I think every school shouldhave a camera and have at least
one person who's the chiefstoryteller for your school.
Okay, I'm not just talkingabout the yearbook, you know,
(31:56):
but think about this we have agreat camera and people who are
not using it using it.
This was happening.
You have all this content foryour yearbook, which is amazing,
but better yet, you haveamazing marketing material for
your brochures, for your website, you know.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
And again.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
We live in a world where these things are important
.
Now, I think that's it.
I think that's it.
Hopefully I didn't do a suckyjob at this and I didn't tell
lies, like doing numbers thatwere not correct.
I'm a very instinctual user ofthese technologies because I've
used it for so long and I knowhow to take a shot.
(32:38):
You know, at least within myschool's spaces, that tells a
story.
And the other thing too I'malways telling the story.
But one thing I've learned isyou can tell a story all you
want, but at some point in timeit has to live somewhere.
It has to be in a space wherethe story can be seen, be heard
and people can really be engagedwith it.
(32:59):
And that's the purpose ofhaving a camera and having the
tools to tell that story.
Lastly, a lot of you out thereI've seen it spending a lot of
money with companies who willcome in here and tell the story
for you and send a photographyand all that stuff.
It's great, but they're oftencharging 10, 15, 20, $1,000 to
(33:24):
do that and, to be honest,you're often it's okay, it's
better than what you had.
In some cases, if you're notaware, you're thinking this is
like amazing.
But what if you were able to doit for yourself?
But guess what?
You're there every day, yourteam is there every day.
What if you actually created,you actually collected the
content and put together thestory yourselves?
(33:46):
Have people who are trained todo it, get people trained on how
to do it.
Then guess what?
You have this all day long.
Every event, every situation.
Pictures are taken, yet postedSocial media on a daily basis,
weekly basis, and you becomesomething amazing, something
that people are watching, peopleare following and, as they have
(34:09):
children, you become the firstperson or the first school that
they wanna go to, because theyalready have a story.
They already know what thestory is.
Yeah, how much time do I take?
Ooh, that was 34 minutes.
This was supposed to be 15minutes.
It ended up being 34 minutes,but it is what it is.
Probably nobody's gonna watchthis, but hopefully people do
(34:33):
watch this, specifically schoolleaders, because again, we need
to create our own narrative.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
All right.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
with that being said, this is Uche and Joku.
Thank you so much for your timeand until next time be well.
This is Uchein Choku, and welcome to the Sneaker
Principle Podcast, and in thisepisode, I'm about to do
something that I haven't done ina very, very long time.
I'm a little nervous.
I'm going to talk about geartechnology, specifically cameras
(00:25):
and lenses, and a why, as aschool principle, you should
consider purchasing one for yourschool.
Let's go ahead and start.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
When they see me, they know that every day, when
I'm breathing, it's for us to gofarther.
Every time I speak, I want thetruth to come out.
You know what I'm saying.
Every time I speak, I want toshiver.
I don't want them to be like.
They know what I'm going to say, because it's polite.
They know what I'm going to sayand even if I get in trouble,
you know what I'm saying.
That ain't that what we'resupposed to do.
I'm not saying I'm going torule the world or I'm going to
(01:01):
change the world, but Iguarantee that I will spark the
brain that will change the world, and that's our job is to spark
somebody else watching us.
We might not be the ones, butlet's not be selfish.
And because we're not going tochange the world, let's not talk
about how we should change it.
I don't know how to change it,but I know, if I keep talking
about how dirty it is out here,somebody going to clean it up.
(01:21):
And now he's been promoted.
His job is principle.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So check this out, guys.
It's been a long time since Ilast talked about gear or even
presented a product.
Those of you who followed mefor a while and do the
transformation of my channel.
I used to talk about creditcards, so I would talk about a
particular type of credit cardand the benefits and things of
that nature.
I talked about sneakers.
(01:57):
It was kind of a hot spot ofdifferent things and I thought I
was talking about gear andequipment.
I've done several episodeswhere I discussed this, all my
different things and how I'veset up.
Please part in this.
Right now.
I'm going to try to dosomething that hopefully won't
(02:25):
get me made fun of, especiallyin the camera, video photography
, videography space.
