I'm not about to come out shaking my fists like some misguided troll or Elder of the Internet. While I have been blogging now for what feels like an age, almost half a decade as of December this year, it's not a lifetime. A lot changes here on the Interwebs in such a short space of time and since I've been blogging a lot has changed. For one, I feel like there are a lot more blogs out there now. A lot. Everyone has something to say and speak on and that's fantastic. 

However I have to admit, I'd be lying to you if I didn't say that I've found some of the behind the scenes elements of blogging in the past year tough. Not the picture taking and the writing, although there's some days when the writing isn't as articulate and clear cut as I'd love it to be. No I'm talking more about the general transparency and sometimes lack thereof in the blogging land. It's something I find disheartening and disappointing across the board.  Before we go further, this post is simply for me to showcase my opinions and share where I stand on these issues. Please don't see it as me pointing the finger at anyone, whether it be a blogger, PR or talent agency. That is not what I am trying to do. While there's definitely some goings-on that I disagree with, I'm not going to air them all here. It's not the place. 

So, as with any creative industry, yes I would class blogging as a creative endeavour and industry in its own right now, there is competition. A lot of it is healthy and some, not so much. There are a lot more beauty blogs out there now for instance and sometimes it can feel like everyone posts the same content. It becomes difficult to avoid that in a place like New Zealand where everything blog-wise is done on a much smaller scale. There's bound to be similar press callouts for instance. Sometimes there probably will be discrepancies across blogs, Instagrams and the like. Sometimes it will feel disheartening when you've worked on a post and then somebody else posts something similar. Admittedly that will bother me sometimes because I am sensitive but moreover, because I'm passionate and enthusiastic about what I have created. How do I get around this? I push myself, healthily. I'm always trying to better myself, my written voice and my imagery. What I showcase, what I don't showcase. What I blog and what I don't blog. I do take it all seriously. It's also important to remember that blogging is not something groundbreaking like neuroscience. In the grander scheme of things, it really isn't a major deal if heaven forbid, someone lifts a sentence of your copy. That was a longwinded way of me saying that blogging is my passion and if I find myself getting too overcome with the behind the scenes side of things I do step back. It might not seem that way but I do step back every now and again and I think that is healthy.

As the blogging market is so crowded now, naturally people will ask questions of blogs. Your Average Joe will want to know how it works. People are fascinated by it. We have to remember that making money off writing, videos and online content curation is still relatively new. Yes the Internet's hardly a new phenomenon but the idea of people making a living from their digital creative pursuits is. Forty years ago blogging was a mere speck on the horizon so of course people are curious. Who can blame them? I still genuinely wonder how some people make a living out of the Internet. In New Zealand there are currently no legalities around people disclosing this paid content or any advertorial work they might produce. It's not even a requirement for people to say when they've been gifted a product or been invited to try a service. There's so many opinions and thoughts on this but here is mine; Yes I think we owe it to our audience and the wider blogging community to declare gifted products, whether paid or unpaid. Especially sponsored collaborations.

 Since 2012, I have always asterisked (*) products I have been given. I do this for many reasons. Firstly, I'd hate for people to think I am a walking wallet with an envy-inducing salary. I wish to the latter part of that statement. Secondly, It establishes honesty, over time at least. I'm sure there'll be the odd person who will think "Sophie features MAC just because she's sent it." No, no, no. Nobody's perfect though so of course in the past when I got too jaded I absolutely may have featured something out of the excitement of it being a perk. Some of my sponsorships I wish I'd put my foot down with as well but again, excitement got the better of me. I regret that now obviously and looking at some of those posts makes me cringe. If I am featuring a product, whether it be a lipstick or a new novel, know that I feature it because I genuinely like it and it sparks some enthusiasm for me. Yes, some products might inevitably be more likely to be instant winners, I haven't found many a MAC lipstick that I did not like. There's also some products I would never have discovered if I wasn't made aware of them. Whether that be by one of you lovely bunch, another blogger, or just a PR taking a chance and sending me something. If it's on here, I love and am excited by it and think you will be too. That won't ever change, regardless of whether or not it comes with a press release and dollar bills attached.

