What I Use To Take My Blog And Instagram Photos Plus Equipment, Editing, Hints And Tips.

Hello my lovelies! 

It's so freaking hot today and I have been a busy little bee let me tell you. Only around the house that is. 

I put on fresh, new bed sheets today and I am so proud of myself because usually I cannot for the life of me get the duvet into the corners of the sheet. It all bunches up and looks a complete and utter state. 

I have had a rocky week emotions wise but today I feel productive and positive. I accidentally on purpose made another Beauty Bay order today because I missed out on the Morphe 350 palette yesterday as they never pre-announced that it was going onto the site. They did however announce that they were going to put up the 350M palette. I was all over that shit man, I love my matte shadows. So I was up bright and early to get that little bad boy along with some other bits. 

Thank goodness for birthday money. Ha. 

So that should arrive tomorrow. I will do another little haul for you. Oh... And Beauty Bay contacted me today and asked me to be part of their affiliate programme which I 100% agreed to. I have had a few brands contact me too, to review their products. 

Keep an eye out for those :) 

Okay, down to business. I have been asked A LOT on what camera I use to take my photos and have been getting so many compliments on my photographs,especially my makeup ones. 

So, the nice person that I am, of course I was going to spill my secrets!!!

N/B I am also fully aware that my annoying blog stalker will no doubt see this and copy. SO if you're reading this... "HI".  

Along with telling you guys what camera I use, I thought I would also address things like the lenses, equipment, lighting, editing and my hints/tips. 

It may come in useful, it may not. You can take whatever information away with you and adapt it to suit your needs. 

Lets GO!

Camera - Model and Make

When it comes to taking my blog photos I actually alternate between my phone and my DSLR. The only time I will use my phone is if I am taking photos like the ones below. Other than that I will always use my DSLR.

The brand and model in which I invested in is the Canon 600D. They are actually discontinued now but I wanted this one as it has a flip out screen which makes it hella a lot easier when taking photes. I had to do my research to track this down and it is retailed at around £400. 

At some point I will upgrade but I wanted this one to practice, learn and improve my skills on. 

It is really user friendly and takes some awesome pictures. With these camera's though practise does make perfect as you have to switch between ISO's, F. modes and apertures. It really frustrates me when the camera takes a blurry picture because the lighting isn't right and it doesn't focus properly. 

TIP: When swapping lenses make sure you keep the body of your camera facing down to avoid any dust falling onto the mirrored part inside. You get any particles on that and your camera is on the brink of extinction. 

Lenses

When it comes to lenses, there are many that I want but man you have to take out a mortgage to afford one. They are so freaking expensive. I really want a 'Pancake' lens and a macro.

When taking my closeup images I will stick to the original lens that comes with the camera and tend to manual focus so I can get up close and personal to whatever I am wanting to focus on. 

This is what I do when I want to get a good shot of my eye makeup. I find that if you're on auto focus you don't get the same detailing. 

 TIP: If you want a good close up manually do it. I learnt this on the way. Oh and what took me forever to realise is that I couldn't actually find how to manual focus, I was sliding the zoom in and out on the lens and then it suddenly clicked when I was messaging about. The actual manual focus is on the very end of the lens, on the rim!! 

There's another tip, check that out if you have been doing the same as I was. 

I have two other separate lenses too - I have a telephoto zoom lens which I use more outside to focus on subjects in the distance. It's a Sigma lens and it's super good. 

The lens below is a 50mm f/1.8 STM. This lens I will use mainly for when I am filming a video on my DSLR, it's great at blurring out the background and focusing on the subject in the foreground. 

This lens doesn't have a zoom so you have to be a certain distance away from the lens. 

Tip: This lens is ideal for videos, occasion's such as weddings and taking portraits.  

Lighting

Lighting is SO important to the turnout of your image, you don't take a picture in the correct lighting you risk losing, quality, atmosphere, detail and more importantly interest from your viewer. 

If you can get some good natural light use that, there's nothing better than awesome natural light to take your blog/Instagram pictures - however with the typical British weather that's not always possible. 

I originally bought a ring light that you attach to the front of your camera lens. I liked that and it's good to take around with you as it's portable and bag friendly but I wanted the king of lights. 

A ring light. No joke, having a ring light has been a god send to me, it's really upped my image game because I am able to highlight all the areas I need to successfully take my picture. They aren't majorly cheap but if you are invested into your blog/Instagram/photography this is a must, especially if you take  lot of makeup images. 

