Photography Gift Ideas | What to buy a Photographer for Christmas | The Ultimate Photography Gift Guide

Can you believe it is already Christmas? Well actually it isn’t yet, but good lord it is only a month away! Holy where does the time go?

So, buying presents can be stressful. Like really stressful especially if you don’t have any clue what to give. Well my friend that is why I am creating this blog post. This one is for you. To make your holiday season easier and way less stressful! Yay!

What are we waiting for? Let’s get right into it!

Photography Gift Ideas |

What to buy a Photographer for Christmas|

The Ultimate Photography Gift Guide

1. A good girl boss book

I actually created an entire blog post on amazing girl boss books that are must reads! Make sure to check out that post if this sounds like your perfect gift idea: Must Read Girl Boss Books

Here are a few books from that list:

2. SD Cards

Ok, so seriously not the funnest thing to buy, but these are so needed! No one likes to buy SD cards, but we all need them. So, with that being said, they make the perfect gift! Why you ask? Well, I hate buying them, so it would be awesome if someone else bought them for me :)

I personally like the SanDisk Extreme Pros

3. Tripod

Tripods can be awesome gifts! They are 100% absolutely necessary for a photographer and they can be quite expensive. If you are choosing to purchase a tripod make sure to get a good one. You will want to get one that is solid, sturdy, and has a good smooth head on it. I personally have the Vanguard tripods. I love these tripods as they are easy to use, sturdy, heavy duty, and not as crazy expensive as say a manfroto.

4. Gift Cards

Gift cards can be either highly loved or hated. You really need to know your person before you go buying a gift card. Now, I absolutely freaking love gift cards because then I can buy exactly what I want, or the person I am buying for can buy exactly what they want. I always think an Amazon Gift Card is a good idea :)

5. External Hard Drives

Again, not the funnest thing to buy, but your man will love you. My tip here would be to check what kind of External Hard drive she already has and buy the same one. People are very particular with their hard drives, so this one can be tricky. If he doesn’t already have an external hard drive then I like the WD Passports.

6. A Camera Strap

Ok, who doesn’t love a cute new camera strap? Seriously there are so many awesome camera straps out there! I love the Peak Design camera straps, but there are also cute leather ones, super cute floral ones, harnesses, wrist straps, and more!

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7. External Battery Pack

With today’s electronic world we all need more power. More batteries are always a good thing. I use my external battery pack for when I am backpacking and man it has been awesome. I have an Anker Battery Pack, but there really are so many out there.

8. A Photography Coffee Mug

Alright, let’s chat coffee for a minute. First of all, coffee is life. Second, all moms love coffee mugs. Third, all moms need coffee, it is their GO JUICE.

So, I think it would be such an awesome gift to buy a fun coffee mug, her favorite coffee beans, and then a special something to go in the coffee. Now what is that special something? Well, that is really up to you. For me, I would say a neat new syrup to try, maybe a bag of chocolate so she can make a mocha, or you could even buy those single shot bottles of her favorite adult beverage ;)

p.s. I sell fun photography coffee mugs right here on this site! BONUS!

9. A Camera Bag

Again, a bit of a tricky one, but if your photographer has been talking about needing a new bag then this is perfect. If he/she doesn’t have one, then even better! I just recently changed my bag to this Pro Master bag and I am obsessed! I absolutely love it.

10. A Photography Workshop or an Online Course

Ok, so this is one of the best things ever! We are always learning but rarely feeling like we should spend the money on ourselves to actually learn. Online courses are amazing for this! You can take the course whenever you want to and you have it forever! How awesome is that?

Now, the other side of this is a Workshop. Workshops are an awesome place to meet other like minded people. You get to learn from the pros, you get to meet amazing people, and you get to expand your portfolio. Winning!

There are so many cool workshops and online courses out there!

11. A New Lens

Umm, new gear? Yes Please! So a new lens is pretty much the best thing ever. You really have to pay attention to what your photographer needs as far as lenses are concerned, but if you know the lens he/she wants and you get it for him/her, they will love you FOREVER!

If your photographer is just starting out in photography there are a few lens’ that I would recommend.

• For Portraits: a 50mm is a must. I love the Sigma Art 50mm.

• For landscapes: a wide angle hands down. I love the Batis 18mm.

• For all things photography (and my favorite lens): The 24-70mm Sony G Master

12. A Camera

Again, new gear!!!! Every photographer loves new gear. Now we are starting to get big time! Maybe you have someone special in your life that has talked about being a photographer, or getting into photography. Well, if you want to go big this would be the gift to give :)

For beginner photographers there are a few cameras I suggest. One is the Sony A series and the other is the Canon T series. These are cropped sensor cameras. I love the Sony A 6500 and the Canon T7i

13. Go all out with a Drone!!!

Go big or go home!!!!

