How to Take Your Best IPhone Photos in 5 Ways

I never carry a camera anymore. One day soon I’m sure I will invest in a nice camera to improve this blog, but until then I will rely on my trusty iPhone, since it’s practically attached to me anyway. I never have to worry about leaving it behind! I’m not going to lie…I think I’m pretty damn good at taking pictures with my phone. It just sucks when you ask someone else to take a picture of you and you look at it and it’s just like…um…were you even looking at what you were doing? It’s so simple! Maybe people just don’t have that “creative eye”? Nah, it’s pretty simple.

So when your friend takes an awesome picture of you, you want to be able to return the favor. Here’s how.

1. Tap the screen to focus on the person or object.

This is so important! It’s a phone – so it’s not going to automatically know what to do every time. This way the lighting can adjust and you can be sure it’s going to focus on the main object. But you want to tap so that the face and the background are equally lit. You don’t want to make the face a big black hole or the background a white out!

2. Rule of thirds!

Pictures are so much more interesting when you don’t put the person smack dab in the middle! It’s more pleasing to the eye and you can get more of the background in the frame as well.

3. Clean the lense.

Make sure the lense is clean! Since it is your phone and you hold it in your hand all day, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get a finger print on it at some point. Then you get that weird hazy glow like in the picture above. Do you see what I mean? Wipe it off with your shirt to get that crisp look back.

4. Download a worthy editing app

I am constantly downloading editing apps! Just to see which ones I like the best! Currently, I have PicLab, VSCO, and Filter Loop. I don’t use them all, but I like some for different reasons. And of course I have my Instagram account. (My slightly biggest addiction to anything. Ever.)

5. Take more than one

Come on now, we’re girls. We always hate the first picture. Take several and keep taking them when your friend starts to laugh at your ridiculousness. Candids are awesome and no one can ever say, “Hey, can you take a candid picture of me like this?” Well I guess someone could say that, you just wouldn’t ever get what you have pictured.

When in doubt, pull that selfie stick out. You might have noticed that I have a slight obsession with my selfie stick by now, but it really is the best invention ever. This way you have complete control over what kind of photo is being taken!!

What other tips did I miss??

One Lovely Blogger

I got another amazing surprise yesterday when Matt stopped by the blog to tell me he had nominated me for the One Lovely Blog of the Year Award! Seriously so nice of him and I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you!!!

THE RULES:

1. You must thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
2. You must list the rules and display the award.
3. You must add 7 facts about yourself.
4. You must nominate 15 other bloggers and comment on one of their posts to let them know they have been nominated.

I’m excited to share some facts!

1. I am pretty claustrophobic. I don’t even know how fears like that start…but I never knew it until I found myself in a small pace and started panicking! How weird is that, right?!
2. I lived in Italy for 4 months, studying abroad, and it was the best experience of my life. There is nothing like being 1000s of miles from home to force you to figure out who you want to be.
3. I love Adam Sandler movies. I love comedies in general but he is just the best! Can’t ever turn one down! Except for that one where he played his sister. That was just dumb.
4. I love potatoes. To death. In any way, shape, or form. Fries, chips, baked, mashed, scalloped, hashed, diced, everything.
5. I am the slowest reader ever. It takes me weeks to get through a book. I just don’t think I have the attention span to read a book. But it looks like fun!
6. I’m sadly addicted to Instagram. I’m obsessed really. That is for sure my go-to social media site.
7. I hate shopping. It’s so exhausting and time consuming. But online shopping – now, that, I love!! All from the convenience from my couch!!

I have been finding some really awesome blogs lately and I’ve met some very sweet and friendly people! Here’s my nominees I’d like to give a shout out to (I tried to get to 15, but there are really so many awesome blogs to choose from!)

Mila

Chic Twenty Somethings

My Name is Not Katie

Weight of a Lifetime

The Broken Boomerang

The Cake is a Liar

I hope all of you can find time to do this 🙂 I’d love to learn more about you!

Happy Blogging!

In Total Awe!

I cannot believe that the Newish Wife has nominated me for the Liebster award! It wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I had even heard of this award! I sat there reading people’s blogs wondering how you get to be nominated, and then BAM! The newish wife nominated me. Truly so happy and thankful! I learned that this is a nomination for blogs that are just starting out and have 200 followers or less. It’s such a great way to get your name out there and begin the networking! If I’ve learned one thing about blogging over the past couple months, it’s that this is an amazing and supportive community! I’ve interacted with so many amazing people already! I can’t wait to continue this journey!

There are soooo many great blogs out there and I get to nominate my favorites!!

Here is how it works:

• Link back to the person who nominated you.
• Answer the questions given to you by the nominator.
• Nominate up to 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers.
• Create 11 questions for the nominees.
• Notify all nominees via social media/blogs.

Here are the questions that The Newish Wife asked me to answer, which I loved answering!:

1. Where are you from?

Northern California – born and raised

2. What made you start a blog?

I had always thought of starting a blog just to write about my funny and ridiculous stories in life, and I finally just decided almost two months ago to take the plunge.

3. If you could sum up your life in a song, which song would it be?

Gosh, this is a hard one! Right now, let’s say, the “Buy Me a Boat” song, by Chris Janson. I work for the money. and I work so I can buy myself stuff! They say money doesn’t buy happiness, but it could buy me things that would make me happy 🙂

4. Which Disney character are you?

Belle. Or Dori. I love them both!!

5. If you could go back or forward in time, where/when would you go?

If I could go forward….I would definitely want to go to whatever time period that they invent the hover cars. I have always hoped to see those!

6. Any advice for new bloggers out there?

Write how you want, what you want. It’s YOUR blog, so write it for your own entertainment, not what you think people will like. If you love it, then other people will too!

7. Favorite type of food?

PIZZA. Love itttttt.

8. How many (if any) pets do you have?

I have no pets. But I have a plant named Eddie of that counts?

9. What are those pets?

I use to have a beta fish named sharkbait, but he died. I obviously cannot be responsible for anything living.

10. How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood? (he he he)

A wood chuck would chuck all the wood he could if a wood chuck could chuck wood. 😉

Soooo….here are my nominees! These are all truly inspiring and motivating! Many of them are hilarious reads, and it gives me something to look forward to checking out daily! I really suggest checking them all out! And I do apologize, I am such a technologically challenged newb that I have no idea to tell how many followers one has, so if you have over 200 followers and I nominated you, just know I’m sorry but I love your blog!!

The Love Song of of J. Awkward Prufrock

Blogging Irresponsibly

An Adjective and a Noun

White Walls and Wanderlust

Just a Little Dot

Life is Bello!

North of Wrigley

Reasyume

agirlsurvivalguide

Cracks in the Fence

And my questions for all of you are:

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. If you could be any animal, what animal would it be?
3. What is your biggest pet peeve?
4. If you played hooky from work, what would you spend the day doing?
5. What would you consider to be your biggest/best talent?
6. What are you afraid of?
7. What is your favorite T.V. show?
8. What is your go-to meal to prepare for dinner?
9. What is your favorite post on your blog?
10. Mac or Windows?
11. What is your favorite form of social media?

This is truly such an honor to be recognized, and to recognize my fellow bloggers that have inspired me! Keep it up!