mindofamaka

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Mind on the Month: November + Big Announcement

Ah, yet again another month has ended. I don’t even know why these months seem to rush by so fast! Next thing we know, it’s 2018! I don’t know why, but I’m feeling a bit excited for 2018, I feel like I will really achieve a lot of growth next year, in addition to the growth experienced this year. I’ll just try and recap what I do remember of this month..meaning the highlights! Highlights ELCI…

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Shop & Tell: Aliexpress Haul

I mentioned previously that I read the Smart Money Woman, and safe to say, it had me thinking of a lot of things. I never said that I would stop shopping completely though!  More about me, I’m the type of person who would rather use an amount of money to get plenty things, as opposed to a singular item. This is why my foundation search has been delayed, because when I think of spending 5000…

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  Like many other people, I started from somewhere when it comes to flatlays. Over time, with lots of practice days, I can see a steady improvement. I mean, let’s look at a few photos, shall we?

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These above photos show my progression from my very first 2 flat-lays, to the most recent ones at the time this post was written. Safe to say, I’ve come quite a bit from those very first grainy photos. I remember I was so nervous when taking my first flat-lay, having an idea of what I wanted in my head. I was annoyed when things didn’t come out like I’d imagined.

Anyway, seeing that I have improved quite a bit, there are elements which are very necessary (in my opinion) for your flat-lay to come out bomb!

Natural Lighting

I think everybody can agree that there’s no lighting like natural lighting. I mean, I am yet to experiment with studio lighting, but I can attest that natural light is the absolute bomb. Natural lighting takes things to the next level, but of course there are other elements that have to work along with it!

You can’t just imagine that your photo will come out well because you have natural lighting, but it’s a very important part. You have to take the photos early during the day i.e. 8am – 11am. Majority of my best photos have been taken early in the morning. Also, if you’re in a room like me, turn off any artificial light in the room, and just let the room be filled with that natural goodness.

My challenge with natural light is that depending on the time, my pink cardboard can come out very light pink, very dark pink, or even purple sometimes. It’s really annoying! That’s one challenge with using coloured cardboard, you need to know how to get that same consistent colour.

Composition

Of course, you can’t take a photo of nothing. A lot also matters when it comes to what the flat-lay is made of. The way you arrange things or focus on the details e.g. making sure everything is the same colour or has colours which click, can really bring the beauty out of your flat lay. I just sit down sometimes and play around, not having particular ideas in mind apart from ‘tropical’ or ‘floral’. Sometimes I get awesome shots, sometimes not.

The most important thing is to keep experimenting, keep playing with arrangements to see what looks good and what doesn’t! It’s a constant learning process.

Angles

A lot of guides for flatlays will tell you to take the photos horizontally and facing down. Of course, this is the ultimate positioning for a flatlay, but you can dare to be different. Different angles have a way of really bringing out things! I have experimented with angles a lot, from birds eye view, to ground level.

You can also take photos from a distance, or get up close and personal in order to capture some of the vital details. This angle, coupled with that good ol’ natural lighting, can really produce stunning photography.

Camera Quality

Of course, how could I talk about photos without actually mentioning what you use to take the photo? I am currently using the iPhone 5 camera, and I have no complaints whatsoever.

Any phone with a camera from 8MP above can be used to capture awesome photos, especially when natural light comes in. I’m sure 5MP is alright, but you have to know what you’re doing and really get experimenting.

Determination & Creativity

Frankly, flat-lays start in the mind and are vomitted into reality when we take action. Therefore, you should have an idea of what you want your flat-lay to look like already. You also need to be determined to continuously improve, no matter how limited your resources are. Tell yourself you’re not going to slack in quality, and that you’ll put in your best efforts! With a good mindset, you can really improve a lot. In order to refresh and add to your creativity, utilise places like Instagram, Pinterest and We Heart It for inspiration! 

Source: Pinterest

Don’t be discouraged because your flat-lay doesn’t look like those on Pinterest. Those people all started somewhere, and also yours doesn’t have to look exactly like theirs. I’m fine taking photos of my makeup even if it’s not MAC, Nars, Urban Decay or whatnot. As I grow, so will my flat-lays!

