I have loved everything you've done so far -- you rock! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work as you move on and grow into your vision for yourself. Good luck!
I learned so many things from you and your videos that I would have never known. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me. I'm excited to share your next journey. Your loving Grandmommie❤❤❤
I think the changes you proposed sound great. I personally don't mind longer gaps between uploads, especially when the videos are high quality. I'm very excited for the new content.
I first came across this channel when the recent drought affecting the Hoover Dam and surrounding area was going on. I felt interested in learning more about the topic, and your video on the Glen Canyon dam popped up in my YT recommendations. It covered so many of the basic underlying details, but also so many of the motivations behind why things in that region are the way they are. I appreciate the slower, introspective tone and look at these parks and other regions. To take the time to not only absorb the beauty, but also the often quaint choices that led to their formation, all told from your perspective. Not just an observer, but someone who is passionate about it. Passionate people are the best people to learn from, so I'm totally onboard with any changes you feel you have to make to keep that flame burning. Burn-out is never worth it.
Most people would be surprised how many careers were launched or at least boosted by adopting a (stealing from Jonathon Coulton) "Thing a Week" style approach - but what I've also observed is that at some point (usually about a year, which might be one of those magic numbers for humans) by plan, design, or some form of exhaustion (mental, spiritual, physical, social, etc) that quasi-format *ends* or at least has a significant turning point/trend deflection. Thanks for the video and sharing of yourself; you're learning all the right things from the experiences you are allowing yourself to have and investing yourself in. If you can survive and keep it real, always keep it real - you'll be more satisfied in the end.
It was a nice experiment and I'm glad I tried it. I certainly learned a lot about making videos and can take a lot of lessons from it moving forward. Time for a new experiment - always looking to improve these things! Thanks so much for your support!
Great ideas, I'm looking forward to this year on the channel! Also, I totally agree that a tour of the books and other things in the background of your videos would be cool
Hey there Cam, I've been following you since almost day 1. I've commented lots of times, I've been to 53/63 of the "official" National Parks, and I was also stationed at Camp David for a couple years and commented on your Catoctin Mountain NP video. I appreciate your complete honesty and vulnerability with this video. I know what it's like to have the stress, and sometimes overwhelming, things affect you. You're doing great and I always look forward to your videos. Please keep doing what you do, as it doesn't go unnoticed and so many of us enjoy your content!
Thanks so much Dan! It's so heartening to know there's a community of people out there who enjoy these places and videos as much as I do. I'm grateful for it every day ❤
as an avid traveler and national park fanatic I just want to say that your videos have been a joy to watch and are truly wonderful. You have an incredible eye for video production and no matter where you go I assure you you'll have plenty loyal viewers like myself.
Your channel has been really inspiring to me as an environmental science undergrad- a NPS career is my dream and these stories push me to reach this dream. I’d LOVE to see a book collection video! Hoping for a successful 3rd year of National Park Diaries :)
I was an environmental science major as well - best of luck in your studies! It's such an awesome major. I'm rooting for you and your career in the NPS, as well! I'm sure you'll make an awesome addition to the team ❤
I love your channel! It is a great inspiration to me. I hope that you will still be able to grow your channel while making videos with better quality in 2024!
Really interesting to hear your perspective. I've just started a channel a few months ago on the National Parks as well- mainly focusing on the nature/ science behind their magic, and what you're saying really resonates with me. When building a channel it's so easy to fall into that "quantity over quality" trap, or to post more of what fits you into a box because that's what the platform responds well too. However, it sounds like you're putting your creativity, your audience, and your personal vision first, and I really commend you on that and I can't wait to see how it helps your channel grow. I believe that type of more personal content is what resonates with and means the most to people. Maybe it's harder to find the audience that likes it initially, but in the end you end up with so much more of a community and connection to your audience. I'm excited to see where your channel goes this year and the type of stuff you create- best of luck!
