Pretty in Pink Megan making a statement with her winter wardrobe.
Read moreWinter Essentials
Winter Essentials from Pretty In Pink Megan
L I F E . S T Y L E D .
Sweet Studio Shoot
Dallas Blogger The Seay Side Sweet Studio Shoot
L I F E . S T Y L E D .
Stephanie Seay of The Seay Side sharing outfit concepts for Valentine’s Day at The Lumen Room.
Read moreAre You Engaging Your Audience?
"Engagement" has been the buzzword for the past year or so, because if you post a photo and no one is around to see it, does it make a sound? er... you get it. There's good content, there's great content, there's photos that are out of this world, there's photos of someone's breakfast... To keep it short: there's a lot going going on that's fighting for everyone's attention. How do you stand out? How do you get your readership to engage with what you're trying to say?
Read moreThe Subconscious "Like"
Constantly, I've been wondering to myself if I should drastically change the way I edit. You know, to be more recognized for my photos -- to really hone in on that "BECKLEY branding." This idea keeps swirling around in my head -- pretty close to the drain honestly --
Read moreCommunity Over Competition
community over competition
L I F E . S T Y L E D .
Write what you know.
That's a pretty standard writing cliché, right? Just thought I'd get it out of the way before continuing this blog post that is true to my heart. Literally, on the left side of my screen I have four drafted blog posts, one doesn't even have a title. "Gifts for," "How to Identify your Brand - Part I," "No Title," and "How to Take the Best Photo." They all have either an intro sentence or, obviously, don't even have a title. This jumped the line because of an encounter I had this morning and I realized this might be a concept I've been taking for granted.
When I began photographing for bloggers and small businesses, BECKLEY was just a hobby. I count myself fortunate that when I began my business, there wasn't a lot of risk involved; I was pursuing a career in physical therapy so whatever I did as BECKLEY was just a bonus. It was a happy time of meeting bloggers, befriending "real" photographers, and getting my name out there for the fun of it.
Now that this is my career, I am so glad I got my start with the right attitude - an attitude of community over competition - because I didn't really have "competition." More so I had a community of people I respected and admired.
Why do we feel competitive?
It happens to the best of us. We see someone doing something similar, or working with people you saw as "your people," or someone didn't give you appropriate credit. There's always SOMETHING we can find that has the potential to strike a chord.
I find that whenever I look at someone's work with anything less than excitement for that person, that's a reflection about how I'm feeling about my own work. When I see people succeeding and the phrase "congratulations" doesn't immediately come to mind, that's a reflection of how well I think I'm succeeding or not succeeding.
But someone creating cool images, or wearing something so chic I'm mad I didn't think of it myself, or being published somewhere is a reflection of their own merits. If I'm feeling uncomfortable with that or wishing I were doing something similar, that's a great opportunity to think about what's going on in my own life that's preventing me from doing those things. Maybe I'm bending too much for a certain client and need to regain my vision as a photographer; maybe I'm not planning my time well and am feeling over-worked and not creating as much as I'd like to be. Either way, whenever I feel that pang of competition, I think of it as a chance to acknowledge the real reason I'm feeling uncomfortable, do something about it, and move on.
How do you find a community?
Buck up and be nice. That's all it takes. I used to reach out when I was just starting out and let other photographers in the area know that I respected and admired their work and that if I ever had client overflow I would be giving out their info. It was a genuine act and one that helped my career exponentially.
Reach out online or even in person. We're at a point where it is completely normal to walk up to someone you recognize from Instagram and say how much you liked their last blog post or the outfit they posted on Thanksgiving. People love that (usually) and it's a great way to introduce yourselves and foster a sense of community.
Practice what you preach. If you're leaving comment after comment "One word: Fabulous! That outfit looks amazing!" say it in real life too. Hang out with people that are acquaintances that might become friends. Collaborate on a project together. Just know to check yourself: if you're feeling competitive or that your ideas are similar already and you don't want to risk copying each other, table that topic and talk about something outside of your field.
We have the capacity to help each other grow.
WE HAVE the capacity to help EACH OTHER grow.
When you foster a sense of community you are treating yourself and those around you with kindness and respect. We have so much to learn from other people and going it alone is the long hard road that is honestly a waste of time.