  So yes, those are some of the key elements which always come into play in my flatlays. Also, flatlays are really fun! Here’s a look at what happens behind the scenes of my flatlays:

I am glad for all the people who love my photos and hype me up, and I can honestly say I’m only going to get better..hopefully! You can check me out on Instagram (@mindofamaka) to get more flat-lay inspiration! I’m also on Pinterest, and We Heart It, in case you need more inspo!

Did I miss any elements? Let me know below!

FLATLAYS101: Elements of a Good Flat-lay Like many other people, I started from somewhere when it comes to flatlays. Over time, with lots of practice days, I can see a steady improvement.

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Of Lice and Men: A Treatise on My Hair

Are you natural or relaxed? Well, I did a mini-rant on my hair state, read and be entertained!

P.S. I don’t have lice, but I do love the ring the title had to it! You know, there are many things one can worry about in this life. When you add a scalp that is fighting with you, things are just not easy! I don’t know why, but my scalp just seems to hate me. I don’t know how this started or how it got to this. What I do know, is that I need this to stop. You see, I suffer from serious…

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FLATLAYS101: Backgrounds

Trying to wrap your head around flatlays but struggling? Check this post for tips! #flatlays

Welcome to FLATLAYS101. I will be your lecturer for today and the next few posts. Now, I might have just been 6 and a bit months into this whole blogging thing, especially blog photography, but I can say I have learnt quite some handy things. I’m no where near where I want to be, but I’m getting there! In this post and the next, I’ll focus more on what goes into the flatlay (composition), not my…

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Oh, Niche-less One

So, as I’ve mentioned before, I was privileged to win a free blog consultation from one of the top Nigerian bloggers, Maryam Salam. One thing she brought up was that my posts were kind of all over the place.  This is a true fact. I’ve written more than 50 posts to date, and they don’t have a consistent theme. If you’ve picked up on a theme apart from pink, do let me know!  Niche is a word which…

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My Favourite Makeup Items

My Favourite Makeup Items

Hey folks! You know, I’m totally not a person who goes through the whole routine of adding ‘hey’ at the start of each post. I just want to get into the story already. If you’re a blogger and you do it, why do you do it? You can answer in the comments! This post is kind of a fun post, because each day I think more and more about the type of content I want to be putting out. I mean, it’s nice to…

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Shop and Tell: My Aliexpress Experience

Shop and Tell: My Aliexpress Experience

A review on Aliexpress, by a Nigerian, in Nigeria. I discovered Aliexpress when I lived in Australia. It is one of the best things that has happened to me, since eBay and thrift stores. When I moved back to Nigeria, I was devastated. This was because the bank account I opened with Zenith gave me a card which I could only use on Nigerian websites. I longed for the day I would splurge on Aliexpress…

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The Smart Money Woman and I

The Smart Money Woman and I

Getting my hands on this book finally, was one of the most exciting moments ever. I had been looking for this opportunity for a long time. I feel like really reading up on personal finance, as well stocking up on knowledge that will help me out in life. It’s never too late to start preparing, cultivating habits which will be highly beneficial in the long run. I realised that there are some things…

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One Year a Co-Owner

One Year a Co-Owner

I don’t normally mention that I have a business around here much. Well, if you didn’t know, now you know! I co-own Elci Threads, which I like to call ELCI, along with my friend, Linda! It’s actually crazy that on this day, a year ago, we launched our business, along with our first collection. Honestly, I thank God. I never ever anticipated that I’d one day do something like this, but here I am.…

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I remember the day I decided I wanted to start a blog. I simply said it out loud, sitting alone in my ever messy room. Suddenly, the heavens opened, and clouds were in every inch of my room. Then came the bright, amber light. It fell upon my face, and I stared in wonder as a black box floated down from above.

It landed on my laps, and I heard a voice “blog on, my child,” from the heavens. I took off the box lid, uncovering a nice package. In the box was a laptop, a data bundle, a Cassie Daves blog planner, an iPhone, an Olympus Camera, and a chip for creativity. I smiled and the heavens closed up, the clouds disappearing into thin air. It was my starter pack, I was ready.

Okay, who honestly can say that was what happened when they decided to start blogging? Not me! If you can say that, then you probably need to get something checked, because that is a serious hallucination, haha! I basically just listed out for you some things I want, so if you are led, start with the Olympus camera please! Then again, I did write a starter pack post.