As for sponsorships, again, I have always declared those and always will. Sometimes the way I disclose these may be challenged. I have and will dispute this in the interest of remaining transparent. I value my integrity and that of this blog much too highly for me to dance around the fact that I got a paycheck for a writing opportunity. I am by no means swimming in paid work, in fact you'll notice that I haven't done an ounce of paid work this year for this blog at least. I do the odd bit of freelance which is paid and I am forever grateful for that. There have been times I have turned down sponsorships, paid and unpaid. Just as I turn down the offer of free product which happens far more often than you'd think. I say no more than I say yes. Some people might think that is insane but again, I value integrity and my audience's trust much higher than I do a temporary cash injection. 

So that's where I stand. Whilst I might find blogging disenchanting sometimes and regardless of a couple of niggling feelings I have every now and again, I do still love it and genuinely enjoy it. I still get that indescribable feeling when I hit 'publish' on a post I've spent time and energy crafting, capturing the winning blog photograph, in my eyes at least, straight away, reading other people's blogs and seeing what amazing things they're doing. I just felt like sharing how I feel because having your own soapbox has to have its own perks every now and again, right? I'm kidding. This is a post I've wanted to do for so long and maybe it will resonate with someone else, if so, yay. If not, that's okay too. Differences in opinion and interests are what keep life fresh.

-If you blog, what do you think about the changing landscape? If you're not a blogger, I'd love to know your opinions too. Leave them in the comments below.

Happy Friday, TGIF and the rest! It does feel a bit cheeky saying that, given it was a short week here in Auckland but it's just been one of those weeks, y'know what I'm saying? It's been a long time since I've shared the love for some of the many rad blogs that exist. Way too long in fact so today I decided to share with you four of the blogs I am loving at the moment. Given Bloglovin is broken, for me at least, these are some of the few I've been managing to check regularly and I recommend you go have a look at them as well..

Tea and Sage-Aside from being one of my best friends, and possessive of exquisite taste, Amy also runs a rad blog. Tea and Sage is her space for sharing all she loves, from wholesome delicious foods to stunning landscapes. She's recently moved back to Australia and is sharing some absolutely stunning photo diaries of her adventures. I'm biased, but her Instagram is pretty spectacular as well.

Chloe Larkin-Chloe's blog makes my eyes fill with heart emojis. It's so aesthetically pleasing on so many levels and for that, I take my hat off to her. She shares her love of design, photography, art and a life well lived. Her blog is beautiful, simplistic and so well put together. I love it.

Girl Lost In The City-I have fan favourite Zoella to thank for my discovery of Emma's blog. When Zoe makes a recommendation, you listen. Emma's a digital journalist, soon to be published author and all round amazing woman. She writes on everything, from film to books, pop culture to being a twenty-something woman in the internet age. Her writing is brilliant by the way. I highly recommend you take your eyes, and a hot beverage of choice over to her blog for an hour or two.

From Roses-Rebecca's blog, much like Chloe's is all kinds of aesthetic goodness. She has amazing style, and she is a book and beauty lover. She does really inspiring lifestyle posts too which are well worth looking over. Definitely go visit her blog if you like stunning pictures and top notch writing. You will not regret it.

-What blogs have you read and loved recently?

It's crazy to me that this blog of mine is (almost) four years old. What really began as a place simply for me to write the things I wanted and share what I loved has developed to something I never would've thought possible. To celebrate the occasion, and also acknowledge one of my favourite times of the year I've put together four gifts of beauty and book goodies for y'all to enjoy. Find out more about them and how you can enter below!

Prize One-This one is for the beauty fanatic. You love a good beauty haul (or five) and are just as excited by skincare as you are makeup. This one contains something exciting from the team at makeup.co.nz and though it looks small, it's the one with the red sticker, don't let the size deceive you if you choose this one.

Prize Two-Another beauty themed prize, but this one is more for the skincare and bodycare fanatics among you. There's a mix of New Zealand brands and international gems in this one. 

