BLOGGING 101: DEALING WITH MEAN COMMENTS

Internet culture, for all it's perks and great community, comes with its drawbacks.  One major drawback: rude commenters and anonymous haters.  Building a blog will inherently bring these people.  If you blog it, they will come.  And unfortunately, the larger your audience, the more random trolls you'll come across.  If there's 1 troll among 100 readers, then by the time you have 1000 readers, that number of unkind comments will increase as well.  

I honestly feel badly for people who choose to spend their time perpetuating negativity online.  Realize that whoever left the comment is another human being too, even if it doesn't feel like it.  They probably have some stuff going on in their lives that drives them to do and say the things that they do.  They need love just like the rest of us (even if it feels impossible to love someone who would say those things to or about you).  

Here are some ways to deal with the comments you get on your blog which are hurtful:

1.  Determine if they're just crazy trolls who have nothing of value to say, or if they actually have a good point and maybe just said it in a really mean or rude way.

2.  Figure out the healthiest way for you (YOU, not another blogger.  Everyone is different in how they can handle/deal with these comments) to deal with mean comments.  Maybe you have a policy where you just immediately delete them and don't acknowledge them at all.  Maybe you moderate all your comments before they get published.  Maybe you just leave them up and ignore them.  Decide how you feel it's most healthy for you to deal with them.

3. It's YOUR blog.  You don't have to allow mean comments if you don't want to.  If people tell you that "you can't take the heat," just ignore them.  It's a deeply personal decision.  I personally decide on a case by case basis whether or not to delete a mean comment.  If it's just totally ridiculous and pointless, or if it's attacking another commenter, or just plain offensive, I'll probably delete it.  If they're (rudely) trying to point out something or start a discussion, I might reply.  Sometimes people just miss-read or didn't understand what I was saying, and it's easy enough to correct their misunderstanding.

4. Don't internalize mean commenters' statements.  Just because someone tells you something, that doesn't make it true.  I've had people tell me I'm ugly, I'm boring, my photos are awful, I'm codependent now that I'm married, etc etc.  But those things aren't true, and believing and internalizing them will only cripple my ability to be who I truly am.  

5. RE: #4 – recognize that those people don't know you.  They only know the blog version of you which isn't a complete picture of who you are.  The opinions about you which matter are the opinions of those closest to you, which probably won't end up being your blog commenters.  The opinions that matter most to me are those of my best friends, my family, my husband.  If they were to make a criticism about me, I would take it seriously because they know me through and through.  By and large, blog readers only get a very small snippet of your life and who you are and can therefore make criticisms based on very little information about your life.  I'd much rather listen to critiques from people who know me intimately than from people who have never met me.

6. Think about the ratio of uplifting to rude comments.  Chances are, your comments are probably 99% uplifting and positive and 1% rude, mean, and critical.  If you look at it that way, the most likely scenario is that someone just doesn't "get" you, or they're just having a terrible day and have decided to take it out on you randomly.  We focus so much on mean comments because they take us so much by surprise, but go back and look through all the beautiful, positive comments you get-- that's what matters.

7. Haters gonna hate.  I don't get it either, but there are some people out there who just want to spread negativity.  Their mean comments say more about their unhappiness and jealousy than they do about you and your blog.

8.  Laugh it off.  Honestly most of the rude or meanspirited comments I see make me chuckle because they're so off-the-rocker ridiculous and hilarious.

Something that you might have come across in blogging or in being a blog reader is online forums, totally separate from a blog, devoted to hating on and bashing that blog.  Because those forums aren't on your site there's really no way to police it, and people can run rampant with their comments, opinions, and plain old hateful vitriol directed at you, your loved ones, and your blog.  There's really not much you can do about these forums except decide how you're going to handle it.

My personal rule is that I will never not ever not in a million years go to any forum about me or my blog.  There is nothing on any of those forums that would be useful for me to know.  In fact, the only thing on those forums is a gateway to self doubt, depression, and anxiety.  I want no part of any of those things.  I want no part of knowing what half truths or unkind opinions people have directed towards me.  I doesn't do me an ounce of good to read anything on those forums.  If you're worried about libel or just want to keep tabs on what's being said without actually having to read it, hire a lawyer to occasionally read it, or have a trusted friend do it.  I suggest not having a parent or significant other do it, though, because it'll be hurtful for them to read people saying those things about you too.  My husband can't read those forums because he knows it will make him angry and sad and want to punch ever single one of the commenters.  I don't even read the forums about other bloggers because reading the things people say about them reminds me of the things they say about me, and it makes me sad to read what people are saying about people I truly love, care for, and admire.

So decide for yourself what you're going to do if forums start discussing you and your blog.  I have a 100%-never-go-there policy that I haven't broken in years.  Figure out how you can handle it for yourself and stick to it.