Ok, if you want to go all out, this is it. The mother of all photography gifts. A drone. Yep, I still don’t have one, and I still am dying to get one.

So there are so many options out there for drones how do you know which one to buy? Well, I have a couple that I have been looking at, but I would say choose something from the DJI Pro series. Make sure to do your research before you purchase.

14. A Spa day or a Day Off

Now this can be a no cost present and can be an amazing gift! Mama’s are busy and photog mamas are crazy busy. They have pretty much ZERO time for themselves. It would be awesome to give the gift of a day off. A where she can do whatever she wants. She can shop, hang out with her girls, or just lay in the sun and sip on a glass of wine. You have to do this one right though. This means taking the kids out. Letting her have a complete day to herself.

The other idea that goes along with the day off would be to get her a Spa Day. Get her a manicure, pedicure, and a message (or just one of the above). Buy her a Starbucks gift card along with it and tell her how much you appreciate her. BOOM award for the best hubby goes to!!!!!!

15. Self Care Stuff

Along with the idea above for a day off and/or a spa day. You could also get her self care stuff such as bath balms, bath salts, face masks, hair masks, lotion, and so forth. Basically an in home spa day!

Ok so how cool would this be…. Buy a basket and fill it with a Coffee mug from my BYP shop. In that coffee mug place a $10 gift card to her favorite coffee shop. Then fill the basket with 2 face masks ($1 each), 2 hair masks ($5 each), 2 bath balms ($2 each), and dove chocolate! Ugh, again BEST HUBBY AWARD!

Wow, now that was alot of Photography Gift Ideas for Christmas!

Do you have any suggestions on awesome photography gift ideas for that man in your life? Please leave your recommendation in the comments below.

Happy Mama’s Day!

Bessie

How to stay motivated as a creative | 6 Ways to Stay Motivated

How to stay motivated as a creative

6 Ways to Stay Motivated

I am in a slump

I am just not feeling it

I don’t have the time

My creative juices are gone

I am in a creative lul

I’m just not motivated…….

Yes, we have all had those feelings. Those feelings of doubt, those feelings of not wanting to, those feelings of not good enough, those feelings that our motivation is just completely out the window. Even the best of the best of the best have those feelings. Those feelings of just not wanting to, not being able to, or even really just not liking to. So how do we fix that? How do we get out of our creative slump? How do we stay motivated as a creative?

Just recently I was watching a Youtube video from Sorelle Amore. In her video she referenced a conference and a presentation being put on by Cody Wanner. Someone asked how Cody is able to create so much dang content (Cody posts daily Youtube videos. Yes…. DAILY).

Cody’s response really hit home, and I just had to share it with you guys. He said:

“You are not creating enough… you are getting out of the heads pace… and procrastinating”

Now obviously those are not his exact words because I wasn’t at the conference; however, they are somewhat close, but really think about that for a minute. YOU ARE NOT CREATING ENOUGH.

This is so dang true!!! The more we create the more we crave to create. When we begin to slow down, when we begin to lag, when we begin to procrastinate we then begin this downward spiral. Our motivation goes out the window. We start this negative self talk, we procrastinate because we are feeling bad about ourselves, which then continues to demotivate us. It is a vicious cycle that we have to break!

How do we break this cycle? According to Cody, create more!

Now if that doesn’t work here are a few additional ways to stay motivated:

How to stay motivated as a creative:

Increase the challenge

What I mean by this is make it harder. Step outside of the box. Do something that you aren’t used to doing. Stop doing the same ole same ole. When we get in a rut, that is when our creativeness starts do go away. That is when our motivation declines. That is when we get in this terrible cycle.

Change your creative method

Try shooting with a different gear set up. Talk about a motivation killer when you are bored with what you are doing right? Well, switch it up!

Create from a different point of view (MIX IT UP)

Change your angle! Shoot from above, from below, sideways, at an angle. Stop doing the same thing over and over again.

Make time for it

Lets face it. Adulting Sucks. Like for realz. Life is so dang busy. Sometimes, we just need to schedule our craftie time. So whether you are a photographer, crafter, baker, or candlestick maker it doesn’t matter. Life gets a hold of us, we get caught up in the day to day life, and next second we realize we haven’t been able to be creative for weeks. No wonder our mood sucks! We aren’t taking the time to do the things that we love! So, if you are finding that you are having a hard time being able to do your craft, schedule it. Actually put it on your calendar. Write it down. Block out the time.

Forget about the goal and just have fun

We get pretty caught up trying to reach our goals that we forget to have fun. After all, we are doing this for fun right? We are doing it because we love it right? We create a goal, we start grinding, and we take away all the fun. We get frustrated, and then we want to give up. Stop it!

I’m not saying stop setting goals here. Do not get me wrong. I am just saying sometimes we need to do the things we love to do just to have fun. To enjoy ourself and to actually do what we love.