Please, this week go sit at a coffee shop and strike up a conversation. Or meet someone you follow on Instagram and grab a drink. Some cities have a wonderful community of entrepreneurs and young professionals and old professionals - people to learn from! Some cities aren't as inclined towards that scene, so be the person who reaches out and FORMS a community!
Have fun with it and let me know how good you feel once you adopt this as your way of life!
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The Best Equipment to Use for Photographing Fashion Bloggers
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive: "Love this shot of ________, what lens do you use?!" It's a great question, and one that I would probably ask too, ...
Read moreCreating Consistent Photos for Your Brand
BRANDING. There's that wonderful word again. Part of branding is having consistency, well all of branding is having consistency - it just depends on how you define that.
There are a million different directions I could go with this blog post, but I am going to start with just one: Instagram.
"How do I get a consistent feed?!"
I'll tell you.
REMEMBER: What you enjoy looking at and what inspires you, might not be what you are good at creating. One of my favorite bloggers is Julia Engel (Gal Meets Glam), but my Instagram feed looks nothing like hers. I learned I tend to shoot and edit with more contrast and am drawn to cooler tones... and a lot of denim. I will shoot more similarly to her brand from time to time, but I've learned to play to my strengths and market myself a certain way.
I asked, and you all told me your favorite instagrams to follow - the people whose feed you look at and you just think, "I like this vibe!"
1. DEFINE YOUR STYLE
Each of these bloggers has her own sense of style. Some are feminine, some are summery, some are vintage, some are laid back... Having a sense of style doesn't mean only wearing certain things, but it means knowing what makes you feel like your best self and expressing yourself through you clothes, accessories, or home decor in a way that is uniquely you.
2. HAVE A COLOR SCHEME
Identifying with a color scheme is one of the easiest ways to start adding continuity in your feed. Editing and filters can only go so far - WHAT you take photos of matters the most. For example, Ashley (Teacher Diva) is good about keeping a thread of soft pinks throughout her feed, and finds the color everywhere - flowers, drinks, clothes. Pick a few colors that work for your brand AND are what you happen to see every day. Try to pick a couple neutrals and then a pop of color, like green, blue, cream, with a pop of peach or orange
3. SHOOT IN CONSISTENT LIGHTING
Something that may not be as obvious at first glance, but a huge way to have consistent photos is to shoot in the same type of light as much as possible. Either in the shade, or at dusk, in the bright sun, or inside with cozy ambient light. Once the first two are nailed down, and you are shooting in consistent light, you will start to really see all your images coming together. This really helps keep your whites and blacks consistent, which creates a huge impact when looking at all your photos together.
4. PICK A FILTER OR TWO
Since we are talking about Instagram, let's talk about VSCO - the app that is the easiest way to add consistency in your feed without using Instagram filters and picking what suits your brand best. Because life cannot all be one color scheme, or one type of light, I suggest you buy all the filters - maybe a total of $20, and play around with the filters to find what fits your brand. This helps keep your color tones (whites, blacks, etc.) the same throughout your feed, even if the photos were taken by different people at different times. Be careful about using them subtly, I can speak for every photographer when I say there is nothing like delivering one batch of photos and then seeing something COMPLETELY different on someone's feed. But when used correctly, by all means, add a filter at a strength of 20-30% to add some continuity to your feed. When executed well, it's a game changer.
5. USE A PLANNING APP
For a while I was against this, because if you are doing the first four, they should all go together. But I have learned, especially when I am sitting on a lot of content that needs to be posted, it helps to see it all laid out.
I send myself 3 or 4 photos from only 3 or 4 shoots, and then add a few detail shots of other things that go with my color scheme, run them all through VSCO (adding a slight filter), then open them in my planning app. Then I rearrange them until there is a good thread of each color or texture running through the 9-12 photos. And if I'm traveling or out and want to post a photo right there from that night, great! Nothing should stop you from being spontaneous and posting what you love. Even if a photo doesn't fit sometimes, if you love it, you should post it, and then just pick up right where you left off in your feed.
Favorite planning apps: Planoly & Preview
Tag me if you try any of these tips! I'd be so excited to see how you apply them to your own feeds!
As always, have fun with it! If it's stressing you out, take a step back to remember why you do what you do and what makes it enjoyable. Give yourself a reasonable set of boundaries to establish your brand, and then go wild!
