Blog Photography: Phone vs Camera

Photography in my opinion is the most important part about blogging, its the thing that makes people want to like your photo on instagram, visit that blogpost you shared on twitter or allow a brand to work with you. Over the years, I have found different ways of taking my photos to suit me - my favourite way being a flatlay. I am by no means the best at doing them, some people slay the flatlay but I think I do a pretty good job, most of the time. 

Blogging on a Budget

No one said blogging was easy, nor did they say it was going to be cheap. There always new releases from brands that you want to get your hands on, or props that you've spotted in Primark or even a new pair of shoes because they are all over instagram. Blogging does not come cheap, but don't let that ever put you off or stop you from still blogging. I am a student, who works part time to keep my shopping habit at bay and there isn't any reason as to why I can't still be blogging when on a tighter and stricter budget. 

                                                                                     

Blogging is my Superpower

Hallmark have recently launched some new additions to their Itty Bittys range that includes these cute super hero girls, the range includes Harley Quinn™, Batgirl™, Wonder Woman™ & Supergirl™. These cute little super heroes are the perfect addition to my desk,they live right in front of me and make me smile every time I see them. They not only look adorable but make me feel like a super hero at heart. I've gone through a slight blogging 'funk' recently, I have all these ideas in my head but nothing seems to be coming out online. Using these as inspiration I am talking what makes me super, because why not - we all are!

Blog Photography Without A DSLR

Over the past few months, I have started to put much more of an effort into my photo's, both here and on instagram. Not in any way saying that I'm a pro or the best, there are hundreds of other people out there who have better photo's than I do. But I have upped my game and it is all without an expensive camera. To this day, four years of blogging, not once have I used a camera for photo's (apart from the past few fashion posts, but someone else has taken them for me). Believe it or not, everything is taken on my phone. 

Fashion Blogging Can Be Scary

Last year, I set myself the challenge of improving my blog photography. This not only included photos of products that you see but also the fashion that you see. Buying, styling and wearing clothes is a hobby of mine and always has been. Therefore, fashion blogging alongside beauty always made sense to do. As part of my goal to improve, it meant finding a 'professional photography' to take photos for me, someone that does editoral work not just in a studio. 

Do You Tell People About Your Blog?

A very different style of post from me today, not sure how it will go down but here goes. Let me set the scene for you. Next month I will be celebrating 4 years of blogging!! Not as many as other people out there but for me the longest I've actually stuck to something. When I started all those years ago, I was in year 11 stressing about GCSE's now I'm in my 2nd Year at uni stressing about my degree. Oh how life has changed. 

YT Club Tripod Review

 

 

I've been blogging for three years now and each year I set my self goals to improve on what I am doing, which will in return help me grow as a person and make this blog enjoyable to read. Photography has always been on the top of that list, I don't have a fancy camera due to spending my money on makeup but i don't need one, my phone is amazing! It lets me take amazing pictures, that are great quality and I can get them straight to my laptop through the joys of WiFi.

Then we have the newest addition to my blog taking routine, the YT Club Tripod. Its a flexible mini tripod that works with cameras, DSLR's and all phones. The thing that makes this tripod different to others that you will find are the flexible legs. You can bend, wrap and twist each leg to allow you to take different creative shots. Then you have the universal element, the first attachment that looks like the end of a selfie sick allows you to attach all different phones to it. In the images above I attached my ipod due to needing my phone to take photos, but it fits my rather large Samsung Galaxy S5 as well. This attachment can be removed and that reveals a screw on attachment. This allows you to fix a camera on to the tripod and take photos that are professional and have stability. It's also very light so you can hold it whilst taking some pictures and your hands wont ache at the end. 

The tripod comes in two colours, black and black pink I went with the latter due to been a girly girl but it isn't a ugly pink so even those who may not like the colour will love it! It retails at £29.99, but currently on offer for £20.00. If you are looking for a great yet inexpensive tool to help you take photos for your blog, video for youtube or even use for personal moments then I couldn't recommend the YT Club Tripod enough! It will become your new best friend!

You can find out more about the tripod on the YT Club Website! And if you fancy buying yourself a tripod then visit Amazon. 

*collaboration with YT Club, opinions expressed are honest and 100% true*

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3 Years On - Am I Doing it Right?

CREDIT

This is a very impromptu post as it dawned on me today (friday) that the 8th November is a special day! Its 3 years since I started Class and Glitter! What?! Its crazy to think that from starting something where I wanted to just share my thoughts has now become a big part of my life. I love blogging and everyday I think of something new and exciting to do based on it.

The amount of crazy opportunities it has given me is insane and this next month and December is even crazier and you will find out very soon why. Writing this post I am thinking to myself, what have I done right that has enabled me to carry on for three years? Why do people read what I write? Why do brands want to work with me? I don't think I am doing it all right, but do you know what WHO CARES! 

I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my lipstick filled heart for taking the time to read, follow, comment and interact here on the blog or even over on any of my social media channels. I have met some amazing people through the world of blogging and feel thankful that I get to do so many exciting things! 

I feel I also need to thank Royal Mail, for putting up with all these years and delivering all the parcels! To celebrate I am running a giveaway over on twitter, which you can find here - be sure to enter its international and ends in a months time right near christmas!

