What have I been upto this week! At Adrian Day Photography

On November 13, 2020November 13, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, beauty, editing, etsy, fashion, Instagram, Instagram marketing, photographer, pinterest, wedding dresses, weddingsLeave a comment

Birthday week for me! It’s coming round to that time of year again ! Another year older for me and another year of being a photographer!

I’ve now been into photography twenty eight years! Wow how time has gone so fast!

I’ve not been a professional photographer all that time as I was still at school a good part of that and I took some time out before I come back to the art so now it’s been a little over 20 years picking up a camera !

Do you know what? There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t like photography! I honestly love what I do and enjoy everything about it! Even those times when I didn’t quite get the shot I was expecting! or that pose that just didn’t hit focus !

This week I’ve had a lot going on! Looking through where I have been and evaluating where I’m heading! What I’ve yet to accomplish and what I’ve already accomplished!

I’ve managed to get my work in places I didn’t think possibly on the streets of London and magazines that span the globe! I’ve also worked with amazing clients models and gained some fantastic friends along the way!

I’ve been lucky enough to use some great products cameras and locations that I’ve captured beautiful images I never thought I would create!

This lockdown has given me ideas and thoughts that have perplexed me! But also has shown me that even in the times we are working in! There is no reason we can’t keep an open mind and still be creative!

We are only held back by our imagination and today world doesn’t have to stop in the real world but the World Wide Web can open up endless possibilities!

So this week I’ve been busy !

Created and Etsy store.
Created a new dot com for Adrian Day photography.
Created a social media shop on my pages
Edited a number of images that I’ve revamped to today’s style.
took on E-learning ! (Yes I’ve been a photographer for 20 years but times change and it’s time to go with it!)
Also uploaded a number of images and links to Pinterest so people can see and maybe grow and get inspiration from my work!.

See now the view I have is that I’ve been waiting to long to do all the above and thinking that things will change!

Change only comes from doing something about what you want and need every single day! We can’t expect things to get better by doing the same thing every single day!

Okay guys and girls here are a few links for you to check out ! this is some of what I’ve been creating this week! Please if you like something show it some love ! Comment follow like it’s amazing to have your input and connecting with amazing people

Boudoir with kayleigh

Please let me know on here also if you like my posts so I know if I’m doing something right ! And hey it will be good to chat!

Jade on locations

Boudoir with kayleigh.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog post! And keeps watching the how I got the shot post is running a little late but it’s coming ! Just want to get it right !

Now selling digital images on Etsy – one image up now more to come!

On November 9, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, editing, etsy, Instagram, Instagram marketing, lockdown, photographerLeave a comment

I’ve been looking into selling my landscape and art prints !

CLICK TO CHECK OUT OUR ETSY STORE

Today I made that leap using Etsy I’ve been signed up for a while now but never really taken that leap until tonight!

The thing with taking so many images and only really stock piling them on a hard drive it’s not making any money !

What this lockdown has shown me it’s time to take chances and try to see what you can do from being online! There are so many business making products and money online and doing well at it!

There is a big wide world out there and the web world has a opening for everyone! To take a chance and go do something !

So tonight I added my first digital print to my store

More images will be added to the page over the next couple of days .. images of all kinds of things that may just make for that perfect christmas gift !

If you do get a chance and you any to pop over there is now one of the shipwrecked images up for a great price! That’s worth it to anyone ! Once again pop along to the link at the top or even the one below !

CLICK TO CHECK OUT OUR ETSY STORE

Also let me know if you buy something from my Etsy by commenting below ! Between now and Christmas anyone who ordered a product of this link will be entered into a prize draw for a second image completely free!

BTW THE IMAGES ON SALE ARE DIGITAL IMAGES CURRENTLY, BUT MORE PRODUCTS INCLUDING PRINTS WILL BE ADDED SOON!

Fighting fit during lockdown! Keeping business going as usual

On November 6, 2020November 6, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, business card, camera basics, editing, Instagram, Instagram marketing, lightroom, lockdownLeave a comment

Let me start by saying I know why we are doing this (to save lives) and to help each other to keep going in the future! We need to look after each other!

Lockdown definitely is taking the life out of business

Everyone in the uk and across the would are finding it very hard to keep going

It’s a fight we live every day but so much more when in a lockdown situation. Government officials say that photographers are a non essential business! But documenting life and the situation we are all in I feel we are essential

There isn’t any reason that we can’t keep going we can shoot from a distance more than that of a school teacher or a shop worker!