Listen, I'm going to tell youthis right now.
I do not profess to be the bestperson when it comes to camera
gear, but, however, it's anessential part of my, of my this
(02:53):
thing that I do podcasting.
I have a camera right here thatI'm recording with.
You can be able to see it righthere.
It's a Canon RP and it's amirrorless camera.
That's what I used to record my,all my episodes, at least for
the past year or so, if probablyeven longer than that, and in
(03:18):
this episode, I want to talk toyou about why I believe schools
and I'm going to add and myaudience, at least I hope my
audience is primarily schoolleaders, inspiring school
leaders why this is a verypowerful tool that you need and
I know people might say, hey,what are you talking about?
(03:39):
Why would I invest in a camera,you know, for photography, when
I have a cell phone?
And hopefully I'll be able toexplain this to you.
I'm hoping this episode isgoing to be about 15 minutes
long and I'm already way, wayover my time thus far, but if
(04:02):
it's 15 minutes, it's 15 minutes.
If it's not 15 minutes, thenit's not 15 minutes.
And nonetheless, my job rightnow is to convince you, as a
school leader, superintendent,principal, whoever that a school
should have one of these, notsitting in a closet, not locked
away gathering dust, but beingutilized every single day.
So let's get into it, okay.
(04:26):
So typically, I have my thoseof you who listen to this via
Apple podcast or Google,wherever you listen to podcasts
from I'm sorry, I want to besaying a lot of things and
visuals here, so you can listento this in the car and, if you
want to go, wherever you are andthey don't.
You can go to my YouTubechannel or LinkedIn.
I post all my podcast episodeson LinkedIn.
(04:48):
You can actually watch and seewhat I'm actually talking about.
But I'm hoping and I'm hoping,and I will do my best to
verbally express my beliefsaround photography and
videography that's necessary toas a vital tool for schools.
(05:09):
Okay, let's go ahead and start.
Everyday I was, a majority oftime you will find me walking
through my school with a camerain my hand and it's not this one
, actually, what I have in myhand right here, as the cannon
are and I will tell you this wasmy first camera.
(05:32):
This would have been, um, maybeabout four or five years ago
that I had and I would walkaround my first school as
principal.
I would be taking pictures allthe time at events, walk into
classrooms, I would go intoobservations and take pictures,
take pictures of teachersteaching, students working.
I would be in a cafeteria, inthe yard taking pictures,
(05:53):
because I really believe thatBranding is one thing that we're
not taught in school.
Leadership of courses andcertifications we're taught to
on how to run a school.
But if you are in a city like Iam, new York City you have
another responsibility, which isgetting people to want to come
(06:16):
to your school, those of you wholive in places where you know
your school is zoned and thekids you just have kids come in
regardless.
You know you don't have to doanything having to do with
enrollment.
That's not your responsibility.
You know you get kids and youmove forward.
I'm jealous I don't know whatthat's not, what that looks like
or that sounds like, because,as a principal in New York City,
(06:39):
we're fighting.
We're fighting for kids, we'refighting for families, we're
fighting in communities to Keepour doors open.
Anyway, you keep your doorsopen is by having students and
families say I am sending mychild to your school and the
city like ours, where we have alot charter schools and private
schools and options, and I'mI'll tell you right now, I am
(07:00):
not anti anyone else, but I ampro making sure that I'm
presenting my best foot, mightthe best image, the best
narrative about my school andI'll say my schools, but this is
my third school as a principaland I'm Principal struggle a lot
(07:22):
of a struggle with how do weget the message out there.
So we do, like you know, we dothe open houses and we try to
social media.
We do all the different things,and one thing I've learned from
my previous life in in sales andmarketing is you have to tell a
story.
You have to tell a compellingstory.
You have to tell a story.
They has people I'm Talkingabout you, or a minimum planting
(07:46):
the seeds in your heads wherethey can't forget about you,
where you're part of theconversation and and for me this
might sound like what are youtalking about, but I really
believe that, at minimum,photography, catching pictures,
catching those moments, thoseamazing Moments in your school
(08:09):
where something great ishappening in the classroom a
child smiling, teachers engagedin each other, just a day-to-day
things that are happening inyour school.