Also note: what's really on trend right now is not giving a s*** - so shoot in mixed light, wear a funky accessory, don't highly edit your photos, and you will surely be on-trend.
How to Spend 24 Hours at the Joule
"You can't give from an empty vessel"
A great mantra I learned earlier this year and repeat to myself often, but it is easier said than done. Especially when you have a job that never really has a clear "clocking out" time.
By a series of good fortune, though, Andrew and I happened upon a blissful and coffee-filled 24 hours to celebrate our two year anniversary. Converging was an invitation to stay at the Joule and having just traded engagement photos from some very nice bottles of champagne. So bring on the Dom and fluffy robes, we enjoyed ourselves an ultimate staycation. And we brought Truman along - WHAT more could a girl ask for.
How did we spend our time? Mostly food. We were going to try to go to the spa but of course tried to get so much done the Saturday before checking in, it would have been a bit much to squeeze in. So we're saving that for a day (hopefully) in the near future because I've heard wonderful things about the Joule Spa.
1. Activated Charcoal Drinks by the Joule Pool
Just make sure you don't spill any on your clothes
The Joule pool is a guest-only amenity which is refreshing in many ways since what Dallasite isn't trying to hang out at a nice hotel pool in these dog days of summer.
2. Champagne and Getting Ready for Dinner
Here's a thing you may or may not know: I'm obsessed with my dog Truman Capote. After the pool we headed back to the room to hang out with T, sip some champagne, and get ready for dinner. The rooms are so luxurious down to every detail. And the robes are heaven.
3. Dinner at Americano
Put plates of fried risotto balls, whole branzino, stuffed zucchini blossoms, apple tart, and tiramisu, and multiple glasses of wine in front of us and we are up for the challenge. Haven't come across any dish I haven't loved at Americano (which also happens to be on my list of most inspiring spaces in Dallas).
4. Breakfast in Bed
Everything was delicious, everything felt decadent and 'vacation-worthy' but a huge part for us was getting to snuggle with our puppy and spend more time together.
5. Coffee at Weekend + Browse Taschen Books
Look closely. This is the point of the ENTIRE POST.
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast in bed, we went downstairs to Weekend Coffee so I could get my almondmilklattewithalittlebitofvanilla (I'm not human without it). I was excited to show Andrew around Taschen Books and pointed out my favorite on the shelves: Helmut Newton's Polorids - just a brilliant book you have to check it out. ("Brilliant" in the British sense, is how I'm saying it in my head). We were in luck! What I was showing Andrew happened to be their last copy, AND we got a percentage off since it had been on display and showed subtle finger prints but that's about it. (We are saving for a car so every little discount gets us really excited.)
We buy it, I look up at him and smile, I feel warm and fuzzy inside. I'm so excited to own this bit of culture. We get in the elevator. We are too adorbs I guess, and as Andrew kisses my cheek... COFFEE. Coffee on my shoes, on the floor, and on every single page of the book.
I may have overreacted.
He felt so bad but I honestly didn't respond very well, which is unusual for us. I think sometimes there is pressure for an occasion to just go *so* perfectly, I tend to analyze every little interaction comparing it to the ideal image I see. It was a good lesson for me, because I hadn't realized I had been doing it until our ride home and we were both a little frustrated and I had some time to think about how I handled it.
A week later, a package arrived for me. A brand spanking new pristine copy of the book, sent from my loving, thoughtful husband, "so I could tear out and hang the pages of the coffee-stained one and keep the other one as a beautiful coffee table book".... I married an amazing man. And remind myself to always take a breath, be patient, and work as a team through anything.
Coffee on my coffee table book...
Love you Duke Joseph
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Inspiring Spaces - Dallas
SOCIETY
Bishop Arts District
SOCIETY by Jackson Vaughn is a tiny candle shop in the Bishop Arts District that looks - and smells - exactly like you walked into someone's candle-filled study. It's eclectic but cohesive. Knick knacks and enough scents to spend a whole afternoon smelling. Walking in is instantly relaxing and cozy, and even though it's small, it's easy to get lost in there.