We are creating works and we can do that on location out in the streets and out in the middle of nowhere and we can still keep everything safe yet still keep our family provided for! And also still put money into the big government fun pot!

It’s seems that yet again it’s going to be a few works of keeping the website up and working on the jobs that are needed in the background! Things like web design, learning new editing techniques, learning how to create BTS videos with the new products we have just had delivered!

You may not know it but being a photographer it’s not just about doing taking pictures ! There is a long list of things that need doing, to keep business going !

Admin
Editing
Learning the latest technologies
Advertising
Keeping up with social media
Replying to everyone and keeping visible to potential clients
Meeting with clients
Sending out products and prints
Creating photo books
Sending out images for publications
And that’s just to start!

One of the latest posts up on Instagram, this one is a fun shot we did for model Stephanie

Check out Stephanie and jack on my page along with many others

Adrian Day Insta

Stephanie’s Insta

Jacks Instagram

This ones an edit of jacks shoot! We love working with new models and helping the get their first take of what it takes to be a model

Adobe colour grade on jacks portrait includes my opinion haha

On November 5, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, editing, Instagram, Instagram marketing, lighting creative, lightroom, nikon to sony, photographerLeave a comment

The difference that the new colour grade tool is making on images is outstanding

It’s possible that Adobe have created something will set it apart from other leading editing suits

I’ve used a number of editing tools over the years and I’ve kind of got bored with the same old ideas that everything needs to be photoshopped!

It’s such a misconception! I’ve been doing that get it right in camera and just do the basic of edit in lightroom

Now I’m a Sony shooter and to make life simple I use the send to phone Sony standard app that sends it in Raw and can be finished while out on location!

This works for so many reasons if you’re with a client and you want them to see the way the finished work is but don’t want to take a laptop /charger / leads and everything else including the kitchen sink ! Lightroom cc mobile it’s perfect and the great part is that as soon as you edit in the app it’s loading to the laptop in the studio!

Talk about the perfect mix ! Lightroom and Sony should join forces and do a deal that puts sony and Adobe users together at a great price!

Below are a couple of edits of jack

Saved out after colour grading and then returned to edit to black and white but to still have the graded mono look!

Colour graded image this to me has something a little different ! Have to say I really like the portrait of jack!

Find the images of jack on our social media pages ! Feel free to head over and show it some love! While you’re there hit the follow button I post every day! And I’m interactive with my followers ! Jacks post on Instagram

NEW SERIES HOW I CREATED THE SHOT

On November 4, 2020November 4, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, camera basics, camera settings, editing, how i got the shot, lightroom, photographerLeave a comment

New series starts Saturday the 7th and will pop up every Saturday around mid day!

If you’re interested in learning how I got the shots, give the blog a follow! And if you know others who may like it share to social media we just want to help others see and learn from what we do!

How I created the shot!

LATEST INSTAGRAM POSTS

WE HAVE BEEN POSTING A LOT OF NEW WORK TO INSTAGRAM THIS WEEK TAKE A LOOK AT THE LINKS BELOW TO SEE WHATS STANDING OUT

IMAGE OF JADE

IMAGE OF AMBER

Trying out the new grading tool in Adobe Lightroom

On November 3, 2020November 4, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, editing, Instagram, Instagram marketing, lighting creative, lightroom, photographerLeave a comment

Is anyone else loving the new colour grading tool in Adobe Lightroom mobile?

Or is it just me?

This latest update is pretty great ! In my opinion being able to adjust the four main tones of an image really can help set off an image.

This is the image before adding in colour grading

This is the image after colour grading just a little pop

Adding in colours to the Global, highlights, midtones & shadows really makes the image pop ! I found it even helps when changing an image to black and white after sending the image to photo shop

This is the black and white version posted up on Adrian day photography Instagram Post pop over and take a look I really love the way it looks in black and white nearly as much as the colour !

What do you all think about the new tool ? Have you tried it yet?!