Create more and create it more often

This goes back to Mr. Cody Wanner’s quote. Create more and more often. This will have you wanting to create more.

So, I do 100% believe this. I know if you are in a rut, if you are unmotivated it sounds rediculious, but just hear me out. If you start creating, your creativeness begins to start flowing. When you create, you begin to be more creative. Ideas come to you so much easier than they do when you aren’t in your creative mind.

Once you stop creating you begin to get in this “rut” or you begin to have this “block” where you just can’t seem to find any motivation to create. Nothing sounds fun, everything sounds hard, and you are just uninspired.

When you create, you start getting ideas all the time…. in your sleep, before you go to bed, in the shower, while you are cooking. This is because you are actually doing it! You have turned on that part of your brain. It is something that you just can’t stop from happening. Awesome ideas come into your head when you are in your creative mindset.

So create more. Start creating which will then put you in that creative mindset. Yes, it is hard to get started because DUH your not inspired or your not motivated or your not in the creative mindset, but once you get started the ideas will slowly start to come. Then eventually you will be so overwhelmed with ideas that you won’t even know what to do :)

Stop comparing yourself to others!

This is huge you guys! Seriously, this is probably the #1 motivation killer in today’s world. we have the world at our fingertips and social media is blasting us everyday. It is human nature to compare, yet with so much information coming to us on a daily basis, we have every opportunity to compare ourselves to other people. This is so important that I even created an entire video on it. Please please please go watch it, read the post, listen to the words and try to stop the comparison game.

P.s. Make sure you check out my list of Must Read Girl Boss Books to keep you extra motivated!

I hope this helps you a little bit to get out of that slump the next time you find yourself lacking motivation or in that vicious cycle of: not creating - negative self talk - procrastination - not creating…..

Wishing you nothing but the very best!

Bessie

Best books on photography composition

This is a question I get all the time. What are the best books on photography composition. I have almost thought about making my own book since I get the question so often lol.

As you all know I love to provide tips, tricks, and how to’s with photography. Make sure to head on over to my Youtube channel to see all sorts of tips on photography compositions.

Now, with that being said, I wanted to be able to provide a good answer to the question, so I did a bunch of research on the best books for composition. Please note, that I have not read all these books; however, this is a list of the highest ranking books and / or the most suggested books out there. It has taken me the majority of the year to find these books for you.

As a quick side note, composition theory has been a thing for hundreds of years. Make sure that you do not narrow your search to just photography books. You will be surprised how much you can learn from old books on painting composition. Make sure to check out your local library and just look for books on composition.

So let’s get into it:

Best books on photography composition

1. How to Create Stunning Digital Photography by Tony Northrup

   *This one comes in around $20

2. Mastering the art of Photography composition

   *This little jewel is only $3

3. The New Art of Photographing Nature

   *This was one of the most recommended book in all my research. It is around $25

4. Perception and Imaging: Photography - A Way of Seeing, Richard Zakia

   *This was the second most recommended book; however, it is much more expensive coming in at $50

5. Tavis Leaf Glover's composition : Canon of Design: Mastering Artistic Composition

   *Under $10

6. Magazine photography (Life, National Geographic, Travel magazines)

   *This is not just a book. This means magazines about photography. There are so many out there that will help you with your photography art. You can sign up via the link above to the National Geographic magazine for 1 year and $25.

Hopefully this list will help you be able to start digging deeper into learning photography. If you have a suggestion leave a comment below. I would love to hear your suggestions and then add them to this list :)

Happy Reading Friends!

Bessie

Common Photography Terms for Beginner Photographers

Learning digital photography can be super intimidating especially with all the terms! There are so many dang terms out there that it can be crazy overwhelming.

Understanding the terms and lingo is crucial to be able to learn and grow your skills as a beginner photographer . It can take hours to read books, start googling each term, or watch youtube videos. I am here to make it a bit easier and quicker for you!

In this post you will read some of the most common photography terms and their definitions; however, if you want a large list of photography terms and their meanings make sure to download my free guide!

Most Common Photography Terms

Aperature

This is the most common term in photography that you should know. To put it simply, this is the size of the size of the opening in the lens. You can think of the lens as a window. The large windows or wide angles will let in more light. A wide open aperature will let in more light for a brighter image. Aperature is measured in F Stops. The lower the number the wider the aperature meaning the more light it will let in.

Shutter Speed

The shutter is the part of the camera that opens and closes to let light in. The shutter speed is how long the shutter stays open. This is written is seconds or fraction of seconds such as 1” (one second) or 1/200 (1 200th of a second). The longer the shutter stays open the more light that is let it. Note: anything that moves while the shutter is open will become blurry.

Bokeh

Bokeh is created when when light is out of focus in the image. It is that beautiful creamy background that everyone loves. This is created through a wide aperature.

