10 Things I’ve Learned as a Fashion Blogger

1. Y So Serious?

When I first started this business of blogging, I would smile in every photo until I started looking at other fashion bloggers where no one really smiled. So, I adapted to that method and started learning how to take photos without smiling. (Believe me, it took a while because I had no idea what to do with my face). But then I was like, wait a minute! I don’t want to look stone-faced in all my photos, I want to look happy too. So, then I decided to alternate. You’ll see that, in some shots I will smile, and in others, I won’t. When I see a blogger who’s always serious in photos smile, it exudes such a feeling of warmth and it’s like a breath of fresh air. So, it’s okay to smile in photos. I know we all want to be viewed as serious bloggers but we want to be approachable at the same time. So go ahead and show those pearly whites once in a while!

2. Location

Backgrounds are important. Find a location that compliments your outfit. One thing that I’ve learned is that if I’m wearing a white top, I’ll want to choose a darker background so that the white isn’t washed out and it can be seen clearly in photos. Colorful backgrounds also keeps posts interesting.

3. Reduce the noise

Choose a quiet area for photo-shoots and a location where there aren’t too many people crowding your shot unless that is the look you’re going for.

4. It’s all about the Bokeh (blur)

This is where a DSLR camera comes in handy and is a good investment. I currently own a Canon Rebel SL1 with a 50MM, f/1.8 lens. It’s a super light-weight camera that you can hold in one hand without the fear of dropping it. Once I learned how to use this camera, I never went back to taking blog photos with my Iphone. Instead of using the standard lens that comes with it, I decided to get a 50MM lens. When you want to reduce the background noise that I mentioned above, a lens with a low f-stop is the way to go. FYI…I mostly shoot in the AV setting.

5. Posing + Lighting

This is something that I’ve had to learn and am still learning. You don’t want to appear stiff in your photos. You want to appear fluid (even though you’re standing still).

As I’m sure you’re aware, lighting is most important. It helps to take photos when there’s a good amount of light so outdoor photo-shoots are ideal and when the sun is not directly overhead. Personally, I do end up taking photos at lunchtime when the sun is high in the sky because of my schedule but I try to find a shaded area with even lighting so that the sun doesn’t hit me at weird angles. If I’m absolutely in love with a background and it’s in full sun, I make sure that I’m facing the sun, otherwise the photo will be dark or the sunlight will cast shadows on my face.

6. Outfits

Be dynamic with your outfit choices. I struggle with this sometimes and there are times when my outfit choices may feel a bit stale and I need to mix it up a bit. That’s when I’m tempted to go shopping which can become expensive and is not always necessary. A quick rifle through the closet can create new outfit ideas and solve that problem really quickly.

7. It Doesn’t Help To Be Shy

You know those times when you’re doing a photoshoot and people are passing by and you clam up. Get over it! You’re already advertising yourself all over social media for the world to see so a few gawkers shouldn’t make much of a difference. Act like a model and own it!

8. Find a Good Photographer

Or any photographer! Let’s be honest, we can’t all afford to hire professional photographers so why not employ the help of non-professionals. They include your mother, your grandmother, your kids. If that doesn’t work, ask your friends or your coworkers. I’m sure they’d be willing to help if you just ask. My family and coworkers are my saviors in the photography department right now and I am thankful for them.

9. Photography Lessons

Photography classes also prove to be a good investment so that not only can you learn how to use your camera but you can also teach your “non-professional photographers.” If that’s not feasible, there’s always YouTube. 🙂

Team up with other fashion bloggers and take each other’s photos. There’s so much to be said about other bloggers because you realize that they may share the same struggles that you do.

10. Don’t Give Up

I’ve wanted to throw in the towel so many times. If it weren’t for the blogging groups that I joined, I would have already called it a day. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that bloggers support each other for the most part. I’ve met some really wonderful folks in my 7 months of blogging and it feels so great to be a part of a community. I do have to remind myself constantly of why I got into blogging and when that doesn’t work, I take a break. I try to stick to a 3-post-a-week schedule but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way and I need to scale it back. Taking blogging breaks is good for the soul and your overall well-being. The mind needs a rest sometimes and there’s no need to apologize for that.

What are some things you all have learned while blogging? Are there any similarities in the things that you’ve learned?

If you have any questions or have any interesting tips, feel free to leave a comment.

Thank you all so much for reading!