I have been blogging for a few years now & I get asked how it works pretty regularly.
So I thought I would talk you guys through the whole blog progress.
So the first part of blogging is purchasing/ receiving a product & testing it out. You can't review a product you haven't tried! I would advise used the product at least 3 - 5 times to form a fair & valid opinion on it. If it has a specific claim, definitely test that feature.
The next thing is to photograph or video (or both) the product. If it's make up, swatches are always good to photograph too. Try to create different backgrounds & set ups for photographs so they don't get boring/ too similar (unless this is part of your theme). I like to try to make them fit the theme of the product or season.
Fashion/ style photographs might be a bit more difficult, you may need to get someone else to help you by taking the photos. For fashion images I would advise scouting some cool locations, so you can get some awesome professional looking shots.
Then the next stage is to go through all your photographs at decide which ones you're going to use. Then it's time to edit them. I edit mine on photoshop, however you could easily do this on your phone or tablet.
Now you're ready to upload your images and get started on your blog post!
Firstly, the title. This can be the deciding thing to make someone read this blog post or click away, so think what you want it to say.
Now this is what I sometimes find the hard part, writing up the blog post. You want it to be informative but not boring or too long. It really is about getting the right amount in there without waffling on. I will say there is also another format which can work, which is a predominately image based blog post. Once you have done this & spell checked, you're ready to publish your blog post!
I think most photographers are nosey when it comes to seeing other photographer's kit.
Well I am anyway (I'd just like to note not in a judgemental way)!
I did already do a video on what's in my basic camera bag, which I mostly use in nightclubs which you can check out here.
However I wanted to show you guys what kit is my camera backpack when I'm on a larger scale job.
1. Laptop
This might not always be necessary to take a laptop but on some jobs you get a little time to begin editing & hey if I'm already awake it saves me some work the next day.
2. Nikon D7100
This is my favourite camera & highest spec one that I own so that bad boy is reserved for the big jobs. Like weddings, video shoots etc.
3. Nikon Speedlight Flash Head
If you aren't shooting in studio, you can never really be definite about your lighting situation, so it always does to have a flash head at hand.
4. Different Lenses
I like to take a few different lenses with me on shoots so I can get a variety of different style images, don't go too crazy though!
5. LED top light
I tend to use these mostly when videoing, however you can use them for still photos too instead of a flash head. They create a nice drop off around the subject. I like to label mine up so people know it's a video too!
6. Tripod
Tripods are so damn useful in so many ways you should always have one with you!
I've been running my blog for over a year now & I feel like it's only just being to grow.
I think it's all about getting a winning formula together (something I'm still working on).
I'm very active on my blog, as I like to provide you guys with a lot of good content regularly.
So I thought it would be worth showing you guys what my blogging essentials are!
1. Apple Laptop
I have been a Mac user for many years & love them. Sorry to any windows fans out there but it is all personal preference & budget. I am constantly on my Macbook either working on photography stuff or blog/ youtube projects. It is my 'hub' of productively, without it I'd get very little done!
This laptop is what I also edit my blog photos (Adobe Photoshop) & youtube videos (Final Cut Pro) on.
2. iPhone 6
My iPhone is basically an extension of my laptop, when I'm out & about it's the way I keep up to date with all of my social media. It also allows me to communicate with you guys on the go too! I also use it to take & edit my Instagram photos & occasionally my blog photos if for whatever reason I can't use my DSLR camera.
3. Nikon D7100
This is the camera that I use to take my blog photos. It produces amazing high quality images & being a photographer means I can produce some cool/ creative stuff. I take all of my photos in the Manual setting as that's my preferred setting, so I can change any settings (ISO, Shutter speed, etc) I need to according to the lighting I have available at the time.
4. Products
Products, now this one kind of goes without saying but without products to photograph, review & write about generally you are very limited on content. Especially if you're running a beauty based blog.
5. Artificial lighting
This isn't pictured above as I was using it to take the photo, but I like to use artificial lighting quite often to achieve the style & lighting I want in my blog photos. This isn't necessary if you can find some where with great natural light but I just find it makes for a more professional like to the photos. I like to use an LED ring light most of the time & shoot through the gap.
So onto you guys, what would you say are your blog essentials?
I thought it would be interesting to have a little look back at some of my recent Instagram photos & have a recap!
If you don't already follow me on Instagram you can by clicking here!
