The Northstar Nerd needs to add a new follow! (click to maximize … via GoComics). Link to my Tweets.

I grew up in northern Minnesota, and am building a home in Duluth. My involvement with the Corps of Engineers has been limited to their fantastic Lake Superior Marine Museum. I never cease to love spending time at this small facility at the entrance to the Duluth harbor. However, the Corps of Engineers mission is much broader than educating the Northstar Nerd about Great Lakes Shipping and the engineering work it requires to keep the shipping lanes open.

With that preamble I would like to introduce you the Army Corps of Engineers blog, Building Strong. The blog's author is none other than Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp, the Army Chief of Engineers and Commanding General. I highly recommend a trip over to his blog, and a RSS subscription. The Corps does some fine engineering throughout the world.

One of the more recent blog entries I had to share with my Dad, a retired M.D. and front line doctor with the Marine Corps during the Korean War. While it is tempting to think of the Corps of Engineers as only dealing with the "normal" technical projects, this would be a mistake. One of their recent efforts has been to design a special climbing wall for wounded warriors. Link and read … but take a look at the image below and you'll get the idea. Check Out Blog Quest 2.0 and my Engineering Learning Wiki for other technical blogs I have reviewed.

I also thought I would take this opportunity to add some links to a small part of military history in which I played a very, very minor role:

• Boxer 22 (largest air search and rescue mission ever by the US military)
  and
• Captain Ben Danielson is Home (Vietnam MIA)

The photos in the right column from the USS Nimitz were sent to me by Lt. Commander Brian Danielson, Ben's son.

However, back to the review at hand (Building Strong). Although the blog's name is only just that … a name … the image below shows just how true that name rings.

You may ask the question … what gives the Northstar Nerd the "right" to speak about the topic of photo journalism? After all, I've never worked for a newspaper (unless you count my high school paper, The Exonian). However with the advent of Web 2.0, the ability to tell a story, an ear for music and Photopeach, the Northstar Nerd has become Photopeach's leading "most featured content creator"!

Okay … so what's my secret … and what's Photopeach?

• First, PhotoPeach is a service that allows the end user to create web mashups that include your own uploaded photographs, music (including YouTube) and Flash animation.
• Second, you don't need to be web geek to create the photo animations. You can let PhotoPeach make its best guess … and before you know it you'll see your images magnifying it … moving ip, etc.
• Third … Music, Music, Music!

The music you use is almost as critical as your images. The proper music drives your creation; the wrong music will bore your audience. For instance … for each of these creations the music supports the story and images:

• One Armed Skier Conquers City of the Lake Loppet, I used "Eye of the Tiger from Rocky".
• Northstar of America, I used "North to Alaska"
• Triumph of the Proletariat (or how to bag leaves), I used Soviet Anthem music

You get the idea … the music drives the content and the story. This brings up another point. Photopeach allows one to add captions. A brief animation caption will work wonders.

Now comes one of the most important parts … your marketing. If you are taking photos of an event, you must create your animated show by the next morning. When folks who attended the event return home, Google will be their best friend. They want to see pictures of what they just particpated in … first to the web will show up in the top Google results.

In addition, don't forget to microblog on Twitter, and contact show sponsors, web services etc. If your site does not carry advertising (such as my site, NorthstarNerd.Org), you would be surprised how many folks will link and add stories to your content.

For my own content, I've been picked up and promoted by …

• Branson Air Show by the Branson Airport & Chamber of Commerce
• Sunrise Over Suomi by the Finnish American Minnesota Heritage Society
  and
• Blackflag Marathon by SkinnySki.Com

You may view all of my photoshows via Northstar Nerd TV.

Here are three examples:

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Project Polar Bear on PhotoPeach

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One Armed Skier Conquers City of the Lakes Loppet on PhotoPeach

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Old Testament (China) on PhotoPeach

Let me invite my online friends to take a look at these dramatic photographs of Normandy. You will get to see World War II battleground photos juxtaposed with the same exact view from today's France. My father is both a World War II and Korean War Veteran. Thanks, Dad.

The link and one screenshot are given below.

http://opendoorway.multiply.com/video/item/172/Normandia-ontemehojePARTE1