It's been a little over a year since I started blogging and looking back makes me appreciate how much I learned and improved.

A fact about me, I actually had a blog with some friends when I was thirteen. However, all of them gave up on it, consequently I did the same. Every so often, I wish I had kept going and not quit.

1. BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST AND COLOR CORRECTING + LIGHTING
If you learn how to edit your pictures, it can dramatically change it for the better. I believe the basics are brightness, contrast and occasionally, color correcting. I always enhance the brightness so my pictures have an incredibly white background. For the contrast I raise it a tiny bit, so the colors look more vibrant. I used to color correct the photos I took with a Nikon D3200, now when I started using a Canon 700D I didn't have to do that anymore. I prefer my pictures to have a neutral tone, neither too warm, nor too cold.

My biggest advice for a beautiful picture is lighting. I love the look of natural lighting, but when I have to take a photo on a cloudy day, I like using an umbrella lighting with a fluorescent bulb.

2. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Right when I started this blog, I decided to post once day for a whole month. During the first week I had a lot to post about, but as the days went by I felt obligated to publish something and I had nothing to talk about. Don't even get me started on the low quality photos. I know that we all start somewhere and a lot of people wouldn't think it was too bad, but in my perfectionist brain that was awful.

In summary, don't post something just because you feel "pressured". Of course it's important to keep a plan, but don't force yourself into following an unrealistic schedule. I would much rather read a blog that posts once a week but actually has an incredible content, than reading one that posts every day and the quality is not as great. Remember, it's not necessarily about the camera and lens you use, but how much effort you put into it.

3. DON'T BE SCARED OF WRITING
This sounds weird, doesn't it?! In the beginning I used to write a review within five lines and I was done. I didn't elaborate or went in depth on the subject. At this moment in time, I realize that even I wouldn't waste my time reading that kind of review. The key to a good review or any type of blog post is to actually be informative and explain your point of view.

4. FINDING THE PERFECT TEMPLATE
When you're starting, it's fine to use one of the standard templates. You can totally customize those and to do that all you need to do is research HTML. I swear, it's not as scary as it seems. However, if you don't want to spend hours attempting to figure it out or buy a professional looking template, you can always find a free template. There are so many to choose from, simply type on Google "free template for Blogger" or "free template for WordPress".

5. EVERYTHING TAKES TIME
This could either be about gaining readers and followers, or about improving your skills. In the beginning you will have around five views per post. It takes months to get your first comment and then, an audience. The more you grow, the fastest you grow.

When it comes to developing skills, you need to be patient and practice as much as you can. The secret of getting ahead is getting started. So don't overthink things, just press publish!

If you fancy another reading I have a post dedicated to blog photography.