So we'll start with the top left.
This is the most recent photo, which shows the results of my favourite tanning product by Sun Goddess! I love this fake tan & I'm not really one for fake tanning, so that's saying something!
The second photo is of some band merch. My brother's band to be precise! The band is Everybody Looks Famous, you can check them out here. Even if you just like merch, it's always good to help out unsigned bands.
The photo on the top right is of me riding my horse.
I've being horse riding since the age of 7 & have owned my horse for 8 years. There is nothing more perfect to me than this right here! Horse riding is my little escape & I love it!
The photo on the bottom left is from a meal I had recently.
The restaurant is in The Mailbox Birmingham & is called Gas Street Social. It's quite a casual setting but equally quite fancy. I love the setting & the food. This photo is from the first time me & Reece (my partner) went but we have been back since.
The next photo is off a lovely golden bottle of prosecco & glasses. These were a birthday present for my 21st birthday last year. I included this photo as it was a great time & this was a lovely gift.
The last photo is of my camera (well one of them), to be exact my D7100. I love this camera, it's literally bae (sorry). I use this camera for photoshoots & for filming all of my youtube videos. It's also what I use to take my blog photos. It's just such an important 'tool' to me. I couldn't live without it!
We all have essentials that we can't live without!
However these can sometimes change, so I wanted to show you guys some of my current essentials.
Nikon D7100
This is my favourite camera I own. Firstly look at it! It's beautiful (sorry I'm a nerd).
It is also the camera I use for any photo shoots I do & to film my youtube videos. So I don't know what I'd do without this camera! It's literally like a limb to me, I use it daily.
This isn't just a current essential, this is a permanent essential! Love it!
Michael Kors Watch
I couldn't tell you which watch this is (Do they even have names?) but I've had it for about 3 years & it's still perfect. It has the odd little scratch however it is practically perfect! I wear it constantly because it's beautiful as well as practical. It also has the date on the face too, which I need because otherwise I'd have no idea what day it is.
GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition
Yes another camera. This camera is completely different though. I plan on doing more vlogging for my youtube channel so I have been loving using my GoPro. The quality of GoPro cameras is amazing. Would definitely recommend them, however there are still some accessories I need to get for it!
Peppersmith Lemon Mints
I got sent these mints to try & I love them! The lemon ones are the best, they're so yummy. They're also really good for your teeth as they can prevent decay! I do have a separate blog post on these, so if you'd like to read more on them & how they work click here.
Benefit Sugarbomb Lipgloss & MAC Dervish Lip Liner
This is basically my 'go to' nude lip look, which I will have a separate blog post on soon!
As a photographer it's important for me to prepare for every shoot I do.
Whether it's a wedding or a club night there are some things that are just essential to have.
Whether you are a Canon or a Nikon user these tips apply to you!
If you are just starting out in photography you will probably find this video very helpful, especially with get your camera bag essentials together.
Some of these things might seem pretty obvious & simple but we are all human and do forget these things sometimes. So check out the video below for my tips!
Secretly, well it's no secret really, I'm a bit of a geek!
I love techy gadgets, especially camera related stuff!
So I have decided to do a 'best of' video dedicated just to the gadgets.
Most of these gadgets are photography related, but they do all vary in price.
So don't think it's all professional equipment that's thousands of pounds!
I did purchase a new camera this year so that obviously couldn't be missed out. My Nikon D7100 is actually the camera I use to film my videos and photograph things for my blog so I had to get out my good old D5100 to photograph & video!
I have recently been somewhat neglecting the photography side of my channel so I wanted to bring you guys something a little different to a 'tips & tricks' video!
So I went with a spend or save style video, because let's face it getting into photography isn't cheap!
The cameras themselves aren't cheap let alone all the accessories!
The topic I decided to focus on was fisheye lenses VS fisheye adaption lenses.
In the photo below you can see the difference between the Nikon Fisheye Lens (left) and the Opteka Fisheye Adaption Lens (right).
So the specs & prices of the products are:
- Nikon AF DX Fisheye Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED Lens, £549
- Opteka HD2 Fisheye Adaption Lens, £39.95
To see whether I think it's best to spend or save please check out the video below!
Hi, I'm Eve. I'm a 23 year old professional photographer, who also has an interest in blogging/ vlogging. I like to write about anything really, from beauty to health issues!
