How to train your insta/blog-husband to take photos how you like them

The Insta-Husband.
The man behind the camera.
The guy tirelessly shooting images, usually that look almost entirely the same, but you know, from an ever-so-slightly different angle.
The bloke who helps you bring your grid to life.

Your trainee.

Let's be honest, 90% of us did not marry, or date, or whatever you call it, a photographer.
Dann is not a photographer. In fact before I met him, I'm not sure he ever took photos outside of drunken nights in the pub. However, nowadays, you'll find him with a camera in hand almost as often as it's in mine. And sometimes more!

How I've fallen back in love with Instagram

Instagram is a funny business.
You either love it, or you hate it.

Personally I love it. It's by far my favourite social media platform, but it is also really hard work.

As a blogger I want to grow my following. No, numbers aren't the be and the end all, but growth is always a good thing to see, and an increase in following and engagement is always going to be good for an influencer who wants to make money from what they out online.

But it's so very easy to fall into the trap of feeling like it isn't worth it when algorithms are making visibility harder, and numbers are dwindling.
And I'll admit, some days I have questioned whether it is worth it.
It's hard seeing people with huge followings uploading any old photo and getting loads of likes, when I spend time curating a feed that I love, for no one to see it.

So I readjusted how I looked at Instagram.

Why it's OK to "do it for the gram"

"Doing it for the gram" is usually said with a mixture of laughter and self-consciousness, and I think most people with Instagram, and most definitely Bloggers, have done something purely to get that perfect Instagram photo to share on our grid.

I've certainly done my fair share of things purely to get a shot for my layout. Whether that's buying flowers that I really don't need, making a tea I had zero intention of drinking, or searching out the perfect background for a "from behind candid" shot.
And I know plenty of bloggers that have visited places purely "for the gram". In fact there are entire businesses that are so successful, just because they are "Instagram goals".
And then there's buying props, purely for Instagram photos (and blog photos too in a lot of cases.) I for one, bought a Letterboard just because it would work nicely within my Instagram feed, alongside my 'leg shots' which I take only for my Instagram.

And do you know what, that's all OK.

It's OK to do things, or buy things, and go to places, just because you want to put a photo of it on your Instagram grid.

Why I blog and share our life on social media

Often when I'm having a bit of writer's block, or a lack of inspiration for new content, or just generally feeling uninspired, I like to sit back and think about why I blog.

What's the reason for wanting to write about my life, share our stories, for the whole (well maybe not the whole) internet to see. Why do I spend a good percentage of my free time working on new content, taking photos, scheduling social media?

I do it all because I want to keep a little diary of our lives. 

My favourite posts to write and put together are always our family adventure posts. Posts, where the photographs come easily, and tell a story all on their own, and the words just flow into a tale of our latest discovery. A new place that we love, or a revisit with a new pair of eyes.

On a search for blossoms

It's official, I have become that blogger! Yep spring has sprung (sorry for the cliche) and I am fully obsessed with finding the prettiest blossoms I possibly can, whilst they're around. Of course this has not been helped by my change in Instagram theme, and the colour change from my orange theme on this blog to the pink that it is now rocking! (even if I do say so myself!)

So on Saturday we decided to take an impromptu walk to get some fresh air as we had some sunshine for the afternoon that we were not expecting at all.
Of course I grabbed my camera on my way out the door to get some pretty blossoms!

The mummy tag

Blogger tags are so much fun,but I haven't done one in what feels like an age, so when I was tagged by Amy to do the Mummy Tag I jumped at the chance. To be honest I'm always game to answer questions about me, my family and my life, I'm an open book. Plus I'm super nosey so might as well share too.

BLOGGING: #sotonmeetup - meeting the Southampton Bloggers

^^photo from Hairfinity UK^^

On Saturday I attended my very first event as a blogger - the #sotonmeetup, for Southampton Bloggers - add I've definitely caught the blogging bug and made some amazing new friends!

If you'd ask me when I started blogging, or even a year ago if I thought I would be this happy with blogging, I don't think I could have said yes. But I am, because some of the opportunities coming my way, and the overwhelming feedback, just makes me over the moon happy. And this event really did secure my fate of blogging for the foreseeable future, and that the new direction of my blog was the best thing I've done for myself!

LIFESTYLE: Take Back What's Yours After Miscarriage.

A couple of weeks back I was nominated by Katy at The Lilac Scrapbook to take part in this little campaign. 

As the start of a new year everyone is about making personal change.
Now I realise we are almost a month in to 2015 but I was all scheduled up for January (check me out getting blog organised), but I still think this is pertinent. 

The 'Take Back What's Yours' campaign is about motivating people; you, me, bloggers, writers, everyone, to take back an aspect of their life that they've  lost. It can be happiness, confidence, positivity, anything that you've lost that you want back about yourself.

For me, I want to take back my drive for success and my love for life after my miscarriage in 2014.