BONUS: Create a working environment

Guest: Tieka, Selective Potential

A working environment is a huge deal when you have a blog! More than likely, you'll be working from home a lot and you need to set aside the distractions that might come from working at home. Create a little corner, clear off a desk, set up at the kitchen table… whatever it is, make sure you have a special working environment that suits your needs.

Personal story: When my blog was really starting to take off last March, I was overwhelmed! I had sponsors to track, packages arriving in the mail that were piling up in the corner of my office, papers to put away, envelopes and shipping materials I needed to organize, cards, jewelry samples, beauty samples, etc, etc, etc… all just piling up! I needed some major help. So… I took a little nook in our recreation room and created my very own blog studio. I know, silly right? But it's been a huge help in my productivity since I furnished and organized it. I went to IKEA and purchased some very inexpensive items (I'll talk more about soon!) and created my own little nook! I love going back there and when I'm back there… I know I'm in blog mood. Plus, I have everything I need at my fingertips (plus it's SO cute! I love showing it off!)

Steps to take to create a working environment:

• Find your space. Find a space in your home you can set aside for a work-space. Like I said, it can be a small desk in the corner, a mini end table inside a closet, whatever it is… find a space that will work for you. I'm lucky enough to have a little nook in our recreation room that I devoted completely to my blog studio.

• EMPTY your space. Huh? Seriously. Empty it. Bare. Nada. Zip. It is so helpful to see the area alone, with no clutter, nothing. That way you can map out where everything will need to go! (Plus it's a great opportunity to clean from top to bottom!)

• Furnish. You'll need a tabletop or desktop of some sort! That way you'll have your computer in one spot, along with sticky-notes, books that are of importance and anything you'll need on a daily basis. I also included an enclosed shelf where I can store giveaway items, samples that I throw into packages and other miscellaneous items I might need. I also have a filing cabinet full of cards, papers I need to store and a pen drawer for all of my writing utensils and supplies. Include a comfy item for visitors. I purchased a cute chair from IKEA with a footstool, but it can be something as simple as a floor pillow or bean bag. Plus, if you're flipping through magazines or need a comfy place to think, you'll have it right there.

• Purge. Before placing anything into your space, think about it. Are you putting a box in your space that hasn't been sifted through? It's full of old dust bunnies and calculators that don't work? Get rid of those items! If you know you're not going to use it, now is the perfect time to sift through everything and figure out what you need and don't need to keep.

• Organize. Purchase some inexpensive file storage. I have boxes, magazine files and binders to store all of my papers, envelopes, you name it. Tip: Find ones with a place to label the box! My most used boxes are: shipping materials, envelopes and letters I've received in the mail from readers/friends/bloggers.

• Lighting. If you're working on your computer a lot, you're going to want to avoid bright lights if you can. It strains your eyes to have too much light while you're trying to look at your computer screen, so try to place a nice warm-light. I have two lamps in my studio… a table top one and a paper lantern. They are both very warm and it's cozy and inviting to be there at night, reading blogs and catching up on emails.

• Decorate. You'll want to add personal touches to your space! Include pictures frames, quotes, inspiration, magazine rip-outs, whatever makes you happy. When you are stressed and trying to get through a hundred emails, you can look up at something… be inspired and get right back to work. I keep a magazine rack so I can stop what I'm working on, get into my cozy chair and read a magazine. I also have a magnet board where I can rip out magazine spreads or print off pictures from the web and put up on my inspiration board. Whenever I can't find an outfit or need something to inspire me, I refer to my magnet board. It's a huge help!

• Make life easy. Is there something you use every single day? Keep it out! You don't have to have a perfectly organized and clean space. Every single week I need the address directory for the Delightful Dozen. So, I printed out the address directory which is on a cute map and framed it by my desk! I refer to it daily and so not only does it work in a functional-way but also an aesthetic way! I'm also constantly using my calculator, so I keep it out and don't put it away. I also keep a cup full of things I need constantly instead of putting them into a drawer. My cup contains my favorite pens, a ruler, scissors, you name it.

• Keep your space cozy. For me, that means the lighting is right, there are no crumbs on the carpet and things are organized. If something bugs you… like how too much natural light comes in through the window, purchase an inexpensive pair of blinds! Keeping your space cozy and up-to-par will encourage you to continue to visit the space and maintain the space. The more time you spend in your space, the better it will become.

Now go.. create your space! Enjoy!!

BLOGGING 101: LESSONS LEARNED

In March of 2012 I attend the Texas Style Council conference, and I thought it'd be cool to go through some of the questions we were asked in my panel– Blogging Lessons Learned. Plus, writing responses to these questions is nicer than answering on the spot, since there's more time to really think hard about the answers, rather than answering immediately with a microphone & huge crowd in front of me. These great questions were written up by the moderator of our panel, Molly from Smart, Pretty, and Awkward. You can find video of all the panels at LiveLifeinStyleBlog's youtube channel and I put the panel I was on to the bottom of this post if you want to watch.

