2016: looking back and ahead

The first few days of a new year are always a bit disorientating for me.

On one hand, I want to savor the past, look back on what I learned - hindsight is always 20/20. On the other, I want to look forward, become the person I've always wanted to be, make this year the one I finally achieve my goals.

So here's a little bit of both.

Since we've all surely been inundated with "best of" and roundup posts, I'll keep this short and sweet.

What I'm proud of:
1. Finally starting my blog! It was an idea that I kicked around a bit, and I'm glad I did it. It gave me purpose when I was feeling down, and I've learned so much, just sitting at my computer and clicking away, both about myself and how things work in other places.

2. Getting better at some resolutions I made a couple of years back. Being more fit is a common resolution for many, and I'm starting to make good on that - better late than never. I'm also sketching more, and not being as harsh on my appearance as I used to be.

3. Holding myself accountable financially, and generating more of an income through photography. I've always loved shopping, which creates a sizable dent in my wallet, but this year, 40% of what I spent was directly from the money I've made selling my clothes.

Wearing: Cooperative red toggle coat (similar), Zara checkered top (similar), Gap Petite black 1969 legging jean, Sam Edelman Felicia black flats

Improvements to be made:
1. Being more vocal and honest about my thoughts. Both in the class and in my day-to-day relationships, my inner monologue is far greater and richer than what I'll actually say out loud. This has contributed to my being seen as a quiet, Asian girl, which I've tried to rebel against with my hair and becoming more outspoken, but I think there's still a while to go.

2. Being more understanding and empathetic of others. I tend to rush to conclusions, and I don't think about what others are going through as often as I should. I hesitate to be labelled as "nice", because I'm afraid of what that will mean in terms of how others treat me, but I'm trying to find a balance.

3. Living in the now. At each phase in life, there's something unique and special to be experienced. I don't want to rush through the phase I'm at now, just because the next one has promises of a grown-up flat in the city or a cushy job. Not that those are guaranteed anyways!

Things I'm mulling over for the blog:
1. Bringing in other voices. Since April, this blog has been my own space, my personal soap box. But it's more difficult for me to think of what to write about, and I'm hoping to start some collaborations, interviews, and guest posts. Shoot me an email if you're interested!

2. Shorter posts. I tend to write a lot, even when I consciously remind myself not too. So I'm thinking of bringing in a shorter post at the start of the week, and a longer, typical one towards Thursday or Friday.

3. How much personal information I want to share. With connecting online, there's a fine line between wanting to be authentic and real, and needing to be safe. I've only felt comfortable sharing my first name and last initial, my face, and my general location. But I've been thinking about age, and whether that really matters - most people don't assume correctly, and I'm fine with that, but is it a vital part of myself?

I hope everyone's new year has been lovely! What things do you have in store for your blog or life? What do you think about the changes I'm thinking of bringing in?

xx

Angelina

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how to take blog photos in public

I always get a lot of questions about shooting in public and taking outfit photos, and I thought I'd condense them into a post. Also because this location has been one I've wanted to shoot at for ages, but it's usually quite busy.

If you've ever wanted to be able to take outfit photos in public without feeling (as) awkward, this is the perfect post for you.

The basics
Logically, starting out, it'll be easier to pick a place with less traffic. You can choose a quiet street, or a time when people aren't out, like during school/work hours, or early in the morning. I still tend to prefer these places, since you don't have to worry about people in the background of your photos, or staying out of people's ways.

Try: quiet side streets, business districts on the weekends, church parking lots (they seem to have great flowers) on the weekdays.
Avoid: major roads, shooting at a school/workplace during their hours, downtown during lunch/dinner.

Wearing: Merona denim top (similar), F21 skater skirt, DV by Dolce Vita oxfords, J.Crew statement necklace (similar).