HOUNDSTOOTH
Sylvan Thirty
Houndstooth Coffee is a slightly mellower Houndstooth than it's sister location on Henderson. The muted greens, natural wood, and sleek blacks and whites, make this a perfect place to get some work done, but mostly chat with a friendly neighbor. It makes the city of Dallas feel like a small town, where most people who walk through stop to say hello, catch up, and go on with their days. Natural light streams in, and the palm fronds that lean against the side windows make you feel like you could be anywhere in the world (other than Dallas).
Set & Co.
Davis Street
Housewares, magazines, furniture, and every other perfectly-curated trinket you can imagine. Walking in to Set & Co. is like walking into your interior-designer-friend's house and wanting everything for yourself but then actually being able to buy it. It is owned by a husband and wife who are just as cool as their store and it is always a welcome space where you can wander, peruse, and treat yourself.
Place on Parry
Fair Park
Place on Parry is a blank canvas plus a little bit more. An all-white event space that is literally anything you want it to be. Rentable as a photo studio, workshop space, a place to host a dinner or engagement party, it's lofty ceilings and open floor plan are perfect for letting your creativity take over. It has a huge window in serving as the street-side wall that let's in so much light, that would make any photographer swoon.
Americano
The Joule Hotel
The food is amazing, that's a given. But the color palette at Americano is what makes this Italian-American restaurant inside the Joule Hotel so special. Lovely hues of turquoise, red, and green against a black grid of windows really transports diners into a world where siestas and afternoon Aperol spritzes replace the mid-afternoon slump and another cup of bland coffee. It's comfortable, it's happy, there's pizza - it's wonderful. Added bonus: there's a neon sign in the very back that reads: IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD. (what Instagram dreams are made of)
Local Press & Brew
Oak Cliff
The best place about Local Press & Brew is that this coffee shop slash juice bar not only makes all their products locally, but they also sell and support work of local artisans. It's sleek and contemporary without losing any sense of hospitality. White subway tile, minimal wood stools, marble tables, a wall of mirrors, and beautifully displayed local goods make Local a perfect place to stop in, grab a green juice, take a breath, recharge, and tackle the rest of the day.
An Open Letter to The Internet
a new title might evolve as I write, but for now, I'll offer this rant as an address to the Internet, its users, followers, criticizers, and victims.
As I post this, I'm hoping to follow my guidelines for blog topics, which is that blog posts should fall under at least one of three categories: aspirational, inspirational, or informational. I hope you find this as useful in seeing the truth behind the posts, the photos, etc. and move forward with this information (and ventilation). (...fingers crossed that's the noun form of 'venting')
NUMBER ONE
Posts should be INSPIRATIONAL, ASPIRATIONAL, or INFORMATIONAL. If you've taken it upon yourself to hold the title of "blogger," "influencer," or the like, you are posting for the benefit of others. You aren't posting for praise or gratification, you are posting because you have something to say, something to share, a VOICE. It doesn't have to be profound, or even novel, but it should be original and honest. Your voice can be your sense of style, how you decorate your home, how you navigate parenthood. It can be as simple as "I'm human, this is me."
INSPIRATION comes in the most humble of forms. For me, if I see someone post that they WENT to the gym, I'm inspired to do the same. I don't care how their workout went, or what their body looks like, I'm just inspired to get off my couch and at least do as much as the next person.
ASPIRATION is when I see someone's beautiful, designed, (expensive I'm sure) home - decorated with fresh flowers, antique rugs, and custom cabinets - and I think, "one day" but until then, I can at least clean my apartment, put on lovely music, buy some Trader Joe's flowers, and light some candles.
INFORMATION is pretty explanatory, yet severely lacking in most of what is going on social-medially.
So there's #1
NUMBER TWO
Copying versus being inspired.
This touches again on originality.
I'll keep this pretty simple since it seems to be misunderstood quite often.
It is totally normal - and in my opinion a wonderful part about sharing so much on the internet - to see someone doing something and want to emulate the same. I love seeing images that "make me feel some sort of way" (how my intern put it that in a way I could never say better myself). I love being drawn into a scene and seeing more than what the photo is giving me. I see things in a new light and want to create that same mood or feeling in my photos. Pinterest comes to mind in these examples - this photo especially:
c/o Madewell via Pinterest
This image always speaks to me - there is a fun story about who she is, and where she's going. Her clothes influence the way I dress, and the scene makes me want to pack a picnic and wear Madewell every weekend.
