Last year, I officially designated February as annual reader survey month on the blog. This is the time of year when winter really starts to drag on, and it can be hard around this time to sometimes continually be inspired with blog content, so I think it's the perfect time to reflect on the past year and prepare for the year ahead! Today I'm sharing my annual reader survey. It would mean so much to me if you took a few minutes out of your day to take it! Just like last year's, there are only 10 questions, so it doesn't take too long at all to complete. All answers are anonymous too! I really do read and review each and every completed survey and use all of the data to plan out my content and how I run this blog for the next year, so if you fill it out it really does help me! I'll also be sharing a post in a couple weeks recapping the results of the survey so everyone can see. 😊 (Here's last year's annual survey results blog post if you'd like to see!)
Without further ado- the survey! You can take it right here in this blog post (or via this link if you prefer!):
Thanks SO much again to everyone who is taking this! It will be open until next week. A fun Valentine's Day outfit will be on the blog tomorrow, and Midweek Ramblings will be up on Thursday this week.
Happy Monday and Happy Valentine's week! Today's Relationship Monday post is taking a more faith-based route than some of the past posts in this series. After this post topic popped into my head last week, I did a poll on Instagram Stories to see if y'all would be interested in reading. Surprisingly, most of you answered "yes!" - so here's today's blog post. I always feel like my faith posts here on the blog give you more of an insight into the real me, and I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this topic, as it is one that is quite meaningful to me and has been for many years now!
It's time to share some more reviews of PR packages, aka blogger mail! This is my chance to share unbiased and honest reviews of the products that I'm gifted by brands as a blogger. As always, here's my disclaimer that I'm not currently in a sponsored relationship with any of these companies, so I'm not being paid to post these opinions or reviews. 🙂January was a bit of a slower month all around with blogging, including receiving blog related packages, so I only have a few things to share today. Things are definitely already picking up in February though so next time I write one of these posts there will be a lot more things to share!
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
I typically review beauty items in these posts, but today we're starting out with a beverage! I was given the opportunity to test out Phocus, which is a sugar-free, all-natural sparkling caffeinated water beverage. These are caffeinated completely naturally from tea leaves, and there also aren't any artificial sweeteners. My disclaimer with my review on this is that I'm pretty picky about beverages and really only drink plain ice water, almond milk, and hot tea, so I wasn't sure how I'd like these based off of my taste palette for drinks.
I thought they were okay! I definitely reacted to the caffeine in them, and it's always great to discover new caffeinated beverages for days you need that extra boost. The taste and sparkling water effect wasn't really my thing... but then again I don't love carbonated beverages to begin with. I'm not a fan of La Croix, but I bet anyone who loves La Croix would love Phocus!! I think this would be a healthier alternative to soda for college students! So I think it's a good product, I just personally didn't love the taste based on my own preferences.
This next product is one of my favorite items that I've gotten in a PR package in a long time! I will definitely be repurchasing this for myself once it runs out, as I use it everyday! I am very picky when it comes to lotions and I have sensitive skin, and on top of that I don't like the smells or texture of many. This one is great on all counts! I am obsessed with the Vaseline Soothing Body Butter with Cocoa and Shea. It has a thick, luxurious texture, and it smells just like a chocolate bar. It's some of the best smelling lotion I've ever used! I use it on my legs every night after showering.
Lastly, a few items from a brand new line! It is always really fun to get to test out items from new beauty lines. Love Beauty and Planet is a brand new hair and skincare brand which is now available at drugstores nationwide. This line focuses on eco sustainability and being both good for the planet and consumer, which is a great concept! I was sent some shampoo, conditioner and body wash from their Smooth and Serene line to test and review. I really liked the shampoo and conditioner! I've always been pretty loyal to certain hair products so the fact that I've liked them so much surprised me. The body wash I personally wasn't as crazy about (it made my back breakout a bit), but I can have sensitive skin when it comes to body washes so that wasn't too surprising to me.