Hey Dena, thanks so much for the kind words! Playing the TH-cam game is certainly a grind at times - incredibly frustrating, but also massively rewarding. I knew from Day 1 on this channel that I wanted to value building a community and telling these stories rather than chasing "growth" just for the sake of it. I think that takes time, and if there's one thing I've learned on this platform, it's patience lol. I firmly believe in the vision and philosophy behind this channel and am excited to see where we can go moving forward. I'm wishing you the best of luck in your own TH-cam journey and am looking forward to some of your park stories!
I really like the way you described the name of the channel and the meaning behind it. It really shows me how much you care deeply about representing the parks the way they'd want to be represented, giving the parks a voice. I love this channel. Keep being awesome at your pace!
I can't believe I had never shared where the name of the channel came from before, but I'm glad people are responding to that story and that I have people like you here to enjoy them 😊 Thanks for all your support!
Growing and evolving is part of the creative process. Your channel brings a nice perspective on the history and challenges facing our national parks and preserved national and regional areas. Looking forward to your coming formats!
Couldn't agree more. As I've gotten further along in this journey, I've realized how important reinvention and growth are to a successful creative endeavor. I'm glad to have community members like you around to be here for all of it. Thanks so much!
Thanks for all you do. You are not the first really good TH-camr to experience this, and, hopefully come out of it even better. Hang in there, we're with you.
Last winter I found your video on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Thank you, thank you. In April I took my "Dixie Tour" and thoroughly enjoyed driving the Trace from Jackson to Natchez. Beautiful. I might have missed it if not for your testimony. My road trips are not finished and I consult your channel to be sure I won't miss anything "since I'm in the neighborhood." Thanks again.
So glad you made it out onto the Trace! It's such a cool parkway with a fascinating history deeply intertwined with America. Glad I could help you enjoy it and I'm looking forward to, hopefully, providing you with some more inspiration!
It's something I never really expected when I started NPD, but this is where life has taken me and I'm just going along for the ride lol. Excited to try some new stuff and improve myself. Thanks for being here, Rik!
Love the channel and I think you're taking it in a good direction. It's hard for me to catch the videos every week anyways, so fewer videos with richer content sound great and makes it easier to not miss anything!
Good for you for taking some time to evaluate how you would like the channel to move forward. Change takes guts but it allows you to keep your passion for the National Parks vibrant and interesting to you and your viewers.I look forward to your videos and it will be fun to see the changes! Good luck! (Btw we have 5 new National Parks on our travel list for 2024!- taking our total of parks visited to 39)
I always appreciate your uploads. TH-cam is a grind and The Algorithm often seems insane. I'd love to hear about more parks around the world. Your recent video about the Gates of the Arctic mining road was also fascinating and I'd been totally unaware of that. Cheers!
I'd love to tell more international stories - they definitely aren't represented enough compared to the amount of videos I have on this channel. I love stuff like that, and diving into stories like the Ambler Road, which people might not have heard of. So many stories and so little time, but thanks for being here and watching!
I've thrown around a bunch of ideas in my head and I'm excited to play around with a few things. Thanks for all of the support - I always look forward to your comments!
Yes, stay true to yourself. Once you worry about algorithms you are slaving for someone else and will burn out. Go with your flow. We aren't going anywhere.
I'd suggest breaking them up into series of somewhat regular length or have a few "lengths" - then you can communicate the ideas and vision you have in whatever depth or detail you like, in digestible chunks yet longer form. The only guideline I'd use is watch out for people's attention spans - adjust chunk size according to what you're getting on analytics. Maybe the drops are less frequent, but if you drop a 4 hour miniseries on people (what's that, 12 twenty minute episodes?) because that's what the content ended up being. It won't always be like that but my big problem is whittling down footage and experiences - I am selective anyhow so it kind of hurts that I can't always show a story like I want in the way I want. People will do virtual cartwheels if you give them bingeable formats - thanks to all the streaming services that have introduced the delivery; now anyone can tap into that normalized social behavior. I'm one of those guys that wonders what would have happened if the original Dune production had been released as a series of films or series of mini series instead of hours of incredible story told by amazing people getting thrown in the trash can, some before it was even allowed to exist. I like to think it would have been extended with richness like the Star Trek franchise instead of rebooted a zillion times like Spiderman.