Those amazing moments thatoften Are not talked about
because we're running arounddealing with all the other
things rather than capturing theamazing things.
(08:29):
Like, I'm sorry, I don't carehow bad a school may be based on
On various factors, there'salways those shiny moments, but
those moments happen.
Absence of Then beingdocumented.
So what's happening is, youknow, you're trying to find ways
(08:50):
to tell a story, one.
The story is happening allaround you, it's just not being
documented.
So for me, yes, I'm gonna tellyou first of all in prefaces yes
, I do have a.
I did major in film and mediastudies.
I am.
I Love photography, I lovevideo, like all.
This is like amazing to me thefact that what you're watching
(09:11):
right now is something that thatI Spent many hours trying to
figure out how to create thisimage, this what you're seeing
right now, where people are likeman, how do you get that?
How do you, how does your videolook like that?
I did that because I waswatching people, other people
watching, create YouTubecreators.
It kind of creates a sayinglike how do they get that
(09:32):
beautiful blurry background, theskin tone and the sound the way
it sounds?
So I spent a lot of time doingthat.
And the pandemic For all thebad things that happened in a
pandemic, they also gave me alot of time to figure out how
the best Present content to myfamilies and my students in a
(09:53):
way that they were engaged.
I remember I was teachingclasses during the pandemic and
kids would ask me mister, whydoes it video look like that?
I was like what do you meanthat?
I it looks like a YouTubechannel and that was intentional
because I knew, you know, ithad certain factors that no
(10:14):
matter what?
no matter what you're doing, ifthey're not an alignment, people
tune out and that is audio.
How do you sound?
That is, um, the imagestability, like things being
still and they can watch it likethey're watching a movie or TV
show.
Lighting.
(10:34):
That's pleasing, it's veryclear and Video quality, you
know.
So these things were things Istudied because I wanted to make
sure that I could present To mystudents my family during the
pandemic something that keptthem engaged.
And one thing I would tell youis, in the world we live in
right now with social media, howmuch we spend on on Instagram
(10:58):
or TikTok, swiping whilewatching Video we're hearing
sounds, even on Instagram watchdifferent pictures and think
about all the things that makeyou stop just compelling images.
They make you go, say they makeyou say like, whoa Like, and
then you're also in your sharingwith other people.
(11:18):
You know.
Now think about how do we putthat into our school spaces, and
it starts with Making sure thatyou have the tools to make it
happen.
Yes, we have amazing phones andwe can do all the stuff we
could do with our phones andeverything else, but the thing
about the fund that that I don'tlike.
No matter how better, how muchbetter, even squads getting and
(11:42):
the things we can do with ourphones, that's not the tool that
was intended for what I'mtalking about.
I'm talking about really sayinghow do I commit energy?
Am I saying principles orsystem principles or school
leaders should be the ones doingthis?
I'm doing it because this issomething I'm passionate about,
(12:05):
but it might be somebody on yourstaff who is whose job is to
document Listen in one of myprevious schools, because as a
principal, I'm also busy.
You know, even though I wannabe the one to do it all the time
, I teach kids some of mystudents to be the ones behind
the lens, taking pictures,recording video and I'm talking
(12:28):
about high quality pictures thatwhen you post it on a website
or you share images from anevent, it looked like it was
done by like a million dollarmarketing agency.
You want your school to looklike a million bucks.
So that's the thing, like youknow, being able to capture
those images in a way that looksamazing, but it's also
(12:51):
thoughtful, because this is notyour phone, okay.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
This is not your phone.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
This is a camera that has a specific purpose, whether
you're recording video or youare taking pictures.
This is when you're in thatspace and you're using a camera
like the one I have in my handright now, your brain shifts to
a different place.
It's the purpose you'rerecording these images.
You're taking these picturesand you're gonna utilize them
(13:18):
for a purpose of really tellingthe story about your school.
And when you do that, you startto form an identity.
You start to create a messageor narrative where people see
you the way you wanna be seen.
And the great thing about usingphotography and amazing images
(13:40):
compelling images is that itchanges everything perception.
You know how people talk aboutyour school community, how
people tell the story about whatthey're seeing.
