Photo by Shannon from ForTheMommas
A little over a week ago, I attended my fourth blogging conference within one year. It all started with BlogHer09′ in Chicago last year, and last weekend was BlogHer10′ in New York City. When I headed to Chicago last year, I had dread, skepticism, and apprehension as it was my first conference. Would I fit in? Would I have a good time? Would I attend another conference?
In the three plus years of blogging, I have never thought of myself as a writer. I can tell a pretty funny story, but usually my stories are delivered better in person. I have an odd sense of humor, and you really have to know me to understand. I always tell people, “I’m better in real life than my blog”. Seriously, I can’t tell you how many times people have told me, “you are not really angry”. Duh, I have a hint of sarcasm to my humor. When I talk to other bloggers, I will always mention, “Oh, I loved your post and xyz, etc.” I NEVER get that said to me. I get, “Oh I loved the photograph that you took at Disneyland, or I heard you photographed Bloggy Boot Camp.” I write about some awesome things, sometimes, I swear.
When I start working on blog posts, I tend to write them around my photos. It is very rare that I publish a post without a photo. I rarely use stock photographs. I mostly use those when I’m doing some kind of review or giveaway. You can tell when I have a busy week, because I don’t post as much here. When I’m busy with work, family, or whatever, I don’t always have a camera in my hand.
I think my photography and blogging has completely evolved in the past year. I’m spending more time on my photos and I’ve learned to edit them better. I actually attended two sessions at BlogHer this year, and one of them was about photography, shocking, I know. I attended the ROYO-How to Take Great Pictures, Whether You Have a DSLR or Point-and-Shoot session which was put on by Mishelle, Lotus, and Rachel. While listening to the lovely photographers in front of me, I did a lot of head nodding. As in, “Ok, I’m doing this photography thing right, I think?”
I think my perspective behind the lens has definitely changed in the past year. I’ve also tried editing my photos a little bit different, here and there. While I was in NYC for BlogHer, I served as one of the official photographers for a private party, better known as “Social Luxe Lounge”. I took over 300 photographs at that event and dealt with some of the major nightmares for a photographer; white balance issues, lighting, night club atmosphere, and some colored lighting. I learned a lot while editing those photographs. I hope everyone enjoyed what I captured though.
So when people ask me now the million dollar question…what is that question? Oh, you should know by now. “What is your blog about?” I will answer, “Photography, I blog through my photography. Whatever I capture through my lens, I blog”.
I’m sure that I will be writing a ton of other posts related to BlogHer and my reflections on it. I enjoyed it this year, much more than last year. I was more comfortable this year in my own blogger skin. I knew what to expect. I was prepared. But {giggle}, the photo editing was much worse this year, after.
I took many many more photographs, but I’m doing other posts, where I will highlight specific events I attended, etc.
If you want to see my photographs, feel free.
