BBHQ April task: Blogging inspirations

This month the BBHQs participants will be chatting about their blogging inspirations. In our very first BBHQ post we shared the story of our beginning and you can read mine, and find out what BBHQ is, here.

This month we are going share what inspires and motivates us to create unique content on our bogs and tips for each other to keep our blogging flame alive! I'm looking forward to reading others posts and hopefully feeding off everyone else's inspiration!

What inspires you to blog and/or vlog?

Very simply, it makes me happy! The writing process, taking pictures, posting my blog and reading comments from my readers is all such a positive experience for me and as long as it positive I will keep doing it.

The beauty blogging community is a lovely one and is such a lovely thing to be a part of so it is hard not to be inspired.

Share some of your favourite blogs to read for inspiration?

In terms of writing style and honest, thorough product reviews my favourite bloggers are Grace from All That Slap, Annabella from Skin Scrubs, Astrid from Skin Deep and Claire from Eyelining Obsessions.

I also love The Sunday Girl and Makeup Savvy for their photography and it is because of their blogs that I wanted to improve the photos on mine. Sunday Girl in particular will have fruits or a background related to to the product name that are always so striking and leave me wondering how she manages to find fruit that should be out if season!

For makeup looks and general application my favourite bloggers are Frooti Beauty, Beauty for Thought and Beauties in Bloom, they are stunning girls and I wish I could make my makeup look as good as theirs.

I have lots of other blogs I could mention but you can find more in my blog roll.

Share some of your favorite Youtube channels to watch for inspiration?

I'm going to mention Frooti Beauty again because she has started tutorials on YouTube and it's great to see how she applies the products to get the looks she does and I hope she posts more! I also like watching Mouldy Fruit, who also has a blog, she is very natural on camera and her passion for makeup and the products she is using really comes through in her videos.

What are your favorite magazines to browse for inspiration?

I don't really have a favourite magazine for inspiration. I enjoy reading Stylist and occasionally will pick up Marie Clare or Red.

I also like picking up the magazines from Boots or Superdrug because they tend to have the latest products included and it is one way of keeping up to date.

How do you organize your inspiration? Pinterest board, notebook, sketchpad, etc.?

When I have an idea for new content I save it in my notes on my phone and constantly add and update it. I also have a folder full of images and features from magazines that I like either for the photography or writing style.

What motivates you to continue blogging and/or vlogging?

I enjoy it so much that motivation doesn't really come into it. I want to keep my blog updated and looking good so the only thing that limits me is time.

How would you describe your style of blogging and/or vlogging, how has it changed from when you first started?

My reviews are a lot more brief, but hopefully still as thorough than they were in the early days. I know that people generally just want to get information and click away and hopefully I provide that.

My photography is probably my biggest improvement and takes up most of the time it takes to prepare a post.

How do you handle competitive thoughts with other bloggers/vloggers?

I'm not naturally a competitive person so this isn't really an issue for me. I like to think that we all add something different to the community so, even though the topic is the same, there is a place for everyone.

After all, even though I can be convinced by my favourite bloggers that I need to add a product to my collection I'll still check out more than one review.

For fun, share some of your favorite inspiring photos.

Words inspire me much more than pictures do, so my favourite pins on Pinterest are quotes. I’ve tried to pick my favourite below and you can view the rest of my board here.

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BBHQ March task: photo editing

So the beauty bloggers headquarters task for March is to share photo and video editing tips and programmes. Since I don’t have a YouTube channel for my blog this post will focus on photo editing.

I don't do any editing of my blog photographs, mostly through a lack of understanding. I try really hard with my photography to make sure that I get an accurate representation of the products so I have never felt the need to do anything other than crop any extra space.

I use Picasa, which is a free programme by google. It's not particularly fancy, but it does have a few editing features such as redeye, contrast and straighten, as well as the ability to add a range of different effects — my favourite is soft focus.

My main reason for using Picasa was that after running out of space to store photographs on blogger I got into a bit of a panic as to how I was going to put photos onto my blog. I didn't like the sound of uploading to another programme, getting a URL and inserting that into my blog, especially when I read that this didn't always work and pictures wouldn't appear.