Prize Three-One of the two book and beauty prizes. There's also something for the flatlay lovers in here as well. If you're here for feminism and women doing awesome things, this may be the pack for you.

Prize Four-Inside this prize you'll find one of my favourite books of the year. There's also something beauty-themed for the party season in here and again, something to keep your flatlays looking swish, or keep your cup of tea company.

Terms and Conditions:

-Due to these gifts containing heavier items and also some flammable beauty products these giveaways are going to be restricted to New Zealand residents only. Sorry international folk! I'm going to organise a giveaway for you guys asap though because y'all are awesome. 

-To be eligible for this giveaway you must be following my Instagram and also like my Facebook page. Each of the additional options in the Rafflecopter box will earn you extra entries. Note; If you aren't following my Instagram or Facebook, your entries will be disqualified.

-To be eligible you must leave a comment below telling me which of these prizes you'd like to win. There will be four winners, one for each prize.

-If you're under eighteen, please get the permission of a parent or guardian before entering as I will need an address from you to send your prize to.

*Entries close next Tuesday December 9th. I will notify the winners later that day. Good luck!

There's not a beauty or book post on this corner of the interwebs today. Are you surprised? I've been wanting to do a post for ages now about the bits 'n bobs you might spy in the background of my blog+Instagram photos. The photography side of blogging is something I really enjoy and I love composing different setups and incorporating various things into each shot. A couple of years back I used to shoot beauty products on patterned backgrounds but I found they often tended to distract from the product so nowadays I will do things like show a corner of a print and then objects in the background. It's all about how you compose shots+what perspective you use and so on as well. Side note: I have to give credit to Shauna and Kate for being the still life photography queens and constantly inspiring me to up my game. Anyway, on with the props.. 

I was gonna say we have recurring objects here but let's be real, they're all recurring. Books or magazines with attractive spines, covers and editorial imagery can look great in your photos. With objects like these I try to look for things that are complementary colour-wise to whatever the main focal point of my images are. Sometimes I forget though and will subconsciously group together objects of similar colour. I often collect cute little perfume cards or bookmarks to use as..bookmarks. Funny that. These also work perfectly in book photos. Mine are mainly from Etsy or independent sellers but things like perfume cards can be found in most department stores. 

This might have to be my favourite set of props because they're all relatively easy to acquire and/or make yourself. The two printed pages are actually free posters or calendars from Frankie and Yen magazine. They're perfect for adding a hint of pattern or colour to an otherwise simple image. You can also reuse them as wrapping paper or on a moodboard later on. That map you see was found in an information centre in Sydney. Don't discount info centres because they're great for things like that, as are museums and art galleries which often have complimentary or inexpensive cards to take away. The dotted paper was just a scrap of paper I cut up and dotted with a gold felt tip pen. Simple. I feel like stationery or cute notebooks look fab in the background of pictures so I whip out my supply. Kikki K, Nouvelle Daily and Rifle Paper Co. are my go-to's for rad notebooks. Oh-and that peony photo is one of my Instagrams from Print Society but you could always just print yours out on photo paper.

Last but not least we have the 'things I found and liked in my space' series. These are all things that you might already have or can acquire easily. Side note: Mix and match your props to suit your blog. If food is more your thing, why not throw some things in the background like the tools you use in cooking or a gorgeous cookbook cover? Here we have more stationery bits: shoutout to washi tape, Kikki K pens and that Rifle Paper Co. notepad. Seeing as my blog does focus on beauty every now and again I like to incorporate beauty products into the backgrounds of some of my shots, both for the blog and Instagram. If they're housed inside pretty packaging like these ones I feel like it makes images that bit more enticing. Another thing I am a big fan of using and working into photos are magazine pages. Again they just add a lil' something to pictures. I often tear out images to use in photos, on moodboards, in my journals etc rather than just binning magazines I'm finished with.

So there we have it. Sorry this post ended up being quite lengthy! Thinking about props for my photos is something I love so I wanted to make sure I covered everything. If you have any questions about anything in this post, please leave them in the comments and I will get back to you.