You know, the same way that weget engaged on social media, the
same way, if we do this rightway, people get engaged with
your school.
(14:01):
So yeah so, yes, for those ofyou who are saying I have my
phone, it's wonderful If you'redoing with your phone, great.
But I think when you commit toresources to a particular place
and then you have the people itmight be a photography club, it
might be kids who are just doingit, you know, and they're ever
honing your skills then what youend up having is a very, very,
(14:23):
very powerful tool.
So, okay, let's talk about thegear.
You know, I know people arelike okay, you're saying some of
you are like I'm convinced,some of you are like I'm not
convinced and you've already,you know, moved on to another
video.
I'm all power to you.
So now, those of you who arelike, yes, I'm down, I'm game,
but I don't know where to start.
I'm gonna tell you one thingthis requires some time and
(14:46):
effort to learn, you know.
But, however, the great thingabout cameras is that Allow them
a future AI.
If you put the right settingson, you Can literally point and
shoot and create and get prettydecent images what I mean by
decent Way better than yourphone, you know.
(15:07):
And but the thing is, where doyou start?
My thing is this my favoritecamera walking around and I have
a couple of them, but myfavorite one is walking around
every single day.
Those of you follow me onsocial media and LinkedIn, you
see my images.
Typically it's right from thiscamera here.
This is a Canon R is afive-year-old camera, so if you
(15:29):
might be like five years old, no, it came out five years ago.
You still buy them brand new.
You buy them used and I want tosay they're like roughly about
1500.
I'm gonna avoid saying pricesright now because I I don't know
right now what they are.
I just have estimates.
But again, some of you mightsay 1500.
That's a lot of money, but youriPhone probably cost more than
(15:52):
this.
Call what it is.
Let's really call it what it is.
Okay, this is the investment inthe right tools to tell your
story.
So why?
Why the Canon R?
User friendly, it's easy to use.
You, you're learning, turn iton and if you put an auto, you
just point and shoot, takepictures.
For Beginners those of you arejust brand new to even Using a
(16:19):
camera it's easy to use and thegreat thing about it, there's a
million no one Lili a billionand one videos on YouTube you
can watch.
You just to set up a camera,understand how to use it.
It's not that complicated,because one thing about cameras,
it's all about repetition.
The more you use it, the moreyou figure out the different
(16:39):
settings, the more creative youget with it and the more you can
you can do so.
And the great thing about this,this arm are the R is the first
mirrorless camera, and what doyou mean by?
What do I mean by mirror?
By mirrorless you have?
Prior to this, the technologywas a DSLR and, and what happens
(17:02):
with these DSLR cameras?
It has a mirror inside, so thebody had to be bigger and the
mirror was the technology, and Iwant to say it's right now.
This is not a tech review, likewith all the low numbers and all
that stuff.
Now this is more qualitative.
So the old versions of thesekinds of cameras were much
bigger and those are the formfactor, you know.
(17:24):
But they were still great.
And if you have a DSLR andthat's great, you know because,
again, it's still the same thingit's just that the mirrorless
are just newer technology, whichalso comes with Much better
focusing, these new Joints.
Right here I'm telling you andthis is five years, five years
(17:46):
ago the quality would you getwith focusing and being able to,
like, get crispy, beautifulpictures with buttery
backgrounds.
You know new technology, so youhave these right here and.
But what you see right here myhand is just a camera body, if
you're noticing I'm sorry forthose of you who listen into
(18:07):
this in your car or you listento your headphones All I have in
my hand right now is the body,that's it.
If you could tell, you can seethere's no lens, or you see you
in front of me here.
It's just, you know, the camerabody with a cap in the front.
So I want to get the pick upthe cap and there's where you
put a lens.
Why get a camera with a lens isbecause you have more options.
(18:29):
You can get a point and shootcamera, which is just literally
that way, has a fixed lens onthere.
But you're limited.
You can only go, but you canonly take pictures, typically a
white, nice white angle, whichmeans you get a good chunk of
space into the image and you canzoom in, probably Maybe where
(18:50):
you're standing.
If I say you want to get apicture of a student or a
teacher teaching the classroom,you'd probably have to be a few
feet away from them, maybe twoor three feet away from them to
get a nice picture.