Burst Mode

You can take photos one at a time or you can use burst mode to have the camera take continuous photos as long as you hold down the shutter button, or until the buffer is full. Burst speeds will differ based on your camera. Some are faster than others and are measured in frames per second (fps). This mode is best when shooting something moving. You can get a bunch of photos all at once.

Focal Length

The focal length is shown in millimeters on a lens. This is the distance between the lens and the image it forms on the film. Essentially the focal length is how zoomed in your image is. So an 18mm will be a wider shot that a 35mm. A 70mm will be a much closer shot (or more zoomed in) that a 35mm.

Manual Mode

Manual mode allows the photographer to set the exposure rather than letting the camera make the decisions. In manual mode you will choose the aperature, shutter shutter speed, and ISO. This will allow you to add that artistic effect to your pictures such as bokeh in the background, smooth waterfalls, stars streaking across the sky, and so forth.

Manual may also refer to manual focus where you focus your lens rather than your camera doing it for you.

Long Exposure

A long exposure is an image that has exposed for a long time or has a long shutter speed. This technique is typically in low light and used by landscape photographers.

Hot Shoe

The hot shoe is the slot at the top of the camera for adding accessories such as a flash.

Noise

Noise is the little flecks in an image. Sometimes this is also called grain. The higher the ISO the more noise you will have in your image.

Alright, that was alot of info.

Make sure to check out the free download up above if you want to learn more photography jargon. It is an instant download with loads of terms for you to study and become familiar with :)

Are you just starting out in photography? Well welcome to the tribe! I am so excited for you and have made a couple awesome things to help you along your photography adventure:

• My Camera Gear List

• More Freebies!!!

• Youtube videos full of behind the scenes, tips, tricks, and how I got the shot

Let me know what questions you have by leaving me a comment below :)

Bessie

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P.s. If you are learning photography and love posts like this then make sure to check out these ones :)

Inspiration for Creative Entrepreneurs | Be Kind to Yourself | Car Chats With Bessie

2018 was rough. I struggled almost the entire year though. There were so many ups and downs and I just couldn’t wait for the year to be over. I thought that there might be ‘something in the air’ for… yes… the entire year.

When I started looking back on my 2018 accomplishments, downfalls, and just the year as a whole, I began to realize that it really wasn’t that bad. I started to realize that it was really just me. My own negative self talk.

You see, I am super mean to myself. I put myself down all the time:

“You’re not experienced enough”

“You’re not good enough”

“You aren’t worth that kind of money”

“You don’t deserve that”

“You are just a poser”

blah blah blah blah blah. The list goes on and on and on. I do this to myself constantly.

So when I started looking back on 2018 I started to realize that most of the things were really just myself being mean to myself, criticizing my work, and ultimately just putting myself down on a regular daily basis.

We seriously are our own worst critics. How can we expect anyone else to appreciate us, to love us, to value our work, if we are constantly devaluing ourselves to ourself?

So this year one of my hardest goals I think I set out to accomplish was to be nicer to myself. You see this is going to be an internal struggle. This isn’t something that I can write down, reach that magic number, and then be stoked that I accomplished my goal. This is something that is just going to be a daily accomplishment.

Did I say anything negative?

“Was I nice to myself today? ”

My question is, why do we do this? Why do you do this to yourself? Comment below. I would absolutely love to hear. Let’s support each other!

I believe that as creatives we struggle with this. At least most creatives do . We have an idea in our head, and when it doesn’t come out exactly like the idea in our head we start the ‘talk’. You see, I grew up with creatives. My mom, my aunts, my sisters. We are all creatives and we all do this! I took art classes in high school and every single person would put their work down and pointing out all the flaws. Yes, all the flaws.

Why are we not pointing out the good things in our work? Showing it off to the world and explaining how awesome it is? Honestly, I believe this is taught and looked down on. We aren’t supposed to boast or show off. So, instead of ‘bragging’ about how great our work is, we start criticizing it.

Let’s freaking stop doing this! All this does is ingrain in our head that, in fact, all our insecurities are true. It is just a downward spiral. The more you create, the more negative self talk you can provide, and the worse our outlook on ourself becomes.

So I hope you will join me this year in being kind to yourself. Let’s talk nicely to ourself. Lets stop this constant negative self talk. Comment ‘i’m in’ below if you want to join me in this uphill battle.

You are absolutely beautiful and amazing just the way you are. You do amazing work. Don’t let yourself tell you otherwise.

“There is only one you in this world and that is your power”

I am hanging this quote on everything. Just as a friendly reminder not to be so dang harsh. Maybe this quote isn’t for you, but it yells at me every time I read it. Find a quote to remind yourself how awesome you are, how far you have come, how you are good enough and print it out as a friendly reminder and a little helper to be kind to yourself.