So after a quick read on Google I found out that as long as images were less than 800 pixels your storage space is unlimited. Now I am not entirely sure that Picasa is resizing my images to this, but it does say ‘best for online sharing’ and so far I haven’t had any problems! 

The great thing about Picasa was that with one drag and drop step I can place photographs into a folder synced to my blogger account, upload the images and add a watermark so that they are ready to be inserted. Because the images were synced I could select photographs for a blog post wherever I am.

Another programme I have started to use recently is a free app called PictureCollage. From it you can create a college of different sizes, picture numbers and with various effects. For short posts I occasionally need lots of pictures but I don't like all the space they take up. So this is a great option for keeping the size of the post small without losing the detail and images you would want. The app does have options for different frames and effects but I tend to keep everything basic. 

If you are interested in finding out more about editing, there is a link here to all the other bloggers taking part in the March BBHQ task.

Please let me know if there are other apps or free programmes you would recommend and equally what you suggest staying away from!

BBHQ February task: organisation

This month’s post is all about blogger organisation and how I stay on top of blogging topics, organise products to be reviewed and store old data.

Where do you blog?
The majority of my blogging is done at home, either on the bed or in front of the television. I have also started blogging to and from work using the blogger app on my iPhone. The app lets me save posts in draft form so I can come back to them later, and I can publish from the app if I need to too.

Do you have a space dedicated to your blogging work? An office, a table, a corner of your room...
No. My favourite place to blog is from bed, but I also blog in front of the television and as I mentioned before on the train/tube.

What do you blog on? Computer, laptop, tablet... what do you recommend?
I blog on my laptop and my phone. I prefer to blog on my laptop just because it is more comfortable and it is easier to add pictures and preview the post.

Do you have any blogging rituals? Drinks, music, movie, candles…
None. I usually like to be alone and have complete silence if I want to write a post and not get distracted, which is when I tuck up in bed and get cosy to write.

When it comes to reviewing face masks I tend to review as in the picture above! I like to be able to describe how the face mask feels on the skin and immediately after removing it, and the best way to do that is to blog while treating myself to a home facial.

How do you keep your blogging ideas organized? Notepad, planner, post-its…
I write ideas down in my diary or on the notes app on my phone, I then delete them as they are completed. I also save draft posts with the titles as a reminder that I need to write them!

Do you have a blogging schedule for the week? Or the month? If so, how do you stay on top of it all?
I don't! I do need to get more organised because since I started a college course I have a lot less free time. At the moment I am writing most of my blog posts at the weekend and publishing them throughout the week. I am curious to know if people would like a more structured posting schedule, I was thinking about having one hair, makeup, skin and nail post a week and having set days for these.

If you review products, how do you keep track of what needs to be reviewed in your collection?
I have a box of products to be reviewed and I'll pull out something new as and when I finish other products. Unless I have photographs of the unused product (which is more important for makeup than anything else) I won’t start using it.

What do you do with all your "old" data? Photos, videos, extra drives, online storage…
I'm in the process of backing up photographs onto CDs to save room on my hard drive. I use Dropbox to upload and store photographs I have taken in my phone, but I also upload other photographs and documents to save space on my hard drive and that I might need separate access to. If you want to set up a Dropbox account you can use my link and we would both get 500mb of bonus space.

Finally, for fun, what beauty/non-beauty products do you need to have on hand near your blogging station? Hand lotion, lip balm, chewing gum…
I would say nothing, but having thought about it there is usually tea and chocolate or something else sweet nearby!

BBHQ December/January Task: How Do You Photograph For Your Blog?

This month’s task was to share how we take photographs for our blog. I consider myself a keen photographer, but not a particularly good one. I am very particular about taking photographs, I like to make sure I get the best colours and detail possible — I know I appreciate it in other bloggers posts and I hope it is something people like about my blog.

What camera(s) do you use for your blog photography?
I use a combination of my IPhone 4, usually for posts where getting the right colouring or detail isn’t necessary, monthly empties for example. But when detail is needed, I use my Canon 600D, which I treated myself to after getting my first full time job. I also purchased a second lens, which lets me get good close up shots but from a distance, which means I don’t get the shadow of me hovering over the products and affecting the colours.