Haha, I got a new LED panel for Christmas, so I'm using that rather than a lightbox. It's also a different part of the studio, so that might throw you off a bit 😂
I've been watching and enjoying your videos on and off since your Denali video around 2 years ago. At the risk of sounding conceited, I'll give you my personal opinion about your channel's performance. You've clearly put a lot of effort into those videos, and many of them unfortunately don't do well. As you've surely already found, volume alone isn't enough to make your channel succeed. TH-cam absolutely rewards watch time, but that also means they reward viewer retention. Many of your videos start with long intros explaining the channel and introducing the subject at hand. These intros provide helpful context, but people are impatient and will usually click away from stuff like this. Your narration, while measured, can occasionally feel slow. I think your channel will definitely benefit from a quality increase as you mentioned today, and I for one am excited to see your new videos. But I also think you can benefit from playing into the youtube game a bit by trimming some excess fat to make your videos more concise. I'm happy to hear you'll be taking more time to make the videos that you want to make, and am excited to see your new work this year. I'm really hoping you can thrive this coming year and break out of that box you feel you've been put in. Good luck!
I don't think that's conceited at all. In fact, that's great constructive criticism and feedback! The intro thing was something I noticed as well, and tried to scale it back a bit by cutting out the channel intro and just sticking with the subject matter. A lot of that comes from the writing process, which is one of the things I'm hoping to improve on as I take more time with the educational videos. I appreciate the honest feedback, and the patience for sticking around. That Denali video was awhile ago, so I'm glad to know you're still here! Cheers!
I have loved everything you've done so far -- you rock! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work as you move on and grow into your vision for yourself. Good luck!
So glad to hear that - the feedback on this video has been incredible! Thanks for being here ❤
I learned so many things from you and your videos that I would have never known. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me. I'm excited to share your next journey. Your loving Grandmommie❤❤❤
Thanks so much Grandmommie!
I think the changes you proposed sound great. I personally don't mind longer gaps between uploads, especially when the videos are high quality. I'm very excited for the new content.
Glad to hear it - looking forward to telling more stories! Thanks for being here!
I first came across this channel when the recent drought affecting the Hoover Dam and surrounding area was going on. I felt interested in learning more about the topic, and your video on the Glen Canyon dam popped up in my YT recommendations. It covered so many of the basic underlying details, but also so many of the motivations behind why things in that region are the way they are.
I appreciate the slower, introspective tone and look at these parks and other regions. To take the time to not only absorb the beauty, but also the often quaint choices that led to their formation, all told from your perspective. Not just an observer, but someone who is passionate about it. Passionate people are the best people to learn from, so I'm totally onboard with any changes you feel you have to make to keep that flame burning. Burn-out is never worth it.
Thanks so much, Maya! I always look forward to your comments and thoughts on these topics - they're much appreciated!
Most people would be surprised how many careers were launched or at least boosted by adopting a (stealing from Jonathon Coulton) "Thing a Week" style approach - but what I've also observed is that at some point (usually about a year, which might be one of those magic numbers for humans) by plan, design, or some form of exhaustion (mental, spiritual, physical, social, etc) that quasi-format *ends* or at least has a significant turning point/trend deflection.
Thanks for the video and sharing of yourself; you're learning all the right things from the experiences you are allowing yourself to have and investing yourself in.
If you can survive and keep it real, always keep it real - you'll be more satisfied in the end.
It was a nice experiment and I'm glad I tried it. I certainly learned a lot about making videos and can take a lot of lessons from it moving forward. Time for a new experiment - always looking to improve these things! Thanks so much for your support!
Glad you're taking the time and space you need! Looking forward to all of your future endeavors
Thanks so much, Ben!
