During this high-level event, top Publishers, Agency Executives and Brand Marketers will come together to discuss how Social Media is everywhere and is changing everything.

–>DIGIDAY gives media and marketing leaders a chance to converge and reveal high-level success strategies as well as offer insights on how the future of Social Media Marketing will play out for all.

–>Leading Women Include: Cynthia Neiman, Vice President of Mattel Digital Network, Mattel, Marty Collins, Group Marketing Manager, Windows Digital Marketing, Microsoft, Tameka Kee, editorial director, DIGIDAY, Sarah Hofstetter, Senior Vice President, Emerging Media & Client Strategy, 360i, and many more!

–> We’re partnering with digiday: Social on this event, so Girls in Tech LA Members Save $100 off the registration price. Use this code for your discount: GITDS. Register at https://registration.dm2events.com/event/socialla/.

JB

J. Briganti

Thanks to advanced technology, you know longer need to be a professional photographer to capture a unique moment in time.  Although it is true that photography is an art, even those of us just snapping away as a hobby can achieve exceptional photographs with the right camera in hand.

The Olympus SP-59OUZ will provide you with photographic pleasure.  It is an affordable camera appropriate for someone taking up photography as a hobby and can also be easily enjoyed by all members of the family.  It comes complete with lots of valuable shooting features such as optical zoom, shadow ADJ for brightening the subject against backlight, exposure compensation for adjusting the brightness and macro shooting for taking great close ups.   And let’s not forget the self timer so that all of your family or friends can be in the picture.

Taking a good photo is not really as difficult as you may think.  You don’t need years of experience or the most expensive camera.  What you do need is inspiration.  Where to find it?  It’s all around.  Take time out to notice your natural surroundings including your own garden, local parks or distant landscapes.  Family pets or small animals like birds, squirrels and rabbits make wonderful photos too.   Zoom in on your own family members when they’re not looking for photos with a natural complexion.

Here are some simple steps that you can follow and you’ll be on your way to photographic bliss.

• Get up close and personal to your subject, when possible.
• When shooting animals get down low on their level.
• Hold your camera in a vertical position for a change.
• Look for a simple, uncluttered background.
• Shoot with the sun behind you.
• If your outdoor subject is in the shade, turn on the flash.
• Use a tripod for extra steadiness.
• Make use of macro shooting for great close ups.

In addition to these simple tips, take the time to read your camera’s manual; by doing so you will learn how to operate the different camera modes available.

Have fun and enjoy your photographic journey!

One of the most succinct descriptions of Twitter I’ve ever come across was from a mommy blogger who famously opined in April 2009:

“Twitter makes famous people normal and normal people famous.”

As I sat in the audience at this year’s 2nd Annual Shorty Awards at TheTimesCenter in the New York Times Tower (thanks Morris + King!), it dawned on me that her observation couldn’t have been more appropriate.

Twitterers both ‘normal’ and ‘famous’ sat side-by-side that night to celebrate the most innovative uses of the 140-character real-time update. And for an awards ceremony in only its second year of existence, I was quite impressed.

Guests ranged from Newark’s Twitter-savvy Mayor Corey Booker (who won the Government category) to the Birmingham, Alabama food lover @Foodimentary who has built up an army of over 120,000 followers to his quirky Twitter handle. Guests were even treated to a special appearance by Grover, who cheerily accepted the Best Brand award on behalf of @SesameStreet (along with @WholeFoods).

One of the weirdest highlights of the night, of course, was when Annie Scott, who Tweets on behalf of a fictional llama that tells her followers what to do (@DoWhatITellYou), got “Kanye’d” during her acceptance speech by a bearded and belligerent East Side Dave of Sirius XM’s Special Delivery show. Click here to watch the mayhem in all its glory. (Though trust me, this video doesn’t do the actual stage fiasco any justice.)

One of the most moving moments of the night, however—and perhaps the moment when everyone in the room realized the magnitude of the evening—was when Haitian-born Carel Pedre accepted his special Humanitarian Shorty for providing his 9,300 Twitter followers with up-to-the-minute information about the devastation caused by January’s catastrophic earthquake in Haiti.

Despite the few interruptions, host Rick Sanchez from CNN did a fantastic job at keeping the show rolling. And with an entire audience with a built-in 140-character attention span, it was perfectly fitting that every acceptance speech was limited to the size of a succinct Tweet.

The awards ceremony concluded with a special acceptance speech by the Latvian-born Sarasota, Florida native who was awarded with the TwitPic of the Year. Yes, it was Janis Krums who uploaded the now famous iPhone photo of U.S. Airways flight 1549, minutes after its emergency landing in the Hudson River.