ENTER HERE >>> https://twitter.com/pariejoshi/status/663423841419567105 
CLOSES 08/12

 

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Tips for Balancing School Life+Blogging!

You're currently reading this post as I sit one of my AS Level Exams! As a full time student that has gone through her GCSE's and now doing her A-Levels I can tell you that it is easy to manage your school/work life with your blogging life. It sounds hard and complicated but trust me, you can do it and here are a few of my tips and tricks. 

ORGANISATION+PLANNING

It sounds so obvious, but yet so many people forget. You need to be on top of your game to manage a blog and your school work. Take time to think about blog posts that you want to make, I tend to get ideas in lessons and quickly write them down on my hand to go home and write down correctly - this way you won't get 'writers block'. If you know when things need to be handed in at school, make sure you get posts written before the deadline so that you can focus on the work at school rather than sit writing a blog post. 

BULK PHOTOGRAPHING+WRITING

I tend to spend a Saturday at the end/start of the month taking lots of photos of products ect that I know I want to get up soon. I like to do this because my mind is a at rest. Save them in a folder on your computer so you know you have them. This means you have photo's ready to use when you decide to write a post, and you can still take photos whenever you want - its just easier to have some stored. Weekends are the best time to blog in my opinion, with homework that might need to be in the next day you find it difficult to write and study at the same time. Take a Saturday morning to spend a few hours writing up posts and scheduling them to upload whenever you want them to. Makes life easier, that's what I do - for example I am writing this post in April and you're seeing it in May!

DON'T FEEL PRESSURED

If you can't get a post up then don't worry, you aren't hurting anyone by not posting on a certain week or day. Take a break and post when you feel ready and take your time writing; the last thing you want is to be writing a post when you are super stressed or worried. It doesn't matter if your blog is as perfect as someone else's or you don't have a review about a product that another blog has, as long as you are enjoying blogging and doing what you're doing then leave it be. Your blog shines in its own way. 

Only a few tips and tricks can help you a lot, and I still find it hard to manage both but find your own way. Let me know your ways!

New Year's Resolutions for 2014 ♥

Every year my family and I set our selves resolutions for the year that is going to happen, as we are nearly in 2014 I thought I would share some of my life and blogging resolutions on here with you all. Many people don't follow the tradition of setting themselves 'targets' to reach, but for me it more of a motivator and helps me to succeed and achieve. Everyone is different and wants to reach for different things and here are a few of mine, I will hopefully reflect on these in 6 months time and maybe even this time next year. 

As far as blogging is concerned there are so many things that I could write in this post, but I want to make them realistic and ones that I know that I can achieve. 

1. First up is one that I know will happen as it just has to! I would like to buy a domain name for this blog, so instead of '.blogspot.com' it would be 'classandglitter.com' not only does it sound much better but it looks so much better when you write it everywhere!

2. Next I want to get into a routine, in stead of always getting stressed and always rushing some of the posts I want to relax when writing the posts and not feel the pressure to always post. I know that this seems silly but I want to enjoy the posts that I write and then this way you can enjoy them as well. I want to also get into a routine of when I post and from what I have planned so far, this is already working out!

3. Quality of photos that I put on this blog has defo improved in my personal opinion! From a dodgy phone to my old digital camera and now my newer improved phone - samsung galaxy s3 - the photos are so much better. During blogmas I edited all the photos and I found that editing them on photoshop (which I am still learning a lot about!) makes them look so much better and higher in quality. I am hoping to buy a tripod or some form of stand to take pictures of outfits and viewpoint pictures instead of roping my brother in to help! 

4. There will also be alot of improvements going on when you visit the blog each time, I want to change it up a little bit!

Next up is just more of a general resolution, and that is to enjoy my self this year and look after not only myself but everyone around me. I have a great deal of things lined up and can't wait to go to these places and have a fun time with the people I love. I think that every woman out there sets themselves the goal of losing weight every year or a certain month, for me I want to feel good and look good. I would class myself as someone who eats healthy and as a veggie I kind of do! But I do have the odd treat every now and then and there is nothing wrong with that! The quote below pretty much sums it up!

I would also like to improve my skin, I have very acne/sensitive prone skin and a way to help this is to set my self a skincare routine in stone and STICK TO IT. This will be the only way that my skin will slowly improve over time. I also want to expand with the colours I use and experiment with the colours that I use on my eyes and my lips as I think it makes all the difference to your overall look.

And that is it! I hope you didn't find this too much of a ramble! Let me know your resolutions for the upcoming year! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Two Little Birdies || Review ♥

When I got the chance to be able to review this lovely notebook I couldn't refuse the amazing offer! This 'very special notebook' from Two Little Birdies is so cute and to be fair so are all of their products they have available!

When I opened the parcel it was wrapped up with a cute little rope bow and a tag! I was in awe at how pretty they had made their packaging! I opened it up so carefully because I like to keep things like this safely, and when I did unwrap it I couldn't believe how adorable the actual notebook was! 

The products on their site are all from new talented people and they truly believe in british desginers and many of their things are made right in our country!

I have now officially names this notebook my 'blogging notebook' where all my ideas and brain storms will be jotted down. The top right hand corner has a list of the days of the week, so I can also write down a to-do list for each week to keep me on top of things. I love the feel and rustic look of this notebook, as it is different to anything and everything I have ever bought. 

*pr sample