*Do you incorporate props into your blog photos? What ones do you like to use? 

It's the last day of January and I'm looking back on the month in blog posts. I cut back on posting and videos a bit in January and a few of you commented in my survey that you want me to post more. For now, I find three posts a week more manageable and don't feel as creatively stunted if that makes sense. Don't get me wrong I love blogging but at the end of last year I found myself tired and not wanting to write which is very unusual for me. As for videos, I'm feeling a bit uninspired with that but I'm going to try to get back into it next month. Anyway, without further ado, here's some of what went up on my blog this month..

The Kylie Jenner Lip-Kylie's quite the makeup maven and over the last few years, her beauty looks have been taking the world by storm. I've been loving her lipstick hues of choice in particular. That browny-pink toned nude? Swoon. Soar from Mac and Nars' Audacious Lipstick in Anna is my favourite combo at the moment.

My 2015 Beauty Resolutions-While I like to keep my personal resolutions to myself, I'm happy to share my beauty ones with you all. At the end of this month I can tell you it's going relatively well. I'm not doing so good at wearing less makeup. My skin's been a bit problematic recently so I've been piling the concealer on. I've also been quite slack with skincare too which probably explains my former dilemma. I'm now getting back into the latter though and noticing how much of a difference it makes.

12 Blogs To Read In '15-A new year calls for new 'reads and this post rounds up some of my new favourites and longtime blogging loves. There's a bit of everything in there so get comfy, grab a cup of tea and find a blog or two to discover.

Glitter & Inspiration | My Blogcademy Experience-Blogcademy seems like a lifetime ago now and looking back it was definitely one of my favourite moments of 2014. This post is photo-heavy and features some of my favourite anecdotes that I took away from the two day workshop.

The January Reading List-Books and beauty, the two B's that I love. I introduced a new feature where I share books I've read/am reading every month with you all. This month there was two brilliant non-fiction books from women writers and also two fantastic novels. Keep an eye out for February's installment on Monday.

December was one of my favourite months of last year. Aside from Christmas and Katy Perry, there was two days of utter magic, inspiration and a whole lotta #Girlboss spirit to look forward to. Earlier in the year I made the decision to attend Blogcademy, a two day seminar run by Gala, Kat and Shauna. It was held in Auckland at BizDojo, a cute little space tucked away off K Road and those two days were freakin' amazing.

I initially started my blog for 'fun' and that's something I always want to retain. When it stops becoming fun you have to step away. Anyway, sidetracked there. These three ladies are all hella passionate. They've taken what they love and turned their blogs into a job. All three of them have extra projects, whether it be graphic design, self-love causes, or even a magazine (you go Kat). Aside from their amazing advice, I just loved hearing their stories and learning what their inspirations were. There were many times on Day 1 alone when I had 'aha' moments as Oprah would call them and I had some awesome chats with Shauna. She has such good advice and amazing taste in design, fashion, you name it. I got to watch her put flat lays together and she is a pro. 

We went through some of the blogging basics which was good to go over, both for beginners and those of us who need a bit of a refresher. We also talked about the importance of branding, just how pivotal good quality images are, why your about page should not suck (note to self, get on that) and a whole lot of information. A lot of it I'm going to keep to myself but I will share four key pieces of advice they gave us which some of you may wish to make use of as well. I can't tell you everything, but if you're thinking of going for the value of information and resources alone, book in now. You will not regret it.

Image c/o Bubblerock

-Know exactly who your ideal reader is. Where does she live? Where does she shop? What does she look like? If you know who you're writing for, it is much easier to express yourself and tailor your posts, imagery etc accordingly. Gala, Kat and Shauna got us to answer these questions on paper and it's such a useful exercise. 

-Cool toned images are attractive-Especially when it comes to Instagram. Maybe it's just because the warmer filters aren't flattering on photos but I always tone down the saturation and warmth in my pictures on Afterlight to make them a bit cooler-toned. This may be something to keep in mind and you can actually go into your statistics for Instagram to see which filters etc are the most popular with your audience.