The one I have bought was from Amazon (Neewer) and was around £100 and it's dimable, comes with a stand, hot shoe attachment and filters. I don't think think it's bad pricing at all. 

TIP: The plug is a universal one so comes attached with a 2 prong connector, make sure if you get this that you get a plug piece to connect the prongs to it. 

Backdrop

I never had a backdrop up until recently but it's always nice to have a pretty background in your pictures. Whether you're doing a flatlay or a face/body shot take pride in what appears in your background. 

There's no point in placing a product onto a uninteresting background, especially if you're posting on Instagram because it's all so visual on there you need to make it eye-catching. 

Invest in props, fairy lights, flowers, wallpaper samples... You name it, grab it. 

Thank me later. 

As for my backdrop, I need to hang mine from the ceiling as I photograph from an awkward place in my room. Choose a backdrop that's going to make your image stand out, something glittery is always a favourite with us bloggers, or even just a plain white one is super cute too. 

I opted for a kind of holographic background and have been hanging it from my wardrobe. Ha. 

Means must and all that.

TIP: You don't have to go all out to create a decent backdrop, so you can keep it relatively inexpensive. I went to The Range (UK) and purchased 1.5m of the below lino fabric and it cost me £5 and I purchased a plumbing pole to hang the fabric on and hook to the ceiling for around £2. Sorted. 

See, it makes the image look so much more polished! This I placed on my Instagram. 

Editing My Photos

I don't know about you guys but I LOVE editing my pictures, it gives me a sense of gratification and achievement. Okay, sure, it takes an absolute stone age, whether you're editing photos or videos but it's totally worth it when they turn out amazing. 

I tend to switch between my phone app and an app on the internet. 

On my phone, I will edit my pictures on 'FaceTune'. I will whiten the backgrounds with the whitening tool and add filters. I also like to use Afterlight too sometimes to add lighting effects. 

All these things make such a difference to the final appearance of your pictures. 

On my computer I will use the app called 'Fotor' - you do have to pay for this monthly and I use this to edit the contrast/brightness and add filters and effects. 

This is a fun process. If I am editing a video I will use Final Cut Pro on my brothers Mac as I am yet to get one. 

TIP: Keep your edits original, you don't always have to stick with a theme like Instagram suggests. Edit to reflect your personality. I like to keep my images a little quirky in how I edit and present them. There are lots of FREE good apps out there. 

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read my posts and for following my blog. I have had a lot more hits these last couple of months and I fully appreciate it. 

It means a lot :) 

I hope you found this post useful and if you're a beginner to photography and the world of blogging, I would like to think this could help you. 

I don't have soft box lighting and all the fancy equipment and you don't need to either. I have spent some money, yes, but if you really are serious about what you're doing it's worth the spend.

If you would like to follow my blog you can here on Bloglovin'. 

You can also find me on the following social media sites. 

Twitter: Leluroxxblogger

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Facebook: Leya.Hutton

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Snapchat: Blackeyedfox

Until next time...

L 

X 

Another Haul | Best Of The High Street Brands

Evening amigos 

Today I have been trying to get my life in order... I would say that ended up not so successful. I have now started ringing round for jobs, has it really come to this?! 

I have been learning how to use Photoshop today and I am slowly getting there, I have downloaded a free trial of Creative Cloud and I love it. The thing is it only lasts for 7 days and I need to find a serial number crack so I can use it forever because there is no way I can afford to buy it. 

If anyone could help me I would be extremely grateful?!

I popped into New Look, Boots and Superdrug on Friday and bought some things. 

OMG New Look have some amazing things in at the moment and an awesome sale on right now too. 

I had a drama in the changing rooms though. Ha ha. 

I was trying on some black dungaree's which were in the sale. Could I get them over my thighs? NO WAY IN HELL. They were a size 10 so were big enough and I finally figured out why when I was trying to force my legs out of them... They were from the petite section. 

*face palm*

I really struggled to get them off. I totally had a Ross from Friends moment with the leather pants. 

Here are the few things I bought and the item below is totally my favourite and such a steal. 

New Look you did good man!!  

I am SO IN LOVE with this bomber jacket. I have been searching for one for ages and wanted a black one. This was hanging in the 'sale' section but was still marked as full price. I held on to it to try on. It's a size 12 which I liked as it was slightly oversized. I was sold whether it was in the sale or not. 

C'mon guys... How freaking awesome is this jacket. 

It is super sparkly with the sequins and it lits goes with everything. 

