I'm proud to say I have finally created the online community I have always craved. This year I set one goal: to elevate my social media, and I did it!
I shot this self-portrait of myself on my iPhone using natural light and no other apps.
Keep up the “work”.
When I run, my husband calls me the metronome (if you don't know what it is, look it up), and that's what I have been doing this year on social media. So I can prove that consistency in running and social media pays off.
At the beginning of the year, I decided I needed to invest in myself. I'm always trying to improve, and I'm fortunate enough to have the time and money to do so. Something I have always feared is talking to large groups of people. So when I heard about a course for speaking with confidence by Sally Prosser, I had a look, and lots of her past cohorts had improved their ability to speak confidently in front of large crowds. I met with Sally online, loved her energy, and decided to do the course. My main aim was to be more confident in a group (that's something I'm still working on) and on social media. Sally worked on the psychology at first, then we worked on the voice itself and then on what to say. I started posting how-to's on Instagram last year but never felt like myself. So Sally's course is what I needed.I parted ways with my agency during my "maternity leave", and my work slowly dried up. I tried to keep the work alive with my clients, but things changed. Art Directors move on and start using new photographers. But the world keeps spinning without you, and it is hard to stay connected. I kept working here and there but felt isolated and struggled to find my people.
Here is the video that went “viral” on TikTok.
I love to rabbit on.
If you have talked to me recently, you might have heard rabbit on about TikTok, and I love this platform. I have seen some incredible people from all around the world create some excellent content. I find it far more engaging than Instagram, and it's inspiring. I decided I was too self-conscious to start talking to the camera on Instagram, so I began on TikTok. At first, most of my videos were talking to my potential clients, but I quickly realised that most of my clients probably don't have TikTok, so it was irrelevant.
Then I started noticing my friends and family and how they took photos and videos. It was like a light bulb went off! I need to think bigger and broader. So I started creating a series of short videos to help EVERYONE take better portraits and videos with their phones. We have these tiny little excellent cameras in our pockets; everyone likes to record themselves, and they need to feel more confident. Finally, a gap I could meet. As I say in my videos, I have been a photographer for almost 20 years, and I have a wealth of knowledge on lighting, posing and expressions. So I started to create!
Here is the Instagram video that has gone “viral”. At first, I couldn’t believe it now I feel very proud of myself.
Don’t give up hope.
At first, the views were pretty low. Around 200 people would watch them. Then I posted a video on how to position your face to the camera one Sunday afternoon on a whim, and it took off 150 thousand people viewing it, and I started to gain more followers and a community. After a while, I gained confidence and began reposting these videos on Instagram. One video on how to smile in a photo with low views on TikTok has had 410 thousand on Instagram. In the last week, I have jumped from 900 followers to 13.4 thousand and counting.
I’m patting myself on the back.
I'm not boasting about how good I am or saying I have more followers than you. Instead, I wanted to express how good it feels to help people. I'm in a position of privilege and want to share it with as many people as possible. So if you have a burning desire to help others but don't know how to think about what you know and what you can share, now is the time to do it.
Have you had any wins this year? Please share them with me here, or let me know your thoughts. . Please do yourself a favour and follow me for some simple tips to elevate your photos.
Love Katie xo