-When it comes to still lifes, props create consistency-I've been playing around with this a bit recently, which is why you may be noticing a certain pineapple statue making its way into a few photos #whoops. Seriously though, the props you utilise and the way you shoot your photos really helps to hone your style. I've had a few different people tell me now that when they're scrolling through Instagram they can recognise my photos because of the way in which I shoot and compose them. I think that's what you want as a blogger/brand so cohesiveness is key. Check out Gala, Shauna and Kat's Instagrams too guys because they have way more followers than me and are total bosses when it comes to their pictures.

-Be consistent-This is something all three ladies repeatedly stressed. Whether it's when you post, what you post, even your branding. Consistency is key. Speaking of, my branding is going to have another overhaul too and my site's front-page will become a bit more user friendly. I made a mammoth to-do list during the two days and I've still not made a noticeable dent in it but hopefully you will start noticing some changes soon and things will be looking more rad.

So I had an absolutely inspiring, mind-blowingly awesome 2 days at Blogcademy. It was pricy, but I felt like I'd earnt my investment back after Day 1 alone. It was so valuable getting to have one-on-one chats with Kat, Gala and Shauna as well. All three of them are so lovely and amazing at what they do. I kinda wish they were coming back to Auckland this year actually so I could do it all again! The Blogcadettes I met were all lovely too and I'm looking forward to seeing where our blogs all go from here on in. If you're considering going to Blogcademy, do it. If you want to take things to the next-level, start a blog or even just get some straight up advice from three ladies who know their stuff and more, you get all that. Just writing this post up has reminded me how inspired and excited I was after the weekend was over and I'm looking forward to putting what I learnt into action.

*I hope you've enjoyed this post! All photos unless specified are my own aside from the selfie and photo of me with my camera, which were taken by Hannah. 

A couple of months back, one of my blogging pals Jess and some other bloggers organised a blogger's book swap. I do love my books (surprise, surprise) so I thought this would be a really fun swap to do. I was excited to be partnered up with Jess too because we have such similar tastes and get along like a house on fire. I thought I'd talk you through what she got me in today's post because it was all so exciting and I just had to share it..

I had to laugh a bit when I saw Jess got me Lolita as I had also sent her this book but with a slightly different cover. We had no idea we'd got the same book! She also picked me up Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore which I've wanted to read for the longest time. It has a gorgeous cover too. She also sent me Lucky magazine which seems to be really hard to find here. There was also some Bath and Body Works hand sanitisers which smell amazing. Do you know what also smelt amazing!? All that candy! It didn't last very long. My favourite was that Hershey's Candy Cane chocolate. Why do we not get that here? Sort it out Hershey's.

Thanks so much Jess for book swapping with me! You spoilt me so much and I can't wait to read these books+Lucky mag xx.

-Want to see what I got for Jess? Check it out here.

When it comes to organisation, particularly planning and list-making, I love it. I'm not afraid of spontaneity but when it comes to my blog, I like to keep things rather regimented. As I have other commitments which I have to work around, this helps me to keep on top of what needs doing and what I have done for my posts. Today I thought I'd share some ways that help me keep organised with blogging. These are just some of the key things that help me. Perhaps you'll find them useful too...

Make A Schedule-This sounds obvious and if you're more of a fan of spontaneity then perhaps skip this point. Seriously, having a schedule or editorial calendar to work towards makes things a lot less stressful. I usually make mine towards the end of every month and consult the list of blog posts you see above. I always know The Week goes up on Fridays and then I save monthly favourites for the last week of the month if I can. As well as assigning posts to days, the list above helps me as I can see when I've taken photos (p), written them and the rest as well as check anything extra I may need to do. You get the idea. Schedules are the bomb. 

Take Pictures In Advance-Unless I'm ridiculously busy or dealing with awful lighting, usually the latter, I always take my pictures well in advance of a post going live. #1 This means I just need to edit them and then insert them into a post. #2 If I decide I don't like pictures, which can happen from time to time, then it means I have enough time to redo them. My pictures usually always get taken on the weekend as I have classes during the week so I'm not home when the natural light is at its best usually. 

