A catch up for you

docklands-webbbridge-longexposure-sunset-melbourne

I haven’t been doing these enough, so thought we should nut out a few things.

Blog

It has to be said, I am struggling with this blog right now. I am not quite sure what to do with it, and as I’m getting more work else where, it is getting harder to find the time for it . I think since I stopped blogging everyday it has become too easy to say, nah I won’t worry about it today. I have to find some way of doing it so that it works with everything else I’m doing. I have some ideas, one is to go back to blogging everyday, perhaps schedule some, and make the posts shorter, so they are easier for me to do. I would also love to hear from you about what you would like to see here.

Guest blogging

I am also completely open to people guest blogging, but not with advertising. I can never seem to find anyone who wants to do it, or no one ever contacts me, but I found this from a site:

Whether you are looking for more exposure, credibility, inbound links, social media exposure, networking opportunities or all of the above, guest blogging is a worthwhile content marketing strategy. While it takes dedication to consistently write great posts, the benefits far outweigh the time investment.

So perhaps it is something we should all think about. Maybe I could do a guest blog post for you in return, or something.

Trying out gear

I have been loaned the Samyang 100mm 2.8 macro lens to try out and it got me thinking of a new post I can start doing, one on trying gear out. It will be a review of sorts, but just a brief one. Really just some ideas of what I think of it, but nothing negative. If I don’t like a product, I won’t say anything about it at all.

I am finding as I do more and more writing that I am getting lots of products to review. There is no reason why I can’t share them with you here.

Long exposure workshops

I am going to be running my first long exposure workshop at the end of the month. I have enough of the Formatt Hitech gear, that people will be able to have an adaptor ring each, so that they only have to share the holders. I do have enough holders, but not enough filters. I want to set myself up so that I can do classes with around 6 people and they will all have their own filters and holders to use in it. You will also start seeing some blog posts that are just to advertise the workshops or one on ones. I need to stop being afraid of promoting myself.

Digital Photography School article

My latest article has been published at Digital Photography School and it is something I’m becoming quite passionate about:

Footprints on the Environment – Our Responsibility as Photographers

I hope you enjoy it.

Photos

I thought I would share some more of the photos that I have had up on Instagram in the last couple of weeks. I feel like I don’t do this enough. I hope you enjoy them. Also, please give me some feedback on what you would like to see here. I can’t promise to do it, but if I can I will.

You might be interested in …

42 Comments

  1. Hello dear,

    How are you doing ? Great blog you got here. I loved the theme. What’s it’s name ? The color tone is pretty easy on the eyes. The content is great too. I am a aspiring fiction writer. I started this blog in October, and my blog posts started flowing on 15th October almost. Since then I have been able to gather some 4,300 followers. I thought I will never get more than two, that too my friends. I write short story, flash fiction, poetry, article, movie and book reviews, prose and more things. I am working on writing two books currently. I love one thing about blogging community is that it’s very helping and cooperative. Always giving each other a leg up with reblog so and pong backs, or just being guest bloggers on each other’s blog. I myself have been guest blogging and have had guest bloggers on mine. I have been blessed enough to have some collaboration too. As of now I write for a E-Zine named Agnishatdal, a Webzine named Candles Online , a digest named The Millionaires Digest, a book review site called BooknVolume and I am also in collaboration with Madame Roberta Pimental. I am eager to find more people who can collaborate with me and we can help each other out. This is way to grow for them both. I saw your site and wondered if you would like to write post for me or go into collaboration. You will be a regular author till collaboration ends. I don’t have a big protocol to write if you agree. I can mail the details to you if you are interested. Also I will be writing for you as often as you want and follow all your protocol concerning word limit, topic and pictures etc. I would be honoured if you oblige me. After all blogging is all about spreading the word and getting more readers. A writer is never satisfied, he/she wants their work to reach maximum readers. This attempt of mine is a step in same direction. Hope you will reply to my request and let me know the follow up.
    😊🌹🙏✌🏻️
    Warm Regards
    Sakhi
    Blueindigopink@gmail.com

    1. Thank you, glad to hear you like my blog. My blog is self hosted, so the theme is not something you would be able to run on your blog. The blogging community is wonderful, I’ve met some wonderful people through it.I really only write about photography, and if anyone writes a post for my blog it would need to be about photography as well. I don’t put fiction on my blog, I’m afraid, I’m sorry, but I don’t know that my blog would work for you. Thank you for thinking of me however.

  2. Love your work! I hope you do not stop can you link from the other work to here? Then you don’t have to write twice!

    1. Thank you Sue, I don’t think I will stop, but I want to find a way to make it work for me, so I will trying some new things. Time will tell if it works or not.