That's all for today- short and sweet as promised! I hope that you're having a great start to your weekend. This weekend is my monthly Saturday off work so I get to enjoy a real weekend. Last time this happened I was snowed in all weekend, so hopefully that won't happen again!
There's one question that I've been asked more than others from reader friends over the last year and a half-ish... and that is is anything related to the photography aspect of running my blog! The specific wording of the question itself varies person to person, but I've had a lot of inquiries as to when I first made the decision to hire a blog photographer, how I've found my photographers (in both NC and VT), and other questions related to blog photographers. After being asked some of these questions again when I did my Winter 2018 Reader Q&A post last month, I decided to save any photography related questions and finally just write a whole separate blog post about it all! 😊I hope this is helpful to you, and if there's anything related to this topic that I didn't touch on, please feel free to email me.
{My first hired blog photographer Deeana and I shooting in Rock Hill, SC in February 2017! Blog post from this outfit here.}
When to Start Using a Blog Photographer:
*When did I start working with blog photographers? There are actually two answers to that question! In my first couple years of blogging, I had the chance to do a few random shoots with photographers that I met through a Facebook group. I didn't pay for any of these shoots, and they were all kind of to help these girls build their photography portfolios for fashion imagery. (The cool thing is most of these photographers have gone on to be super successful full-time wedding photographers now, hard work pays off!) So technically speaking, I did work with a few photographers early on. But during my first three years of blogging, it was 95% of the time my college roommates and friends who would take my blog photos and Instagram pictures, and I'd edit them myself.
As I neared college graduation in 2016 and 4.5 years of blogging, I was ready to take the plunge and hire my first photographer for a more permanent relationship. Part of that was because I'd soon be parting ways for living with my current college suitemate, who at that time had been doing most of my photos. I didn't want every time that we saw each other after my graduation to only be due to my blog! I was also finally at a place where I was making a small but steady monthly income from blogging, and I knew that I could afford to pay for a blog photographer with my earnings. This is an important one! And lastly, I consider myself to be a self-proclaimed blog photography snob and I wanted to take Southern Belle in Training's images to the next level. There was only so much I could do with friends who didn't have photography background taking my pictures and my minimal editing skills. I knew with better consistent images, I'd land more sponsored campaigns (and that's totally what happened!).
*How do you know whether to use someone you know (boyfriend/husband, family member, friend) for photography needs, or hire a photographer? Long answer- I apologize in advance! This decision is different for everyone! My process was using my Kodak digital camera and iPhone for the first two years (lol- but true!), my new DSLR for years three and four, and then I started working with photographers for about 80% of my blog content in 2016, after 4.5 years of blogging. I still use my DSLR when I travel, and for some last minute blog posts or the occasional outfit posts that I shoot in between sessions with photographers. (I also enjoy photography as a hobby, so now I have the chance to use my DSLR more for fun photography than just my blog!) Most newer bloggers take a faster path to monetizing their blogs than I did, so chances are you might not be using a crappy digital camera for your first two years. My best advice, which I kind of mentioned above, is to not hire a blog photographer regularly until you can pay for that 100% with money from your blog. Trust me- I could not afford to work with my photographers regularly right now on my salary from my day job, especially with high rents in Vermont and student loan payments! But I am proud to work hard enough on the blog since 2016 to pay for it with business earnings and write it off for taxes each year as a business expense. Once you're at that point with your earnings, I highly recommend a photographer!
If you are earning enough with your blog to afford a photographer, I personally advise to do that over using someone you know. It is great to have a person in your life who is willing to help out with your blog- trust me, I am so thankful for everyone I knew in college who took my photos for me on that digital camera way back when, haha! But I think there comes a point with blogging, especially when you're doing more regular sponsored work and starting to have a lot of deadlines, that the photography aspect of blogging becomes less casual and more like "work," and you don't want that to affect your relationship with this person.