1. Starting at the beginning: when did you begin blogging, and how do you think your blog has changed since then?

I started blogging in 2008, mostly because I'd just discovered style blogs and thought they looked really fun and inspiring and I wanted to be a part of the community. I was in college at the time and it was nice to have a creative outlet and be inspired by all the cool girls I came across in the blogging world. My blog has changed a bit since then, mostly following the changes in my life, from college student to living back at home with my family and working, to my winne trip, to moving to Tacoma and getting married. I've never felt like my content has necessarily stuck to one thing. While my main content has always been outfits, I've also always thrown in some DIY and recipe posts, and even outfit post text is usually just about my life.

2. Building off that, how do you think the blogging community as a whole has changed since then?

I think nowadays the blogging community is much larger and established than it was when I started. It's kind of a double edged sword for those getting into it now. There are more resources, but at the same time, there are thousands of blogs out there trying to make it, which might make it more difficult to find your niche amongst it all. I think the blogging community as a whole, though, has always been very supportive and friendly, and continues to be.

3. What was the most difficult stage you went through when building your blog? What advice would you give to someone going through a similar stage?

I think it was hard growing my blog initially. I think a lot of bloggers also feel like their blogs are growing very slowly and feel like it should be growing faster, but I've learned that, at least for myself, growth is a very slow process, and requires hard work and consistency. It can be easy to get down on yourself, but once you realize that it's very rare for a blog to rocket to success within a few months, you can start focusing on making your blog the best it can be for you.

4. Do you ever look back on a post and ask “what was I thinking!?” Is there any topic or event you later wished you had wrote about differently?

I actually don't. I think this is probably because, like I said before, my blog has mostly just followed my life, so I like looking back on all my old posts, even if the photos are bad, or I don't like the outfit. When I see the photos I remember where I was that day or what I was doing. It's neat to see how I've changed and grown through looking at old posts.

5. How do you handle old posts you are not proud of? Do you delete them?

I think the answer to this is the same as above. I've only deleted a couple posts, but for different reasons, and usually very soon after posting them. I've never gone back later and deleted a post. Also, I've gotten quite a few emails from people who've gone back and read my blog from the beginning, and I think it's cool that you can do that. It gives people a fuller look at you and your blog story, and people can see where you started! Everyone starts somewhere, and I know the beginning of mine wasn't much to write home about!

6. Has anyone in your life ever gotten upset that you wrote about them on your blog? Did you or would you ask permission from people before posting about them?

I don't think I've ever had this problem. All of my family loves reading my blog (including my grandma!) and have been on it from time to time. Some of my friends have made appearances too, and they've always been excited to be on the blog, so so far I've not had any issues with this. I think if there was ever a time when I wasn't sure if someone would be cool about me posting photos of them/writing about them I would definitely ask permission.

7. What advice would you give to bloggers who want to start writing more personal posts but don't know how to handle other people in their lives' privacy level?

I guess asking is a good idea. And finding your own personal comfortability with how much you share. For me it's a no-brainer. It doesn't even enter my mind to post things that would be too personal. Not that I don't occasionally get very real here on the blog, but at the same time, my blog is mostly a place for positivity. I know a lot of bloggers feel the same way– we don't necessarily want to post about the shitty day we had, or the fight with our boyfriend/spouse, or the bills we just had to pay. For myself, blogging is a place for inspiration. We all have enough stuff in our lives bringing us down. I want my blog to have a mostly positive tone, while at the same time being real. It's a balance that I think is a very personal thing to find. No one can tell you how much is too much or too little to share, it's a balance that you have to find yourself.

8. Did you ever have a difficult situation with a reader or a commenter? How did you handle it, and would you do it the same way next time?

Definitely. When I get comments that aren't very nice or flat out rude, I try to (after the initial reaction of shock, hurt, anger, etc) evaluate the comment for validity. Some comments are just crazy trolls who just leave random mean comments that have nothing to do with you or anything you do. But sometimes, behind a rude tone, the person has a point that can be addressed and can even spark some introspection. I know I got a mean comment that once said that my blog wasn't as good as it used to be when I was in Alaska. I started to think about all the changes in my life that had occurred since moving out of Anchorage to the Lower 48 and it inspired me to write a post about how my life had changed in the past year. Their comment wasn't very nice, but it did make me think about the changes in my life and how those changes affected my blog.

I think the most important thing when it comes to receiving mean comments is to let them roll off you and move on. Don't start second guessing yourself, don't start internalizing that person's words, don't let the haters get you down! Haha. And always remember that for every one mean comment or rude person who comments on your blog, they are far outweighed by the people who come to your blog to be inspired, people who love what you post and who matter so much more.

9. From a technical perspective, was anything an unexpected technical challenge that you wished you had done differently? What have you redesigned or changed since you started your blog, and why? (Nav bars, logos, headers, etc.)

