This is a sponsored post
Whether it's planning my blog content or creating posts for social media, there are a few essentials I couldn't live without! Today I want to talk you through the kit that I use in each step of my blogging process, so hopefully it's useful for you and will help you decide where to invest.
LuMee Duo Marble Case in White* | £69.95 | I also recently discovered the LuMee phone case, which comes in an array of gorgeous designs, but of course this white marble version caught my eye! This has light panels around the outside and also on the back, so you can take flattering selfies and group photos (or flatlays) even in low light. There's a conveniently-placed button on the back which you can use to dim the level of light depending on your shooting conditions. It looks so much better than a flash when natural lighting is not on your side (as a blogger, I never use the flash for selfies because it washes out my features and often looks 'off' if you're using a foundation with SPF in it) and on a day-to-day basis it can be used as a little way to boost natural lighting.
I took a little set of 'before' and 'after' shots (both are unedited) to show how the LuMee case works and, as you can see, although the natural light in the first image is fine, the second image is more flattering (my skin looks more radiant and my dark circles are definitely less visible!) Also, I feel it shows my makeup more clearly, which is also great if you're trying to show off a particular look. I often take photos on my phone when I'm out and about or if a photo is for Instagram because it just seems quicker and easier, and I think most of the time people can't tell! It's great to be able to take high-quality photos for my feed wherever I am and I just love the case design itself.
iPhone | Of course my phone itself is crucial for creating and promoting content but I specifically wanted to talk through some of the apps I use besides the obvious! VSCO is really great editing app that I use to adjust the exposure, contrast, saturation, tone and clarity of my images. They also have some really nice filters (though you do have to pay to get access to extras beyond the standard handful). I also use Buffer to schedule my social media posts (I particularly like this app because if you tweet a link, it automatically pulls through the image from the post). I really recommend checking out IFTTT too because it allows your different social media accounts to 'talk' to each other - the main way I use it is with my Twitter and Instagram accounts. It automatically posts my Instagram uploads as photos to my Twitter feed instead of just the link.
Olympus Pen E-PL 7 | For my blog photos, I use my Olympus Pen, which I also often take travelling because of its compact size (the body is no larger than a digital camera and it has a detachable pancake lens). It comes with a flip-down, moveable screen and there's a really great app to import your photos quickly and easily onto your device. The quality is so sharp and clear - I generally use it on a semi-automatic mode so I only set the aperture (the amount of light the lens lets in) myself and that works well for me. However when I'm taking photos outdoors, like on holiday, automatic is fine. I absolutely love this camera; it has a really great battery life and I'd recommend it thoroughly as a blogging camera. My only slight negatives are that this lens isn't great for closeups, so I may very well purchase a second one that's more suited to that kind of photography, and also the flip-down screen is slightly awkward for selfies so I tend to use my phone 99% of the time.
MacBook Pro | I'm well and truly a convert to the Apple gang (yes, I also have an iPad...) - I only just got a new MacBook Pro after mine was fine for five and a half years! Although there's an initial investment, these laptops really do last. iOS is also so intuitive to use. I write my blog posts on this laptop and edit all of my photos using Fotor and the iCal app is invaluable for having sight of all my blog posts and content plans from all of my devices.
The Ultimate Blog Planner | £12.50 | This is a great, fairly free-format planner for blog content. It has sections to keep an eye on the progress on your posts, a mini diary and a page to track your blog expenses and sponsorships. I also use these Planzo stickers to remind me what to do and when to do it!
Props | I use an array of props in my photos - often my H&M blanket (to add some texture), copper bells or copper sequins for winter content, fresh flowers in the spring (I often get these from a market stall near work that slashes its prices to £1 a bunch on Fridays at 5pm!), shells and starfish during summer and leaves in autumn. I also use stationery - Rifle Paper Co do some gorgeous pieces, as do Kikki K. Magazines and books always work well too. I also keep Blu Tac in my prop box to ensure my products don't move around during photoshoots and their names are visible - just make sure it's not visible in your shot!
Backgrounds | I usually use a marble adhesive as I like having a clean, white background so the products can do the talking, but the marble pattern switches things up so it isn't too plain. Sometimes I use my fur rug instead (mainly for Instagram) because,again it's white, but the texture adds something different. I also took a couple of photos to show how the background really can change how your entire photo looks.
What are your blogging essentials?
Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration and this post was sponsored by Nakturnal for LuMee however all opinions remain my own.
This phone case sounds and looks amazing - quite a genius idea too! I love Kikki K too, such pretty pieces x
ReplyDeletefranklyflawless.com
Great post, I used to be regimented with my blogging kit, but with time I have become more spontaneous, so I would say the camera and the day light are my friends mainly the iPhone 7 Plus.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these inspiring essentials much incooperate that lumee phone case is seems so hand.
Esnath @ prettypeachblossom.com
My MacBook was without a doubt the best purchase I have ever made. Completely love it, and really don't know what I would do without it now. I love Olympus Pen too! Highly recommend the 40-150mm lens though, it just completely changes the game :) The Planzo stickers look fabby though! I might need to get myself some of those :)
ReplyDeleteErin || MakeErinOver
The iPhone case looks really interesting! I love the marble background for your photos too! xx
ReplyDeletehttps://zoe-ware.blogspot.ca
Love the tips on props to use! I'm trying to work on my flat lay photography so this post is perfect for me!