The Olympus PEN – a beauty!

I previously wrote a post on how some of my favourite bloggers (who are also quite popular) started off their blogging journey. It was a good post, If I say so myself. 

Related: The Glow Up: How Your Blogger Faves Started

So, the response to the post was so awesome, and I felt glad I was able to inspire at least more than one person out there, helping them to have a renewed view of their blogging journey. I definitely want to shut down prevalent thoughts of being unworthy, and comparing our stats with others. I want to inspire people to do their best, work at their utmost capacity, especially when it comes to blogging. So, I have decided to take things a step further.

Wisdom Nuggets on Comparison

You see, comparison, like we have said many times before, is the thief of joy. Sometimes we get to comparing so quickly, not forgetting that not everyone has the same circumstances. For example, sure, we’re a bunch of Nigerian bloggers. Even if we all live in one country, of course we lead different lives.

Different lives and backgrounds, lead to different resources. So, it’s clearly not hot to be comparing yourself to a blogger who has a professional photographer, while you’re figuring out your 8MP phone camera. I can’t wake up one day and start feeling sad because JTO Fashion or Thirteen Thoughts have much nicer photos than me. That would be unrealistic, and would not really help anybody, especially me, in the long run.

For one, I started off ‘very well’. I have steady internet access, a laptop, and a highly reliable phone. I have constant electricity which allows me to charge the aforementioned items, meaning that I can barely miss out on stuff. I also use my computer most of the time to surf the web, and so it makes things easy when an idea hits, and I can just start drafting the post. I would even have a camera, but then as I got into this flat lay game, the house camera has decided to abscond to Mexico or something.

If I find the camera, I would kind of have the complete package. I also live in a place that allows for prime positioning when it comes to flat lays. All my flat lays are taken in the comfort of my room, just right under the beautiful natural light streaming in from my window.

Someone who, for example, has just a simple phone which they rely on to put up posts, take photos, edit photos as well as build up their brands via their Instagram and other social media pages, would definitely get stressed at some point. Maybe your phone battery sucks and keeps dying when you need it the most, or that it’s hard for you to snatch that natural lighting due to where you live. It could also be that you’re a student who has such a terribly heavy workload, and don’t have as much time, meaning you then become inconsistent. One week you’re here, the other you’re not.

You should take into consideration these factors, before even considering comparing yourself to others. Maybe you see all the photos of bloggers in nice places, and all you see around you is unpainted buildings with empty water sachets all over the ground, and the occasional goat and chicken (if you don’t live right in a city, but probably the outskirts. PS Not all of Nigeria is like this, I’m just mirroring my own experience. I stay in Abuja, but barely ever go into town). Work with it somehow! Use your creativity!

I’d love to rant on, but I’m sure you just can’t wait to see what is up! I’ve decided, taking into consideration all these factors, to interview some awesome bloggers, and ask them how they started off. Sometimes, it’s good to reach out to others and get a variety of perspectives. Off we go!

YOUR FAVOURITE BLOGGERS SPEAK

For this post, I reached out to quite a number of people. They all replied positively, and so I will have two posts in order to showcase their awesome answers and perspectives. For this post, the bloggers featured are:

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Ifeoma Amadi – Draped in Basics | Uzo – Uzzymami | Lade – Toyin’ With Fashion |Ella – Ella Pinkette | Joyce – Joyce Daniels | Ebun – Wanshygal |Love – @lhurvedavies

Q: What tools did you start your blogging journey with? 

 IFEOMA: 

I started blogging with my phone, until today I still edit photos and write blog posts on my phone, as I have gotten used to it and I find it easier and less complicated to use (I’m not tech savvy at all) 

UZZY: I started blogging with just my phone, that didn’t have a camera! Looool

LADE: I started my blogging journey with just my laptop and random pieces of paper (lol) to write down ideas whenever they pop up..I don’t think I really used my phone for any blog related things.

ELLA: I started with a phone. It was an iPhone 5 then, and I didn’t feel inadequate for it at all. It was everything. My camera, My notepad…everything.

JOYCE: I started blogging with a laptop and a tablet, majorly because I was in school and had no access to my phone.