DONATION PAGE

On November 2, 2020November 2, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, Instagram marketing, new, photographer, pinterest, sale, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Due to covid-19 Its been a super hard year at Adrian Day Photography
as of Thursday 5th November due to gov restrictions we have to sadly stop working again, for another month.
This isnt going to be an easy time for photographers and many other businesses
If you come across this post and wish to support us as little or as much as possible even a single £1 one time payment helps keep the lights on

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

£2.50

£5.00

£10.00

£2.50

£5.00

£10.00

£20.00

£30.00

£40.00

Or please enter what you can afford to donate

Your contribution is very much appreciated.
EVERY single penny goes into creating content
and buying equipment. nothing goes into my personal piggy bank

Donate Now Donate Now Donate Now

Business is first and foremost about making others happy

On October 1, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, Artist, beauty, business card, camera basics, camera settings, cars, fashion, flash, Gel boudoir, Gel shoots, Instagram, Instagram marketing, lighting creative, nikon to sony, photographer, pinterest, sale, sony A7, togblog, weddingsLeave a comment

We get into business to pay the bills and to create something for our future!

This is true to a stage! What we don’t think about is that what we do ultimately makes others happy!

It’s something I’ve just found out. The bigger picture is that for 99% of businesses is that it’s ultimately making our customers or consumers happy.

Think about it like this, a baker makes cakes and you buy them to make your belly happy and that makes you feel good as the consumer but the baker is happy too because he is doing what he loves

Builder build a house with out thinking that what they’re doing is potentially making a house that will become a home for a family to grow and live happy ever after!

It’s the same being a photographer, though we capture images and we love what we do.. we are doing it to make others happy capturing your big day or taking that portrait of your grandmother who you love and want to always remember. It’s about making you happy!

It’s great that we can do what we love, while making a living yet at the same time making someone else happy!

I love that feeling of making others around me happy so remember everyone’s out to make you happy! Even when you don’t know it and take it for granted

I truly hope that what I do makes those who see it very happy and that it puts a smile on someone’s face! Here are a few images that I really hope makes you smile.

My go to portrait set up .. 85mm Sony 1.8 lens on a Sony a7 body.

On September 28, 2020September 28, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, camera basics, camera settings, fashion, flash, Gel shoots, Instagram, Instagram marketing, lighting creative, nikon to sony, photographer, sony A7, togblog, wedding dresses, weddingsLeave a comment

I used to be a Nikon guy ! Until I first put my hand on a Sony camera in a local camera shop!

It’s amazing that as photographers be that as a hobby or a business. Gear is a big debate! What brand do you use? what body? and so on ! It’s the war between Nikon, canon or sony amongst a few others that seem to be the go to brands .

Now when I say I was a Nikon shooter I loved my camera it was the be all ! And nothing was going to change that! Well nothing soon changed to a maybe because the look of the Sony camera really captured my eye, I see images and others shooting with it and then I was in a local camera shop and was talking about Sony bodies that’s when it happened I got my hands on the first Sony Alpha 7.

That was that I was hooked! It wasn’t long before I had to buy it ! Though the Sony bodies or lenses are not cheap I soon found that the quality matched the price! We all have that idea of what we would pay for a product and this certainly was a little more than I was anticipating but after buying a few lenses I could see that the build quality and the image quality balanced the price and quality scales.

One lens that I got was an 85mm 1.8 now this lens Uk price was just under £600 the build quality is fantastic and I couldn’t wait to try it ! I’ve used other 85mm lenses on other bodies like the canon and Nikon and not been taken by the images.

This time I was keeping everything crossed I got a model and a location sorted out and Waited for the delivery!

Upon opening the box I was pretty happy with the lens it had a good weight behind it. Smooth focus ring. As always I can’t wait long to use new gear and was soon out with a beautiful model and location. The lens focuses pretty fast and mixed with the 24mp full frame body the images look great on the back of the camera!

I know sometimes looking at the back of a camera don’t always show the best of an image! So couldn’t wait to see what the images looked like on the laptop. Flicking through the images and zooming in to the eyes this set up was perfect the image had a crisp edge to the shots 80% looked in focus and the fall off of the images at 1.8 was stunning ! For the shots I took at this first shoot with this lens I shot a lot at f6.3 I’m sure you will agree these images below definitely look great!

I’ve used this on over 30 shoots since I got this lens and body and I’m never disappointed! It’s a great bit of kit and I would honestly recommend anyone thinking about changing to Sony to go to a shop and try this combination out! I’m pretty sure that you will soon agree with me that they are a great combination!

