Saturday 10 February 2024

Blog User's Guide


Thank you for visiting 'Charles Espckman' magical fashion realm as your browsing choice. This website contains Our SERVICEs, specialist topics on fashion but general references on lifestyle and other topics. This user's guide will add to your understanding and full enjoyment of the many fine features of this website. Listed below is information prepared to acquaint you with the proper way to browse and navigate this website for the utmost in browsing pleasure:

1)   For mobile and tablet users, should there be any difficulties, please click, 'View web version' for a better browsing experience. It is located at the bottom of the home page. 

2)   To select topics, please click on the 'Labels' listing. It is located on the right side, below 'My Websites' list.

3)   You can also search this website by typing key words relating to your interest. Please type your key word in the 'Search This Blog' bar. It is is located on the right side, below 'My Websites' and below the 'Labels' listings. 

4)   Please note that search results may be inaccurate even though the search topic is in this website. This may be due to the system or unannounced website maintenance. If this happens, try to broaden your keywords and try in different variations.

5)   If there are multiple pop-ups while browsing our website, it may be due to your device settings. Please kindly check.

Thank you and please come again. After all, knowledge gained here is FREE 😉

I Dremz of this...zzz... again...

This is my first design that I dream of 😴 It does not have a name. It is only now that I am revealing this. I cannot remember the reason for not doing so when I first completed this 'Arrowhead' design sketch 📝✏️💃 It may be from my career struggles 😿 The green colour is a manifestation of my care for the environment 🌍 Cocktail dresses are my favourite 🏅 No doubt of my dream selection 🧵🪡👗 

Arrowhead (F)

Arrowhead (R)


I dreamed of this design during Halloween 2023 season 🎃 I am feeling deep grief 😢 I have lost my dearest one six months ago from my dream time😭 I have been watching many sea life documentaries since this loss. It is to divert my feelings from this loss. The fish bone skirt slit design represents the main purpose of my life now lost manifestation. I am still analysing this design and its other features manifestations 🔎 I will update these upon my findings. Surprisingly, I only dream of three designs throughout my long interest in fashion and textiles. This is my favourite dream design 🥇 It is a blend of conservative and sexiness 🫦💋👄 I hope these appeal my fans too 🤩

Fishy (F)

Fishy (R)

Tuesday 20 December 2022

ENDEVOUR: Shuttle to Success 🚀🛰🌎

NASA (National AeroSpace & Aeronautics) Artemis 1 mission is reigniting my liking for my all time favourite spacecraft, the Endevour Space Shuttle Orbiter 😺 Endevour Space Shuttle Orbiter is the youngest one. The Space Shuttle Orbiter is part of the STS (Space Transport System) Sadly, Endevour launch for the final time 😿 the second last Space Shuttle mission, STS-134, on May 16 2010. Endevour is now 'resting' at California Science Centre 😴 Rest well Endevour, we will miss your action 😔 but always remember your significance 📰📖💽 in my life!


Endevour Space Shuttle Orbiter as part of the STS, preparing to launch...

...and liftoff...expanding our knowledge, expanding our lives in space...




...at night time too

Docking at ISS 

Repairing Hubble Space Telescope

The first American native astronaut, John Harrington

The first African-American female astronaut, Mae Jemison

The glide back to earth after all accomplishments


Hitching a ride on NASA's Boeing 747 for low flight, public display aerial view on the way to California Science Centre. Two NASA McDonnell Douglas F-18B Hornet chase planes also accompany them...


...and finally arriving at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport)

Travelling by road from LAX to California Science Centre 
🙀


Bibliography

Reference Cited

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEVOUR: 6 SURPRISING FACTS (2022) [Online]  Space.com Available from: https://www.space.com/17695-space-shuttle-endeavour-surprising-facts.html

[Accessed: 20 DEC 2022]


NASA SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEVOUR (2022) [Online]  NASA Facebook Available from: https://www.facebook.com/profile/100044561550831/search/?q=endevour%20shuttle

[Accessed: 20 DEC 2022]

Wednesday 30 March 2022

ALL HAVE VALUE! 😘😍🥰🐶🤩😇😁

 




2018 Hero Dog Awards

Now memorialised in a movie.