Lists Are Your BFF-As you see above I have that rather snazzy notebook which contains a multitude of lists. There's blog posts, videos, products I'm trialling...even books I am reading just in case I want to feature them. Aside from blog posts, these lists are so helpful when I'm trying products out as I can decide if I want to review things, share them in favourites posts or in worst case scenarios pass them along to a friend. They also help to keep me on track with what I want to test and what needs doing in terms of my blog+YouTube videos. 

Have A Backup Plan-Be flexible. That sort've contradicts what I've said above but if a post idea just doesn't feel right or isn't working out, don't stress out if you change your mind. Sometimes you may find you don't always have ideas too. Here's where the backup plan comes into play. I have a list of post ideas for when I get stuck that I can fall back on. This could be anything from a tag post, a wishlist. or perhaps just a photo diary. We all get into ruts from time to time so I highly recommend having something like this.

Always Keep Your Eyes Open-"Keep watching, because what you see can inspire you." Thanks for the wise words Grace Coddington. In seriousness be mindful of what's happening around you because it can be turned into blog content. Seasonal changes usually inspire beauty trend posts. I recently did one for Spring . If you attended an event you loved (birthday, product launch, a lunch date) or there's a holiday coming up that you could create content around use that to your advantage. Or if you're inclined to enjoy a bit of retail therapy, don't upload an Insta-haul. Save it and you can potentially turn it into another post. I am always brainstormng and thinking of things around me that can potentially turn into new posts.

*I hope this post was useful! How do you stay on top of blogging?

I discovered this tag over on lipstickwithsomesunshine's blog last week and it's not one I've seen around before so I thought it'd be fun + interesting to do. It's also nice to share the love for fellow bloggers every so often as well don't you think?

-What was the first blog you ever came across?

The first blog I remember reading was an Australian one called Girl With A Satchel. The author is no longer writing it sadly but it was about fashion and offered up some interesting critiques on feminism and fashion from what I can remember.

-Favourite blog reads?

There's so many! The first and most obvious choice is of course Vivianna Does Makeup. I also love and frequently read Gh0stparties, I Covet Thee, lipstickwithsomesunshine and What Olivia Did. My Bloglovin follow list also features the many blogs I like to read.

-Best blogging friend?

I'm really lucky to say I have a few blogging friends, both locally and internationally. Hannah from A Lovely Look is probably my blogging BFF though. We used to go to University together so we've known each other for a while. We txt most days about all things blogging and it's often the centre of our discussions when we catch up-along with some beauty+retail enabling of course!

-Name a blog that enables your purchases?

Surprise, surprise, Vivianna Does Makeup. Ever since I stumbled upon Anna in a Daily Mix video I have been captivated by her reviews of all things beauty and fashion. Let's be real here, Anna could probably sell me anything. We have similar tastes in beauty and fashion as well which helps things along. I have her to thank for many of my now favourite products. There hasn't been a single Anna recommendation that I have not liked!

-5 blogs everyone should be reading?

VDM, lipstickwithsomesunshine, Nouvelle Daily, Shop Style Conquer and Liana Beauty. Again, see my Bloglovin list!

-Your favourite way to read blogs?

Bloglovin for sure! It's like a daily magazine of all my personally chosen content to follow. I love how you can easily see what posts you'll want to read and which you'd rather not. The handy 'heart' button is useful later on if you want to refer back to something as well. When I can I also like to steal my brother's iPad to read blogs in bed but when that's not an option, my MacBook Pro does the trick.

-Bloggers that inspire you?

This'll seem so cheesy but I find Zoe of Zoella inspiring. She's only 24 and has done so well with her blog, YouTube channel, and of course now she has a book deal. She's living my dream basically! I've always loved her aesthetic, particularly in terms of fashion and decor. Seriously, she has decor down. I wouldn't be surprised if she became an interior designer further down the track. I also find her inspiring because she never shies away from showing viewers when she's having a bad day and her openness with anxiety and her other struggles in life make me feel less...crazy. She's such a gem! Anna of course inspires me as well! Particularly with her editorial style content and her videos. She's always so professional and well spoken in her videos. 