What type of lighting do you use? Natural light, indoor light, studio lamps, etc.?
I try to use natural light as much as possible. Now winter has set in, this is next to impossible because I am rarely at home when there is natural light so I make do with indoor lighting.

Do you use a lightbox (purchased or diy)?
I actually hadn’t heard of a lightbox prior to this question and now I've looked it up I really want one! I've seen cheap handheld lights before, which can be used to help with lighting but now I'm thinking a combination of those might be a good start for a DIY lightbox. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Do you use a specific background?
I like to use different fabrics underneath product shots, nothing too patterned or distracting though. When I say different fabrics, this is usually clothing and once a plastic bag!

For makeup shots, because I have white wardrobes, I tend to use this as my background, unless I can convince a family member to take a picture for me, in which case I will stand where ever they say! My camera included software that allows me to remotely take photographs using my laptop so I tend to use this so that I can make sure I am in focus and don’t need to use the timer.

What does your photographing setup usually looking like?
Usually something like the scene below! I don't have anything fancy, I tend to create an interesting shape with the fabric I'm using and place the product in the middle taking up as much of the frame as possible.

I received a tri-pod for Christmas, so I have started using this for product shots. I also plan on using it for face shots but I haven't figured out the best setup for that yet since I usually connect my camera to my laptop and use that for remote shooting.

What is your top photographing tip for a beginner blogger?
I still consider myself as a beginner, so I would just say be patient and play. I’ve sat with one blush in front of me and tweaked every setting my camera has. I’ve ended up with hundreds of blurred or over/under exposed images but it has helped me to understand my camera.

Also, if you can find a good enough deal (try Groupon, Social Living, Voucher Cloud etc) and go on a photography course. I paid £19 for a walking tour of London and it really helped me to understand the basics. Even though the course was the opposite of what I do for the blog, I was able to apply what I learnt, and I think my images have been better since.

For fun: If you could upgrade your photography equipment today, what would you buy?
This is easy, I already have a list! A a polarising filter for my lenses, a macro lens and a remote control.

I hope you found this blog post helpful, feel free to ask questions if anything isn’t clear and your suggestions are always welcome.

Beauty bloggers headquarters: November task

I decided to start taking part in the monthly tasks from Beauty Bloggers Headquarters — a blog, which has been created to help out bloggers and act as a community to share experiences and tips.

The first task from the headquarters is to share the story of how we started our blog.

How long have you been blogging?

I will be celebrating my two year blog birthday in January! 

What/who inspired you to start blogging?
My start to blogging is quite complex! In my case it was a combination of different things all at one time. I suffered from bad skin and had a day when I decided enough was enough and that I needed to sort out my skin once and for all! As I did this I discovered makeup, something I had avoided using because I didn't want to irritate my skin, and after spending so much time reading beauty blogs and watching YouTube videos I decided I wanted to start one too.

Did you tell your family and friends about your blog? If so, what was their reaction? Are they supportive or "in the dark" about your blogging?
In the early days only my best friend and sister knew, eventually I started telling more friends and only told my family in the last month. My friends have always been very supportive and encouraging. As for family, I don’t think they really get it!

What goals or dreams did you have for your blog when you started? Have you accomplished them?
I didn’t set myself any targets and I never have. I always want to push myself and learn, so I like to try out different ideas for posts and just see what works and doesn’t, both by looking at stats and how much feedback I get.

If you could give your beginner-blogger-self one tip of advice, what would it be?
I'm not sure, maybe just to watch my spending!

What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being a blogger?
My favourite thing has been meeting so many amazing people I making some really good friends. I also love that as part of the process I have been developed a passion for photography, learnt about blog designs and HTML and improved my writing.

What does your blog name mean? How did you decide on it?
Being so insecure about my skin before I didn’t 'discover' makeup until a few years ago, so Discovering Beauty seemed to cover my new found love of makeup and my existing love of skincare.

If you are a blogger and would like to take part, head on over to the Beauty Blogger Headquarters page and add yourself to the list, also leave me a link to your post below so I can find out how you got started.