So for all 12 of you out there who still think Twitter should be viewed by some as a silly microblogging tool “intended to be a way for self-absorbed egotists to share their most banal and idiotic thoughts with the world,” maybe you should give it another try.

For a rundown of the top 10 moments from The Shorty Awards, click here.
For a complete list of Shorty Award winners and finalists, click here.

Women United in Philanthropy will host its 4th annual awards luncheon honoring women who have made a significant impact on their communities through philanthropic giving, advocacy, and volunteerism. The awards luncheon will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 from 11: 00 AM to 2:00 PM at Cipriani 42nd Street.  The charity event will benefit the Women United Fund, which supports United Way of  New York City ’s youth empowerment initiatives.

WHO:   Keynote Speaker: Sallie L.  Krawcheck, President, Global Wealth & Investment Management, Bank of America

Honorees:  Peggy Blumenthal, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Institute of International Education; Kendall Farrell, Executive Director, Bottomless Closet; Arminda “Mindy” Figueroa, President and Founder, Latin2Latin  Marketing + Communications; and more…

WHAT:     4th Annual Women United in Philanthropy Awards Luncheon salutes exceptional women creating lasting change in our communities through their philanthropic giving, advocacy and volunteer efforts.

Women United in  Philanthropy is an all-volunteer group that taps into the power, talent and passion of women to transform our  communities.  Women United members are accomplished women leaders who have taken an active role in advancing the work of United Way of New York City .

WHEN:
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
11:00: VIP  Reception
12:00pm:    Luncheon
12:30pm: Sallie  L. Krawcheck keynote address followed by Awards Ceremony for Women United  Honorees

WHERE:
Cipriani 42nd Street
110 East 42nd Street
(Between Lexington & Park Avenues)
New York, New York
10017

For more information about the event or to learn about
Women United in Philanthropy, please visit www.womenunitedluncheon.org.

This is a guest post by Jennifer Webb, with additional details from GITNYC chapter leader, Tommy Jenkins.

Before you know it, March 12th will be here.

Why is that exciting? That’s the day South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) blasts off — a guaranteed good time to network with your technology peers whom you otherwise wouldn’t get a chance to meet face to face, get up to date on emerging technologies from the brightest minds in the industry and broaden your areas of interest!

GIT will kick off the week with a networking event from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 12th, in the downstairs room at Fogo de Chao. You can expect wonderful libations, terrific food and great company.

If you want more information on the event, drop an e-mail to Kristine Gloria for more information on the event.

I, personally, am very excited to attend as it is my first GIT event and first SXSWi Festival – I can’t wait to stop by the Women Techies United booth (Stand 219!), which will include reps from GIT, as well as Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, Astia, DevChix, Digital Sistas, LinuxChix, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), She’s Geeky, Women 2.0 and Women Who Tech. These 10 organizations aim to help tech women network at SXSW.

As a Dell employee with a passion for women’s leadership and development, I set a yearly goal to get engaged in a broader “Women in Tech” network in Austin, and GIT gets me there! I look forward to seeing everyone there.

Of course, we’d like to thank the fine people at Porter Novelli Austin, Unwired Nation and Ranch Road Design and Printing for donating their time, talent and treasure! Plus, thanks to the GITNYC chapter, who got us included in the Women Techies booth, and to Sanford Dickert for providing the funds necessary for inclusion.

We’d also like to thank David Hou and Lan Nguyen from DramaFever.com for creating the Women United logo:

Without all of you, this wouldn’t be happening!

See you on the 12th!
Jennifer Webb

If you haven’t had the chance to be present for one of Bronwyn Saglimbeni’s workshops, you must. Bronwyn is a seasoned communications professional and works with clients to improve their public speaking and media relations skills, challenging them to bring out more of themselves in their communications.

At the First Annual Girls in Tech Retreat for GIT Managing Directors, Bronwyn and Kristine Shaefer, lead a workshop on public speaking and it was such a success and so helpful that I invited her back down to Santa Cruz for a workshop on ‘perfecting your presentations’ – lucky for me she obliged and I thought I would share some of her key points and takeaways with those of you who weren’t in attendance:

Now, who hasn’t spent countless hours putting together an important presentation only to have your audiences eyes glaze over? Are you as guilty as I am for being one of those to get sleepy in the middle of a PowerPoint? I thought so.

So let’s change the game.

1. Honor the way adults learn
   1. Show, don’t tell
   2. Novelty
   3. Relevance
   4. Emotion
2. Master the art of storytelling
   1. Turn off your computer.
   2. Decide what kind of story works best given the subject and your goals.
   3. What do I want them to… Feel? Think? Do?
   4. What do they need to remember?
3. Practice restraint
4. Be yourself

Now, next time you go to put together a slide deck, think about these simple, but key, points. If you still can’t get it right then maybe you should reach out to Bronwyn for some additional direction

By: Kayla Zerby

Years ago, you’d be crazy to think that a no-name blogger could ever rub elbows with the editors of Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar at a runway fashion show.