ReplyDeleteAnika | anikamay.co.uk
I should really invest in some more blogging props.. I REALLY want/need to improve my blog photography. I love buffer to schedule my tweets and I also usually buy a plain notebook to write down blog ideas etc in that xx
ReplyDeletewww.itsmeganelizabeth.blogspot.co.uk
I love that phone case! Looks so good!
ReplyDeleteBlog: The Lisa’s World | Instagram | Twitter
I have the Olympus EPL-8 and also the Macbook Pro. As for backgrounds, if I actually do take photos, I use either scrapbook papers or my bed, whatever bedspread I currently have.
ReplyDeletehttps://ariannecruz07.wixsite.com/ayre
I really love my Lumee case! Makes a huge difference in photos! xx
ReplyDeleteBeautylymin
I love my Olympus pen too and use it for all my blog & Instagram photos ! I absolutely love your photos too. Also - have no idea where I would be without my phone !
ReplyDeleteSaira
sairasays.co.uk xxx
My phone is everything to me when it comes to blogging as I use it to take my pics, write my posts, edit pics and everything else except hyperlinking. Haha! xxx
ReplyDeleteI have been reading really great reviews on the Lume phone case and I wasn't interest in it when I first saw it. These days I am starting to show my face on IG stories more so I might get it!
ReplyDeleteShireen⎜Reflection of Sanity
Oh wow! Really, Sal? I hate using my phone for anything because my fat fingers make me type like a twat. The only blogging thing I use my phone for is Instagram.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips for a new blogger like myself! Thank you for sharing. I might pop down Wilko's later to get me some of that marble self adhesive stuff. Looks lovely in photos!
ReplyDeleteThese are great! I love your photos... I literally take all my photos with my phone x
ReplyDeleteCandice | beautycandyloves.co.za
I love the sound of that phone case! One of mine is my MacBook to! Apple is definitely the way forward xx
ReplyDeletewww.lpagebeauty.com
The fur rug is genius. Going to buy one for me! Also going to check out planner and stickers! Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteThe phone case looks great!
ReplyDeletehttp://claresloves.blogspot.com/
VSCO is always in my top list when it comes to photo editing apps. I also heard about IFTTT but never try it. Maybe I should give it a try because it sounds useful for promoting.
ReplyDeleteJoliecious.com
I can't stress enough how important it is to have a planner for blogging and lumee case has been my life saviour.
ReplyDelete-Daria
https://dariaed.com/skincare/
https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/daria-edu-19010657
Dammit, I bought the Lumee in the pink marble, but now you're making me wish I'd bought the white!
ReplyDeleteApril xx
| APRIL ROSE PENGILLY |
I get things done on the side of doing everything else so my phone is my most important tool. Haha! Plus my laptop sucks. X
ReplyDeleteThere's so many variations for the Lumee case!! And the photos are amazing
ReplyDeleteThat Lumee case works wonders for you!!! Beautiful with or without but it adds such a nice glow. Also love that you traded some photography secrets about the backgrounds, it really does make a difference!
ReplyDeleteMy face always looked extremely washed out when I use a flash in a photo. This case looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteohhhh this is so freaking helpful! I'm over the moon about the blog planner! Such a great post, thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeletexx J
https://forevertwentysomething.ca
Oooh! I'm absolutely loving the marble and the fur backgrounds! Having a marble adhesive is such a smart idea! Thanks for the tips, girly!
ReplyDeleteWOW I love that white marble phone case design! I've been looking to get a new case for my phone for a while and Lumee seems like the perfect one for me.
ReplyDeleteYeah it's such a subtle but really flattering difference with the light x
ReplyDeleteThat lens might have to be my next blog-related investment...x
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a gradual thing - we're all constantly improving :) so definitely don't feel like what you're doing isn't good enough and just try to enjoy honing your skills! x
ReplyDeleteAw thank you! x
ReplyDeleteThat's impressive! Your photos are really good too :) I often find that in good lighting you really can't tell, I guess it's just the ease at which you get to the shot. Your posts are so detailed too - you'd never have known it was all coming from your phone haha - I guess that's the magic of mobile technology! x
ReplyDeleteI'm really liking popping the odd look on IG Stories too :) it just feels way more relaxed / spontaneous! x
ReplyDeleteGetting a new one has been a liberating experience haha - especially for demanding tasks like photo editing! x
ReplyDeleteIt's worth it for thatg Twitter / Instagram function alone! x
ReplyDeleteThanks Roz! It's definitely a subtle alteration that actually makes a big difference! x
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can ever go wrong with a marble background! I need to get myself a proper blog planner as I just haven't' been very organized with my schedule recently! xx
ReplyDeletewww.iridescentplaces.com
Some really great tips! Didn't think of using blu tac to keep products still, drives me mad when they roll around haha! xx
ReplyDeletehttp://paulamarieee.blogspot.co.uk
It's a life-saver haha x
ReplyDeleteThat Selfie light is great!
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