Preparing beforehand
Making sure everything runs smoothly includes trying on the outfit beforehand, having some inspiration photos, and a few go to poses. It sounds obvious, but sometimes outfits just don't fit the way you'd think! Inspiration photos are helpful both to you and your photographer, and it's great to be on the same page with what you're looking to get. Practice posing a bit in the mirror, which can feel very uncomfortable, but it'll help you relax if you're not comfortable in front of the camera.

I also feel like we don't look into the mirror and just appreciate what's in front of us nearly enough!

When strangers are better than friends
Inevitably, people will notice you, and ask what you're doing. I typically tell them it's for school (that lets you get away with almost anything), as I feel like saying "I run a fashion blog" doesn't carry the same weight. Unless you look really professional and have a heavy camera with tons of lighting equipment. Which I don't (yet).

I don't mind when strangers see me, because I'm so used to it with taking pictures of other people for my portfolio and "modeling" with friends, but it would be incredibly awkward if friends or people I know saw me. I haven't told people I know in real life about my blog, because there are so many sides to myself that I don't necessarily exhibit to those I interact with on a daily basis. It would keep me from being able to talk about whatever I'd like, though maybe I will someday.

To avoid this, I try and find less well known locations, shoot at odd times, or drive outside of my city. It's not too far, and it makes for a great change of scenery as well. To find new locations, I simply keep aware of my surroundings and take pictures with my phone of potential settings. While I used to zone out during my morning commute, I'm now always looking for interesting nooks and crannies instead.

Why yes, I do live on the edge
Some of the best places I've shot at are most likely technically not allowed. Okay, probably more than likely. I've snuck up roof tops, slipped into empty houses, and climbed over many, many fences. A technique I've picked up would be to hold very still when someone walks by. We're less likely to notice something that isn't moving, and most people are too preoccupied with their own days to actively look around them - a blessing in disguise. Avoid eye contact! It would give people a reason to talk to you, and if you don't have a legitimate reason to be there, you don't really want that.

Of course, use your own judgement about whether locations are safe to shoot in. I wouldn't drive out to an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere - literally every horror movie ever! Make sure to let people know where you're going, and ideally bring a strong friend.

If you're in need of new people to shoot or take your photos, here are some great ways to meet new people online safely.

"Will you please move already?"
When shooting in heavy traffic areas, remember to be considerate of others. While we all want those casual, crossing the street photos, they're a real hassle to get, and traffic may not be forgiving. While I'm a big fan of city shots, it's irritating for me when I have to step around some people taking photos in the middle of the sidewalk.



The only thing that matters
Finally, as with most things, confidence is key. If you have fun with it, you won't feel weird or uncomfortable if a few people happen to glance your way. I used to only tolerate being in front of the camera if my friends were taking the pictures, and having strangers take my photos was a nightmare. I was always worried a shot wouldn't come out right, like I had to be perpetually photogenic.

That's not true. As we've all been reminded over the last few weeks with the Essena O'Neill story, social media is not real life, and neither are my images. They're snippets, curated from hundreds more.

Celebrity lookalike? I think yes!
Because I get up every morning at 6am, I'm a firm believer of sleeping in on weekends. But when I voluntarily chose to get up early, it's usually for something big! I'm so glad we got to this football field at 8am, there are typically people doing athletic things (ugh right?), but it was blissfully empty that early on a Sunday.

My inspiration for this outfit was undoubtedly Taylor Swift. I'm pretty sure she's been spotted in this like a million times. If you squint, I'm basically Taylor.

Hopefully this (rather wordy) guide helped out a bit, go forth and take photos in front of all those people!

What was your most awkward experience taking photos? Do you have tips or questions? What's your favorite place to shoot?

xx

Angelina


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angelina is, 1.5 (a somewhat relaunch)

As my blog grows and becomes more "professional", I've been thinking a lot about the steps full time or well known bloggers seem to have taken. I've been reading a lot of articles advertising tips and tricks "every blogger has to know", and have taken them with a grain of salt. 

So here's Angelina Is, version 1.5, as well as some easy steps to make your blog even better!