And in the school space yes, behonest here, that's not ideal.
You know you want to.
You don't want to be walking upto somebody's teacher teaching
to get a picture, or it's anevent.
You know you want to be able,if need be, be far enough away
(19:12):
and zoom in and zoom in the yourlens so you can get closer
without having to physically getcloser to them.
So this one I prefer to have acamera with, with where I, where
I get to choose what lenses.
So I'll tell you this for thepurpose of this video.
I would tell you what I wouldsay to purchase with this camera
(19:35):
.
Okay, and again, one more thing.
There are several other cameras.
I'm just saying this will dowhat you need to do because if
and again, it doesn't have to becanon, it can be so many Fuji,
whatever you choose.
I'm a canon guy, I know can isand I'm comfortable can and so I
tend to not move away for whatI know and Can is typically it's
probably the most popularcamera.
(19:55):
Most people have cannons, buthey, whatever you choose, but
you have to have a lens that youcan put on here.
So my Fave.
But first, lens house, I'mgonna suggest two, and and it's
a budget constraints I'm gonnasuggest one.
I Okay, they can kind of fitthese two, but again I'll tell
(20:17):
you why I'll suggest it to.
So the first one is this this isa 13 to 35 millimeter camera.
13 would give you a nice whiteangle.
I can stand in the corner of aclassroom and take a picture of
everything pretty much Frompresenting that corner that I
can see by naked eye.
Okay, that's a great thing.
(20:38):
Remember, schools.
You have classrooms, classroomstypically not a lot space in
there.
So you want a lens that you canget a nice decent Angle shot
and incorporate the full fieldof the classroom.
Right, this would do this foryou.
So you can zoom from from froma white, nice white shot at 15
(21:01):
millimeters, and then you canalso Come as close as 35, and 35
is typically what they say thehuman eyes can see.
So this is where maybe you'reLooking at a student working,
all group of students working.
You can get them all to fit inthat frame with a cap, with a
lens like this.
Okay, and the great thing aboutthis, this is a About to get
(21:25):
technical right now.
So if you can be like.
What are you talking about?
So this is a 2.8 aperture andmake sure, and and that's all
that means is how much light canget in there.
Just be honest here.
A lot of our classrooms are notthe most well-lit spaces, so
you want to be able to havelights.
You know enough light becauseit gets into the camera.
What did you remember aboutphotography?
(21:46):
Photo means light.
Graphy or graphic is thecapturing of an image, right?
So the more light you have inthere, the better images are.
Some people might say Well, letme just put a little flash on my
camera.
Do you really want to be havingflashes going off in the
classroom as things arehappening?
(22:07):
Or you want to be asinconspicuous as you can to get
images, document to what'shappening in school?
So I Choose to go to fast lens.
All that means is that 2.8 orthe aperture it's the lower the
number, the more like the cameratakes in.
So again, I would suggest this1350, 1335, perfect lens in the
(22:34):
classroom, right?
Get, if you want to get whiteshots, you know, and get more of
what's happening in theclassroom.
No, now the other lens.
Number two, again, if you havethe Canon R, and I would say
You're able to do it.
Get two lenses again the 15 to35, second will be the 24 to 70.
(22:57):
We think about 24, 70, 24 stillreasonable, you know white or
white lens.
It falls right in between a 15to 35 sweet spot, because the 70
70 millimeter allows me tostand Pretty much where I want
to in the classroom and takepictures and because I'm able to
(23:19):
zoom in without having to be ina kid's face, and often when
I'm taking pictures I don't evenknow if I'm taking pictures of
them, because I'm using outsideroom a few feet away.
So I can get great shots or theteacher's teaching and I want
to get that still shot for, forfor Twitter or X or for
Instagram or for the website Ican be.
(23:41):
It's more versatile.
I don't have to be in your face, I can stand further away from
you with this lens and again, ifwe're having events at school.
I don't have to be all up onstage trying to take pictures.
I can still be.
Recently, far away enough toget nice images was happening in
the space.
So these are two lenses righthere, that the 15 to 35 and the
(24:05):
24 to 70.
Right, but now If you're like,okay, that's too much, and again
I'm over here telling you aboutlenses, let me show you.
