Blogging is still fairly new to me. But I already have some advice to give. I think that is one of the best kept secrets to being successful in anything. Share your knowledge and help others be successful too! I believe that by encouraging others and sharing what has helped me, I will  succeed. 

I know it may sound so 20TH CENTURY, but a pen and paper planner can be a great thing! Posts on blogs need to be consistent, plan your posts and keep a running/working list of ideas for blogging. Make sure you have lot of note pages for jotting down ideas and lists of what you want to write. You never know when the ideas will hit you! You can find nice planners on Etsy at DivineElementsDesign.
*****Full disclosure: I don't make a dime if you buy this one! Just happens to be free plug for a fellow blogger! She even extols the benefits of a planner on her blog, Decoratorsvoice.com *****

This will be a ever evolving section of this post. Right now I use Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The big four I call them. Now there are others that I am still discovering. In facebook there are several blogging groups that I belong to, #Blogsharelearn and Blog + Biz BFFs. These groups are great ways to meed new blogging friends, learn new information and share your blog. Stumbleupon is a cooler not all recipe version of Pinterest, and a great place to share!

Thank you Nakeya! I didn't come up with the phrase myself. I fellow blogger that I mention above was where I heard the phrase first. I am currently following this very thing. I joke that even my mom doesn't read my blog. But really, I am three months into this, Have a list of topics, and plans for my blogging. I am blogging as often as I can. I am promoting my blog everywhere I can find. I have only like three followers, lol. Ok, more than that are reading, but there still isn't a lot of commenting and interaction on my posts. That doesn't stop me! There are people out there who want to know what I have to say! Hopefully! LOL. My point is, I am going to keep blogging, writing, posting. The followers will come! IF you build it, they will come! Well, and share it, and promote it.......

Join groups, make friends, follow other blogs, and comment on their posts. Share their posts, ask for shares, comments, and likes. Promote others blogs in yours, and they will help you! There are so many bloggers out there sharing the written word on everything from grass seed to the most popular colors for Spring. Find some you like or that are similar to your own! The more interactive you are, the more interaction you will receive! But, be genuine in your interactions and in the connections you make. Don't post and run, like, share and interact!
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As much as you can! It takes a lot of time to plan your posts, write them, add interesting graphics, provide links, and get your post ready to publish. Then you have to pin it, stumble it, tweet it, facebook it. Then you have to share it in groups. It takes effort everyday.
In addition, you have to network with other bloggers to learn, share, and make connections that will benefit you both. Set aside a time everyday. The more consistent you are, the better off you and your blog will be!

I see so many posts in Facebook groups that shock me! Photographers discussing how they have been mistreated by other photographers. For instance: one photographer took a nice couch out to a public  park for a day she had multiple clients set up. While shooting she walked with her clients 15 ft away to shoot a different pose. Other Professional photographers started using her couch and were using it when she was ready with her next clients. Now there are so many things I see wrong with this, but I will get to them in my RULES OF PHOTOGRAPHER ETIQUETTE. 
Now I'm not going to go all Emily Post on you. I don't care what side of the plate your place your fork or if you address your thank you note correctly for the wooden fertility statue your aunt Susie and her boyfriend sent you for your birthday. What I am going to cover are what should be some basic common sense things, but this day and age, people just have no clue! 