Wishing you nothing but the most positive 2019!

Bessie

Starving Artist? 7 Ways to Make Money with Photography

So typically when you see people posting about ways to make money with photography all you get is a list of different types of photography. Today I want to share with you ACTUAL ways that you can make money with photography. So let’s just get to the point…

Photo by Daniel Korpai

7 Ways to Make Money with Photography

1. Start selling your prints

   • Sell online

   • Craft fairs / art festivals

   • In person

   • Local stores

2. Product Photography

   • Local businesses need pretty pictures of their products. Think food based businesses, local coffee shops, handmade shops, small businesses, etc.

3. Portrait Photography

   • Portrait photography is huge whether it comes to Family, Newborns, Seniors and so forth.

4. Wedding Photography

   • Wedding photography is probably one of the quickest way to get into making money with photography. Where do you start? Well you need a website, social media, and begin advertising. There are so many local wedding fairs so make sure to get a booth and get your name out there.

5. Workshops

   • HUGE HUGE HUGE!!!!!! Workshops are awesome! This is where you actually get paid to teach what you love! Ugh, I am so excited and amped up about workshops lately! If you haven’t done so make sure to head on over and sign up for my Email list specifically for workshops I will be holding in the future!

6. Blogging and/or Youtube

   • Ok, so blogging and Youtube take a ton of time, effort, and persistence, but it is well worth it in the end. With blogging you can create a passive income through affiliate marketing and so much more. If you haven’t done so, make sure to check out my post on How to make Money Blogging.

   • Youtube, is an amazing place for creatives. You can actually get paid by Youtube via their ads. You can also use things like affiliate links in your comments, or you can refer your audience back to your blog!!

7. Stock Photography

   • I haven’t ever dabbled in stock photography as I sell my own prints right here on this website ; however, I wanted to bring up the idea because so many people do this and it is definitely another way to make money with photography.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and hopefully it got your creative juices going on how you can make money with photography. You don’t have to be a starving artist, you just have to be a little creative, think outside the box, and really start opening your eyes to all the potential.

How do you make money with your photography? Do you have any other fun ideas? If so, leave a comment below. I would love to make this list longer as suggestions come up.

Wishing you the very best!

Bessie

What's In My Camera Bag - Sony Kit for Landscape Photography

What's In My Camera Bag - Sony Kit for Landscape Photography

Photography Gear

This blog has been a long time coming. I wanted to do this blog back when I started my photography business, but I was in the middle of major decision making when it came to gear. I was deciding on whether to switch from Canon to Sony or to just stick with Canon.

Then, after I decided to switch to Sony, I just didn’t feel comfortable doing a ‘Whats in my camera bag’ video. I am not sure why, but probably that whole imposter syndrome thing….

Then three years went by and still no video. I still felt weird doing one of these so I just didn’t.

Recently I was able to get a brand new camera bag from my friends down at Horn Photo and I figured it was the best time to actually do a video since I was going to be switching all my gear over to my new bag.

So, here it is…. All the things that I carry in my camera bag.

Now please keep in mind that I do not carry all of these things all of the time. Since I am an adventure photographer, a landscape photographer, and a wedding photographer, I have to pick and choose what to take with me for the occasion.

You do not need to always carry everything with you! Please remember that!

So, lets get into it

What’s in my camera bag - Sony Kit

Cameras:

Sony A7riii (my main camera)

Sony A7rii (my backup camera)

Sony 6500 (my camera for video)

Lenses:

Sony 24-70mm G Master F 2.8 lens (my go to lens for EVERYTHING)

Sony 100-400mm G Master F 4-5.6 lens (specifically for wildlife or close up landscapes)

Sony 16-35mm F4 lens (I never use this lens anymore. I only use the Batis for my wide angles)

Batis 18mm F2.8 lens (my go to landscape and wide angle lens)

Sigma Art 50mm F1.4 lens (specifically for portraits)

Tripods:

Vanguard Tripod (for everything)

Slik Tripod (for backpacking)

Filters:

Heliopan Polarizer

Pro - Master ND Filter

Pro - Master UV Filter

Camera Straps:

Peak Design wrist strap

My favorite Peak Design Camera Strap

Small Peak Design Camera Strap

Other:

Pro-Master Backpack

DJI Ronin S Gimble (for smooth video)

Laptop - Dell XPS 15

Zebra headlamp

Peak Design Clip for backpacking

Lens cleaning kit

Hand warmers

Flash for weddings

SD Cards

Pro-Master Lens Caps

Sigma MC11 Adapter for Canon to Sony.

Hopefully that helps if you are on the fence about new gear!