You have your camera, you knowyou take up the cap and then you
take your lens Lens right hereto get the cap from the back of
(24:29):
the lens.
This is the 24 to 70 and youare lining up and then click Now
to see how your camera righthere, right and and again to.
I recommend two lenses.
If I'm in the classroom, I justgo with my 35 to my 15 to 37
because I'm trying to get bigshots.
If I want to be more intogetting more shots of particular
(24:53):
students doing stuff, the 24 to70, again, was suffice.
I don't walk into class withboth lenses, switching lenses
out.
I just figure I asked myselfwhat is it I'm trying to capture
?
Where am I walking into?
And I put the lens, the lens onthe camera.
It's most appropriate.
So I would tell you, typically,I'm walking to a class with 24
to 70, but I want to keep asmuch distance between the camera
(25:17):
and Life that's happening in my, in my classrooms, right so, or
even in the hallways, whereveroutside, to have put this on
here and this is what you have.
But some of you might be like,listen, I don't want to have to
think, do all that thinkingbetween Facing 13 millimeters to
35 millimeters, or 24 mil, 24millimeters, 70 millimeters.
(25:39):
And then you might ask, what ifthe person I'm trying cats a
little bit further away?
What do I do then?
Then I would recommend this guyright here, which is actually
cheaper than these other twolenses.
This is a 24 to 105 millimeterlens.
So now, why is it cheaper?
But you would think, wait aminute, these two that lens can
(26:02):
go.
I mean, it's not as wide as 15,but it does start at 24, like
this, like the 24 to 70, andgoes 105.
But again, the 24 to 70 is alsoa very fast lens.
It's a 2.8.
It gets a lot of light in there.
So the thing is, with the 24 to105, this lens right here, do
(26:27):
what I own is a has an apertureof four, so at four, so it
doesn't end as much light.
It's not doesn't mean it's abad thing.
Okay, I don't get into all thelittle unnecessary details for
what we're doing Big taping inthe school building.
A four is perfectly fine andthe great thing about it stays
(26:48):
as a constant four, so it stillgets pretty good light.
You're not gonna get crazyblurry backgrounds.
But that's not what you reallywant to do in a school.
You want to catch as much aswhat's happening in the
backgrounds, right?
So this lens, right here again,could be your one lens.
It's your camera and again,you're taking pictures.
You you're going aroundDocumenting, but a great thing,
(27:10):
by these chemistry to do video.
You know you could hold thecamera and do videos, interview
students, to get moments.
Then you have all these qualityimages up to 4K.
Okay, I stick to 1080p, whichis a standard high quality video
.
People always assume that myvideos are 4K, are recording in
(27:31):
4K.
Now, this is 1080p.
I've always done 1080p.
It's easier to manage.
I don't have big files.
I can edit, post.
It works perfectly for me.
So this right here again, youcan walk into a classroom.
You're not gonna get as wide as15, but I'll be honest with you
, there aren't too many timesthat I need to go that wide.
(27:54):
24 tends to be work perfectlyfor me.
But with this lens here,depending on where I'm at, it's
perfect because I can standacross the room and zoom in.
I can stand back out of theroom and record a teacher, or
even zoom in close to them totake a picture or do a video,
and again, this lens right herewould do it.
(28:14):
This is probably the mostversatile lens.
It's just that, my creativeside being I don't wanna say I'm
a filmmaker, but the filmmakerhobbyist in me and the
photographer in me, I want, likethe first, fertility that I get
with these other two lenses.
And I have a bunch of otherlenses, but these two little
(28:35):
ones that you're gonna see mewalking around the school with.
But this lens right here, whichwas much of my first lens that
you came with, the Canon R.
This did a lot Proms likelisten, I do not hide
photographers from my proms.
I bring my camera and the goalis to train students who will
(28:56):
come to our events and be thephotographers.
It is a skill.
It's a skill that pays reallywell if you know what you're
doing.
So, despite here, the Canon R24-105 F4, that's the job just
as well.
So, yeah, that's, I'mforgetting.
(29:20):
I'm going through my notes.
That's why I make sure I goteverything.
Now, again, when you have thesetools, you can tell a story.
