I’ve been very excited at the thought of going to the Tots100 Blog Camp, firstly because it was my first ever blog event and secondly because it was my first day off on my own for well over a year. It was an early start to catch the train but I was wide awake and looking forward to the prospect of being able to sit down for nearly two hours with a hot cuppa and a chance to just relax and watch the world go by, or read, or write blog posts – or whatever I wanted to do! Bliss.
Whilst I was also very excited about meeting up with lots of lovely bloggers who I’d got to know online, it was a strange feeling to be meeting up with people who I’d never met before but who I knew so much about – like meeting up with old friends but they were strangers too.
I enjoyed the workshops from the day – learning about working with brands, being encouraged to have confidence in my own voice as a blogger, getting tips on how to get the most out of the settings on my camera and how to take better portraits. The portrait photography session was my favourite – consisting of several different stations with photo challenges where I’d pair up with another blogger for a couple of minutes, take photos and then we’d both move on to different stations for the next challenge.
Here are some of the things I took away from the day:
- Be confident – you are a new voice and a unique voice. You have a story – don’t be afraid to share it but don’t feel you have to share everything about you either.
- Be professional – understand the expectations when working with brands – if you can’t deliver something to the expected deadline, let people know as soon as possible or don’t take it on in the first place! Communication is key.
- Do a good job – check your spelling, your grammar and edit posts. You are your own editor.
- Images – move the clutter in the background, make sure there is good lighting. A good tip I learned from the photography workshop is to ‘expose for the highlights’ – if the background is bright, half-push the camera button down to set the exposure on the darker area of the subject.
- Be nice
I had a fabulous day overall – I met so many other lovely bloggers and it was wonderful to be able to put faces to the blogs and also to meet bloggers whose blogs I hadn’t yet come across too. It was also great to have a day of being ‘me’ and not just ‘mummy’ (although I was thankful for hubby’s regular photo updates throughout the day which reassured me that my babies were fine and enjoying their day with daddy. And as lovely as it was to have a day for me, getting back home to two little girls who were very eager for cuddles having missed their mummy was just the icing on the cake(plus it was a huge relief to feed Sophie after being away all day – fellow breastfeeding mamas will know just what I mean here!)
A huge thanks to the team at Tots100 for organising such an interesting and informative day.
Glad you had a good day and those are great points you featured.
Thank you – hope you enjoyed it too 🙂
Lovely summary of the day. I know exactly what you mean about relishing the train journey I really do too, love that time to myself! x
Thank you -was lovely having some me time! 🙂
You’ve summed up the day really well! I also loved meeting all those people I knew yet didn’t know (what an odd age we live in!). It was great chatting to you loads. Xx
Thanks Mel – was lovely chatting to you too x
Sounds like you had a great time, I have yet to a blogger event, but hope to soon!
Thank you – yes had a wonderful time, would definitely recommend – was lovely to meet up with other bloggers 🙂
Great tips for a new blogger, I have only recently started blogging and I am loving it so far but yet worried too. Looks like a really fun day!
Thank you – felt like I learned quite a bit from the day and came away feeling inspired.
Wish I’d had a chance to go but I’m soo looking forward (but at the same time a bit scared and nervous) about attending BlogFest in London on 8th November! It’s always nice to read posts like this that give an insight though so thank you for your report! And glad to hear that you enjoyed it and had such a lovely warm welcome when you got home too! X #sharewithme
Hope you have a fab time at BlogFest – was tempted to go but couldn’t make that day. Blog camp was great – lovely to meet up with other bloggers and I came away feeling inspired 🙂
Great tips to take away. I was ever so sad that I didn’t get to go to blogcamp. There were so many bloggers I wanted to meet and catch up with and talks I could have really listen to and learn from. Still a newbie here after all. lol Glad you had such a great time. Thanks for linking up to Share With me #sharewithme
It was lovely to be able to go there and I did come away feeling like I’d learned a lot and felt more inspired as a result. Lovely to link up to #ShareWithMe 🙂
Blog Camp sounds great 🙂 I’ve wanted to go for a couple of years but haven’t made it yet so I’m suitably jealous!
It was great – hope you are able to make it next year 🙂
So lovely meeting you and glad to hear your enjoyed Blog Camp, it was so much fun and such an intimate, informative day #thelist x
Was lovely meeting you too – really enjoyed your talk and had such a wonderful day 🙂
It was such a great day wasn’t it? I have a great pic of you in the bay window! #TheList
It was fab – yes I have a similar photo of you too! 🙂
Great post, great tips for new bloggers, very interesting!
Thank you – found the day really interesting and informative 🙂
Sounds like a fab day, Louise! Love your photos – gorgeous mask 😉 When I read about your 2 hour peaceful train journey, my mouth watered with longing a little bit haha! It’s funny the things we now see as a treat 🙂 #TheList
Thanks Yvette – yes, the train journey definitely felt like a treat, was just so lovely to be able to sit and relax for that long! 🙂
Sounds like you had a great day I too would love a day off from mum duty to have a few hours peace and a hot drink it sounds bliss but I think I would be glad to get home to my babies too x #TheList
Thank you – yes it was a wonderful day but it was lovely to be back with my babies and know I was missed 🙂
Sounds like a great day. I definitely fancy going to another blogging event, I havent been to one in five years!
It was a brilliant day – hopefully you’ll manage to get to another blogging event soon 🙂
Some great advice, thanks for sharing the ideas for those of us who couldn’t make it.
#thelist
Thank you – was a great day and learned a lot, glad you enjoyed reading the tips too 🙂
Sounds like such a great day, I’m so gutted I missed it (because I’m a dooch and didn’t realise it was happening!!)
Great take aways too, each point it spot on 🙂 love the shot with the clock and sleeping babe!!
Thanks for linking to #TheList
It was a fab day, shame you didn’t realise it was on and glad you liked the tips and the photo with the clock – it was one of the ones from the portrait photography session and one of my favourites from the day too. Lovely to link up with #TheList again 🙂
sounds like you had a fab day, i hear you on the breast feeding my daughter 8 months and still after a few hours i start to feel really uncomfy! #thelist
It was a fab day, thank you – yes, definitely gets quite uncomfortable when you don’t feed for a bit – that train journey home felt a bit longer as a result!
It was so lovely to meet you and I am glad you had a good day. #ShareWithMe Thanks also for linking up to #TheList. x
Was lovely to meet you too, sorry I didn’t get more of a chance to chat to you. Lovely to link up to #TheList again 🙂