I'm a big graphic design geek, so the first thing I did when I started my blog was customize the layout. I googled something like, "vintage blogger template" found a template that looked good and made myself a pretty header. I think the biggest challenge, over the years, has been learning how to tweak my layout with HTML. It's taken hours of googling tutorials and so many trial and error tests to learn how to make my blog do what I want it to. I'm still no HTML buff, but by now I know enough that I can almost do whatever I want, and if I don't know how to do it, I can pretty much guarantee that google can find me a tutorial that tells me how to do it.

I've redesigned everything on my blog since I started. I actually had the original background on my blog until just a few months ago and finally let that go (I'm a bit too sentimental with stuff like that, I think). I've gone from two columns to three, changed my header probably 5 times, added a nav bar, added a custom post title font, added intensedebate commenting, changed the background, changed the background color of my columns, etc, etc. I think blog design is super important, as it's the very first thing that people see. I almost guarantee you that if your design is really bad, they probably won't even stay to see what you're posting about. Luckily, if HTML is just way to crazy for you or you don't have time, there are a lot of freelance designers out there who will help you out! I know that Kaelah does blog design,  I think Liz from SRSLYLIZ does freelance design, and Freckled Nest Design does blog design almost exclusively. Or you could purchase a cute premade template like the ones Sillygrrl makes!

10. What is the key to correcting a blogging regret or mistake--from something as small as a post typo to a failed brand collaboration?

I think being humble and honest is important. Not everything you do is going to be awesome or turn out perfectly like you envisioned. Sometimes things happen, and it's best to just move on and be gracious about the situation.

11. On the flip side, can you share a blog situation or event that you are proud of how you handled yourself?

I feel like, for the most part, I've handled mean comments relatively well. As well as one can when being lambasted by faceless, anonymous mean people via the internet. I won't tell you it's not hard to be hit with a mean comment as you're happy-go-luckily scrolling through comments, but I'm getting better at it (I hope!). I didn't deal with "mean girls" in junior high and high school (which is when most people get a crash course in such things), so dealing with "haters" and trolls is sort of a new thing for me, but it really makes me want to uplift other women and create positivity all the more! I know that the opinions that really matter are those people who know me and see me in real life, and who know who I am in a more holistic way. As much as it feels like you may know a blogger from reading their blog, I can guarantee that you only get a snippit of their life. I don't think most bloggers intentionally try to mislead readers into thinking they live a certain way, it's just that blogging can only really give you so much insight into someone's life, and to make assumptions based on that little amount of information is generally a bad idea.

12. What was the most rewarding event that has come from the successes of your blog?

I think being able to work from home had been my favorite thing so far. It's so nice to be able to set my own hours and have the time to be creative. That, and all the awesome people I've met through blogging. It's so crazy that, thanks to the internet, you can be friends with people you've never met IRL from all over the world! Events like TxSC and NYFW are fun simply because it's an excuse to get together with all these amazing folks you don't get to see in "real life."

13. Where do you think the blogging community will be headed in the next three years?

Onwards and upwards. As the news and magazine industries scramble to move online, I think bloggers have a leg up on the online world. I've already seen tons of bloggers getting jobs in social media and writing for online magazines and working for companies because of their internet prowess. It's exciting! Blogging used to be this thing where people thought you just sat in your bed in your PJs with crumbs all around you hunched over your computer, but really it's a thriving industry that has really become a huge part of our culture! Okay, sometimes we do sit in bed in our PJs with crumbs around, but still...

14. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned about blogging? Is there an overall lesson we could take from this panel or this conference?

As rudimentary as it sounds, stay true to yourself, I think is what I've learned most from blogging and I think was definitely a focus at TxSC. Nobody can be as good at being you as you can, and in a sea of blogs trying to "make it," what sets yours apart is YOU. You have a unique voice, a unique viewpoint, a unique style. Trying to be someone else will just make you a second rate version of them, instead, try your hardest to be a first-rate version of yourself!

BLOGGING 101: 10 THINGS NOT TO DO

1. Steal content and claim it's yours.
Do I really need to explain this one? Haven't we all known about plagiarism since grade-school?

2. Say a product is great, even if it isn't, just to get free stuff from a sponsor.
Not only is it unethical, it will ruin your reputation as someone with reliable advice. People will no longer believe you if you tell them a product is good. I always want to be honest with my readers, especially about the things I receive from sponsors. Not only will readers respect you for being honest, you'll also be saving them from possibly purchasing something that isn't as high quality as they might've previously assumed.

3. Leave spam comments on other blogs.
Because does any one really like it when they scroll through their comments and yours is, "Check out my blog! http://www.ineedmorereaders!.blogspot.com"? The answer is: No.

4. Work for free under the guise of good exposure.
Respect yourself and your work! If someone really wants something from you, they should be willing to pay you!

