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

Instagram: Leluroxxblogger

Facebook: Leya.Hutton

YouTube: Leluroxxblogger

Snapchat: Blackeyedfox

Until next time...

L 

X 

Birthday Wishlist // ft. Makeup Revolution, MAC, Boohoo, Canon, Foxy Locks & More.

Afternoon guys!! 

Yay, it's 12 days until my birthday!! :D 

I don't know why I am saying yay as I am going to be turning 28 and that's no fun. I am still single and childless. My child is SO going to end up coming from a test tube the rate I am going... Anyway that's another story. 

Okay, so lets be positive about the situation. Well this weekend I am having a girly one with my friend, just chilling with junk food and movies. Looking forward to that. And yeah, the Friday after is my birthday (7th Aug). Yes, I am going shopping the same as I do every year. Boring I know, but I refuse to do nothing. I am going to the Safari Park the next day though which I am super excited about. Totally in my element there and I can take my DSLR and take some awesome pictures. It better not rain!!!

Above, I have collated some images into a montage of the items I have been wanting for a long while and will maybe get on my actual birthday. *I won't get it all though, I'll end up broke*

Going from left to right I will give you a little lowdown on why I have picked what I have. 

1. Canon EF 75-300 f/04 0-5.6 III Lens. I need some new lenses ready for the event I am going to in London (Sept) where I am booked as a photographer. I also REALLY want the Pancake lens, 40mm and 50mm. I also want a really good zoom lens. They are SO expensive though.

2. Foxy Locks Hair Extensions in 'Sunkissed Brown 230g'. Okay, so I had a lot hair cut off in March and I have gone this long without extensions. Granted my hair is still pretty long but for me not long enough. I want it a lot blonder than it is now but I don't want to damage my hair. I have had Foxy Locks for years now and for me they are the best on the market. 

3. Zoeva Rose Gold Eye Set. I have wanted these brushes for years!!! I would like the face brushes too. They aren't cheap but I know they are good. I think they are around £40 but they are definitely something I want in my brush collection sharpish. 

4. Mac Matte Lipsticks. I LOVE Mac lipsticks, I only wear matte formulas and these are some of the best. I am after shades, 'Honeylove', 'Lady Danger', 'Flat Out Fabulous' and 'Pink Pigeon'.

5. Mac Lip Liners. I love these liners, they are long wearing and durable. Yes they are pricey for a pencil but they last ages. Again I am after the shades 'Ruby Woo', 'Night Moth', 'Soar', 'Whirl', 'What A Blast', 'Magenta' and 'Shock Value'. Not a lot then :P

6. Mac Paint Pot in 'Painterly' and Mac 'Pale' Lip Erase. Again I have wanted these for quite a while too. 'Painterly' as it's a good eyeshadow base and lip erase as it takes the colour out from your lips to provide a good base for your lipsick. 

7. Dixi Ring. They have some beautiful sterling silver rings. I love anything that is colourful and stands out. 

8. Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro Matte Lipsticks. There are five shades and I want to try them all. 

9. Makeup Revolution Concealer Corrector Pallet. This is new out and I really want to try it and see if it works for my blemishes and dark circles. It looks amazing. 

10. Instax Printer. I love this as you can link it to your phone and print out instax (Polaroid) sized pictures without the actual camera. It's quite pricey though. 

11. Nanshy Brushes. The face brushes look amazing. I need these in my life. I particually like the 'Luxury Makeup Brush Set' and the 'Masterful Collection- Pearlescent White'. 

12. Boohoo 'Jeeny' Camel coat. I am in love with this coat. It's perfect and a total staple for autumn/winter. 

13. Hand weights. My current weights are MASSIVE and SO heavy. I need some smaller ones for every day use. 

14. Ikea Alex Makeup Storage Drawers. I have wanted these for SO long, they are so clean and pretty looking. Every girl has these and I need to be one of them. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and maybe given you some idea's for your own wish list. 

Until later... Adios. 

L x

Birthday Wishlist by leluroxx featuring white furniture

Happy Day of Birth To Me // My Birthday Wishlist.

Thanks to some lovely ladies on Twitter I now know why my images were changing on upload. So now it's all fixed I can stop tearing my hair out. 

Thanks girlies if you are reading :)  

So, it's my day of birth on the 7th August and I will be the grand old age of 27. Now some of you won't believe that I will be that age as most people think I am like 20. I wish. 

But yes, I am nearing 30 and it's making me feel sick in my actual mouth. The thought of me ever being that age is horrendous. 

Yeah, so I am planning on going shopping in the day...And the night time... Well I am a little unsure what's going on. I am also thinking the night before I might go to the cinema to watch either the new Purge or Inbetweeners 2 movie. I need to fit in a night out too because I have not been out for MONTHS. 

Either way I am planning on having a good time and to buy lots of nice things. :) Oh and eat lots!! That's a must. 

Today's post will consist of my 'Birthday Wishlist' things that I will be getting and some things that I would love to get. It's just a fun little post and I will be following up with what I actually brought!

Have fun browsing.

♥

I already own so Barry M makeup brushes and I am not going to lie...They suck!! The foundation brush is horrendous and doesn't blend the foundation at all, so I have been recommended Real Techniques brushes. I ideally would love the Zoeva Brush set in 'rose gold' or Bobby Brown's face brush, but they are currently way out of my price range. 

So here are my top three. 