Today, it’s the norm.

And, as New York Fashion Week descends upon NYC’s Bryant Park next week, the industry’s shift from traditional media to social media will be more apparent than ever.

For an industry so heavily reliant on networking and word-of-mouth buzz, it’s no wonder that so many in the fashion world are turning to social media to build their brands.

Chictopica, for instance – “the most valuable online resource for style inspiration and shopping guidance” – is tackling the social media trends in the fashion world head-on during NYC’s fashion week. From February 13-14, more than 300 bloggers are expected to attend the “Social Influence Summit,” a two-day conference featuring presentations from the CEOs of Polyvore and Modcloth as well as online tastemakers, fashion and retail executives, brands and media.

If you’re not able to make it to the Chictopia event, you can always follow this fantastic list of the “Top 20 Fashion Sources You Should be Following on Twitter” to help you stay in-the-know.

And a testament to just how far the fashion world has delved into social media, check out the first-ever Fashion 2.0 Coalition Awards, sponsored by sample sale site ideeli and blogging network Style Coalition. With seven different categories ranging from Favorite New Social Media Site to Best Twitter Account by a Fashion Designer or Brand awards, this is the first time big-name fashion designers and brands will be recognized for innovatively connecting fans through social media. (Hurry! Voting ends on Feb. 8, 2010 at 11:59 p.m.)

What’s your favorite chic geek fashion site or fashion Twitterer? Post a comment and let us know!

If you’re planning to be in New York during Fashion Week, February 11-18, make sure you don’t miss the Chictopia10 Social Influence Summit.  The half-day conference will focus on social media trends that are radically changing the traditional landscape of fashion taste makers.  Chictopia10 will bring together fashion bloggers, social media influencers, media buyers, designers and brand executives to discuss the secrets to social media marketing and its affect on consumers’ interaction with fashion and brands.  What was mostly a one-way ‘we-make-it, they-buy-it’ relationship, is growing into a two-way conversation as fashion bloggers increase in popularity and influence, and social media sites like Chictopia give individuals a platform to celebrate and share their individual style.

Helen Zhu, CEO of Chictopia notes, “We are entering into a new decade where the traditionally exclusive fashion industry will be revolutionized by social media.  This gathering will discuss the changes that will shape the future of this industry.”

The Social Influence Summit will close with a fashion showcase from five independent designers from their upcoming lines, followed by a cocktail party giving everyone a chance to mingle and network.  Representatives from Teen Vogue, Nylon Magazine, The New Yorker, The Gilt Group, Polyvore, Style Bubble, and others will be in attendance.

Saturday, February 13 (2pm – 8pm)

Venue:
Allegra Laviola Gallery
179 East Broadway
New York, NY 10002

View the AGENDA, and REGISTER HERE.

By: Kayla Zerby

The groundswell of enthusiasm surrounding everything social media-related will culminate next week during NYC’s very own “Social Media Week” (Feb. 1st-5th).

According to the website, the aim of this annual event — which is also taking place in six major cities around the globe — is to “advance the use and understanding of social media in the corporate, public and non-profit sectors.”

And with a lineup as impressive as the one planned for NYC, you can bet on getting your money’s worth this year.

So. In anticipation of the big week, we thought we’d do a quick roundup of the top 9 “must-attend” events:

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Monday, February 1 – “Social Media and the Haiti Disaster”

From coordination of disaster relief to mobilizing financial donations, the recent earthquake in Haiti is shaping up to be the first international disaster to solidify the true power of social media. Hosted by The New York Times, this panel is sure to be a great way to kick off the week.

4:00pm-6:00pm | Cost: Free | Event signup

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Monday, February 1 – “The Social Media Week Digital Somethings event”

is invite only. DIGITALSOMETHINGS was founded in 2009 by David Weiner, Damien Basile, Brett Petersel, and Khayyam Wakil as a Global Events Organizations designed to feature organizations working in the digital space and allow influencers from across industries to network and have fun! That they do.

9:00pm | Cost: Free | Request a VIP invite.

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Tuesday, February 2 – “Crowdsourcery Potions 101: Why Some Marketing Potions Fail and Others Thrive”

Hosted by advertising giant JWT, this panel is sure to be hit for marketing, advertising and other creative types. Listen to a panel of experts share their insights on the future of crowdsourcing, and how “wisdom of the crowd” via social media is changing the agency game.