5. Feel like you have to blog about a certain thing in order to become popular.
Be yourself! Your greatest asset is your individuality! Don't think that you have to copy a super-popular blogger in order to have a great blog!

6. Feed trolls and hateful Anons.
Don't let them change the way you feel about yourself. They don't know you personally, and oftentimes they are just random people who just roam the internet writing cruel things on various blogs. Haters gon' Hate!

7. Have auto-playing music on your page.
no really. It's annoying. And startling.

8. Take things personally.
Let's face facts. It's the internet. We take most of our communication cues from body language and tone of voice, both of which we don't have access to when we interact online. Don't make assumptions!

9. Blog just to get free stuff.
If your main goal in blogging is to get shops and designers to send you free stuff... well, I don't feel like you're going to enjoy blogging very much. And I don't think other people will enjoy your blog either. People will notice that your content is forced and focused on pleasing the person you're getting free stuff from.

10. Spend all your time thinking, fretting, and worrying about your blog
Have a life! Well, a life outside of blogging, that is. It can be easy at times to get sucked into the internet and let it take control of your life. I personally had to get rid of my iPhone because I didn't want that level of connectivity. I didn't want to have the internet with me, with facebook, twitter, and email within arms reach at all times. Take time for friends and family, and take a break from blogging from time to time if you need it!

BLOGGING 101: PRIVACY + BLOGGING

Blogging is kind of weird. Our lives are broadcast across the world for anyone to read, pretty scary right? It's something we all have to deal with by choosing to put ourselves out there, but it's a risk we take in exchange for being a part of the blogging community. There are measures to take, though, to make sure that you keep your privacy to at least some degree.

Email

I keep my blog email completely separate from my personal email. This way people can't search for me with my email address. Plus, it just makes it easier to separate who is trying to contact you from your blog versus people in "real life" who are emailing you personally. There are also measures you can take to keep spammers from grabbing your email. Instead of writing your email like delightfully-tacky@hotmail.com you can write it like delightfully-tacky [at] hotmail [dot] com. It just makes it a little harder for spammers to grab your email.

Location

One thing I'm pretty conscious about it not letting people know where I live. While I'll talk a lot about Tacoma and my favorite places in Tacoma, I won't let people know my address and I'll try to not show landmarks near my home. I guess if someone was really adamant about trying to find my house they might be able to, but I like to keep it as difficult as possible. I'll even go so far as to photoshop out the address number on my house or apartment to keep people from seeing it in my photos. Sometimes I've photoshopped out my license plate on my car too. Another thing that you might want to do is keep your workplace off of your blog too. It's just another way that someone can find you.

I photoshopped the address off of my house in this photo which was on my blog and the photo at the top of the post?  Yah, that's not my house number on my house.  Photoshop again.

One thing that I've started doing is not letting people know when I'm on vacation until after the fact (if possible). I once heard about how someone's house was broken into after they tweeted that they were out of town. I figure it's best to protect yourself from people who may be out to take advantage of you. You never know who is following you online. Most likely it's just people who are interested in your blog, but there could also be weird creeps that live near you and don't have good intentions!

If you have instagram, make sure to turn of the location tagging when you're posting from home, otherwise you can click on the photomap and there's a map of all the instagram photos you took which can lead people right back to your house.

Your Life

This one is really up to your personal preference as to how much of yourself you want to put out there.  How much about your personal life do you want to share? Some people will choose to share very little about their real lives, and others will just lay it all out there. I like to keep a good balance of being open and honest, but also not simply unloading all the crap from my day onto the internet. For me, I like to keep my blog positive and upbeat. I figure there's already so much unhappiness and ugliness in the world and I don't need to contribute to it. That doesn't mean that I'll sugarcoat everything or pretend that I'm super happy if I'm not, but I'm not going to go of on a rant about something terrible that happened if I don't feel like it's uplifting or helpful to others. It's always up to you to how much you share with the world wide web. Make sure you think about what you feel comfortable sharing, and if you feel like you're starting to share too much, dial it down. I think it's important to share at least some of your life with your readers, just because they're interested in you and your life! It creates a connection between you and your readers and they start feeling invested in you.

One thing that I've never really dealt much with is keeping people from your real world from knowing about your blog. This is more important for people who feel like it wouldn't be beneficial if coworkers or friends knew about it, or if your employer would feel odd about you having a blog. Some bloggers are teachers or work with youth and they try to keep their students from finding out about their blog. Other people feel like they might lose credibility at their job if people knew about their blog. I know some people have family members who are uncomfortable with blogging, so in that case they even have to keep their blog from their family. Sometimes it's unavoidable to have people finding out about your blog (since it is online and readily available for anybody to see), but you can definitely take measures to keep people from finding out about it.

For about the first two years of blogging I didn't let any of my readers even know my first name! I still try to keep my last name off my blog. It helps keep people from being able to google your name and find your blog.