It was in the sale too. I checked when I went to the till and she was like "yep, it's £15 - do you want it?"

Errrr do I want it. HELL YEAH. MINE. 

This piece from New Look is beautiful... It's rare that I find something that really catches my eye. This one however is really unique and goes so well with an all black outfit. It really stands out. 

This was also in the sale for £5.

Okay, so the story with these is a short one. I originally had the Real Techniques 301 Contour brush and I used it twice and the head came off. Grr. 

I emailed the company to inform them and to get a replacement. For some reason their site is a .com so it would have to be shipped over to me. I though Real Techniques were a British brand... Sam and Nic are British aren't they? 

Anyway, they offered me a $20 code to replace the brush which means I would have to add money to it, pay for shipping and customs for a faulty product. No way mate. 

I then took it to Boots as that's where I originally bought it from and the lady was so lovely and replaced it for me for the two brushes above. I didn't trust the manufacturing of the contour so chose not to re-purchase.  

 

I finally got my hands on these Vagas Nay lashes. I cannot wait to use these in my next makeup look. 

Lets hope she notices that I have used them. 

Life would be made. Ha. 

This was a short haul, but seriously if you haven't been to the New Look sale yet, you need to before it ends. They have some super cool things on sale and I love the brand A LOT so buying their stuff is always a winner for me. 

Don't forget to subscribe if you enjoy reading my posts. 

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Twitter: Leluroxxblogger

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Until next time...

L 

X 

Beauty Blogger Tag | Get To Know What Makes This Face.

"Happy Monday"... Said no one ever! 

Ha, heeyyyyy guys. We meet again and it's another week gone by. Seriously though, how quick are these weeks and months going. It's my day of birth in what? 3 months. I seriously better get a job soon. I need to do some serious shopping then. Ha. 

It will be Christmas before too long and I for one cannot wait. Sorry to all you sun bunnies who live and dream for the hotter days but for me it is a long 7 months of face agony because of my hayfever.

Speaking of that, I have ANOTHER eye infection. I meant WTF! How?! It's seriously putting me off applying makeup now, I originally thought my eyes were burning and itching because I had been in fields with horses that I had found and thought the pollen had got to me. 

Nope.

Ha, yes I wanted to go outside, so I stole my brothers swimmings gogs and went outside to protect my peepers from the pollen.

Me being the worrier that I am thought ahead and got my doc to re-prescribe my antibiotic eye drops and mass cell eye drops "just in case", turns out I did need them. So I am back on those bad boys for 7 days now. My eyes are a mess, literally so sore. The funny... Well not funny thing, is that I was using a new L'Oreal eye pencil and I used it in my waterline and noticed as soon as I had applied it that my eyes were burning. I wiped it off. Next thing I know I have freaking pink eye again and he fleas with burning torches of flames returned to have a party in my eyes. 

Last week was a complete write off. 

This was nothing. This was before my eyes got worse and
a lot more puffy. 

Positive thinking for better things to come. :)

Right then, I have been nominated by the lovely, talented and beautiful Chanel of Chanelsbeautybible to take part in the 'Beauty Blogger Tag'. I don't actually think I have taken part in a tag like this before unless you include the 'Liebster Awards' post I did the other month? 

Anyway, I was excited to receive this tag via Twitter by Chanel because of course I love all things beauty related. 

It's a great thing these tags because you get to know a lot about how the blogger you're reading about ticks. 

I am pretty straight forward but ya know we all like to chat about ourselves now and then right?! :) 

Right, the important stuff. 

The Rules

. Tag the blogger who nominated you.

.Answer the questions you were given. 

.Nominate 3 beauty/fashion/lifestyle bloggers.

.Ask them 10 original questions.

. Let the guys know you have tagged them otherwise this won't work, duh.

So, here we go. These are my nominated questions and you lucky lot get to see my answers. 

Have fun. 

1. What is your favourite makeup brand?

A. This is such a hard question for me to answer as there are SO many that I could pick. I love brands such as NYX, Urban Decay, MAC, Maybelline, Rimmel and Sleek... But if I have to pick just one it would defiantly be Makeup Revolution fo'sure. I just LOVE their products, they are so affordable and their eyeshadow pallets are to die for. They are really great quality and so easy to work with. I am so glad I have found that brand. 

Look created with Makeup Revolutions 'Acid Brights' & 'Colour Chaos' pallet. 