  3. Your work is beautiful! Would be a shame if you stopped blogging. But! You have to do what’s right for you and sometimes, new adventures are the right medicine. Wishing you all the very best!

    1. Thank you Melle, I don’t want to stop, so I have to find some way to keep it going. I need to revamp it a bit I think, so I will continue for a while.

  4. Nice work, and a very interesting DPS article. I have spent a bit of time in the bush and know exactly what you are getting at.
    If it’s any help on the blogging front: I have been experimenting with the use of IFTTT (ifttt.com) connecting my Instagram with my blog, flickr and twitter. When I post to Instagram, it is automatically posted to my blog as a draft, as well as to Flickr, Twitter (as a photo), and my Facebook page. Each is easily controlled from phone, tablet or PC.
    The draft could well be a live post, but I prefer to tweak it first. Of course that can also be done virtually anywhere / anytime on phone or tablet as well as PC.
    Over time it means I may have a bunch of “almost ready” single photo drafts which can quickly become blog posts.

    1. I haven’t heard of that, I might have to take a look and see what it is like. It could work on some days. Thank you for that information.

    1. Thank you Nora, I really don’t want to give up the blog, so I have to make it work for me. I haven’t been doing much on Flickr, I keep forgetting.

  5. Hey Leanne, I love reading your blogs, even if it is just a short one with a photo attached (because I love seeing your images). Its really good when people share basic information on how the image was produced eg; f/stop, shutter speed, lens, filter, whether sooc or post processed, etc.

    I would love to see more short reviews of the equipment you use … that would be awesome! I’m interested in anything related to photography as I can’t afford to do a course, so I look to people’s blogs and google searches to learn what equipment is out there for me to try and how different types of awesome images are created. So information on cameras, lenses, filters, tripods, bags are all very welcome. You write so well, and it is very easy to understand your explanations of how you have created your awesome images and how equipment you use works.

    Guest blogs would be great. You used to do introductions, which I loved as I was introduced to some more wonderful photographers through them.

    Thank you for what you do. I look forward to seeing what you decide to do.

    1. Thank you Deborah, that is so nice of you to say.
      I don’t share all that information because it is so much more work, and I really don’t think it helps anyone, well, unless you are taking photos of the same thing with exactly the same lighting conditions.
      I am hoping to do some more short reviews, I did one today, did you see it. I get loaned stuff all the time, so I should be able to do it fairly easily.That is lovely to hear about my writing, thank you. It is good to know and hear that people like how I write.
      I have been thinking about doing the Introductions again, but maybe slightly differently, I need to think about it a little more.
      You’re welcome and thank you for following along.

  6. Hey Leanne,

    As someone looking for more exposure, I would be happy to guest blog. Is there a particular topic or type of post you’d be looking for?

    I find it difficult to blog three times a week.. I don’t think I’d be able to handle every day! But I also work full-time in a non-related field. I always wish I had more time for my photography 🙂

    1. I have lots of options, so I will see what I can do. We should discuss the guest blogging if you are really interested. We can do it with email.

  7. I have felt that ever since you stopped blogging every day, your posts have gotten more and more succinct – and I think that gives us a better understanding of how you approach photography. Guest blogging can be the way to go especially if you want a different perspective on the blog and offers fresh content. You can also think of it like giving someone exposure in exchange for blog content – but it has to be content that you really want showcased on your blog to make it work. In the past I’ve gotten offers for guests posts on multiculturalism for my blog, from people wanting to promote their project or themselves – and I’ve had to say no because I don’t feel such promotional content is right for my blog.

    Agree with you it is so easy to say, ‘nah, don’t worry about it’ with blogging. As you know too well, you rarely get paid out of blogging and you can get exposure and connections doing other things. I used to blog each week and then cut down to around once every three weeks – and I’ve found that so long as you have original content and continue engaging with fellow bloggers, they will stick around for your content no many how frequent or infrequent you post.

    Good luck with your workshops. Sounds like your classes are getting bigger and hope you get to continue the momentum that you want 🙂

    1. Though the reason that could have happened Mabel is because I have been doing a lot more writing for other places so I have been more careful about my writing. I like the idea of guest blogs as it means I have a day off. You do have to be careful about who guest blogs, you don’t want people who just advertise themselves totally.
      You do rarely get paid, though other great things can come about because of it. I’ve always been worried that if I stopped and didn’t do it on a regular basis then I would stop altogether.
      Thank you Mabel, I’m hoping they take off, the response has been quite good so far.