-Favourite blog design/look?

Lily's of Lily Pebbles. Her design was actually also done by the designer I purchased my new template from. I love her layout, the fonts, all the different features, the clean design. Most of all I like that mint green stripe at the top of her page. It's all so beautifully presented. *insert heart-eyed cat emoji here*

-What is your favourite thing about blogging?

There's so many things I love about blogging. I always enjoy taking photos for my posts. My favourite thing though would definitely be being able to connect with readers and other bloggers from all corners of the globe. I'm lucky to call some pretty amazing bloggers friends and that leaves me feeling so grateful. Oh and I also love when I hear from readers that they've loved a product I recommended after going out and buying it themselves. That always makes my day.

-Name a blogger you would most like to see write a book in the future?

I agree with Tamira, Lisa Eldridge needs to write a book. Although not a makeup tips and tricks sort of thing. Maybe a memoir detailing the amazing shoots and experiences with some of her clients. Something along the lines of Grace Coddington's book. Leandra of Man Repeller also needs to write a follow-up to her brilliant book from last year.

One of my favourite parts of putting together a blog post is taking the photos to go alongside it. Today I thought I'd share with you some things you can consider when taking your own photos, and what goes into my photos when I'm working on them. Side note-I am by no means a professional photographer, nor am I claiming to be one. I studied Photography at A-Level in the last two years of high school and that is all the education I have had. The rest is purely what I've learnt myself. This is currently what works for me, but there's definitely some equipment I'd like to invest in one day. Feel free to leave any questions down below or tweet me and I'll answer them. 

The Tools-I use a Canon 450D for virtually all my photos, aside from the Instagram grids you see in Friday posts, which are taken with an iPhone. A good quality camera can make all the difference, but if you're new to SLR's they can be quite complicated machines. I've been using SLRs for five years or so, and I'm more familiar with how they work. If you're not ready to make the investment, a decent point and shoot will do just as good a job. A lot of bloggers and vloggers like the Canon EOS M both for filming and taking pictures on the go. I don't have any other equipment in terms of lighting or tripods, and usually use a step to stand on when I'm taking photos overhead. Tres glamorous... 

Props-Odds and ends in the background of photos add a unique touch to your images and make a change from the standard, plain background shots. I like to use things like my room decor, a pile of books, perfume bottles (both new and old), beauty products that are in stunning packaging and more to jazz up an otherwise plain photo. Get creative, if you're in a new space, take advantage of the unique bits and pieces around you to see how you could work them in to your pictures.

Some of the items I typically use in the background of photos/alongside whatever it is I am photographing.

Here's an example of a setup using some of those items.

For a while I've been wanting to do some posts on all things blogging and January seems like an ideal time to get started. I love blogging and in the two years that I have been posting I have watched my blog change and develop more than I could ever imagine. These tips and tricks are all things I wish I had known when my first posts were penned. If you're new to blogging or just looking for some advice, I hope this post is useful for you.

Write for you-We all have passions and interests, whether it be makeup, fashion, food or something completely different. Write about what you love and what you would like to read. There's no point trying to write about something you don't really like as it will show through your writing. 

The tools you need-All you really need is a camera, computer and notebooks for organisation and post planning. You really don't need a fancy camera for blogging. It certainly does help, but I know some bloggers who use good quality point and shoots or even their iPhone cameras for posts.  If you're not much of a writing person then download Wunderlist to your phone for tracking posts and use the notepad to write ideas out. 

Images and Editing-Keep your images as large as possible to fit within your post template. When I first started my blog I really just got lazy with the sizing of photos because I didn't really know how to do it. Looking back on those posts make me cringe now. Again, Photoshop is not an essential tool, especially if you light your images well. Keep your image editing simple. Adjust the brightness and contrast to make your images sharper and crop or resize as necessary. For more on how I edit my photos head to this post. 

As many of you know the New Zealand Fashion Festival is taking place, right now! Until the 3rd of March and aside from the daily runway shows+seminars happening down at Shed 10, there's a hive of activity taking place off site as well.