What kind of shooter are you? Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, Olympus, other? Leave a comment down below and let me know :)

Bessie

Batis 85mm Lens vs Sony 85mm G Master Lens - Lens Comparison

Batis 85mm Lens vs Sony 85mm G Master Lens - Lens Comparison

Photography Gear

Ever since I started using the Batis 18mm lens I have been extremely interested in Batis lenses.

Before we start this lens comparison, if you are looking for more information on the Batis 18mm or the lens comparison video for the Batis 18mm vs. the Sony 16-35mm make sure to check out the lens comparison blog here: Batis 18mm Lens vs Sony 16-35mm Lens

Now, I want to start off by saying that I do not own either of these lenses. I have been debating on grabbing an 85mm lens of some sort, but really didn’t know where to put my money. Do I buy the big boy, the Sony 85mm G Master? Do I spend all the money on the top of the line native lens, or do I save some money and not by a non native lens? Now, I figured if I had that question and that debate, others did too!

So, off I went to compare two lenses that I had my eye on. The Batis 85mm F1.8 vs. the Sony 85mm G Master F1.4 G Master. I was able to borrow these two awesome lenses from my friends down at Horn Photo. On a side note, if you are debating on equipment, or wishing you were able to check out equipment before you made that major purchase, make sure to check out your local camera shop like Horn Photo. You can actually rent gear for the day or the week! This could save you major money in the long run. I absolutely love this option, and have rented gear multiple times throughout the years. Whether I want to do a lens comparison, see if I like a certain item, or if I need something for an upcoming wedding but don’t want to purchase the item. Just rent it!!!

Ok, moving on :)

To start off there are a few huge differences for the Batis 85mm vs Sony 85mm G Master:

• Price

  • Batis 85mm: $930

  • Sony 85mm G Master: $1800

• Weight

  • Batis 85mm: 1 lb 3 ounce

  • Sony 85mm G Master: 2 lbs 7 ounces

• Aperature Ring

  • Batis 85mm: No

  • Sony 85mm G Master: Yes

    • The aperature ring is super cool for video!

• Aperature capability

  • Batis 85mm: F1.8 - F22

  • Sony 85mm G Master: F1.4 - F16

Batis 85mm F1.8

Filter ThreadFront: 67mm

Aperature: F1.8-F22

Length: 3.6 in.

Weight: 1lb 1 ounce

Price: $930

Sony 85mm G Master F1.4

Filter Thread Front: 77mm

Aperature: F1.4-F16

Length: 4.2 in.

Weight: 1.8 lb

Price: $1800

Now lets talk about actual field experience and photo comparison…

An 85mm lens is typically used for portraits. I am debating on using the 85 as my second lens for backpacking. Right now I use the Batis 18mm and the Sony 24-70mm G Master. What I am thinking about doing is changing out the Sony 24 - 70 G Master with an 85mm. Now, with all that being said, I wanted to do a lens comparison for what these lenses are typically used for, Portraits!

Luckily I have the cutest model in the world that just loves to have her picture taken… my Boston Terrier Yota :) In order to do an accurate lens comparison, I kept my aperature at 1.8 for all the photos. This way I didn’t compare an F1.4 to an F1.8.

In the field and during post processing I noticed a few main things:

• Bokeh differences

• Vignetting

• Chromatic aberration

• Automatic Focusing

• Lens Noisiness/ Loudness

Bokeh:

There isn’t a huge difference with the Bokeh at F1.8. The thing I noticed most here was that the Sony had a creamier bokeh and the Batis had more of a swirl that was counter clockwise. If you look at the Batis image, it looks more like you are spinning. Really focus on the images below. Notice the swirl on the Batis? Do you see how the Sony is much more creamy?

Vignetting and Chromatic Aberration

So there are two things here and each lens has its fault. The Sony has a bit of chromatic aberration compared to the Batis. The Batis didn’t seem to have any chromatic aberration during my little session with Yota. Now, this was only tested during this session, so this doesn’t go to say that the Batis doesn’t have chromatic aberration in certain scenarios. See the images below.

Now with that the Batis has a bit more vignetting than the Sony. See images below.

Automatic Focus Speed and Sound:

Wow, now this is really where there is a major difference. Honestly, this was where my decision was made and where the Batis really took the cake.

The Batis was able to automatically focus quickly, capture movement, and didn’t make hardly a sound. The Sony on the other hand didn’t focus quickly at all. Actually, I wasn’t able to capture a single motion image in focus. Plus, during the focusing, it made the loudest noise ever, and just really annoyed me lol. I am not sure why it was bothering me so much, but it was at the point where I didn’t even want to use it any more. The focusing sound it made was really not awesome. Imaging being at a wedding, where everyone is silent, and your lens is making a focusing/ kind of grinding noise? I think that would ultimately suck. People would start listening to your camera rather than the vows!