I hesitate to call this 2.0 because that warrants a huge change, and drastic improvement. At this point, I don't have the time, nor resources to really amp up production, but I do want to make my space on the Internet somewhat more personal and professional.

I keep throwing out the word "professional", not because I'm going into blogging with an expectation to make money, or have anything life altering opportunities, but because of lack of a better adjective to describe where I want to go.

You can see a little bit of my brainstorming up above, though that is the sanitized and "prettified" version. My actual thoughts would likely involve quite a bit more swearing and scribbles.

But as you can see, I'm trying to think of some categories I can really commit to, and dedicate numerous posts to. When I started this blog, it was a lifestyle blog, due to the fact that I don't have enough original outfits to be devoted purely to fashion, and don't know anything about makeup to save my life. To this day, I still can't figure out eyeliner.

I was happy with my self categorization of lifestyle blog up until a few weeks ago, when I was reading a post on the Nectar Collective a while ago, that basically said if you narrow your scope, you'll actually receive more numbers (subscribers, readers, commentors, etc.), than if you have a wide range of subjects.

The more I thought about it, the more it makes sense. If I'm interested in fashion, and a certain blog has a little bit of fashion, but also a little bit of vegan food recipes, knitting tips, and plant care, I won't visit it as much.

However, I still have no idea what category I fall into. And so, I made a little graphic organizer of what my readers most likely look like to help me figure things out.

So there we are. After writing it, I realized I basically described myself, so I'm not too sure how helpful it was in my case, but maybe for you, it will be!

When creating this organizer, I thought, "What kind of person would read my blog?", which would lead me to the question, "What sort of posts would this person like to read?"

These are mostly the topics I already enjoy writing about, simply put in a more visual form. If you're a new visitor and are looking for an idea of what you'd be seeing here, this is it!

Of course, if you don't fall into any of these categories, that doesn't mean you're not allowed in this exclusive club of Angelina Is readers (although if a club did exist, it would be full of the coolest and kindest people ever, so you would all be in it). Feel free to read away!

A wise person I know (thanks Ira!) wrote a post about the Pareto principle which claims that 80% of your outcome comes from 20% of your input. Meaning to succeed, your content should be 20%, and promotion should be 80%.

While I'm not too sold on the numbers, I do think I need a bit more promotion. Currently, I'm probably at about 70% content, 30% promotion, with my main form of promotion being commenting on other blogs (I do read everything, because I'd like to respect the work put into every post. Also bloggers can tell!)

With school starting up again, this has been dramatically reduced, and as a result, so have my views and interaction with readers. So I've been thinking I need a better, less time consuming way!

My main thing is that I'm thinking of creating a dedicated blog Instagram. I already have a personal as well as a photography, so I'm still a little hesitant to create a 3rd account I have to manage and build, but it seems like the best way to build readership.

I'm also hoping to do a giveaway when I pull my act together and have enough money in a few months, as well as get some fresh voices on the blog, since I feel as though I've defined my voice.

Domain name is still up in the air - based on preliminary research, it doesn't seem to be too pricey, but it seems so permanent and official. I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to that, but it's such a tempting idea!

With this very long and verbose post, I have a few questions I would be so appreciative of if you could give your thoughts on:

*What type of posts do you guys like/dislike to read? It can be from my blog or in general. 
*What's one thing that completely turns you off a blog/post?
*Do you follow bloggers on Instagram? If so, what makes you want to follow them, and what will make you unfollow?
*What sort of giveaway would you be interested in?
*How much promoting of your blog do you do, and have you found it beneficial?
*Lastly, is anyone interested in doing some guest posts for each other?

Thank you all so much for reading and visiting. It truly means the world to me, and I'm always open to hearing feedback, both positive and critical.

xx

Angelina

p.s. my social media links have been added in the top menu (the ones I have anyways)!

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(edit: some clarification - I'm not going into blogging full time right now, nor do I expect financial gains. this is more my way to consolidate and strengthen my blog with the hope that it'll open doors in the field I'm interested in (fashion), as well as allow me to meet new people)