GoPro Vanity... What's Yer Opinion?

[Jed]

So...... (I'm actually TRYING-for once-to keep this short )... I am from a production background with regard to tree service; that is to say: the treecos that shaped me as a worker very much more valued production (no matter what they said) over customer satisfaction per se, or safety, per se, and I've gotta admit that this is a part of my background that I very much value, and appreciate. In other words... I feel like production is kind of the essence of treework, whether you're a logger, or just a tree-service guy like myself; and we will ALL admit, that in a race to prune or remove a big tree, the guy ceterus paribus who doesn't take the time to mess with a GoPro is ALWAYS going to be faster.

I (a self-styled "production" guy) have been EXTREMELY DEEPLY NOURISHED by many men, be they vain or not who have taken the dilligent efforts to afford the arbor public with so many edifying treework vids. I have learned an absolute TON over the years, from Beranek, Coates, Smith and Hunnike. A few years ago when Reg suggested that I get a GoPro, I voiced a reticence due to embarrassment about vanity. I remember his (in typical Reg fashion) concise and cogent response. Something to the effect of, "why do you give a **** about what some**** else thinks."

So... the company that I now work for, due to a desire to increase their internet presence, has recently furnished some of us with Hero 6's. I am DEEPLY embarrassed breaking the thing out in front of the boys, and even more embarrassed about breaking it out in front of the customer as if I consider what I do to be so deeply interesting or noteworthy that it has to be recorded for WHATEVER reason. We are encouraged to try to get footage whenever we are not on an underbid job. I feel like such a non-participant when I don't. It's not like I'll get in trouble, it's just...

I've also been really impressed by the fact that guys like Corey never ever have really posted up pics of their work, even though they are such regular and benneficial contributers to the House, and even though he fairly regularly (I've seen ample evidence) does some HUGE trees... super interesting stuff.

 

[Jonny]

I’m thinking if you don’t want to, then don’t do it.
I can’t imagine there’ll be any sort of discipline if you tell them no.
Give it to a groundie.

I got one for Christmas and it’s still in the box.... wonder if my girl noticed that.

 

[Mick!]

Why do you torment yourself with these moral dilemmas?

When you’re old and decrepit and your grandchildren are telling you about how hard their day was at work herding robots or whatever, slip a few minutes of Granpop Jed (the one who smells funny) throwing a few tops into their VR headsets, it’ll blow their minds!

 

[Altissimus]

Filming jobs is not my style , I suppose for an extra Shekel though ... ( I found a GoPro when I was working Ski Patrol and sold it)

 

[cory]

Ha, I was going to ask how the go pro thing is going since I think it is interesting that the tree co would furnish the crew with them. Kinda lol that they say use them when the job is not underbid.

If you are into it I would say use the heck outta your go pro, no one cares and if they do, fook em. I like your footage a lot, I vote keep it coming.

Main reason I don't post pics n vids is that I don't know how, its complicated. If I could text the stuff onto the net I would do it when something is interesting.

 

[Tim_B.]

Hey, Jed! Nice thread you started here. My opinion is that you have nothing to be embarrassed about, because you are the man, if you've been doing production tree work your whole life. Guys like you ARE the folks everyone wants to see.

Another point in favor of filming is one expressed by August Hunicke in one of his recent videos. He said he'd basically sold a job to a customer just because they'd gone to his YouTube channel and seen his work. I can't remember for sure, but he might not have even met the customer before he'd already won the job. So your boss is right in doing what he's doing. It will generate business and put food on your tables. Think of it that way.

I don't really watch Ax Men, but it's because I'd rather watch people that are really good at what they do, rather than folks that look like they're about to kill somebody every five minutes.

I'm with you on being appreciative of the guys like August and Reg and Jerry and Daniel Holiday.

I'm embarrassed to have to ask the first name of the Smith guy you mentioned. I know I'll slap myself in the forehead once I find out. So I vote yes, anyway, to the original question. I think you should shoot away, and I'd love to see the footage.

Tim

 

[pantheraba]

Good input, Tim. There are a lot of people that would like to see how you do things. I enjoy seeing the different ways that people approach situations and how they solve the problem. It often opens up lines of thinking. It's good for folks to see how Pros do it. You are certainly one of them.

The feedback and interaction that comes from seeing a video someone posts is a good learning experience many times for me.

 

[SeanKroll]

Jed,

You can learn stuff from video. Elite athletes do it.


Your wife and kids will have more empathy about why you might be tired or mentally-spent some days.


Anytime someone asks me about doing something 'really quick', as ask that they don't. I want employees to take the time to do it right, and by not rushing, maybe have time to do the next thing right, and easier.

If the powers above say, "we need video", give them some video. If they say get the tree done, get the tree done. Do what your boss wants. You've got skills to probably just do what you want, without repercussion, so, whatever...

Its possibly, that you will make the company look good and bring in more money. That's your job and you look good doing it, I'll bet.

Compared to how many jackleg tree schmucks there are who think they are the Man, you have it covered, make your company look good.