Photos-

One thing that is annoying is the fact that once you put your photos up on the internet, they're kind of up for grabs. You could watermark your photos, but I personally hate the way that watermarked photos look-- the watermark is just always so distracting to me. But the downside of not protecting your photos is that people can take them and not give proper credit or even pretend to be you! If you think that's crazy, trust me, I've had it happen. Most of the time, though, when you find that happening, you can usually email the site's administrator and have them remove the person. So decide if you want to watermark your photos or protect them in some way.

There are a lot of ways to protect yourself on the internet. Make sure that you're really intentional about how much you want to share about yourself. It's a crazy world out there and sometimes we can get caught up in how nice all of our blogging friends are that we forget that there are those crazies out there as well. Protect yourself and your privacy!

PHOTOGRAPHY: HOW TO TAKE YOUR OWN OUTFIT PHOTOS

I believe that, along with a great design and great content, great photos complete the trifecta. If a blog has tiny photos, or really bad photos, I probably won't stick around for very long, especially if it's a fashion blog. If you're taking photos of your daily style to show on your blog, I'm guessing you probably want the photos to actually show your outfit! No more mirror shots standing in a pile of dirty laundry in your bedroom-- after today, you'll know how to take great photos all by yourself!

One of the things I get asked most often (other than how I do my hair, haha) is "who takes your photos?" The answer: I do. I take almost 100% of my outfit photos. Unless I'm out and about with someone and I ask them to grab a couple outfit shots, every one of my photos has been taken with a tripod and self timer. Some people choose to use a remote (like Jennine in the how-to video below), but I like my hands to be free and I really don't like seeing a remote in the photos. I've never used one, I much prefer taking my shots using the 10 second self timer. I know a lot of people don't think it's possible to take great photos with a tripod and self-timer, but I believe it's more than possible-- it's easy!

Here's what you need to take your own outfit photos: A camera with self timer capabilities, and a tripod! Yup, that's it!

When I first started taking outfit photos I used the camera at the top- a little Canon Powershot point-and-shoot. It was a nice little camera and it balanced on things pretty easily. Unfortunately it was quite beat up and I think it probably died due to falling off of something I'd perched it upon. I didn't have a tripod until summer of 2009 when I moved home and borrowed my brother's! Now I use a Manfrotto tripod and I love it. It's lightweight and really easy to transport. I've taken it on multiple vacations in my carry-on, so it's pretty convenient!

After my Powershot died, I started using my Canon Rebel DSLR. I hadn't used it previously because it was so big and heavy to carry around, but now I wouldn't trade a DSLR for the world and I carry mine everywhere.  I used a Canon T2i for a few years and I currently use a Canon 6D.

Take your photos!

1.The first thing you're gonna do is set up your tripod. A lot of people like to take vertical outfit shots, but you can get both vertical and horizontal shots for some variety.

2. Look through your lens and make sure you're going to fit in the frame, then focus on something where you're going to be standing. I love taking outfit shots in the woods because I can focus on a tree that I'll stand near. It's a lot harder to do this in the middle of a vacant parking lot or something like that, simply because there's not many points to focus on. You can also bring something with you to focus on- a purse or even your car/bike, then just move that thing out of the way, or shift your tripod to get that thing out of frame when you start shooting!

I use auto-focus to focus on the object (like the tree in this case), and then switch to manual focus so that I can just take a bunch of photos standing in the same place without having the focus get messed up each time I take a new shot.

In this case I focused on the tree on the right side of the image, then moved my camera a smidge to the left so the tree was out of frame.  I switched from auto to manual once the focus was set where I wanted to stand and could then use the camera's self timer to take as many photos in that spot as I wanted, knowing they'd all be focused on me as long as I stood in the spot where I'd focused.

3. Take a couple test shots to see if the lighting is good and the focus is correct. If anything is off, fix it or change locations and try again! Once you get everything set, you're ready to go!

4. Take a bunch of photos in each location for a certain shoot, this will give you a variety of shots to choose from.

It might seem a little bit awkward or time consuming/frustrating at first, but you really do get used to it and you can start doing some really fun things! When it comes to posing, I know many people feel strange or goofy posing in front of just a tripod, but the way I've started to think of it is like you're an actor. For that moment the shutter clicks, you are an actor playing a role. Sometimes I'll fake a little giggle to get a genuine smile for a shot or I'll do something with my arms that would look totally weird to anyone watching what I'm doing, but I know that the photos will look great!

Unless you're really self-confident, definitely try to find a secluded place to take your photos. It'll allow you to really let go and just do whatever, without worrying about passers by giving you weird looks. And if someone does come ask you what the heck you're doing, you can always just tell them you're working on an assignment for class or something!