1. If it isn't yours, Don't mess with it! Ask if want to, but really, do you want your clients to have pictures so similar to another photographer's  that you will hijack their props? You want a couch? Go to Goodwill, Habitat restore, or a consignment shop and buy one. Then YOU lug it to the park, set it up and use it. Don't still another photographer's idea. By all means if they say you can use it, AFTER you ask, let them have it back as soon as they are ready for it!
2. Share the space. Public areas are just that. FOR THE PUBLIC. That means other photographers, people playing ball, having picnics, parking their cars, etc. Just be cause YOU showed up with your camera, it doesn't mean it's yours.  I spent yesterday afternoon, getting set up for a shoot in a park. (Fourth of July Park in Kernersville, NC) Getting my settings right, adjusting where I wanted my clients to sit and stand, making sure my reflector was where I wanted it. I got what I wanted and sat down to wait on my client. Another photographer showed up, she saw me sitting with my reflector lighting me and my saw my camera bag, and new why I was there. Instead of getting flustered or upset that I was set up, she came up and smiled and asked what time my people would be there and started looking at other options. I told her not to worry, we had plenty of space and that we could alternate if needed. My clients ended up being late, so what did I do? Let her borrow my reflector  and even held the darn thing for her while I chit chatted with the mom of the girls she was shooting. It worked. We were nice, now if I see her again, maybe she will hold the reflector for me.
3. Don't copy someone else's work. Now I'll admit, great ideas come from Pinterest. And I have lots of stuffed pinned for inspiration. However inspiration is different than copying. Definitions below from Merriam Websters.                                                                                                                     noun  in·spi·ra·tion  \ˌin(t)-spə-ˈrā-shən, -(ˌ)spi-\                                                                          Simple Definition of inspiration : something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create : a force or influence that inspires someone: a person, place, experience, etc., that makes someone want to do or create something: a good​ idea noun \ˈkä-pē\                                                                                                                                   Simple Definition of copy: something that is or looks exactly or almost exactly like something else : a version of something that is identical or almost identical to the original: one of the many books, magazines, albums, DVDs, etc., that are exactly the same and are produced to be sold or given to the public: written information that is to be published in a newspaper, magazine, etc
4. Don't badmouth other photographers. You may not like their style, business practices, or prices. But, unless you are their customer you have no right to talk badly about them. You will simply come off as a jealous, pitiful excuse for a business person, and people will be more likely to think you feel threatened by that person and aren't as good as you think you are instead of agreeing with you. Remember....Karma can be a B!
5. Don't critique another photographer's work unless they ask. And please, don't be cruel. It's un-necessary and again you come across as jealous, and like your just trying to make them feel bad to make yourself feel better.                                                                                                                           *****Constructive criticism is the process of offering valid and well-reasoned opinions about the work of others, usually involving both positive and negative comments, in a friendly manner rather than an oppositional one. The purpose of constructive criticism is to improve the outcome.*****Constructive criticism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructive_criticism
   Wikipedia                                                                                                                                                   NOTE: it says in a friendly manner! If you can't be nice, go home, pack up your laptop, go get some sun, eat some sugar, or pinch your self until you can be nice. 
   
6. Share information. If someone asks you what settings you used, what lens you used, Don't be selfish! Even if you share your settings and other information, that person is not going to get the exact same image. We all see things differently. They may be new to photography and trying to learn a new skill. Your response to them will affect your reputation. If someone is rude to me when I ask a question or reach out, I am certainly not going to recommend them to anyone! That being said, if you are the one asking for help, DON"T be a pest! Don't copy everything that someone else does, and be sure and thank a more seasoned photographer for sharing their knowledge and time to help you!

Remember, what goes around comes around. If you help others, yes, you will get your butt bit every once in a while, but for the most part, good will come back to you!

What are you examples of how to treat or not treat fellow photogs? Give me a shout! 

Deciding what photographer to use for your portraits can be confusing! Deciding where to have your pictures taken shouldn't be as hard. Your photographer  should be able to make suggestions, but you may have somewheRe in mind as well. 
I have a few places that I particularly like to shoot. They have a nice mixture of light and shade, nice trees, buildings, bridges, and settings for pictures.  Finding locations you are comfortable shooting is important for photographers. You learn the lighting and best places for showing of your subjects beautifully. Thinking outside the box and finding new locations is good too!
My favorie spots in Kernersville and surrounding areas are:
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This a beautiful park with shade and natural sunlight. A beautiful Gazebo and landscaped surroundings make a gorgeous fairytale backdrop for bridal portraits. The stone fountain adds a formal flair. Traffic can be an issue since it close to the road, so timing can be important.

This is a beautiful garden with nice size trees and flowers that bloomin Spring and Summer. They ae doing a lot of "growing" at the gardens and the are plans for a lot of different exhibits in the future. 
Nice feature,  if you're "just a friend with a camera" there isn't at photography fee. But, call to make sure there isn't something planned whe you want to go, and make sure to follow their rules about staying out of the beds. They are strict about those rules to protect the growing plants. 

Fourth of July Park in Kernersville offers a wide variety of options for shooting families, individuals, kids, and couples. With the old wooden school, beautiful tree lined walking trails, bridges over creeks, grassy open areas, swings and play areas, there are plenty of options for choosing pretty backgrounds. The following aren't bridal portraits or engagement portraits,  but they show some of the beautiful settings in the park.

Tanglewood, in Clemmons, is a photographer's paradise. With a stately manor, barns and horse fields, lakes and fountains, old trains, gardens, natural walking paths, and kids play areas. You can find any setting from just about any picture. 
There'should a charge to get in the park, but no photography permit is required for standard shoots. Be aware, they start putting up the Christmas lights like in September, so you may need to adjust areas or plan on photoshopping if they are in the way. Also check the website to see when events are planned. I would probably avoid weekends in the summer, the place will be pretty crowded, unless you go really early or really late in the day. 

There are lots of options for outdoor settings. Parks, lakes, public gardens just to name a few. If you want something different, find old dilapidated barns, hay fields, and abandoned old work trucks. Your grandmother has a beautiful rose garden? Fabulous! 
This time of year, Christmas tree lots, and decorated towns make it easy to add special flare to your photos. Lit streets in small towns can add a fun look to individualize  your portraits. 
Think outside the box, find something that represents you! Find a place that will be special for you and help provide wonderful memories for a lifetime!