My Vermont blogging friend Nicholle helps me occasionally with sponsored blog post photos if I have deadlines that don't correspond with my photoshoots, and I've written before that my parents help me with blog photos when I'm home in Maine or traveling with them, and other friends will still snap occasional Instagram pictures for me, but other then that I really try and keep things to working with my photographers! If I were to get in a relationship anytime soon, I can't even imagine having a "blogger boyfriend" - lol!!
*How to know what type of photographer to work with? To some people, the term "photographer" conjures up childhood memories of very staged studio shoots in the mall in the JC Penney or Sears portrait studio.... eek! That's definitely not what it's like to work with someone for fashion imagery a blog. I personally prefer to work with natural light wedding photographers (all of my photographers have worked primarily doing weddings). I love bright and airy photos, and working with photographers who understand how to maximize using natural light. I've found that typically wedding photographers understand that well! However, your aesthetic on your blog might be very different than mine, so you might prefer to work with a different type of photographer. Browse lots of portfolios and see whose images you connect with.
Where to find blogger photographers:
*How did I find my blog photographers? I've had three photographers that I've officially "hired:" meaning I've signed a contract with them and have used them longterm. One in Charlotte, Deeana Kourtney Photography, and two here in Vermont, Melissa Lynn Studios and Amanda Rose Photography.
I found Deeana and Amanda through the same way, a great community-building organization for creatives and entrepreneurs called Rising Tide Society. Rising Tide Society has meet-up groups for creatives in all industries called Tuesdays Together groups in almost every city across the country, and I found both Deeana and Amanda through local Tuesdays Together groups in Charlotte and Burlington! I've found in both states that I've lived in that Rising Tide Society has a majority of photographer members as compared to other creative fields, but anyone that's a creative entrepreneur is welcomed (so as a fashion blogger and content creator, I was eligible to join Tuesdays Together groups in both places I've lived!). Once I was added to each region's Facebook group, I put out a post describing a bit about my blog, and what I was looking for in a photographer. I found Deeana that way in the Charlotte group, and Amanda in the Burlington group! Here in Vermont this summer I also got to attend a few of the meet-ups for Tuesdays Together, and it was a fun way to meet other photographers and creatives in the Vermont area when I was brand new here.
I found Melissa through The Knot- the popular wedding website! The Knot has a section where local vendors can list themselves, and while I was still living in North Carolina I used this to search for Burlington area wedding photographers, so that I'd have one lined up before I moved. Deeana was primarily a wedding photographer at the time we worked together, so I figured that using another wedding photographer would be the way to go in Vermont. I browsed several portfolios that were listed for Burlington on The Knot, and made a few email and phone inquiries. Some were too expensive and some weren't interested in working with a blogger, but Melissa ended up being a great fit!
*What are some additional ways to connect with blog photographers? While I haven't personally used these ways myself to find a photographer, I might try them in the future and I've heard of other bloggers using them!
If you don't have as big of a budget to work with a photographer, try reaching out to the dean or a professor of a local art school or university with a photography major, and ask if any students would be interested in working with you on a trade basis to build their portfolios.
And if Rising Tide Society or The Knot aren't working for you to connect with anyone in your area, try searching #(YourCityorState)Photographer on Instagram, or other local creative related hashtags!! Instagram can be such a great place to make connections.
Lastly, if you're traveling and need a blog photographer only for a short time, try and find bloggers who already live in or have visited the area, and ask them who they've worked with previously and enjoyed! I'm always happy to recommend my Charlotte and Vermont photographers to those visiting these areas.
Helpful Tips:
*How do you send an inquiry to a photographer? Similarly to pitching a brand- send a professional email! If you've found the photographer via Instagram and they don't have an email listed on their bio or website, you can always send them a brief but professional DM asking for their best contact email. Here are some things to include in your email:
A couple lines about your blog (the focus of your content, how long you've been blogging, how frequently you post, etc).
Why you're looking to hire a photographer for your blog and what you envision the relationship to look like.