9:00am-11:00am | Cost: Free | Event signup

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Tuesday, February 2 – “Networked News Gatherers: Defining the Social Media Editor Role”

So what, exactly, does a social media editor do? Find out from this panel of experts from the media world, including the fabulous Rachel Sklar of Abrams Research and Mediaite. (If you missed Rachel at the GITnyc/NextWeb-hosted panel during NYCENT last April, we suggest you try to catch her on this one.)

12:00pm-2:00pm | Cost: Free | Event signup

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Tuesday, February 2 – “Fashion Goes Social: The Devil Wears Prada and Tweets About It”

No, Anna Wintour isn’t a panelist. But you will hear from an expert group of folks from the fashion media world who are defining the industry’s role in social media. Hosted by Rachel Sklar, Yuli Ziv, Emily Gannett and Social Diva, this is definitely an event worth checking out.

6:00pm-8:00pm | Cost: Free | Event signup

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Tuesday, February 2 – “February 2010 – Rally for the Future”

New York Tech Meetup explores the future and helps Haiti while they are at it. Tony Bacigalupo of New Work City and Jacqueline Novogratz of Acumen Fund speak, among others. Thank you for mentioning NY Tech Cares for Haiti, in your event post.

7:00pm | Cost: $20 | Event signup

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Wednesday, February 3 – “SUXORZ: the worst social media campaigns of ‘09”

You won’t want to miss social media slam-fest. What better way to learn about how to do social media campaigns right than to learn from those who got it wrong?

6:30pm-8:30pm | Cost: $25 | Event signup

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Wednesday, February 3 – “The Future Journalist: NextUp NYC”

Can you name a journalist who isn’t on Twitter? Neither can we. We suggest you check out this panel of experts from Columbia Journalism School to get a grip on the changing media landscape. The event is hosted by Mashable.com and all proceeds go to 92YTribeca, a non-profit organization.

6:00pm-8:45pm | Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at door | Event signup

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Wednesday, February 3 – “Women in Social Media Panel”

A recent study found that almost 60% of Twitter users are women. We think that says a lot. Come and learn from this panel of smart, savvy women who have harnessed the power of social media in business. Among the panelists is our very own Alexa Hirschfeld, founder of Paperless Post. Don’t miss the brilliant story that brought her cards to the White House as well as to your GIT inboxes this New Years.

7:30pm-9:00pm | Cost: Free | Event signup

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Thursday, February 4 – “Obliterati Party”

What better way to end the week than to have a few drinks with the Obliterati crew at R Bar? This special event, hosted by Citysearch and RandomNightOut, features a 90-minute open bar & a gift bag for every guest. Nice.

6:00pm-11:00pm | Cost: | Event signup

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Friday, February 5 – “The Future of Social Media in Higher Education”

If you graduated college before 2004, you might be floored by how much social media has changed higher education. Hosted by McGraw-Hill Student Innovation Lab, this panel features an interesting mix of professors and marketers – as well as Editor-in-Chief Adam Ostrow of Mashable.com.

12:00pm-2:00pm | Cost: Free | Event signup

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Hope to see you there and at the Girls in Tech NYC Girls in Tech NYC Open Chapter and Marketing/Content Meeting at Pershing Square in Midtown on Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 7:00PM. [Women's event].

Are you wondering how to help Haiti? It’s noble and good to open your wallet and send money. But can you send $100,000? I can’t. That’s why I’m supporting Pencils of Promise, a group competing on Chase’s Facebook-based Community Giving Competition. POP is trying to win $1,000,000 to support their mission of building schools in poor areas. If they win, they pledge to donate at least $100K to Haiti.

It only takes about a minute to vote for them. You can vote here: http://bit.ly/4DYKIV. Please feel free to Tweet about it, too.

From the POP blog, here’s how young girls reacted to plans to build a women’s dormitory and library in Champhet, Laos, to replace the makeshift huts they stay in during the school week, before they walk home on weekends:

“At the start of each school week, hundreds of girls from faraway villages have to choose between their personal safety and their education. For them, though, the choice is obvious. The only way to personal empowerment, agency, and ability is through this education. The safety they will have to forgo. We ask many girls if they would like a place of their own to live—a dormitory for only females. Smiles explode onto their meek faces with eager yeses. They say they want a place where they are safe, where they aren’t scared at night.”

Inspiring stuff, huh?  If POP wins the competition, they pledge to build 50 schools throughout the world, including safe facilities for communities where women traditionally have less access to education.  POP is run entirely by volunteers and support they receive goes wholly to their projects. As of today, they are only a few votes away from being a finalist. Voting ends Friday. Your vote can have an impact!

To make it simple, here’s that math again:

60 seconds of effort =

50 schools +

100K to Haiti.

In Sum :  Impressive.