Before I finish if you shoot sony what lens is your go to ? I would love to hear!

Until next time remember – one life,one shot, capture it!

New Instagram growing slower due to new algorithms

On September 25, 2020September 25, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, business card, camera basics, Instagram, Instagram marketing, nikon to sony, photographer, pinterest, sony A7, togblogLeave a comment

New Instagram up and running!

It’s only just starting to get seen, it’s definitely taking it’s time picking up! I guess it’s not the best time in the world starting a new page, what with the new algorithm that’s just been rolled out by Instagram!

It’s looking like images are getting fewer likes and views than when I first started my other page! If it’s wasn’t hard enough in the first place with all the millions of people posting. Now there is a wall we have to climb just to be able to wave at people let alone get seen through the fog of hashtags and selfies

We all need to work harder to get our accounts out there and I see few people these days following others they all seem to be looking for others to follow them. But not always prepared to follow for follow. Or like for like.

One thing I pride myself on is the fact that I’ve always followed my following back and I always try to like for like.

If you’re feeling kind and you’re obviously reading this post! Pop over to my new page and give it a follow and some love then watch for the likes and follow in return! My word means more to me than anyone would know. I always keep to it it’s not only in business but in every day life.

Below are a few images from what I’ve posted so far on my new page. Click on the images to be taken to the actual Instagram post to like

Instagram back up account for Adrian Day Photography

On September 24, 2020September 24, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, business card, fashion, Instagram, Instagram marketing, photographer, pinterestLeave a comment

A little over a week ago I was going to try running an advert on our main page.

For some reason the Instagram advertising has been locked and there seems to be no backing down by Instagram themselves. To unblock the page as someone else unknown to me paid for a promotion and didn’t pay the bill. I’ve never used paid promotions until this week.

This has meant that I’ve had to start a new back up account for our advertising, this isn’t all good news

Having tried out a two day advertisement and being quoted 1400 views, it seems posting on a new page that has very low following, mean that we don’t hit anywhere near that many accounts much more like 140 ..

If you have Instagram and would like to see more of what I’m working on please feel free to click >> Adrian Day Photography and follow it would be much appreciated. This account is going to be more about the black and white images I post.

I hope that you will agree that the images I post are worthy of you liking !

Below are a few images that I’ve posted up on the new page you can also click the images to head over to Instagram and be able to see more of the work I have created. And maybe even hit the like button on the image 😉

I really hope that you will like what you see and like this post too!

Before I go! If you follow my page or my blog I will do the same in return! If you comment I will do the same in return. It’s only polite to be kind and help each other grow! Have a great week!

Instagram

Instagram BW

Facebook

Five tips for photographers during a pandemic

On September 23, 2020September 23, 2020 By Adrian DayIn Adrian Day, fashion, flash, nikon to sony, sale, strobes, togblog, UncategorizedLeave a comment

During this lockdown we have all had a hard time, be that as it may, many of us have had some free time, more than we would like and less money coming in.

I thought it a good idea to help out with ‘five tips’ I’ve been using the last few months to make a little extra income while not being able to shoot like I normally would! and to take up some of that free time I suddenly now have.

Tip 1 look at your back stock and edit to use for promotional material on social media. This keeps people seeing your work and keeps your pages active even though your restricted from shooting.

Tip 2 contact magazines to see if there is interest in your work! Send in submission using your back stock or new edits from tip 1

Tip 3 if you shoot landscapes, automotive or nature sign up to stock sites and upload them, this can create a great source of income.

Tip 4 maybe it’s time for you to put your money where your mouth is ! This part is speculate to accumulate, pick some of your best works and get some prints done. To frame and sell! This is a way you can make some extra money while not being able to actually shoot !
There are also some great sites that you can upload images to sell but remember they take commission

Tip 5 we all have that extra gear laying around that we no longer use. Maybe it’s time that you traded in! Maybe for cash to help with day to day earning or even to trade up on the lens or product you’re after!
Having a little time on your hands gives you plenty of opportunities to go through everything you no longer use.

Below is a list of a couple of helpful places you can go to online

Shutter stock image stock website

12 best magazines that take image submissions

Sell your unused gear with wex

I am not affiliated with any of the above links it’s just a couple of companies I have used and been happy with the service. There are many others out there!