What drew you to this photographer's portfolio and why you're interested in working with them.
Conclude the email by suggesting a phone conversation or meeting for coffee if they're interested in working together, and end on a professional and upbeat note!
*What things do you include in your contract? It is EXTREMELY important to sign a contract with your blog photographer, just like signing one with a brand! This protects both you and the photographer. The most important thing in all of my contracts are the timeline that I will receive photos from my photographers. Oftentimes when I shoot with them it's for a sponsored campaign, and I need the photos by a certain date. While most photographers can't always get your images done in a day, having some sort of a timeline of expectation for delivery in writing is so important. (FYI: from what I've seen in blogger discussion groups 5-7 days seems to be about the standard on this). The contract is also the place to agree upon the rate you'll be working with per shoot! Get this all agreed upon before you begin working together. *How does pricing work for blog photography? Every photographer will charge differently for working with a blogger- different factors play in like average costs of photography in that city, years of experience for that photographer, the types of shoots you'll be requesting as a blogger and how much editing they will entail, etc. On average, what I've seen in blogging groups to be the standard nationwide is between $100-200 per hour long shoot. Some cities have photographers charging more, and some places have photographers charging less. These rates seem to be the average. Work with someone who fits your blog income budget! *How do you prepare for a blog photoshoot? Since I work full-time, I usually schedule my photoshoots about two weeks in advance. I closely monitor the weather as it gets closer, and do that especially so since it's winter right now! When I schedule a shoot, I usually ask my photographer for a back-up date in case we have to postpone the original date for inclement weather. I generally have an idea of where I want to shoot at the time that I book, but sometimes I don't, and I ask my photographer for recommendations! Since everyone I work with is a wedding photographer, they know lots of great local spots for pictures. 😊
In the week leading up to the shoot, I hang and set aside all of the outfits I'll be wearing on the clothing rack in my living room. The night before, I usually pack jewelry and lipsticks. The morning of, I load everything into a big tote bag or rolling suitcase and I'm off! (Using a rolling suitcase is a new trick that I picked up after shooting blog photos with a suitcase in this post- I can't believe I didn't do that before!)
My current hours at my day job here in Vermont are 11:30-7 weekdays, so that is very convenient for blog photos and natural light. I usually shoot Monday or Tuesday mornings right now, and sometimes Sunday afternoons after church! When I was in broadcasting school, Deeana and I used to meet weekday evenings in the warmer months, and then we did a lot of early weekend mornings last winter.
*How often should you shoot with a photographer? Base this around your budget, and the amount of collaborations that you're getting! A full-time blogger will need to shoot more often then someone who both blogs and works full-time like I do. I currently shoot at minimum once a month, and sometimes twice a month if I have extra collaborations or outfits to share. I've heard though of some full-time bloggers meeting their photographers as much as 2-3 times weekly!! *Do you need to hire multiple photographers? This is a very personal decision! I probably never would have considered hiring multiple photographers until I realized how busy I'd be with my full-time job in radio, and taking on more sponsored work last year blogging. My first Vermont photographer, Melissa, had a very busy wedding season last summer, and there were some weeks our schedules were just not meshing. I knew that it was the best decision for my business to hire a second photographer, and Amanda came around at the perfect time! I love both of their work so I've continued to work with both ladies, and it's been so great. However, back when I was in Charlotte and had a different lifestyle, working just with Deeana was more than enough for my blog needs at that time!