BUT I would NEVER have a model or blogger wear white jeans + blue button down + hat + berkenstocks and be getting a picnic basket out of whatever Jeep/Bronco/SUV for the sake of recreating this image.
It DOES make me want to raid Madewell and go on a photogenic picnic adventure myself - which is great because I'm pretty sure this was an ad.
like so.
So emulating the same mood, feel, tone, etc. - great. You learn as you go and you'll see things the more you practice and you'll be able to create scenes without reference photos.
Wearing the same thing at the same location posed the same way as someone else - NOPE.
NUMBER THREE
View with caution. We all know the internet is mostly a funnel where only the most glamorous, well-lit, best-dressed gets through. I do it too - of course I'm going to post Instagram stories of myself right after I do my hair, why wouldn't I? (Not that I have to, but again, why wouldn't I?)
Still, I hear all the time about people believing that what they see is what's really happening. I take this notion pretty seriously as it's my job as a photographer to make things look good, but I always keep honesty in there. That's where "LIFE. STYLED." comes from. I really do try to keep my office clean, exercise (...moderately...), visit beautiful places, etc. I like having a photogenic life. I don't wipe off one corner of my desk just for the sake of a photo; I'd rather set a timer for 7 minutes, clean the room, and then photograph it.
Hopefully other people do the same, but they don't. Not everyone at least. And if you find yourself COMPARING and thinking "she dresses like this all the time, what am I doing with my life wearing yoga pants to the mall"... another NOPE. It would be wonderful to think "that's such a cute outfit, that makes me want to spruce up and put on something cute to run errands" OR "that's nice that's her job to look good in the photos she posts. These leggings are really comfortable and hide the salsa I just spilled on myself" (another truth: life isn't ALWAYS "LIFE. STYLED.")
Just realize the more and more people post, the more and more manufactured these images become. I am paid to photograph up to 6 outfits at a time for bloggers to post throughout the week. It does create a wonderful image that they are out and about looking great. (Every client I can think of really does dress cute, and care very much about the content of their blog) But the point is that OBVIOUSLY these images only show the best of the best. Please don't compare yourself. Find the nugget of inspiration, aspiration, or information and move on. And if you aren't getting those things, don't pay attention and get on with your own beautiful life.
NUMBER FOUR
I'll wrap it up after this - it's been four days of writing this post and I forgot the rest of the points I was going to touch on.
Just because everyone else seems to be doing something doesn't mean you have to. Be original. Be inspired. Be fresh. Be real. People like that and people like engaging with the truths behind the post.
How to Shoot in Full Sun
You have probably heard the term "magic hour" or "golden hour" at some point when trying to decide the best time to take photos. The golden hour is that perfect time right around sunrise and sunset when everything glows, skins looks soft, there is enough light to capture the image, but no harsh shadows or blow out highlights. Ask almost any photographer, and this is the ideal time to shoot on most occasions.
But what do you do when you don't have the leisure to wait around for 7:55 at night or wake up before dawn to be ready for sunrise photos? (Yes, during the summer "magic hour" is 7:50-9:00pm!)
Memorial Day weekend always offers great photo ops - on a boat, in a new swimsuit, at a barbecue with friends - and because the days are so long, we have hours and hours of harsh mid-afternoon lighting.
Here are a few tips for both SLR users and iPhone photographers on how to get great photos this weekend without waiting for sunset to do it!
1. Find a shady spot
Under an awning, next to a building, or the first floor of a party barge... finding full shade during the mid-afternoon light makes photos pop, especially if the subject is facing the light. This offers even lighting, but lots of it, and is probably one of my favorite ways to shoot when it's sunny.
One Small Blonde | You can tell how bright it was outside, but we found a strip of sidewalk that was completely shaded from the building. The sun was in front of Brooke, so she was facing the light, making a clear, evenly-lit photo
2. Find even lighting in the sun
This can be a little trickier than shooting in full shade, but if it's 4:00 or 5:00 when the sun has started to cast longer shadows, face directly toward the sun, and that should offer even lighting. If you're shooting on a DSLR, this might be a good time to shoot on Auto so you don't end up with an over-exposed photo. With an iPhone, make sure you tap the focal point on the brightest spot ON your subject. (Here is an example of how to shoot in full sun on my BASICS post)
Loubies and Lulu | This was taken at about 10am - I loved how the colors popped in the sun, so I stood exactly in the direction of the sun, and photographed Andrea so she was in full sun. You can see that her shadow is directly behind her - something to look for when trying to get a photo facing the sun.
