Blogging Essentials Wishlist*

Something to store your items in Although I love my current camera bag that has two compartments for my camera and equipment, it isn't very stylish. I pride myself in being a beauty, lifestyle and fashion blogger and having a leather camera bag to carry my equipment that will support the items and prevent them from damage is a must have. These are on the pricey side of £80 so I won't be getting one anytime soon, but it's on my list for future buys.
Something to take photos with To run a blog it's important to have beautiful photos to go with what you're writing about. Cameras like the Panasonic Super Zoom Cameras such as the DMC-LX7 have full-range brightness which would help out so well with blog photography. I take most of my photos against a white background and without the useful settings these cameras can provide, I can't ensure that the background will be crisp and white. I love having a blank canvas as a background for some photos as it keeps the focus on the item you're taking the photo of. This is especially important when working with brands as they don't want the reader focused on something else other than their product. I love using my Olympus Pen E-PL7 to ensure I have high quality images which you will also be able to achieve using a Panasonic Super Zoom camera.
Something to help inspire you To get motivated, I tend to stick on music that can get me in the mood to write. Now I'm not a one genre music gal. I like anything from rock to dance, oldies to new songs so not everyone in my house is interested in listening to what I'm listening to. I'm I'm going to have to wear something pretty, such as the Frends (not friends, trust me I wouldn't include a typo!) Layla Rose Gold Headphones as they go with pretty much everything I own and aren't too big to mess up my hair.
Something to light up your day Currently I am a huge lover of natural, diffused light and that isn't always achievable. Apart from using a good camera to change the f number to brighten everything up, you can use artificial light too. Soft boxes are ideal as they use white light from their huge bulbs to light up what you're focusing on, and their material helps diffuse the light to not make it so harsh. Having the white light there also stops photos looking like a different colour i.e. more yellow because you might turn a light on using a yellowish bulb. I currently have one but hoping to purchase another soft box for this purpose.
Something to write down your thoughts on Obviously to blog you need some form of computer that allows you to type freely. I don't have a working laptop and use my boyfriend's at the moment but I'm hoping that a miracle will occur and I'll be able to invest in an Apple Macbook in the near future. Along with typing out my blog posts, I also use Photoshop to edit my blog photos on just to brighten them up if required and resize the images etc. Having a working device such as a laptop is vital for blogging for me as I often use html to edit the text on my blog posts (such as this one) and it makes life that bit easier.
Something to keep everything steady For some blog photos I require a tripod to keep the photos level. The good thing about adding a tripod into your equipment is that you can use them for whatever you want as they're adjustable. Some good uses for them are for fashion photos as you can take practice shots behind the camera and ensure all your photos are taken in the same way, or food photography in order to create birds eye view photos that are aesthetically pleasing. For beauty blogging I don't require a tripod often unless I'm taking flat lay shots but they are handy and not all are expensive.
All of these elements create the perfect blogging package and hopefully in the future I'll invest in more cameras such as the Panasonic Super Zoom cameras, add more lenses to my Olympus Pen and buy those beautiful Layla headphones. Everyone has different blogging techniques and I'd love to know in the comments below what your perfect blogging essentials are.

* This post was proudly sponsored by Panasonic

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Add A Little Music To Your Summer*

Aside from the festivals and holidays, whether you're at home or on a road trip, music makes your summer. No matter who you are or what type you listen to, making the perfect playlist can make the season more enjoyable. For me, I create multiple playlists so I don't get too bored. Before going to a festival I create a playlist full of all the bands I want to see so I can learn the lyrics in time. For a holiday I add more upbeat tunes which especially helps whilst packing. For at home, I listen to a large mix of music with the knowledge that I can change the song with the power of a button. Having a wireless speaker system helps, such as the Panasonic wireless speakers with the app that allows you to control your music from your phone or tablet.

To listen to music I tend to plug my phone into my speakers in my living room, but now the sun is out I want to be out in the garden and want to take my music with me. The problem I have is I have to leave my phone plugged into the speaker to listen to my music outside. The ideal alternative to this is for a wireless speaker to keep your perfect summer tunes on while you relax in the sun. You can't listen to all of your favourite songs at one time and with each activity comes a different playlist. Here are my top summer genres to make playlists for:

Festival

Your favourite bands playing all in one place. You can learn the lyrics before you go so when you're seeing the songs played live you can sing along.

Holiday

A mix of the latest dance songs and the best hits released in the past few years are the perfect way to enhance your holiday experience.

Old School

Although I was born in the early 90's I love listening to music from the 60's onwards. Featuring music from a range of decades that were summer hits makes sure people of all ages listen too.

Rock

Since I was little I've enjoyed listening to rock music. Nobody around me played it but if you gave me the remote I would sit and watch Kerrang on TV all day long. I could never get bored of rock since it is so upbeat with a lot of drums and guitar to add a bit of depth to a song.