If you're worried that your camera is cheap and you can afford to buy a DSLR, don't worry, you can take great shots with almost any camera (though I won't deny that having a good camera and lens help a lot). It's all about composing the shots and bringing an artistic eye to your shoots. I recently took some outfit photos (above) with my webcam, and plenty of people take outfit shots with an iPhone, so you know it's possible to take outfit shots with any camera!

Depth of Field

If you want to get a shallow depth of field like I have in my photos (meaning the subject is in focus and the background is super blurry), you'll need to get a lens with a wide aperture, like f/2.0 to f/1.4. Depth of field refers to how much of the photo is in focus and how much is blurry. Having your background out of focus, while you--the subject--are in focus, allows for the photo to really highlight you and your outfit, not the busy-ness in the background. I use a 50mm f/1.4 lens and it gets an extremely shallow depth of field. Lenses can get expensive, though, so decide if you want to spend the money on a nice lens. I decided to pay the "big bucks" for my lens (it was about $400.00), but my little brother got a similar lens, a 50mm f/1.8 and it was only around $100. His lens is a lower quality lens, but it still takes great photos and it gets the shallow depth of field, so you don't have to make a huge investment to have a better lens!

Lighting

For optimum photos, you also want to make sure you've got some good lighting in your photos. I try to always take outfit photos outdoors using natural lighting. This helps show the colors of your outfit accurately, and naturally lighting is just always most desirable, in my opinion. I actually prefer to take my photos on cloudy days, or right at sunset so the sun isn't super harsh. Full sunlight can create harsh lighting and be hard to get the right exposure.  Clouds create a natural diffuser for light, which creates a nice soft light.  Luckily for me, it's almost always cloudy in Washington! Haha. Try out taking photos in some different lighting situations (cloudy, sunny, at sunset) to figure out which you prefer. My favorite thing about taking sunset photos is getting an awesome sunflare in the photo!

Tips/ideas for interesting shots:

frame yourself with something in the foreground

lie or crouch on the ground

focus on something in the foreground and then go further and out of focus in the background

get detail shots

get action shots

use sunflares

use fun backgrounds

Jennine from IFB and The Coveted made this little video and it pretty much goes through everything I described above, except she uses a remote.

BONUS: HELPFUL TIPS FOR SELF PORTRAITS

Some bloggers are lucky enough to have a friend, significant other, or husband/wife who takes their daily outfit photos, but the rest of us are stuck doing it ourselves with the help of a tripod, self-timer, and maybe a remote. I personally have never used a remote.  Since the beginning, I've always just used the self-timer, so I can't give any advice on using a remote. I've never liked the idea of having to hide the remote and it's already hard enough to "act natural" in front of a tripod, so I felt like adding in the hiding-the-remote factor would just complicate things further. I've been taking outfit photos with a tripod & self-timer for 6 years now, so I'll let you guys in on some tips and tricks I've learned over the years.

USE THE AUTO AND MANUAL FOCUS TO SET YOUR FOCUS POINT

I get a lot of questions about how I get myself in focus when I'm using a self timer. Here's what I do: I autofocus on something at the distance I'll be standing (sometimes this is a tree, a garbage can, etc), and then once that focus is set, I switch the focus to manual, so the focus won't change when I click the shutter. If you don't put your focus on manual, the camera will autofocus to something in the distance and you'll be all blurry and out of focus because the camera focused way behind you when you clicked the shutter/autofocus. If you can't find something to focus on where you're taking photos, use a purse or something to set where you'll stand and focus on that. For the photo above, I focused on the grass right in front of the back wheel of my bike.  Then, I set focus to manual so it wouldn't change, made sure my camera was on the 10 second self-timer setting and clicked the shutter.  Then I went and sat right where the focus was set: in front of my back wheel.  Voila, in focus!  I really like taking photos with my bike because it's something I can place in the frame to set the focus.  Then, I can either remove the bike and take photos without it, or I can just leave it in the photo, depending on how I want the photos to look. For the photo below, I focused on the trunk of the tree, just out of frame to the right.  For the photo next to the turquoise wall, I focused directly on the wall, and then moved my camera and tripod back about two feet, so then the focus would be set two feet in front of the wall, which is where I wanted to stand.  The top photo in this post had the focus set on the little blade of straw/grass to the right of me.

FIND RELATIVELY UNPOPULATED LOCATIONS

I don't know about you guys, but taking photos of yourself with a tripod & self-timer is kind of, well, weird sometimes. Especially if you're trying to do it in a public place. I personally have found I have a hard time taking photos that look natural if there are people watching me, or walking by. I get stiff and the photos just don't look as good as when I'm alone without strangers staring at me.  I'm better at taking photos in public now, but I still find the photos I like best are taken in more private locations. Try to find places that are vacant so you can feel free to be silly and do whatever photos you want, without feeling awkward. I do a lot of jumping and spinning photos, and those are even weirder to try doing with people around! I find that an alley is a good place to take photos.  People don't walk down alleyways as much as they do sidewalks.  Finding a park with some wooded areas are great, not only because they are more private, but because you have lots of things to set your focus on!  Other places I've found are relatively vacant: Parking garages, sidewalks in quiet neighborhoods, behind buildings,  and if you really want super privacy: your backyard or your living room.  I find those can be difficult to make look good depending on the lighting you get inside your house, and how picturesque your backyard is.