2. Shoot with backlighting
This would apply in the later afternoon, or in a shady spot with the sun peaking through behind you. Find your subject's shadow on the ground, and have him or her face it. This will put the sun directly behind the subject. This is also how the "light and airy" photos are taken during magic hour.
One Small Blonde | You can see the sun peaking out from behind the building, creating a sunny glow on Brooke.
Fashion Jackson | The sunlight was shining harshly from the left side of the image, and Amy's shadow is cast opposite - on the right. I took it from this angle because we wanted this black in the background, but I had her face away from the sun (and towards her shadow) so her face and most of her body would be evenly lit. I could have taken it with her standing in the same place, but turned to face her shadow, and I would have stood facing the sun. This would have created more of a glow around her head and body from the sunlight behind her.
Don't be afraid to play around with lighting and settings this weekend! We have a three-day weekend and that's a great opportunity to go out and practice! Sometimes "wrong" photos turn out to be some of our favorites, so don't be discouraged if they aren't turning out exactly how you envision them. Take a couple days and look back again and you might love them even more.
For uploading photos real-time, I recommend editing on your phone with Snapseed and VSCO. Snapseed is a great app for editing brightness, saturation, clarity, etc; and VSCO has tons of great filters where you can adjust the amount of filter you add to a photo, which I love because sometimes you don't need to change the photo all that much.
AND MY MEMORIAL DAY CHALLENGE TO EVERYONE! PLEASE
Please.
Do not facetune yourself. Don't make your eyes clearer or your waist smaller. You are perfect. Yes, PERFECT. Just the way you are.
*Ideal lighting* - first floor of a two-story party barge circa 2013, in all our college-age red-solo-cup-toting glory.
Taking a Breather with a Pizza Picnic and Lots of Wine
Last night I enjoyed an al fresco evening with my husband Andrew and ended the evening feeling so much more inspired and cleansed of petty stressors that occur when you simply spend too much time "plugged in."
Favorite components of a relaxing picnic that I look forward to recreating many times this summer:
1. Get Outside
Obviously a picnic is outside. But just the act of sitting on a picnic blanket, with a couple pizzas and a bottle of wine was so much more relaxing than being in our apartment or in a restaurant with all the distractions of work/home life or other people. Once in a while it feels so good to step away into your own world outlined by the edges of your blanket.
2. Bring Books and Magazines
Broaden your horizons and and ignite a fire of inspiration. Just from one story that takes you to a far off land or an article that exposes you to something you thought you would never find interesting, you can dream up ideas, trips, experiences of your own that you can look forward to someday in the future - either distant or very near.
I read aloud to Andrew about a writer's experience understanding jazz. Music that demands presence, living in the moment, but that can quickly become dull when performed "too right." It left us with imagery and a topic to talk about - because let's be honest we usually just talk about our dog Truman and the kind of house we want "when we grow up"
My favorite publications: Darling Magazine | The Art of Being a Woman, Kinfolk, and Food & Wine
3. Listen to Music
We all know why we need music. It heals and inspires. It offers a soundtrack to our lives and is our best friend. Andrew and I bring our Jambox EVERYWHERE...
4. Keep it Simple
Local pizza and a fresh salad - we just brought a couple bowls and snagged paper plates, plastic forks, and paper napkins. If anyone is in Dallas looking for the best pizza around - Cibo Divino is our favorite spot. I love Neapolitan pizza already, but BONUS it's ready so fast because it hardly takes any time to cook. So we just picked it up and were on our merry way. It really did make us feel like we were somewhere other than Dallas, with the authentic char of the pizza bringing us the taste of Italy, and the fresh Buratta salad melting in our mouth with sweet bursts of cherry and tangy arugula... obviously I was very pleased with not cooking and simply enjoying the food we bought.
5. Drink the Wine
Just drink the wine. Breathe in the fresh air. Read out loud. Laugh. Think. Listen. Eat an extra piece of pizza. Drink the wine. Taste the wine. Enjoy the present. Think about the future. Reminisce about the past. Unplug, unwind, relax.