I will say that if you decide to hire more than one photographer, be transparent with your original one! (I love Melissa's photography and wanted her to know when I hired Amanda that it was for scheduling reasons mainly due to my own weird schedule with work, and didn't have anything to do with me not liking her pictures!) It's always better to be upfront about your needs in a business relationship then to leave someone wondering. *I'm a photographer and I want to work with fashion bloggers! How should I do that? Join your local chapter of Tuesdays Together through Rising Tide Society, and see if there are any bloggers in the group that you can connect with! Or, search #(YourCityorStateName)Blogger on Instagram, and if you find a local fashion blogger, send them a professional DM or email and offer to collaborate! They might already have a photographer they work with, so perhaps offer a free mini session or discounted session to build your fashion portfolio. Trust me- once a few bloggers see your beautiful images, they will be contacting you like crazy!! Just ask Deeana, when I started working with her in 2016 she told me she wanted to build relationships with Charlotte bloggers... and now in under two years I'd say she's one of the top Charlotte photographers for working with influencers! 🙂
Alright..... this post is now probably longer than some essays I wrote in college! Hopefully it covers everything and more that you've ever wondered about blogging photography. Thanks so much for reading!!
{Burlington's shopping and restaurant area, The Church Street Marketplace, all lit up on a Friday night! Follow me on social media @miss_alk}
Ramblings:
Fancy Saturday Night: One place that I've been turning to lately to find local things to talk about on the radio is Eventbrite. Some weeks in Vermont (especially being winter) there's not a ton going on, but other weeks I've learned about some cool things that I wouldn't have heard about otherwise. Anyways, a few weeks back I saw a fun semi-formal type event being advertised on Eventbrite and I got really excited! Things like this are kind of a rarity here in Vermont, and if you know me you know that I never turn down a chance to get dressed up! A couple of my new friends and I went to it on Saturday night and it was really fun! I couldn't believe it was the first time I have had a reason to get dressed up since moving to Vermont (well a reason that wasn't taking pictures for the blog 😉). If you're feeling in a bit of winter rut like I've been, take a look at Eventbrite or the Facebook events for your community. You might find something fun and unexpected like I did!
A new skill: So this is something that's probably kind of lame, but was exciting to me that I realized last week! I was driving in downtown Burlington, and instead of opting for the parking garage like I normally do... I decided to try parallel parking. I almost had it the first time, and was in the spot perfectly the second try! As much as I'd like to think it's a strong skill of mine, driving in general is probably not one of my strong suits, and for years I've been terrified of parallel parking. Since moving to Vermont, I've had a lot of chances to attempt it in downtown Burlington. There's so little traffic there generally that's it's a pretty stress-free place to get good practice at parallel parking. I was so proud that the months of attempting it have apparently paid off, lol!
Rapping nursery rhymes: This was the funniest thing that I saw online this week. Rapper Post Malone appeared on a Youtube video series, and was challenged to rap a nursery rhyme in the style of rap group Migos. I was laughing so hard watching this!!
Purchases: I am in the final week of a month long shopping fast, so no personal purchases this week! I'm getting excited to do some shopping later in February.
Wishlist:
Okay if I was headed somewhere warm and tropical soon I would definitely order this adorable little set!! (Sadly I think I would stick out like a sore thumb if I wore this in Vermont, even if I wore it in the summer.)
It will still be very cold for about two more months here in Vermont, and as spring technically gets closer I'd love to start figuring out more ways to wear spring colors in my wardrobe, without sacrificing comfort in the cold. This adorable preppy vest would be perfect to wear in March/April here in Northern New England.
It's been awhile since I've invested in a classic pair of hoop earrings. I love the knot detail on these- it adds a fun touch!
This embellished crossbody bag would be so cute to wear as wardrobes transition into spring, and I think it definitely has designer elements to it!
Recipe of the week: My Favorite Matzo Ball Soup (blog post here!). I had a big recipe fail this week which I talked about on Instagram Stories, so the best thing I made this week was a tried and true favorite that's actually one of my own recipes, a delicious matzo ball soup! If you're looking for the perfect soup that's comforting and warms you up on winter days, this is it.
Song of the week: She Loves Control by Camilla Cabello. This week I finally listened to some more songs from Camilla Cabello's new debut album. Some of them are a little slow for my taste, but I LOVE She Loves Control! It's so catchy and fun. I added it to my Workout playlist on Spotify and have been loving hearing it at the gym this week.