Great ideas, I'm looking forward to this year on the channel!
Also, I totally agree that a tour of the books and other things in the background of your videos would be cool
Haha, the books seem to be very popular! I'm excited to talk about them!
Hey there Cam, I've been following you since almost day 1. I've commented lots of times, I've been to 53/63 of the "official" National Parks, and I was also stationed at Camp David for a couple years and commented on your Catoctin Mountain NP video. I appreciate your complete honesty and vulnerability with this video. I know what it's like to have the stress, and sometimes overwhelming, things affect you. You're doing great and I always look forward to your videos. Please keep doing what you do, as it doesn't go unnoticed and so many of us enjoy your content!
Thanks so much Dan! It's so heartening to know there's a community of people out there who enjoy these places and videos as much as I do. I'm grateful for it every day ❤
as an avid traveler and national park fanatic I just want to say that your videos have been a joy to watch and are truly wonderful. You have an incredible eye for video production and no matter where you go I assure you you'll have plenty loyal viewers like myself.
Thank you so much, Jonathan!
Can't wait to see what you have in mind.
Can't wait to share it with you!
Your channel has been really inspiring to me as an environmental science undergrad- a NPS career is my dream and these stories push me to reach this dream. I’d LOVE to see a book collection video! Hoping for a successful 3rd year of National Park Diaries :)
I was an environmental science major as well - best of luck in your studies! It's such an awesome major. I'm rooting for you and your career in the NPS, as well! I'm sure you'll make an awesome addition to the team ❤
I love your channel! It is a great inspiration to me. I hope that you will still be able to grow your channel while making videos with better quality in 2024!
Thanks so much - best of luck to you!
Really interesting to hear your perspective. I've just started a channel a few months ago on the National Parks as well- mainly focusing on the nature/ science behind their magic, and what you're saying really resonates with me. When building a channel it's so easy to fall into that "quantity over quality" trap, or to post more of what fits you into a box because that's what the platform responds well too. However, it sounds like you're putting your creativity, your audience, and your personal vision first, and I really commend you on that and I can't wait to see how it helps your channel grow. I believe that type of more personal content is what resonates with and means the most to people. Maybe it's harder to find the audience that likes it initially, but in the end you end up with so much more of a community and connection to your audience.
I'm excited to see where your channel goes this year and the type of stuff you create- best of luck!
Hey Dena, thanks so much for the kind words! Playing the TH-cam game is certainly a grind at times - incredibly frustrating, but also massively rewarding. I knew from Day 1 on this channel that I wanted to value building a community and telling these stories rather than chasing "growth" just for the sake of it. I think that takes time, and if there's one thing I've learned on this platform, it's patience lol. I firmly believe in the vision and philosophy behind this channel and am excited to see where we can go moving forward. I'm wishing you the best of luck in your own TH-cam journey and am looking forward to some of your park stories!
@@NationalParkDiaries Thank you so much! I'm right there with you- it's all about the stories. Here's to a good 2024 for both of us :)
I'm excited to see where you go with it.
Thank you!
I really like the way you described the name of the channel and the meaning behind it. It really shows me how much you care deeply about representing the parks the way they'd want to be represented, giving the parks a voice. I love this channel. Keep being awesome at your pace!
I can't believe I had never shared where the name of the channel came from before, but I'm glad people are responding to that story and that I have people like you here to enjoy them 😊 Thanks for all your support!
whatever your schedule, I'll keep watching!
So glad to hear that! Thanks for being here!
I have loved your previous videos, AND I look forward to seeing what comes next!
Thank you!! ❤
Growing and evolving is part of the creative process. Your channel brings a nice perspective on the history and challenges facing our national parks and preserved national and regional areas. Looking forward to your coming formats!
Couldn't agree more. As I've gotten further along in this journey, I've realized how important reinvention and growth are to a successful creative endeavor. I'm glad to have community members like you around to be here for all of it. Thanks so much!
