Tuesday 26 February 2013

Photography For Bloggers with Emily Quinton


I've always been a keen photographer taking pictures whenever the opportunity arises and as a designer always trying to be creative with angles (often a little too much!), effects and a little bit obsessed with the macro setting! Despite having a good eye for things I've never really been 100% happy with the pictures I take and always wanted to learn how to take better photos, especially beautiful ones to use on my blog. Then I came across the delightful photographer and blogger Emily Quinton (of The Start Up Wife)  via Holly Becker's Blogging Your Way Course and when she announced she was going to be teaching a photography workshop for bloggers, I think I was one of the first to sign up! 

So, a week last Saturday, my friend Mel and I, some of my fellow London Bloggers (Geraldine, Kate, Jane & Kirsty) and a bunch of other lovely creative ladies took to the back streets of trendy Shoreditch for a full on session with Emily and our cameras. As you can imagine with Emily's crafty and blogging background we were all greeted with gorgeous little goodie bags filled with stickers, pencils and Moleskin notebooks. 




We learnt all about composition (the 'rule of thirds'), how to get the best lighting, including taking pictures in 'the golden hour',  which type of lenses to use and some very good tips on how to achieve great quality photos, even on an iPhone and which apps to do it with! Then to finish off the day we had a lesson on how to save, edit and use our photos to their best potential on our blogs and with other social media.




Below are some of the best images I took during the day. Let me now what you think! Which is your favourite?












All in all was a day packed full of great advice, hands on practise and lots of fun. Emily is teaching the workshop again in September (see the link above) and I highly recommend it if you are a blogger and looking to improve your photography skills or if you want to take photos of products for a website. Even if you aren't a blogger it is still a great day and you will come away having learnt so many key skills to put to use in your photography. It's not a course to teach you how to use your camera mind you and it can be taken with any camera or camera phone. I was lucky enough to borrow a friends digital SLR camera for the day which has now very kindly been donated to me so I can get in some much needed practise and have fun taking lots of beautiful photos. Thank you! And thank you to Emily for being such a star and a great teacher. 

If you'd like to check out some of the other girls posts you can do here. Me Plus Molly, Papermash, For Bella and Will


14 comments:

  1. Sorry to have missed this, looks like it was really helpful - and fun! I need to dust off my SLR again and get cracking before the Blog Boss course!! Lovely post Anna x

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    1. Thanks Ginger, it was really helpful. Hope you enjoy Blog Boss. I'm not doing it think time but looking forward to hearing about what you get up to! x

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  2. Lovely photos Anna, the second last one is my favourite - love the blurring effect of the macaroons. which setting did you use? I really enjoyed the course too but must admit I haven't been out and about again with the DSLR. Somehow the iphone is just too convenient. I'll need to make more of an effort.

    Wishing you a wonderful weekend xx

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    1. Hi Geraldine, thanks for your lovely comments. Do you know what, I have no idea which settings I used for that picture, I was just trying all the different ones but I remember I was using the focus setting a lot and placing it in different places (where you move the red dot around). I think that was all it was. I couldn't tell you what aperture and lighting I had it on. I haven't done much more practise since either but maybe this weekend. See you next week x

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  3. Hi Anna, what a great course to attend! Great photos and my favourite would have to be the macaroon on the dot. Lovely lighting and angle of shadow! Mel x

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    1. Thanks Mel! That was one of the first ones I took before I even learnt any tips from EMily so must have been a fluke, ha ha! x

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  5. I love workshops like that. If maybe not for any new technical skills but it is soooo great to get new inspiration and to meet like minded people. Lovely shots!

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  6. Looks like a fun workshop! I like the second to last one with the flowers and macaroons, the colours are gorgeous and I like the depth of field.

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  7. THat sounds liek a lot of fun. Really need to work on my photography skills. Would especially have lvoed to hear about the apps and any editing tips for Photoshop. I hear you can do miracles with even half good pictures :)

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  8. Hi Anna! It sounds like you all had such a great day! You sound just like me, having no idea how you took a picture-great isn't it!!! I love the second to last shot too by the way-really lovely. Will you be at the bloggers meet up on Saturday?! Cx

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  9. My favourite is the macaroons on the napkin. great composition and color.

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  10. What a great workshop... and Emily, of course, is fab!
    Kept thinking on Saturday she might give birth any minute:-))

    I rather like all of your images. What I like best is the confidence a workshop like this instils into people. Photography is hard and really needs life-long learning but a little goes a long way.

    Happy that camera got donated to you. Try and practice so you keep up that confidence. xx

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  11. Hi Hi! I found your blog via the BYW listing on fb :D Great post. I love the picture with the macaroon on the napkin. Made me hunger for one.

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Well if you are here then you must have read my post, so a big THANK YOU for visiting and for taking the time to comment. Your words bring a little bit of sunshine to my day (if they are nice) and I look forward to reading them. Thanks for supporting me. Anna :-)

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