EBUN: Although I had a laptop, I found my phone convenient at he time so I mostly used the WordPress App on my Android phone to upload pictures and write short texts on the go. It was also easier to monitor my stats and comments using my mobile phone.

LOVE: I started out with an iPad on the platform of Blogger and I remember it being so difficult figuring out how things worked on my own, having to google virtually everything from how to attach photos to how to schedule posts. That was the struggle stage

Q: What tools do you think are essential to start a blog?

IFEOMA:

I’d say the essential tools to start blogging are what you have and a huge amount of determination. As I stated earlier, all I had when I started blogging was my phone, and it was just perfect.

UZZY: I think having a system (computer) is very essential, and a good camera. It could be a phone or digital camera. Having a camera gives you more room to explore and determine what your style is, I hope that makes sense.

LADE: Basic tools essential to starting a blog are a laptop, a journal and contact cards. Then depending on your niche comes other essentials, like a camera.

ELLA: You don’t need to have everything to get on with it. A smartphone with a good camera is fine. What is worth doing is worth doing well though, so try not to get stuck in that phase for long. Depending on how serious you want your blog to be, and how much work you put into it, you will grow, and so will your “tools”.

JOYCE: I think the major tool should be a functioning device. That could either be a laptop or a phone, or both. A good camera is also needed. luckily enough, most phones come with awesome cameras. That’s it majorly, I feel most people make it look like you need a lot to blog, but you really don’t.

EBUN: Key tools to start a blog – a laptop, good camera (irrespective of your niche), Content Management Systems (CMS) e.g. WordPress, Blogger, Wix, Squarespace. Of course, enough data and meaningful content.

LOVE: I think you definitely need to have a laptop – that’s just the most convenient device to use if your blog is hosted by Blogger. A camera or a good phone capable of taking photos and planner to schedule your posts.

Q: Do you remember a time where you compared yourself to another blogger? What made you compare?

IFEOMA:

I’ve sincerely never compared myself to any blogger, I’m too busy focusing on how to be better than myself, I barely have time to check up on what other people or bloggers are doing. One thing I realised years back is that no one is running the same race as you, yes we are all bloggers, but for different reasons. We have different resources, different ideas etc. so my growth and your growth can never be the same. There is no scale of growth, we might have started blogging at the same time but we spend different amount of times and resources on our craft, so why do you expect us to grow at the same rate? Even twins in the womb do not grow at the same rate. I really urge everyone to spend the time they use checking out other people to research, read, seek inspiration on how to do better because comparison is not only a thief of joy but a thief of success.

We might have started blogging at the same time, but we spend different amount of times and resources on our craft, so why do you expect us to grow at the same rate?

UZZY: Yeah, I did compare myself with a few bloggers. I kept asking myself, ‘what is she doing that I’m not getting right?’, ‘Why does she have more followers?’, ‘Why are brands contacting her for collaborations, and not asking me?’ How come her site looks so lit? Then I decided to look at it from a different angle, maybe I need to up my game, so I started working on my IG feed.

Then I decided to look at it from a different angle, maybe I need to up my game…”

LADE:  I think I’ve had several times I’ve compared myself with different kinds of creatives, not just bloggers. It’s been for various reasons, from how great their blog/feed looks, to how they are able to gather engagement on almost every social platform, to picture quality and the list goes on. At the end of the day, I realised it’s all just unnecessary headache. Everybody has their own race, so comparing and/or trying to copy does you no good at the end.

ELLA: Is it healthy to say that I do that almost on a daily basis? But not in a bad way. I mean, it is more like an inspiration sort of thing. This person is doing it right, I should be able to too. Everyone has their own magic though and no matter how much I compare, I don’t ever forget that.

JOYCE: Comparison is something most people do as we are human. I don’t think I’ve ever compared myself to another blogger though. I’m more of an analytic person. Instead of comparing, I’ve probably ‘analysed’ the persons blog and the person.

EBUN: Yep! The comparison bug hit me, but not too hard. I noticed a number of bloggers who started blogging around the same time I did had already got self hosted and all and i felt like I wasn’t doing enough or wasn’t catching up just because I’m yet to get self hosted.