  8. Hi

    Followed you for a while and check in at least weekly. I always love what you put up and appreciate the work you put in. I think you could restrict yourself to one article a week on your thoughts on a particular subject on the rest of the week post the “quick” stuff and maybe just have a couple of days when you post a single image/small gallery. I’d be there for that.
    I think I’m going to stop “lurking” and try to comment some more too (not too much though! promise) because loads of people must just look and not encourage which I feel bad about – we need to show our appreciation.

    Steve

    1. Nice of you to say hello Steve. I am thinking along similar lines, lots more quick posts and the occasional one that has more information. See how I go with that. I find if I have some kind of routine I do work better. That would be lovely if you said hello more often, always nice to hear from people. Comments are good, and for someone like me, the more the better, makes my blog look popular. Thank you so much Steve.

  9. Hey Leanne .. oh boy for horrid selfish reasons I hope you always find a wee bit of time for blogging! So much has changed in this environ. And so many bloggers have dropped from the radar. I hope it works for you Leanne .. love your work and how you do it!

    1. I think I need to make it a habit again Julie, that is the problem, I don’t seem to have any schedule for it. It has changed a lot, and I think I thought blogging was dead for awhile, but I keep being reassured that people want content. Thank you so much Julie.

  10. Hi Leanne. My two cents worth. Yes, schedule posts, whatever time interval. Put them in your calendar, maybe. Product reviews, certainly. A stand-alone photo is good too. I’ll be busier this summer with an 8 week seminar and will have to figure out my approach as well. Whatever makes you feel good about blogging is the right answer, I think. Take care. Robert 🙂

    1. Thank you Robert, that is what it is about isn’t it, making it work for you. I do have some thinking to do. I will see how I go. 🙂

  11. I used to worry when more than a few days passed between me posting something, but I’m getting over it.

    However, there is a difference between blogging for personal enjoyment and to advance a business. It’s a good thing when the two coincide, but there is a danger of having it become more of a job than someone thing one does for enjoyment.

    I don’t know your particulars, but it seems striking a balance is in order and if that balance is less blogging, that’s OK.

    You should be able to get some guest bloggers on board, so that could help. However, rather than wait for offers, you could ask bloggers, especially those who are doing something different from you.

    Both times I guest blogged somewhere was in response to people asking me for specific things.

    In that regard, you might ask some of the MM bloggers if they could contribute something relating to particular shots they take.

    The other idea is to write miniposts coinciding with your workshops. Generic mini-lessos, if you will, that can serve as advertisement for the full workshop. I imagine you have material ready, so it might not even be that much work.

    That’s it; I have no other ideas.

    1. I know what you mean Disperser, I haven’t worried about it, but I am finding that I want to blog and then I just forget, so I want something to change.
      I like to think mine is more business minded, and want to use it for my business.Though it is an aspect that I still very much enjoy, when I remember to do it.
      Yes, guest blogging is definitely something I’ve been thinking about doing, or getting people, and you could be right about asking people to do it. Thanks for that.
      I have been thinking of doing the mini posts, so not so long, but just little bits of information. I like that idea of adding things for workshops.
      That is a lot of information, thank you so much for it all Disperser, a lot to think about.

  12. G’day Leanne
    My introduction to you was through an article at DPS. I like your open no bull approach and the well crafted images that you produce and share. If blogging has become a chore why not let it rest for a while and see if the passion returns. Write only when you have something of interest to say.

    1. Hello Roger, thank you, I like what you have said about my approach.I don’t know that it has become a chore, it is finding the time, I think I need to rethink how I do things and get back into the habit of doing it. I think that is part of the problem. I say to myself I will do a blog post today and then forget to do it. When I was blogging every day the habit was there. I think even if I just post a photo, that has to be better. Thank you Roger, nice to hear from you.

  13. I suppose you’ll have to write something for your website just once or twice per week Leanne? For most of us, blogging is an Avocation. You’ve apparently got much more on your plate.

    1. I think once I stopped doing it daily, I lost momentum, so now I’m trying to get that back, it is how to make it work and do all the other things I want to do, or need to do. I do love blogging and I don’t want to see it go. Thanks John.

  14. Hi Leanne

    I would be happy to do a guest blog – you have seen my work, there might be a topic related to that you might like my POV on?

    BTW I am in Melbourne for 10 days end April – beginning of May and would be available for a catchup and a coffee if you were interested?

    1. Hey Stacey, let’s discuss it then. Do you want to email me?
      That would be fantastic, we can talk about it in email, maybe we can go out on a shoot.

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