I wish I had the time for capturing stuff. Look at what we would be missing, if Jerry wasn't a shutterbug. Try to hold a candle to 7' up and 150' through (loooong bar), wait, 150' up and 7' through.


Curious to hear more about the post-D gig, too.

 

[levi 2.0]

I liked watching tree vids for awhile so I thought I'd make my own, it was fun to share with family and some folks on line. At this point I think it's pretty silly behavior but I don't regret it. Not really interesting anymore to me, seeing another tree cut, wow. Who cares? turns out, a lot of people!

 

[cory]

Is it Buckin Billy Ray Smith?

 

[Tim_B.]

Thanks, Cory; that's probably it.

Tim

 

[ruel]

Take some vids yo! I learned a ton from you, you'd be a valuable resource for any new climber to watch.

Just your body mechanics on spurs was really amazing to see. I'd love to see a video of your spur climbing tips.

Spend some time thinking about your unconscious work habits and share em.

 

[ruel]

Also, It's not vanity if you're not vain about it.

 

[cory]

+1

Also, re only filming jobs not underbid, hey you never know, some key footage could result from measures taken to reel in underbid jobs.

 

[pantheraba]

....

 

[Jed]

Ohhh.... mannnn...... You guys are so generous to all get in and respond this way. Never expected THAT. I intend, in good time to shoot out a response to everyone who has taken their God-given precious time to so generously respond to the ramblings of my discursory cranium.

Yes, Buckin Billy Ray Smith. Sorry... shoulda clarified. I've (only in the last 3 years!) learned at least a 25% of how much I've learned from Jerry Beranek, and BELIEVE ME! That is really saying something!!!! I got a ton more questions fer you guys. Gotta go for the moment. Thanks Mick/Corey/Sean/Gary/and you younger men that I got a TON to learn from. See you guys in a bit, and thanks.

 

[cory]

You guys are so generous to all get in and respond this way.

That's what the House is all about. We glad you back! And Mr 2.0

 

[Burnham]

Here's where old fuddy duddies like my old ass self have missed the boat. I never in all my working days, nor ever will in future (duh, retired old fart ), made vids of my work. Frankly, most easy to use video was invented well into my latter working years...not that I believe I'd have been much inclined to make use of the tech had it been available...reasons not dissimilar to what Jed has said.

No brag, just fact...I did some kick ass tree work in those 30+ years...some of it quite far off the normal spectrum, some of it seldom done anywhere, and some of it idiocy .

But none of today's kids will ever get the chance to see it, learn from it, profit from those lessons. That I think, in my decrepitude, is perhaps a loss, and maybe should make Jed more inclined by just a smidge to try the camera some.

 

[Jed]

I’m thinking if you don’t want to, then don’t do it.
I can’t imagine there’ll be any sort of discipline if you tell them no....

I could easily keep my job without doing it, but I'd fall out of favor, and we all know what that's like when we are a part of a collective.

 

[Jed]

Why do you torment yourself with these moral dilemmas?

When you’re old and decrepit and your grandchildren are telling you about how hard their day was at work herding robots or whatever, slip a few minutes of Granpop Jed (the one who smells funny) throwing a few tops into their VR headsets, it’ll blow their minds!

Dude, I love you. I rather feel that God probably thinks a lot more like you than he does like me. Still, for me at any rate, every little bit of this life is irreducibly moral, and is, for a great sinner like myself, a rather tedious affair. But perhaps it will not always be so.

 

[Jed]

Filming jobs is not my style , I suppose for an extra Shekel though ... ( I found a GoPro when I was working Ski Patrol and sold it)

Butch: Yer gonna kill me. Still haven't figured out the multi-quote thing.

Man, I don't think that it is any or our style who are from your generation. Reg, August and Buckin are noteable exceptions.

 

[Burnham]

That's a painfully disrespectful way to look at your life and the value you have undoubtedly brought to it, Jed. If you understanding of your god brings this sinner mentality as it's primary judgement...well, that's either a crappy god you worship, or your understanding of your god is flawed...imo.

I rather think it's the more likely the latter.

 

[Jed]

Your probably right B, about, "rather think that it is the latter." I'm not weighing out my thoughts very responsibly tonight. Just shooting from the hip after a coupla beers. If I read my stuff in the morning, I'm sure it would seem like a buncha crybaby stuff that I hate reading myself.

Tim/Sean... thanks for the intelligent input. I do really appreciate it.

 

[squisher]

Jed there's nothing wrong with being humble. It's a admirable trait IMO.

But my uncle always told me, 'sometimes you've got to stand up and blow your own horn, because no one else is gonna do it for you.'

Now make the damn vids, win the favour of your employer and countless others. There's nothing wrong with it.

That is all said by someone who rarely even takes photos, let alone a vid ever. Lol. I claim laziness, not humility.

 

[stig]

It didn't work for me.
I just don't have the mentality for it, I guess.
Of course, having the Murphadite go mental over the first one I posted, didn't help either.