You'd be surprised how aphotograph, one image, teaches
laughing kids, laughing kidsdoing works something amazing.
Or a video, a short clip, canreally, really, really define
(29:40):
you as a school community.
You know, and one of the things, too, I say all the time is
principals, please learn how tobe in front of a camera.
Learn how to be in front of aphotography camera or in front
of a video camera, because youare the chief executive of your
school and often you are the onethat determines when a family
(30:04):
says, okay, I'm bringing myskills, my kids, to your school
and I've learned this the hardway because I have families who
come who bought their kidsbecause I was the one there,
because I told such an amazingstory about my leadership that
they were like whoa.
I want my child to be at thatschool.
I told such an amazing storyabout my teachers and my
students and images and videoand they're like whoa.
(30:27):
I want my child to go there.
Look at that, think about it.
It's like a commercial.
Let's be honest here how manyof you guys have ever bought
something because you saw acommercial and hopefully the
thing was good?
But sometimes you get thatthing.
You're like this thing sucks,but it's such a good job in
promoting and creating anarrative and the image of that
(30:47):
thing.
I mean, please, I hope I justrealized what I just said.
I hope that your school doesn'tsuck and you're doing
everything to make sure yourschool's up to par in the story
and the message you're puttingout.
There is alignment with what'shappening in reality in your
school.
But again, it's very importantto realize we live in a world
(31:08):
where images and sounds are thefirst thing people relate, rely
on and making their decisions.
Often, decisions are veryimpulsive because we have a very
short attention span, so if youdon't hook people in early
enough, then you find yourselfin a position where you're like
why am I not getting anyfamilies, why am I not getting
(31:31):
kids coming to my school?
It's because they don't knowwhat the story is, and that is
completely in your hands.
So document, document, document, document.
Buy a camera.
I think every school shouldhave a camera and have at least
one person who's the chiefstoryteller for your school.
Okay, I'm not just talkingabout the yearbook, you know,
(31:56):
but think about this we have agreat camera and people who are
not using it using it.
This was happening.
You have all this content foryour yearbook, which is amazing,
but better yet, you haveamazing marketing material for
your brochures, for your website, you know.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
And again.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
We live in a world where these things are important
.
Now, I think that's it.
I think that's it.
Hopefully I didn't do a suckyjob at this and I didn't tell
lies, like doing numbers thatwere not correct.
I'm a very instinctual user ofthese technologies because I've
used it for so long and I knowhow to take a shot.
(32:38):
You know, at least within myschool's spaces, that tells a
story.
And the other thing too I'malways telling the story.
But one thing I've learned isyou can tell a story all you
want, but at some point in timeit has to live somewhere.
It has to be in a space wherethe story can be seen, be heard
and people can really be engagedwith it.
(32:59):
And that's the purpose ofhaving a camera and having the
tools to tell that story.
Lastly, a lot of you out thereI've seen it spending a lot of
money with companies who willcome in here and tell the story
for you and send a photographyand all that stuff.
It's great, but they're oftencharging 10, 15, 20, $1,000 to
(33:24):
do that and, to be honest,you're often it's okay, it's
better than what you had.
In some cases, if you're notaware, you're thinking this is
like amazing.
But what if you were able to doit for yourself?
But guess what?
You're there every day, yourteam is there every day.
What if you actually created,you actually collected the
content and put together thestory yourselves?
(33:46):
Have people who are trained todo it, get people trained on how
to do it.
Then guess what?
You have this all day long.
Every event, every situation.
Pictures are taken, yet postedSocial media on a daily basis,
weekly basis, and you becomesomething amazing, something
that people are watching, peopleare following and, as they have
(34:09):
children, you become the firstperson or the first school that
they wanna go to, because theyalready have a story.
They already know what thestory is.
Yeah, how much time do I take?
Ooh, that was 34 minutes.
This was supposed to be 15minutes.
It ended up being 34 minutes,but it is what it is.
Probably nobody's gonna watchthis, but hopefully people do
(34:33):
watch this, specifically schoolleaders, because again, we need
to create our own narrative.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
All right.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
with that being said, this is Uche and Joku.
Thank you so much for your timeand until next time be well.
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