Top 40

This is a given really but I really enjoy listening to the current top 40 hits in the UK. With a range of different genres and tempos there really is something for everyone. The top 40 during the summer has a few dance songs, some pop and some more down to earth songs - perfect for a BBQ. Wireless speakers have been around for quite a while now, but if you really want to make the most of your music you need a decent speaker. The Panasonic wireless speaker lets you control your music via an app, so you can place the speaker inside your home and sunbathe in the garden listening to music, changing the song when you feel like it. Even though its a compact speaker, it produces a clear sound with rich bass to deliver the highest quality for your music.  What is your favourite summer playlist? *This is a sponsored post

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Summer Holiday Essentials*

With summer upon us, I thought it would be a good time to put together a summer holiday essentials list to make packing that little bit easier. I've picked out some of my favourite items that would be great to take away with you to make your holiday perfect.
You can't go out in summer without a pair of sunglasses, and I found these Quay 'All My Love' glasses for £40. I first discovered Quay when I took an interest in Pretty Little Liars and noticed Shay Mitchell wearing them since I started following her on Snapchat and have wanted some ever since. They are quite different style to other brands which I like, and you may have noticed I'm easily swayed towards rose gold items. 
Even if I wasn't a blogger, I'd still want to take a camera away with me as you can capture some great views and moments of your holiday. There is so much choice when it comes to cameras nowadays and it can sometimes be hard to know where to start. I think for a holiday, I would prefer to have an all in one compact camera that you can throw in your bag when you go out for the day or head down to the beach. This one by Panasonic is the best travel camera I've seen and has some great features for its size. It packs a 1 inch sensor with 10x optical zoom, and can record up to 4k video, which makes it perfect for bloggers and vloggers to capture summer memories. It has a good range of shooting modes and comes with handy features such as WiFi which I know would be very handy. 
Holidays are always a good excuse to pick up some new clothing items and I've chosen a couple of my preferred choices. The Topshop Stripe Ruffle Body is a nice summery off the shoulder top that only costs £20 which isn't bad. I'm quite into the denim shorts this summer and love these Topshop Acid Wash Dip Dyed Mom Shorts (£30) which would go well with the body. I like the two tone colour which does give them a nice bright feel. Last on the clothing list are the Miss KG Dream 3D Floral Flip Flops. I don't really own a pair of pretty sandals and I'm quite keen to add some flat ones to my shoe collection. The design is rather girly with the flower decoration, which is exactly what I want to take away with me on a summer holiday. I know you can get cheaper sandals than this, but for knowing you are getting the high quality that comes with the Kurt Geiger brand, I don't think £40 is too bad. 
The last few items are some that you can't forget to throw in the suitcase. Presuming you will be going somewhere with a beach or pool, a towel is an essential item to take. I do have quite an obsession with cute themed things, and this beach towel from John Lewis is right up my street. I love the watermelon pattern with a bright and summery colour to the towel which is perfect, and is only £15. I know this might not be an essential, however on the topic of cute items, I couldn't resist including this cup from New Look, and it's a steal at only £6.99. Just think about heading down to the beach or the sunbed by the pool and wanting a proper cup to keep your drink cool rather than one of the disposable cups you get from the bar. 
Something else to include to make sure you cant take all the important things out with you is a bag and thought this was a great fit for the summer look. It's £85 from River Island and I love the fringing and patterns on it, and there is still enough space to fit plenty of things in. Last item on essentials list is the cute little luggage tag from Skinny Dip and its only £6. It would be a little something to add to your bag so it makes it easier to find when collecting it. 


*This is a sponsored post with Panasonic

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How To Create A Blog Post For All Types Of Bloggers

It may be tempting to go straight into doing your post but this can sometimes cause you trouble further down the line. Spending a bit of time thinking about what you want your post to be like is always worth it. Some of the key things to identify are what style you want the post to be written in, such as a review, chatty post or an advice piece. When you have the idea in your head, you can set out a timeline for yourself to achieve your finalised blog post, taking and editing your photos, writing your content and then doing your last checks before hitting publish. Starting a blog is quite straightforward, so to really make the most out of blogging you should plan each post out even if you're just writing for a hobby.  

Taking photos for your blog is one of the most vital elements and can really compliment what you're writing about. One of the most important things when taking your photos is to consider the lighting situation. This can make or break the outcome of your photos. Where possible try to use natural lighting as this will give the best balance. If this isn't possible, aim to use some form of artificial lighting such as box lights or similar. Think about where you'll be shooting to make sure you have a suitable background, while the use of props can really bring your photos to life. There are a whole range of camera lenses available and using the right one can noticeably improve your picture and give you different options, such as blurry backgrounds. I use two cameras for my photos, the Olympus Pen E-PL7 and the Panasonic Lumix G6. After finishing taking the photos, there are a couple of ways to get your photos onto your device for editing. One helpful article about 'How to Transfer Images from your Lumix' explains how to do this. Once your photos are on your device, you can choose which way to edit them. I edit my blog photos on Photoshop but similar programmes and websites can help you achieve the same edit.

When it comes to writing your blog post it can sometimes be the point where you don't know where to start. This is where you can refer back to your plan to see how you intended to write the post and what needs to be included, as this will help you break it down into sections. If you concentrate on a smaller section at a time, it makes it easier to write. Letting your creative mind flow is great once you've got hang of it, but even if you get stuck you can look for some inspiration and you'll soon be right on track. Once you feel that your post is finished, go back over and read through it one more time. This will help you to spot mistakes you may have missed, along with slight improvements that could be made to make your writing that bit better.

It can be easy to publish your post and think that your work is complete but promoting your post is really important to get people to be able to see your post. Think about how often you want to share it and one what platform. Make use of the photos in your blog post to include in your social promotion as this will help to catch the eye of people scrolling through their feed. The better photos you get, the higher quality your Pinterest and Instagram feeds will be, and posts with photos tend to gain more views from Twitter and Facebook. Overall, having better photos should boost your engagement and increase traffic to your site, and help you find more blogging opportunities.

This is a sponsored post

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