2. If you could only use 3 makeup products for the rest of your life what would they be? 

A. Okay, again this is hard because there are so many things I need. Ha. I would 100% use concealer - Collection's Lasting Perfection in 'Fair' for my first choice. My Maybelline 24 Hour foundation in 010 'Ivory' and finally my Primark 'Nude' lip liner. 

The thing is all these would be fine to use for the rest of my life but then again I would sooo look like a boiled egg without my eyebrow pencil... I would sneak that in somehow but "shhhhh". 

3. How long does it take to do your makeup on a regular day? 

A. Now this depends on whether I am doing a no makeup - makeup look or whether I am going full throttle and doing a full face. 

If am going in hard I would say around an hour but if I am just being a plain Jane that day I would day fifteen mins to half an hour. 

4. Could you leave the house without makeup on?

A. Yes, I have done and will do again. This isn't to say that I felt totally comfortable with that decision because quite frankly I get a bit self concious. I will only do so if I am going to the docs, popping to the shop quickly or something like that. I tend to whack on my geek glasses when I have no makeup on. They hide half of my face. Ha. 

5. What is your all time favourite makeup product? 

A. Ahhh man these are hard to answer as I have a few. 

Hmmmmmmmmm.

I would actually have to pick two as they work together so really it's classed as one. Ha. I am such a cheater. :D 

I would pick my Primark 'Nude' lip liner and MAC's 'Honeylove' matte lipstick. This combo is literally my go to lip without a doubt most days. 

6. Do you remove your makeup when you get home or before bed?

A. It depends what kind of day I have had. If I am working, I will come home do all the bits and bobs I need to do and then I will take all of my makeup off. 

If it's a weekend I will take it off right before I go to sleep. 

I used to be sooo bad and sleep in my makeup and take it off the next morning. 

No. Big mistake. Never do that now. 

7. What is your worst beauty fall? 

A. I would say that my worst beauty fall is picking my spots and rubbing my eyes to an inch of their life when I have hayfever. 

I sometimes make the spots worse and they can scar if I am not careful and yeah my hayfever makes me rub my eyes and I have such bad dark circles because of it. I need more willpower. Ha.

8. Clothes Shopping or makeup shopping? 

A. I would say 60/40 - that being makeup shopping at the top of my list. I do love clothes shopping but I am really particular in what I am looking for in clothing and a lot of the time I cannot find it and it frustrates me until I end up making it myself. So for me makeup shopping wins as I get SO excited when I get new makeup to try out. I tend to hoard though because I like to get excited all over again in say a weeks time. 

Weirdo. 

9. Mascara or falsies? 

A. I don't really like falsies because they irritate me. I constantly know something is there but mascara does nothing to my lashes as they are so stubby and poker straight. Out of the two I would pick falsies as at least it would look like I have some. Lol. 

10. What do you love about blogging? 

A. I love a lot of things, I love the fact I can vent in my 'life' posts, write passionately about all the things I love, share my thoughts to the whole world, meet and chat to all the other lovely bloggers ( I feel like I have a lot of friends now) and it opens me up to some great opportunities that wouldn't of been there before. 

It's my little getaway from the real world. The blogging community is so supportive and positive it really is amazing, I love seeing my blog and social media grow and I love the fact so many people have the same passions as myself. I am able to project my personality and take a hella load of photos. 

Ladies and gents my 10 questions have been answered and I hope you liked my response. Great questions Chanel! 

Right my nominees are: 

Jade Mogan from Wingitwithjade

Charlene McElhinney from Charlenemcelhinney

Lizee Barry from Vanityfrills

Here are your 10 questions. 

1. How has blogging had a positive effect on you? 

2. What is your go to makeup product?

3. If you could recommend the best lipstick ever what would it be? 

4. Do you have a skincare routine? If so, what are your steps?

5. If you had to pick either eyelashes or eyebrows to live without which would you choose? 

6. What is your biggest beauty hangup? 

7. Do you have a special makeup tip that you use without fail? If so, what is it? 

8. What 3 products would you never buy again? 

9. What is your signature makeup look? 

10. If you could pick a celebrity that projects your look/style who would it be and why? 

Thank you again Chanel for nominating me. I love answering questions a lot so this was hella fun to do. I hope my nominated ladies love it just as much. 

As always don't forget to hit that Bloglovin button to follow my blog here. I would be most grateful. :) 

You can follow me here too if you like me that much. Ha. 

Twitter: leluroxxblogger

Instagram: Leluroxxblogger

Snapchat: blackeyedfox

Facebook: Leya Hutton 

YouTube: Leluroxx

Until next time...

Love