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush.

http://www.iherb.com/real-techniques-by-samantha-chapman-your-base-flawless-expert-face-brush/42482

Real Techniques Stippling Brush. 

http://www.iherb.com/real-techniques-by-samantha-chapman-your-finish-perfected-stippling-brush/41373




Real Techniques Powder Brush.

http://www.iherb.com/real-techniques-by-samantha-chapman-your-base-flawless-powder-brush/41365



This next item has been on my list for a while now and I am in love with how quirky and retro it is. I love the blue colour too, I did originally want the pink but I found blue would suit me better. I am really obsessed with camera's and photography at the moment and I love this little instant baby.



Blue Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera. 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/909242-REG/fujifilm_16273439_instax_mini_8_camera.html

I LOVE the Lush shop now that I have actually discovered it. And this bath bomb is one that I really want but for some reason haven't picked it up yet. It turns your bath all pink, blue and purple and apparently it's really good before bed and it de-stresses you...Which is totally what I need.

Lush 'Twilight' Bath Ballistic.

https://www.lush.co.uk/products/bath-bombs



I brought the Revlon Colourburst Matte sticks the other week and I really don't see the hype with them. It was a toss up between those and the item listed here. So I am going to try this lipstick out and HOPE it will live up to the hype this time.  




Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick.

http://www.emtalks.co.uk/2014/04/bourjois-rouge-edition-velvet-lipstick.html

I am loving this group at the moment and have a few of their songs already. I just find this album really upbeat and it's great for listening to in the car on a summers day. 

Awesome album.



Neon Jungle 'Welcome To The Jungle' Album.

http://www.josepvinaixa.com/blog/neon-jungle-welcome-to-the-jungle-deluxe-itunes/

I follow Tanya's blog and YouTube channel and was notified (in one of her vids) that she was bringing out her own line of makeup. Loads of people have purchased her lip glosses and I particularly love her 'nude' range. I am looking to buy 'Chic' or 'Picnic in the Park. 



Tanya Burr Lip glosses.

http://www.tanyaburr.co.uk/?blog=blogs/archive/2014/02/26/the.tanya.burr.lip.glosses.aspx




I have wanted one of these brushes for years now. My hair is quite long and has bleach underneath so it tends to knot quite easily and I am not a fan of ripping my hair out. And these "apparently" glide through your hair with ease removing tangles and not damaging your hair in the process. I need to try this. 


Tangle Teezer.

http://www.purrrchase.hk/main/web/index.php?id=TT-comb




Again, I have wanted these since they have come out. I don't think they are really worth forking out almost £40 for them so I am either going to wait for them to come down in price or just get them. They aren't in any of the stores I have visited so I don't know if it is just an online thing? But yeah, I love these a lot. 

New Look Cleated Sole Boots.

http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/boots/black-chunky-cleated-sole-platform-shoe-boots_307250501

I like this River Island sweat for obvious reasons. It's frickin cool. I don't know what the hang is like on this but I like mine quite baggy. I also love the colour and it just looks cosy and you can just chill in it or dress it up to go into town. 

Winner.



River Island 'Fashion Blogger' Sweat.

http://www.shopstyle.co.uk/browse/sweaters/River-Island

Ahhhh I love these a lot. I think everyone has a pair of these except for me. I saw a blogger with them on and I was like "ooohhh I must get some". They will literally go with anything and I love that in a clothing item. 




American Apparel Black Disco Pants.

http://www.polyvore.com/american_apparel_disco_pants/thing?id=55369118

I don't really use powder products on my face but I have seen this used quite a lot so it must be good. Just something to try out. :) 



Rimmel Stay Matte Powder.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rimmel-Stay-Matte-Pressed-Powder/14551435

Since I worked at Claire's Accessories and had to wear like £100 worth of jewellery every time I was on shift, it has really put me off wearing any. I do however LOVE sterling silver rings as they don't turn your fingers green or go rusty.

I love this one from Accessorize and had my eye on it for a while now. 



Accessorize Sterling Silver Ring. 

http://www.polyvore.com/sterling_silver_deco_turquoise_disc/thing?id=87919787

I like Body Shop's body butters and what girl doesn't like chocolate?! 

I cannot wait for their Christmas range to come back out!!

Body Shop 'Chocomania' Body Butter.

http://www.thebodyshop.com/by-line/chocomania.aspx

I have been searching high and low for this book and have just reserved it at Waterstones. I love reading and this looks interesting. I already brought Binky's (Made In Chelsea) book and loved it so I am hoping this is just as good. 






Lucy Watson's 'The Dating Game' Book.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2604165/Made-In-Chelseas-Lucy-Watson-unveils-dating-guide-help-women-avoid-mistakes-made.html






I really would like a DSLR camera so I can start my YouTube channel and take even more awesome pictures. I wanted the Canon 600d but for some reason they are discontinuing them which is highly annoying as it was in my price range and had a flip out screen. Now the 700d is it's replacement but I am unsure if it has a flip screen or not and it's waaaayyy more expensive.

Can any of you guys enlighten me on this issue and also are Canon better than Nikon? 

Canon 600d & 700d DSLR Camera

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/dslrs/129185/1/canon-eos-600d-review

There are loads more things I could of added on here but the one's listed are the main things that stuck in my head. 

Even though turning 27 makes me feel ill I can cheer myself up by buying things that will make me happy. 


I hope you enjoyed browsing through. 


Until next time... 

♥