I was a speaker at Blog Camp Manchester last Friday, which was a fantastic experience. It was amazing to see so many passionate, dedicated bloggers in one room, and despite my immediate technical inadequacies (I had a piece of paper, the other speakers had iPads and MacBooks), I think I did alright. I remembered my topics, kept my head up and only stumbled slightly when I mistook a gurgling baby for someone asking a question.
One thing that came up during my talk was the process of taking photos. I think taking your own photos (or roping in a long-suffering partner/friend/family member) is essential in making your blog your own – anyone can swipe an image from We Heart It, but using your own shots shows you’ve put that little bit more thought and effort into your post.
Unfortunately most of the general population are unfamiliar with blogging, and the sight of a lone female lugging a tripod down the street to pose in front of a brick wall can cause excessive pointing, continued staring and, sometimes, riotous laughter.
Vintage skirt, Gap tee, Primark belt, Eden wedges via Sarenza, ASOS necklace, Jigsaw sunnies
It took me half an hour to find a suitably secluded place to take these shots, and even then an elderly lady stopped in her tracks to gawp as I trotted back and forth to set the self-timer. This is the part of blogging I find most excruciatingly embarrassing (even more so than walking through the office and catching a (male) colleague reading the blog), but I persevere because I think the images are just as important as the words. One Blog Camp attendee asked if my neighbours found it odd – no one has ever said anything, but I am certain they think I’m just a little bit odd.
How do you take photos for your blog? Do you have someone to help or do you enlist the services of a trusty tripod? Where do you go to get the perfect picture?
OMG do you really do that?
I assumed you got someone else to do it!
Glad I do nails. No way would I manage a tripod and the OH just wouldn’t participate…
I LOVE this look so it was clearly worth the public humiliation 🙂
Gorgeous!
Loveaudrey xxx
I am a self timer user like yourself and find it strange that so many people feel the need to comment or gawk at me while I’m scrambling back and forth between my tripod and said brick wall. I used to be embarrassed but now when people feel the need to comment I just yell “if you like what you see you should check out Wore Out” they usually leave me alone after that.
On the contrary, I find the self-taken pics the most awkward thing about reading Daily Outfit blogs. I inwardly cringe a bit when I see the pigeon toed poses. I agree they do add a nice bit of personalisation, but it’s a little bit weird nonetheless 😀
But that probably says more about my fashion confidence than anyone elses.
I always feel a little bit like I’m letting people down and being boring if I don’t have a picture in my blog, so I like to try, but my room’s quite small and my flatmates think I’m mental if I try and take pictures anywhere else – it’ll be good to be able to get outside this summer and take some better outfit photos!
I’m lucky to have a nice garden, with lots of different interesting places to take photos. I wouldn’t be brave enough to go out in public!
xoxo
Lovely outfit
http://rubyccino.blogpsot.com
I am a hideously unprofessional blogger, I set my camera on top of a bunch of DVD’s, and take the pictures against the hallway wall, as it’s the blankest wall I can find, I really need to get myself a tripod! I’d quite like to take pictures outside once I have a tripod, but I think I’d be too nervous of the weird looks I’d inevitably get!
Incidentally, I am in love with your skirt and wedges!
Sirens and Bells xx
I think it’s always important to use your own pictures whenever you can, whether that’s outfit pictures, photos of events or things you like. Like you say that’s what makes a blog yours. I do enjoy inspiration posts but sometimes when you see the same photos up on a number of different blogs it can get rather repetitive.
The times when I have attempted outfit posts it’s always been using a self timer in my bedroom. I ALWAYS feel like a twat doing it and don’t think I’d be brave enough to take a tripod out into the world ,unless it was to a very secluded spot. I do enjoy looking at other peoples outfit posts though and I think it shows when people take time and effort to put them together.
All of mine are done on the self timer. I try and take most of them at work as it has my beloved brick wall for a backdrop. It does mean dashing out either before I start for the day or on my break to snap some pics, and trying to avoid wandering visitors or gardeners so it’s not ideal! There’s a useful height picnic table so I prop the camera up on that. The odd pic that gets taken at home is with the background of another brick wall (the shed this time) and using the tripod. I’ve never been brave enough to take the tripod to any other locations.
I suppose it’s just what you’re used to, isn’t it? I am always hideously awkward in front of the camera and hate being told to look up and smile, so I’m much better when it’s just me and the self timer. If that means I lose the benefit of someone telling me when a particular pose looks good, so be it.