Batis:

Sony:

Conclusion:

So, with all that being said, I will definitely be getting the Batis 85mm. There is just absolutely no reason not to! It is cheaper, lighter, focuses quicker, quieter, and the photos are almost the exact same as the Sony 85mm G Master. The aperature goes to F22 which is awesome for Landscape Photography and there is less chromatic aberration. The down side to the Batis is the fact that there is a bit of vignetting and the aperature doesn’t go as wide as the Sony; however, these are definitely things that I can work with.

What lens is your favorite? Leave a comment below.

Would you like to see a certain lens comparison video? Comment below and I can add it to my list :)

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Bessie

130+ Blog Post Ideas for Photographers

Coming up with ideas on what to blog about can be crazy hard. I get it. Been there. It is super discouraging when you can’t think of anything. Ultimately, you just want to give up, or you end up creating blogs that don’t really get any traffic, or do any good. Which then makes you even more discouraged. It’s a bad cycle to get into.

So, as you know, this year I have been putting all the effort into blogging. My goal is to blog once a week! Once I accomplish that goal, I will move to blogging twice a week.

Now, that is a crap ton of content. How in the literal heck do you come up with all those ideas? So, I have been on a mission to come up with blog post ideas.

I figured, if I am having a hard time coming up with ideas, then you might be too. So, I wanted to help. Ultimately blogging is so important for photographers, I just don’t want you to give up and get discouraged.

Here are a few thoughts, plus at the bottom of my thoughts you will find the ultimate guide to blogging and 130+ blog post ideas! If you have any additional ideas make sure to comment below. Let’s create a community and help eachother out!

Why Blogging is Important For Photographers

So, I pretty much created an entire post on this topic. It is called ‘Do Photographers Need To Blog’. If you haven’t done so already make sure to head on over and read that post. It has a ton of information in there for you.

In short, blogging is crazy important for photographers. Here are a few reasons on why it is so dang important:

1. It will help with SEO which will help your clients find you

2. It will deem you as the expert in your field

3. It will bring you clients

4. It will help with marketing

5. It allows your clients to get to know you

6. It allows your clients to see your artistic style

Mistakes to avoid when you blog

1. Your writing is too stiff.

   • You need to be personable. Be yourself and be authentic.

2. Your topic is too broad.

   • You really need to pick one topic to write about and stick to that per blog post.

3. You think you are done once the writing is done.

   • This is sooooooo wrong. You have to share your content and then share it again!

4. You don’t blog consistently

   • The killer of all blogs. You seriously need to blog consistently. I am learning this to be fact this year. I started blogging consistently and man has my everything increased. My website is getting more views, I am getting more comments and shares, and my business is bringing in more money!

5. Not writing long form

   • We always hear that each blog needs to be 300 words. Well guess what, that is just a minimum. It has been proven that blogs with over 1000 words do so much better. It is best to strive for blogs reaching 3000 words! I know, it is like a small essay, but believe me it is worth it.

Things to keep in mind when you start blogging

1. Figure out your style

2. Decide why you are blogging in the first place

3. Determine how often you want to blog

4. Make sure to have a strategy/organization/schedule

5. Know your target audience

6. Realize that it will take a long time to get the hang of it, so don’t be so hard on yourself.

Think about what your clients might want to know

This is one of the most important things. You need to serve your people and really think about what it is that they want and need. If you aren’t writing blog posts that are going to help people, ultimately your blog will not do very well in terms of subscribers.

You need to decide who your target audience is and how you can help them. Figure out their age, their gender, their style, their likes, where they would shop, do they love coffee? Once you nail down who your target audience is, then you will be able to create blog posts around it.

Blog Post Ideas For Photographers:

