When I received the invitation to attend Make It Blissful with Fujifilm Blogging and Photography Workshop from one of my dearest friends, Martine of makeitblissful.com, I just couldn't say no.  Plus the fact that I've always been curious on how she does so well with her photography which is evident on her Instagram account.

I told myself, an opportunity like this doesn't always come (for free pa!), so even it was the day of my hubby's birthday party at home, I attended.  I just cleaned the house, did the grocery and cooked the meanest Kare-Kare he requested earlier that day.  I'm so happy I have a supportive and understanding partner in life.

Alam niyo naman tayong mga mommies, sometimes, we really feel the need to attend workshops or talks to enrich ourselves right?  So I really couldn't let the workshop pass.  The workshop was held in J Cuppacakes (such a lovely venue) at SM Jazz Mall and prop-styled by the talented team of Boqueria Lifestyle Market.  Cute and practical felt tote giveaways were sponsored by my fellow blissmaker Maricel Mendoza of A Sweet Cottage.
True enough, I didn't regret going there at all because I learned a lot of tips and tricks on basic photography which I could apply to blogging and my daily life sharing on my Instagram account.  I've constantly learning and experimenting different ways to make my photos more composed, more tastefully done, and more presentable.  I learned that one represents and tells stories about his or her life through photos, and who would want to be represented unattractively right?

Here were some of my takeaways during my blog coach and friend Martine's talk:

• Photography enhances the overall blog's EXPERIENCE.  It lets the blogger show and tell her story.  This is why having good and clear photos are important in one's blog.  Hence, bloggers should invest in a well-performing camera to achieve nice blog photos
• Lighting is the most important element in making photos look great.  Natural light is the best light, right after sunrise and before sunset at around 4pm.
• Always tell a story in your photos.
• Create a consistent look for yourself.  In my case, my current favorite colors are blue and gray, I share a lot of those colors on my IG feed.  I also consistently share my love for patterned tile floors from the different places I go to.  This way, the followers would have something to look forward to and know a little more about you, and how you progress through the photos you share.
• Candid photos are better than posed ones.  They tell more stories and you'd know it's more sincere and real.  Keep on taking photos, the more the merrier.  The more there are, the more choices you have.
• Make it a habit to take photos.  This one, I've been doing.  I want to improve on my photo taking skills and the best way to do it, is to keep on practicing everyday.  

After Martine's short talk, we grouped ourselves to put the new Fujifilm XA-2 to test.  The activity made the participants apply what we've learned from the speaker's talk using none other than the Fujifilm XA-2 cameras provided by Fujifilm of course.

Here were some shots of the pretty J Cuppacakes Cafe and Fujifilm XA-2 cameras:
Personally, I think after getting some tips from Martine, I am now more conscious about composing my photos well before shooting.  I also became more purposive in my photos before posting them online.

I was glad I was able to make it to this workshop.  I hope you also learned a thing or two.  For more tips and blissful stories about life, blog and photography, follow Martine in Make It Blissful and also get inspirations from her Instagram accounts too, HERE and HERE.  For a reliable photography hardware which you could use easily and would give you quality photo outputs, try Fujifilm's XA-2 (know more about their other cameras over HERE and follow their new lifestlye page over HERE.)  For event styling, props and anything chic, follow Boqueria Lifestlye Market.  Lastly for DIY party favors/boxes and giveaways, please follow A Sweet Cottage by Maricel Mendoza.

If you have other basic photography tips which could be very useful to bloggers like me or if you have tips for beginner photo enthusiasts, kindly share on the comment section below.

Have a good weekend loves! :)