I hate winter though. We have no plain white walls in our house and the lighting is dreadful so as soon as it’s too cold to take photos outside, my outfit pics start to look rubbish 🙁
Straight away must say, I love that skirt on you.
I have a new shame. In our old house I used to take photographs in our garden when all the neighbours were at work or in a corner of the park that was totally hidden. Now I live in a flat in a huge old house (6 other flats, at least 12 other people.) There a lovely shared gardens and last week I plucked up the courage to take an outfit photo out there.
First of all a neighbour drove up the drive and saw me acting like a goon into my camera (on a tripod)so I took the camera to the side of the building only for the same guy to be outside having a fag. I’ve yet to actually ‘meet’ any of my neighbours so the shame level was high.
I always love stripes on stripes, and this outfit is just fantastic! the skirt is adorable, wish I could wear it!
That outfit is fab and worth photographing even if you did get a few stares! I’ve been taking photos in my room at uni with a tripod but now I’m moving to my fiance’s I’m not sure where I’ll take them! His room is too small so I think I’ll have to take them out in the hallway – cue strange looks from his family I guess, but it’ll be worth it! I don’t like blogs without personal photographs, I feel it shows a lack of effort…
xxx
Those shoes are so cute!
I’m lucky to have a large garden and an understanding partner. I’ve tried the self-timer on my camera and my poses just look stilted and awkward, I feel infinitely more relaxed having Jon take the pictures.
The weather makes a huge difference, too. I hate the winter and the rain, it means I have to tidy up a space in the house. xxx
The main reason I look at blogs is to see photos so I always include them in mine.
I’ve only taken photos outside when I’ve had someone to take them for me. I think if I took them myself outside with the tripod I would be very red faced. I wish I had the confidence to do it though xxx
Great post Jen, and fab outfit! That necklace will always remind me of seeing you at the train station “I think Jen has that necklace… oh, it is Jen!”
I get Ryan (bf to those who don’t know me!) to take my photos, but that is why I am only doing one outfit post a week. I don’t have a very good camera and I don’t have a tripod so I beg him to take a picture before we head out on a Saturday or Sunday. I am lucky in that my garden has a white brick wall, so I have a good backdrop outside out of the way of prying eyes, and inside we just take a photo in the living room – I think I’d die of embarrassment if I went and took photos on our cul de sac, I feel a bit like everyone looks at some of the outfits I wear as it is!!
I definitely agree that personal photos make a fashion blog even better, but I’m using a mix of my own photos, lookbook images for ‘Lust-have’ posts and google image searches for an illustrative images. I hope to be able to take more photos as I carry on blogging and get a bit more confidence in my ability 🙂 x
Fab post, so glad blogcamp went well!
I just got a remote control, which makes the process of taking photos a lot easier than the self timer. I mostly take my photos in mygarden, so it’s a bit more secluded than on the street, but I still think my neighbours must think I’m a bit odd… But then my mum has probably boasted about my fashion blog to them (she’s basically told everyone we know!!) so they probably realiase what I’m up to already! Not sure if that makes it better or worse!
i am lucky enough to have a willing bf to take my photos and he is getting pretty good at it too! we have a few regular haunts a nearby park, church grounds and bike path..but anywhere that is scenic is good for me. (i like pretty backgrounds alot) alot of the time people see me and it used to really annoy and embarass me but Ive learnt to deal with it.. ill never see them again ( i hope!) so how cares.. althou recently in a park I got followed around by 5 rude little 12 yr olds constantly yelling ‘why are you taking her picture?’ over and over.. was pretty awful! lol xo
I am trying to build up some personal outfit photos for when I finally get the confidence to launch my blog.
Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of room so I run around my bedroom with the self timer and try and adjust the light on photoshop.
Alas, I tripped over my tripod the other day and now have a black eye that totally clashes with my outfit..
I keep firmly to the blankest wall in my flat, living in the city centre there is nowhere I could go without being hounded by tramps and teenagers. That said there’s no way I could face going outside anyways, I’m worried enough the blokes in the office across the alley from my flat think I’m a nutter.
I think with context and words personal photos are great, but for those not in the know it can look rather narcissistic/bonkers.
But yes, I love that necklace and I wish I’d known about the Manchester blog camp!
xx
So, so true. I take photos with my tripod in my flat (cheating) and make Sam take them if we’re outside. We both still feel really daft. Convinced onlookers think I think I’m some sort of wannabe model! x
I take all my outfit photos indoors, mainly because I don’t really have time to take my tripod outside and the weather is always so rubbish. But there is still always the shame of when you’re ready to go out and people are waiting for you and you’re like ‘yeah just a minute, need to snap a photo!’.