Thanks for all you do. You are not the first really good TH-camr to experience this, and, hopefully come out of it even better. Hang in there, we're with you.
WOW, thank you so much! Your (and everyone's) kind words on this video mean a lot. Thanks for being here and supporting the channel!
Last winter I found your video on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Thank you, thank you. In April I took my "Dixie Tour" and thoroughly enjoyed driving the Trace from Jackson to Natchez. Beautiful. I might have missed it if not for your testimony. My road trips are not finished and I consult your channel to be sure I won't miss anything "since I'm in the neighborhood." Thanks again.
So glad you made it out onto the Trace! It's such a cool parkway with a fascinating history deeply intertwined with America. Glad I could help you enjoy it and I'm looking forward to, hopefully, providing you with some more inspiration!
No problem! I need time to catch up!
Haha, fair enough! Enjoy!
This is going to be fun!
Way to go!
WE all have to reinvent ourselves, I have
every ten years or so, my whole life!
Cheers,
Rik Spector
It's something I never really expected when I started NPD, but this is where life has taken me and I'm just going along for the ride lol. Excited to try some new stuff and improve myself. Thanks for being here, Rik!
@@NationalParkDiaries my pleasure👍
Love the channel and I think you're taking it in a good direction. It's hard for me to catch the videos every week anyways, so fewer videos with richer content sound great and makes it easier to not miss anything!
Great feedback, thanks so much! Can't wait to bring you all more stories!
this sounds like a very good plan! excited for what's to come
I'm excited to share it all with you!
Keep up the excellent work!
Thank you, will do!
Good for you for taking some time to evaluate how you would like the channel to move forward. Change takes guts but it allows you to keep your passion for the National Parks vibrant and interesting to you and your viewers.I look forward to your videos and it will be fun to see the changes! Good luck! (Btw we have 5 new National Parks on our travel list for 2024!- taking our total of parks visited to 39)
Thanks for the kind words and support! Enjoy your park travels this year!
Sounds exciting. Good luck with your retooling initiative. Always glad to see new NP content.
Thanks so much!
Excited for this new chapter! Good on you for listening to your authentic self!
Can't wait to share new stuff with you all. Thanks for your support!
Thanks for the thoughtful and honest reflection! I’ve loved the channel so far and look forward to what you and it become.
Thanks so much for your support!
It's good to stop rest and look back, then forward. You have a good plan. You are doing a great job. Looking forward for your videos.
Thanks so much, Keith! Glad to have you here!
I thought the channel was already great quality, lol. I can't wait to see what it becomes. Best of luck!
That means a lot, thanks so much for your support!
I always appreciate your uploads. TH-cam is a grind and The Algorithm often seems insane. I'd love to hear about more parks around the world. Your recent video about the Gates of the Arctic mining road was also fascinating and I'd been totally unaware of that. Cheers!
I'd love to tell more international stories - they definitely aren't represented enough compared to the amount of videos I have on this channel. I love stuff like that, and diving into stories like the Ambler Road, which people might not have heard of. So many stories and so little time, but thanks for being here and watching!
sounds like all good news to me! maybe some sort of hiking videos at the parks would be great as well
That's something I'd honestly love to see aswell.
I've thrown around a bunch of ideas in my head and I'm excited to play around with a few things. Thanks for all of the support - I always look forward to your comments!
Yes, stay true to yourself. Once you worry about algorithms you are slaving for someone else and will burn out. Go with your flow. We aren't going anywhere.
That's so nice to hear, thanks so much for the support!
You have my subscribe, Like and support! Do what feels right for you!:)
That means a lot, thanks Tim!
I'd like to see a video on the National Parks of the planet Arrakis and how they compare to, say, Caladan, or even Tatooine.
Really going to lean into my Dune persona, huh? I do love the idea of talking about fictional national parks though!
talk about the geography or history of el yunque national forest of Puerto Rico. The only tropical rainforest national forest and how it came to be.
