I’ve talked about how lighting is important for video, so I thought I’d share my favorite lamp for vloggers or wannabe movie directors on a budget.

Yes, Ikea is the place to buy kick butt lamps on a budget. The reading/floor lamp in the picture is only $14.99.  Buy a few of these, add a brighter bulb, and you’ve got a mini studio.

Amazon might be another good place to go lamp hunting. Just make sure the light is adjustable and you might want to invest in an extention cord or two so you can move the lights around to get rid of shadows.

So you have an iPhone and love making movies with the spiffy camera feature? Unfortuntely, the sound on these videos isn’t great and can be a real turn-off for your viewers.

The good news? There’s an app for that! Just kidding. But there is actually a microphone you can attach to the iPhone for better sound. It’s called the Mikey Portable Recorder for iPod and iPhone. The product is now in its second generation, which is always a bonus in my book because it means the kinks have been worked out before I buy!

If you bought this, how would you use it for your business or projects?

Presentation is everything and when it comes to putting your jewels on display (no, not those jewels ), lighting is everything.

Perhaps you want to sell some of your goodies here on Twolia, but don’t want to pay a professional photographer? The good news: You can do it yourself and it’s easy. Check out this video:

Tools needed:

-Box

-Knife to cut the box

-White poster board

-Tape

-Lighting

For more information on how to make a lightbox, visit Strobist (picture, video courtesy of this website) for details.

Showcasing your talent here on Twolia is easy. You’ve got the talent and Twolia has the platform!

Perhaps you have ideas for a video, but aren’t quite sure where to begin. Here are a few resources to help you become the next Lady Twolia.

CAMERAS:

• My personal favorite is the FLIP ULTRA HD. It’s inexpensive (under $200) and you can’t beat the easy-to-use built in software. I like that you can take this camera anywhere and aren’t stuck filming from your computer.

• If you have a Mac or any computer with a built-in-camera, this is the perfect way to start creating videos. Macs even come with free video editing software, so take advantage of iSight and iMovie. Watch the online tutorials if you’re not sure how it works.

Me- Workation 2008 in Holland

I’ve had my trusty iMac G4 since 2005, not bad for the life of a laptop! That’s like 85 in human years.

The plan a couple of months ago was to clean it up and sell it for a few hundred bucks to someone who only needed something basic for word processing, surfing the Internet, and enjoying music.

That was then. Now the computer is just plain slow and ridiculous AND there’s something wrong with the CD slot. I’ve lost too much sleep waiting for that thing to make a simple move.

So, instead of eBay, it’s time to put this computer on hospice. I’ll take care of it until it dies and then give it a nice green funeral.

In the meantime, I’m in the market for a new laptop for my next workation. Any ideas?

I asked, they answered.

My question: What’s your favorite item at work you can’t live without?

I love asking these type of questions on Twitter because they always range from the practical to completely random. Such a simple question and 140 characters can give you a fascinating glimpse into daily lives, careers, and humor.

Here’s what some of my Tweeple have to say:

My favorite response: @DavySunshine and his desk disco ball. Now that is a man who knows how to party at work.

Favorite item: Beverages won hands down. Later on, I got a few more responses about the importance of coffee at work. Like this one:

Whether you’re on Twitter for business or pleasure, it’s a great way to grow your network, meet fascinating people, and find the best entertainment both on and offline. Consider joining Twitter if you’re not already there and see what it’s about.

Find out more about using Twitter as a business tool.

Follow me on Twitter: @egoddess

The Flip Mino HD

With social media invading the business world, it’s important you and your business aren’t left behind. The new Flip Mino HD will help you join the “in crowd” because:

1. It’s easy to use. No fancy cords, settings, or tricks. Just a steady hand and a bit of creativity.

2. It’s high definition! I strongly advise against buying anything NOT HD these days as that’s the direction the media world is moving. The Flip Mino HD is also the smallest HD camera on the market right now! This makes you cooler than the girl next door who has a bigger non-HD camera.

3. It’s the latest thing.

What can you do with your Flip Mino HD?

The Mino 4GB, or about an hour of movie.

Make movies about you, your business, and related topics. Post them on media sharing sites like YouTube and Facebook. The videos can also spice up your personal website and brand.

Editing is easy with FlipShare. Just plug the Flip Mino USB into your computer and launch the application. Edit scenes and add background music. No need to learn or buy complicated software like Final Cut.

Get your Flip Mino HD while it’s hot!

And check out this totally cool Flip Mino HD video.