PapaJohn

About Me

My lifelong passions have always included pictures and video.... and helping others.

As personal computers developed, I was eager to move from the analog world... waiting for pictures, slides and little reels of film to return from development labs, splice movie film with a razor blade and scotch tape, and edit video by manually synching a camcorder plugged into a VCR. The digital world offered and, over a few short years, delivered unlimited possibilities.

I started doing digital video editing with Windows Movie Maker... it's still my main tool.

As I explored the digital environment, I shared all I learned. Internet newsgroups and forums have unending waves of users seeking help. Years of online and emailed questions became repetitive and were mostly about problem-solving, which can consume all availabe time. At the start of 2007 I flipped my support priorities upside down. It was time to focus on 'doing amazing things' with digital multimedia. Digital editing is now routine, and the Internet has grown to support online distribution of high quality images and videos.

Today's environment of personal computers, the Internet, and online services is where we had hoped to be, and it's time to focus on using things easily and fully.

I believe in a toolbox of multimedia software, not using a specific app. As you take your pictures, sounds and video clips through the various steps of editing and publishing, use the tools you are comfortable with. Some tools are already on your computer, having come with the operating system or added by the computer manufacturer. The rest are for you to obtain and add.

That's where the articles at Bright Hub come in. I've been with them since their beginning, fully aligned with the philosophy of having truly independent writers call things as they see them... not driven or swayed by marketing or sales pitches.

As always, I enjoy exploring new computer software and sharing what I learn, and look forward to a long period of writing for Bright Hub.

My Awards & Certifications

I run a large website, write books (Movie Maker 2 - Zero to Hero, Movie Maker 2 - Do Amazing Things, Learning VirtualDub) and magazine articles (ie. Maximum PC quarterly specials). I published weekly newsletters for 4 years before changing to articles at Bright Hub and blogging on my website. My focus is multimedia and the Windows software used to create, edit, manage and publish pictures, videos and audio.

Since Microsoft first noticed my support efforts, they've recognized me with 10 consecutive annual Most Valuable Professional (MVP) awards.

At Bright Hub I received the 2011 'Breakout Article of the Year' award

My Experience

A lifetime of photography and video as hobbies, a master's degree in Civil Engineering, decades of big business experience, and now many articles on Bright Hub..

My Latest Articles