I second this!
Been on my list since Day 1. I'm hoping to catch a cheap flight at some point so I can go tell that story in person. Really fascinating place!
Very cool. I love more content on one thing even if it means less videos 🎉
Glad to hear it!
I'd suggest breaking them up into series of somewhat regular length or have a few "lengths" - then you can communicate the ideas and vision you have in whatever depth or detail you like, in digestible chunks yet longer form. The only guideline I'd use is watch out for people's attention spans - adjust chunk size according to what you're getting on analytics.
Maybe the drops are less frequent, but if you drop a 4 hour miniseries on people (what's that, 12 twenty minute episodes?) because that's what the content ended up being. It won't always be like that but my big problem is whittling down footage and experiences - I am selective anyhow so it kind of hurts that I can't always show a story like I want in the way I want. People will do virtual cartwheels if you give them bingeable formats - thanks to all the streaming services that have introduced the delivery; now anyone can tap into that normalized social behavior.
I'm one of those guys that wonders what would have happened if the original Dune production had been released as a series of films or series of mini series instead of hours of incredible story told by amazing people getting thrown in the trash can, some before it was even allowed to exist. I like to think it would have been extended with richness like the Star Trek franchise instead of rebooted a zillion times like Spiderman.
We're here for it! You do you!
Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!
I'd love an episode where you give quick reviews of three or four books you've used for research that also turned out to be really entertaining reads.
I love that my audience are fellow book lovers lol! I can definitely spin out some videos about my book collection/readings
What video games do you play?
During my break I played Horizon Forbidden West (meh) and Spiderman 2 (amazing). I mostly play single player games on Playstation.
Keep up the good work and follow your bliss.
Thank you, will do!!
Did you get a new camera setup in the last six months? You look way different!
Haha, I got a new LED panel for Christmas, so I'm using that rather than a lightbox. It's also a different part of the studio, so that might throw you off a bit 😂
@@NationalParkDiaries Totally did! lol Looks good though with it, much sharper. 👍🏻
We love seeing you nerd out 😊
And I love that y'all love it lol! It's so much fun 😂
Looking forward to the changes.
So glad to hear that!
describe the box you record / edit in. .what are the books, pictures, knick knacks? 🙏 vocal presentation, good . enunciate ! speak well.🙏
🙏🙏🙏
Do what your heart tells you is right, Cameron. :) We'll be here.
I really appreciate that, thank you!
I'm sure youll learn new skills and get it down cold and be able to do weekly again :-)
Haha, we'll see! I'm excited to try out some new things!
I've been watching and enjoying your videos on and off since your Denali video around 2 years ago. At the risk of sounding conceited, I'll give you my personal opinion about your channel's performance. You've clearly put a lot of effort into those videos, and many of them unfortunately don't do well. As you've surely already found, volume alone isn't enough to make your channel succeed. TH-cam absolutely rewards watch time, but that also means they reward viewer retention. Many of your videos start with long intros explaining the channel and introducing the subject at hand. These intros provide helpful context, but people are impatient and will usually click away from stuff like this. Your narration, while measured, can occasionally feel slow. I think your channel will definitely benefit from a quality increase as you mentioned today, and I for one am excited to see your new videos. But I also think you can benefit from playing into the youtube game a bit by trimming some excess fat to make your videos more concise.
I'm happy to hear you'll be taking more time to make the videos that you want to make, and am excited to see your new work this year. I'm really hoping you can thrive this coming year and break out of that box you feel you've been put in. Good luck!
I don't think that's conceited at all. In fact, that's great constructive criticism and feedback! The intro thing was something I noticed as well, and tried to scale it back a bit by cutting out the channel intro and just sticking with the subject matter. A lot of that comes from the writing process, which is one of the things I'm hoping to improve on as I take more time with the educational videos. I appreciate the honest feedback, and the patience for sticking around. That Denali video was awhile ago, so I'm glad to know you're still here! Cheers!