Im lucky to have my boyfriend take all my pics, and I agree, it is definitely a bit embarrassing! Never thought how lucky I am to have him come every Sunday morning with me to take pics!
Haha, Jared completely takes mine outside our house or up the road, he’s good like that – I get people staring, beeping and gawping everyday but I think i’ve gotten used to it. It’s actually helped me to build up a lot of confidence, and on most mornings I see the same sweet old lady who tells me she loves my outfit haha.
C x
http://memiorsofalittlethingcalledlife.blogspot.com/
Love the shoes and skirt!!! They look great together too!
http://gianandmckinley.blogspot.com
I take most of my photos in my bedroom or other rooms of my house, I don’t take alot of garden shots as my garden faces so when the sun shine my house blocks it. That and it’s not often sunny. Other than that I don’t live in a very picturesque area. I wish I could take outside outfit shots though.
Yay for talking at Camp Blog. I was looking at tweets about it throughout the day. I’m sure you were fantastic.
I always try to take pictures when I’m still at home…my mum is my long suffering photographer. But when I can’t rope her in, I usually get Susie to do them, in public. We have had experiences of people stopping, but we’re usually pretty quick.
In what way is a pen and paper inferior to an ipad! you still end up with the same result.
I take all mine indoors! It’s absolute cowardice but until I move I’m keeping it inside, after the move I’ll be outside with a tripod and acres of privacy – cue many pics of me standing in a field of wheat. The farmer won’t mind I’m sure :O)
I am lucky enough to have a willing boyfriend photographer and he has quite a good idea for what looks best with me and in terms of framing etc…you do get some funny looks especially where I live but I think people tend to be curious rather than mean!
Maria xxx
Reading this as I lug the tripod down to the park near my office. Its all so true! Vaguely Employed Men are the worst with the gawking. Please, nothing to see here, jut carry on with your walking.
I hate the taking pictures part! I don’t have a tripod, and at the moment I’m propping my camera on top of the washing machine door. I’ve just moved into a new flat with a shared garden, so I’m going to go out there and see what I can do. I’ve lived in the place for a month and I still haven’t been out in the garden, isn’t that shocking?
I say this every time you wear it, but I love that skirt.
Like you, I take most of my photos using a tripod and self-timer. In all the time I’ve been snapping pictures of myself people have stared, but nobody has asked me what I’m doing… but I’ve got my excuse ready. I’ll just tell them I’m a student working on a “project”. I’m not a student, but it sounds plausible.
i’m in love with your looks
allysachais.blogspot.com
All for a good cause, your blog just wouldnt be so fantastic if it werent for the self snapped photos in a range of locations!
Thankyou for speaking at Blog Camp, very inspirational and some good ideas to take away.
Aww I had no idea- I don’t take daily outfit posts. But you look gorgeous and thank you for continuing to share your pictures 🙂
cute outfit love the combination
glamfashionistafashionista.blogspot.com
My boy takes mine…(when I do a what I wore post)…thank goodness..he has a cool remote control that he uses so he can stay put. Perhaps an investment?
FINALLY somebody speaking out about the same issue i’ve been worrying about for ages!!! i thought it was only me who felt like that! After reading your post & these comments i felt much much better! thanks for that! ive taken my photos both indoors and outdoors, once outside alone with a tripod. i was so embarrassed! i waited till people passed but more kept coming! so i just got on with it! and i was really happy with the result, i got some nice snaps from that day! actually, im posting it really soon, it involves Hot pink! ;P hehe!
But now ive just moved to Strasbourg a week ago, i live in student halls and there are soo many great places to take outfit photos!!!! but also a great number of students. everywhere. all day. all night! what to do! i havent even told my new friends i run a fashion blog, but well, they will find out in time! 😉
p.s. blog camp! amazing!! :))
XOXO Kasia
http://misskasia.blogspot.com
Also, my bf would never take my pics! he doesnt really like that i have a blog 😛
Comments about people gawking AND colleagues reading your blog at work made me LOL. When my boyf is around I ask him to take pics in the alley outside our apartment, but when I’m alone it’s the self timer and blank wall in my bedroom. Hopefully with fashion blogging becoming more and more commonplace people will be less surprised by seeing crazy tripod ladies…
It’s inspiring to know people go over their comfort level to do what they are passionate about, keep the beautiful pictures coming. The risk is what make your blog so special and interesting. people dare to be unique!