EMBRACE ROUGH TERRAIN

I've found that my favorite place to take outfit photos is the woods. Unfortunately, oftentimes the forest doesn't have a flat floor, but lucky for us, tripods have adjustable legs! If you find a great place to take photos in the woods, but the ground is uneven, just adjust the legs to make the camera level. I've taken lots of photos on some pretty steep hills, but because the legs adjust on my tripod, I can make it work!

HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING

I always have a phrase to use if someone comes up and asks me what the heck I'm doing. Mine is that I'm working on an assignment for a photography class (a self portrait assignment, maybe?). I find that it's easier than trying to explain the whole, "well, I'm a style blogger and I take photos of what I wear every day" thing. That usually just perplexes most people and then they ask me more questions when what I really want is for them to move along and let me finish taking photos. Kind of silly, but it's nice to have an answer ready so you don't panic and start rambling on to a stranger about your odd behavior.  Don't let them make you feel like you're doing something wrong, because you're not (unless you're like trespassing or something).

TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS

The more photos you take, the more likely you are to have a few good ones to choose from for your post!  If you take five photos and you post five photos, then you have to post even the ones you don't like very much.  If you take 50 photos, you're likely going to be able to pick five photos that you really like.  I've done self timer photo shoots where I took 100-200 photos.  I think my standard is usually 30-70, though.  Once you have a groove down, you can set things up pretty quickly and take quite a few photos in a relatively short amount of time.

HAVE YOUR GO-TO POSES

It's nice to know which poses usually yield good photos. Sure, sometimes it can get repetitive and you don't want to take 30 photos of you in the exact same pose.  Outfit photos in general can be relatively repetitive and it's nice to have poses you know well that result in photos you like.  Even professional models have go-to poses that they know look awesome every time.  I like to always do some shots with my go-to outfit poses, but then also try out some different things that may not result in good photos, but can be fun if they happen to turn out.

 

GET DETAIL SHOTS + VARIETY

Remember to get shots of the details of your outfits, like your shoes, some cute buttons on your dress, or fun jewelry you're wearing.  Shots like this add variety to the images in my blog posts and are visually interesting.  Change angles at your location, don't take all your photos with the tripod in one place.  Move around, find different backgrounds, take photos at different distances.  Maybe get a full length shot or two, a couple mid-distance shots from the thighs/hips up, and then a close up detail shot.  

  USE MOVEMENT

I love getting photos that capture movement because they show more of how your outfit reacts to motion. I like to see how fabric looks when it's in motion, as well as seeing how an outfit looks when a person is stationary. I think it's interesting that almost all fashion shows are done with the models walking, in motion. Seeing clothing move can be a lot more interesting than seeing it just sitting there motionless. Plus, clothes are designed to move with us, so it's nice to see it actually doing that!

DON'T ALWAYS LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE CAMERA

And not just in the pigeon-toed-look-at-my-feet blogger pose way. While I definitely take plenty of those kinds of photos, I also like to look off in the distance (corny, I know!), or turn my back to the camera.  It adds variety to your photos, and also gives you a chance to show of different angles of your outfit.  Not looking directly at the camera gives photos a more candid feel as well, as if you're unaware of the camera.  It can make you look more natural, rather than posed and rigidly looking into a camera lens.  Obviously you know the camera is there, but acting like it isn't can result in photos that are much more natural and relaxed.

USE DIFFERENT ANGLES + POINTS OF VIEW

I'm not a big fan of seeing 10 outfit photos of someone standing in the same place with slight variations on the same pose. Granted, I'm guilty of it at times when I'm not feeling very creative or am being more lazy, but I love outfit photos that are visually interesting in addition to showing my outfit. One way to help your photos be more interesting is to use some different angles. This can be a bit more difficult if you're using a tripod, but the more you get comfortable using a tripod & self-timer, the better you get at making it work to get the angles and compositions you want!

Sometimes using a self-timer and tripod and be really frustrating, but don't give up! True story, I've gotten so mad trying to take photos that I've thrown my bike and screamed after trying to get shots of myself riding it (I think PMS may have contributed to that incident...). It can be hard to take outfit shots with just a tripod & self-timer, and there will for sure be times you wish you could just have a professional photographer boyfriend to take your outfit shots every day, but I love the independence that taking my own outfit photos has given me. I don't need to have someone around to do my photos, I can take my own! Whenever, wherever!  And taking your own photos helps you get better at photography in general.  You'll learn about composition, how your camera works, what lighting works best, and more, just from practicing it all the time.