For All Photographers

1. Blog every session / adventure

2. Share you’re go-to hairstyle for a photo shoot

3. How you do your makeup for a photo shoot

4. What do you wear for a photo shoot?

5. Share your must have items when you have little time to get ready

6. Why did you start your photography business?

7. Who has inspired you throughout your life?

8. Share your plans (short term and long term)

9. What you are looking forward to this year

10. Share how you take/edit photos for your blog or social media

11. Share any photography tips that you have

12. What’s your favorite social media and why?

13. Talk about something you’re afraid of and how you overcome it

14. Share a “Do’s and Don’t s…” post about something you’ve got experienced

15. Create something free to give away to your readers, like printable worksheets

16. Share products that you swear by

17. Share what apps you are currently obsessed with?

18. How do you stay motivated?

19. Tips to stay productive

20. Write a “Top 20” or “Top 10” post

21. Share your to do list for the day/week/weekend/month

22. Do guest posts with another photographer or blogger

23. A review of a product/service

24. How do you plan your content?

25. How do you pack for a trip or photoshoot?

26. Your favorite photography quotes

27. Your favorite books

28. Favorite Youtubers you watch everyday

29. Photographers that inspire you

30. How do you manage your time

31. Your desk or office space essentials

32. How you ended up deciding to be a photographer

33. Favorite photoshoot day snacks to keep you moving

34. Equipment comparison

35. Why you want to do _____ on your bucket list

36. Facts about yourself

37. A letter to your younger self

38. A letter to your older self

39. Mantras for success

40. Mantras for stress

41. Monthly Favorites

42. Biggest purchase regrets

43. Monthly goals

44. Favorite Instagram accounts

45. My favorite calendar, journal, etc.

46. The one thing I can’t live without

47. How I stay organized

48. All about one of your pets

49. A picture for every hour in the day

50. List of things to be happy about

51. A brand review

52. Your 5 year plan

53. 3 books you don’t like and why

54. Take part in someone else’s 30 day challenge…document

55. Host your own 30 day challenge

56. Travel bucket list

57. Have someone do a guest post for you!

58. Share your creative process

59. A behind-the-scenes look at your work studio

60. Your photography advice

61. Photography tips and tricks

62. What are the difficulties you’ve overcome in your business?

63. What’s in your camera bag?

64. What is in your wedding photography bag?

65. What’s in your office bag?

66. What’s in your travel bag?

67. Interview famous people in your niche

68. Share a recent project that fire you up (styled shoots, workshops, etc.)

69. What are your goals that you’d like to achieve for the season

70. Your most favorite blog posts

71. Share your strategy on how you make money from your blog

72. Share your favorite affiliate partner/sponsor

73. Share your not-so favorite affiliate partner and why you regret working with them

74. Share your best marketing tips

75. Create a massive list of blog post ideas!

76. 10 Things you didn’t know about me

77. Why you became a photographer? – Tell your personal story!

78. What is your expertise and your best work to prove it!

79. What inspires you to photograph

80. Equipment & Gear you use for Post-Production

81. Your favorite lens and why you love it so much?

82. Why you chose the camera you shoot with?

83. A year in review

84. Next years goals

85. How you stay healthy while running a photography business

86. Your daily routine

87. Your editing routine

88. Your goals, dreams and ambitions as a Photographer

89. How to blog posts

90. List blog posts

91. Review posts

92. My top 5 posts

    Specifically, Blogs For Clients:

93. Blog each photo session

94. Provide tips on how to get ready for a photo session

95. What to wear guides

96. PDF freebies

97. Sample Timelines

98. What to expect

99. FAQ’s

100. Have an on-going series

101. Give your clients advice

102. Local Vendors, you recommend and work with?

103. How best your clients can prepare for the shoot

     • Before the shoot

     • During the shoot

     • After the shoot

104. How you help your clients choose the best images

105. A Behind The Scenes look at one of your shoots! (BTS) – This will give them an idea of what it’s like to work with you as a Photographer and also what can they expect!

106. Who your ideal client is  – This will help them know whether they are a good fit to work with you!

107. Great shoot locations, themes and ideas

108. Showcase all the end products you can avail as a client

109. How you edit your photos. Your before and after images – How you transform your images to a whole new level during your post-production & editing workflow.

110. Best practices you use before, during and after the photo shoot

111. How you make your clients comfortable during the shoot.

112. What type of photographer you are and why you chose that direction (weddings, families, fashion, etc)

113. How you plan a Photo Session

114. All the various services you offer

115. How to shoot selfies & self-portraits

116. Talk about your photography style / how you developed it

117. What’s your advice for brides & grooms to be?

118. How you stay inspired and remain creative

119. How you try to maintain a work-life balance?

120. Do a Vlog! – A Video Blog. Get personal!

121. Create an SAQ (Should Ask Questions) listicle!

122. Blog about your offers, discounts, special events, etc.

123. How you deliver images – How many images do you provide?

124. List of Questions to ask your vendor

125. Best places to take engagement photos in your city

126. Best alternatives to a guest book that your guests will love!

127. A blog series on “how he asked”

128. Best places to buy engagement rings in your city

129. How to hire a photographer for a proposal without your fiance knowing what is going on.

130. The best wedding inspiration websites you’ve never heard of. (Good opportunity to get backlinks, find the smaller sites who appreciate the attention).

131. How to share your photos with all of your guests, friends, and family.

132. Top ways to encourage guests to put down their phones on your wedding day.

133. After you’ve done a large number of weddings or photo sessions, do roundup posts of some of the best moments you’ve captured.

134. Link to your Press and Media Coverage

135. A ‘Tutorial On’ Blog Post

136. Create “How To” Blog Posts

137. Create a “Pros & Cons” Post

138. Create a “Bust A Myth” Post

Holy Crap! Ok, that is alot of information. Have you tried any of these? Leave a link in the comments below so I can read your blogs!

Also, if you have any additional ideas comment below with your ideas and I will add them to the list :)

Wishing you the best,

Bessie

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