LOVE: Yes! Back when I was a lot younger and still trying to figure out my own personal style, I would look at another blogger and be like ‘oh, she has my body type, what she’s wearing might fit me’, and it almost never did! But that was how I got to figure out the styles I liked from the ones I didn’t.

Q: What is one tool you wish you could have for your blog?

IFEOMA: Definitely has to be a personal camera, but I’m working on getting one soon.

UZZY: Right now I want a laptop, I wanted a digital camera before but I’ve come to realise that my phone is good enough for me at the moment. Editing apps have made it better too.

LADE: I wish and I’m planning on buying a camera. Still don’t have one lol

ELLA: A photographer! Lol! Does a person count as a tool? I don’t think so. I wish I had someone to direct me during shoots and tell me when I’m not tilting my head right. A tripod can’t really do that.

JOYCE: Hmm..probably a tool that automatically corrects errors in posts.

EBUN: I have a ton of tools I really need for my blog yet since I’m on a free plan it’s super limiting. Does a self hosted blog count as a tool? (laughter) YOAST SEO is the number one tool I really need right now. It’s a great guide when it comes to creating content that would easily be ranked by search engines.

LOVE: Well, right now, I think I have everything I need

I included the last question so you can buy stuff (and people, in the case of Ella) for your faves, lol! Before buying anything for them, you must buy me an Olympus camera or we’ll fight! 

I hope you have enjoyed this post! If you liked it, and can see yourself collaborating with me in the future, do check out my Collaboration page to get the gist on how we can get started. I won’t start collaborations until next year, so there’s lots of time to think of what you think we can do, and swap ideas. I already have a few ideas myself! 

Little Steps: How to Start Blogging I remember the day I decided I wanted to start a blog. I simply said it out loud, sitting alone in my ever messy room.

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Girls that Influence: Linda Iriza

Girls that Influence: Linda Iriza

Not everyone is lucky to have good people in their lives. We all need people who will motivate us to do our very best, who will continue inspiring us, not to do stupid things, but instead to work on becoming a better version of ourselves. I am pleased to say I have had such people in my life, and I am very grateful for that. I spent my developing years of teen-hood with a bunch of awesome girls.…

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Style Edit: Casually Corporate

Style Edit: Casually Corporate

I recently wrote a post on my feelings of conflict amidst a rising insecurity about my law path. I consider this post to be a kind of continuation of that, because the truth is I have a lot of stuff I’m trying to figure out, like most people out there. Style Blogger Struggles Firstly I’d like to give a shoutout to style bloggers. It’s not easy! To be honest, blogging is not an easy task. It might…

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The Smart Money Woman, An Awakening

The Smart Money Woman, An Awakening

I’ve honestly always been money conscious. By money conscious, I mean stingy. Jokes! I’ll give when I am led, but for the most part, I don’t like spending my own money (like many sane people). My first experience with money was getting a job at a deli. I’d reached an age where I realised one thing: I was broke, and asking my money for money to cover my various wants wasn’t going to cut it. So, I…

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Mind on the Month: October

Am I the only one who had a terrible October? Read my latest Mind on the Month post!

Wow, it’s actually crazy to think the month of October has come and gone, just like that. I remember how excited I was to type the last Mind on the Month, but here I am, completely deflated. I hope you all had a great October, at least! I don’t actually recall most of what happened this month, all due to my failure to update my journal daily to take stock. The thing is, when I do write journal…

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3 Ways I Treat Myself

3 Ways I Treat Myself

The other day, I took advantage of some natural lighting and decided to play around with flat-lays. I also discovered just how many pink things I have lying around my room! That’s rich, coming from someone who claims that blue is their favourite colour! I have to admit, I’m growing more and more attracted to pink each day.    Anyway, sometimes life can just feel dull and ‘meh’. So in those…

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Experience: Learning to Sew

Thread a needle thread a needle, long long thread, a needle, a needle, long long thread

Thread a needle thread a needle, long long thread, a needle, a needle, long long thread From One Direction, to No Direction Am I the only one who remembers singing this song in primary school assemblies? Wow, I remember when we would sing all these rhymes when marching back to class. Who came up with that? This was my memory from schooling in Nigeria, not sure if the same is repeated in other…