If you are an animal enthusiast, having a struggling career or rejection, this movie is strongly recommended! My best 🤩 animal theme movie to date! Hopefully, it inspires & motivates you more than it does for me 🤩🐶😇 A very happy ending here with all morals applicable 😀😃😄😆😁 


Bibliography

Reference Cited

'RESCUED BY RUBY' VS THE TRUE STORY OF DAN O'NEIL AND HIS K-9 DOG RUBY (2022) [Online] HistoryvsHollywood.com Available from: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/rescued-by-ruby/

[Accessed: 27 MAR 2022]

Sunday 27 September 2020

Doctor Who 10

MARTHA JONES and The Tenth Doctor with his trademark shoes, verifying you with his Sonic Screwdriver!

My favourite Doctor Who duo, returning from the past and coming to you in a blast!

Being a long time Doctor Who fan but only writing now is definitely long overdue. Well, better late than never! 

MARTHA JONES is my favourite Doctor's assistant. Her costume is simple but unique. Her hair works well too. Unfortunately the combination of the darker colour leather jacket, lighter colour denim and denim cutting design have adverse effects. ALL these make her look large and short. However, it is very fortunate that her jacket is brown and NOT black. This play a big role in reducing a little of these adverse effects. It also makes this costume outstanding compared to other doctor's assistants.

On the Tenth Doctor, he is fabulous in costume and character. Kind of witty too. My favourite doctor in the world's longest running sci-fi television series. My favourite episodes are 'Blink' and 'The Lazarus Experiment'. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end. He has to regenerate again 
😔




Bibliography

Reference Cited

DOCTOR WHO (2020) [Online] BBC Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/characters/doctor10
[Accessed: 27 SEP 2020]

Sunday 23 August 2020

Dog Behavioral Concerns

Sandy has these same problems. After spending some time researching the internet, I come across this. I find this very detail, effective and passionate. I am unable to find such detail instructions on the internet until NOW. To the best of my knowledge, similar instructions ONLY come in the form of VERY pricey consultations! Other areas of this website have also boosted my understanding of dog behaviors.

When these methods work on Sandy, I am thinking, "I have to share this with those who seeking. These will save the lives of misunderstood dogs. These will also save their parents from guilt and wrong solutions". 

"Some of us have a duty to those who are in trouble", from 'The Ghost Monument', Dr. Who 13, 2019

I am proud to be a part of this legacy! 

Help, My Dog Bites! How to Deal with Dogs Who Bite

82 | Posted: 

By Dr. Sophia Yin
1966-2014 R.I.P.

 

 

Questions:

My adopted Chihuahua, Chico, has come a long way. However, if anyone comes to the house or if he is outdoors and meets a stranger and he is on the ground, he immediately wants to attack, following several displays of barking and aggressive lunging. One time he did clip a woman’s knee and drew blood. What do you advise for training Chico to be receptive to friendly people when he is outside and walking on the ground?

Gloria Aceti
Washington Crossing, PA

———————————————————————————–

We just adopted a terrier that is loving and sweet.  Unfortunately, she exhibits extreme aggression at times. She does not do well with visitors coming into the house, and refused to stop barking and nipping at them.  We encourage our guests to give her treats upon arrival, at the suggestion of our vet. We tell her NO firmly and attempt to grab her snout when she behaves this way, but nothing seems to work! She’s also aggressive when we try to wipe her feet. What do you suggest?

Reluctant to Return our Rescue Dog
Rocklin, CA

Answer:

Some people may read these descriptions and assume that these and other dogs who bite are just mean, but it turns out the most common cause of aggression in dogs is fear. It’s not fear brought on by abuse, but, rather, fear that developed because these dogs failed to receive the amount of socialization they needed starting before three months of age and continuing into early adulthood. Even from the short descriptions above, the telltale history is there. These dogs quickly got used to their adoptive families within a few days or weeks because it’s easy to get used to people who are constantly around them; but new people who pop into their lives fleetingly are another story.

Once Fear or Reactivity is Recognized, Take Action Before the Behavior Progresses to a Bite

Generally fearful dogs start off by trying to stay away from the things that scare them. But as they are confronted with scary situations repeatedly, they can learn that offense (barking, snapping, biting) is their best defense because it makes the scary people go away.

To see the body language of fear/anxiety, see Dog Bite Prevention Week: Poster on Body Language of Fear and Aggression and Dogs Bite When Humans Greet Inappropriately.

Treatment of Fear, Reactivity, or Aggression Focuses on Two General Approaches.

One approach to dealing with fear and aggression towards people is to train the dog to associate unfamiliar people with good things in a systematic/graded manner. This process is desensitization and classical counterconditioning (DS/CC),and it involves exposing the dog to the fear-inducing “stimulus” at a level where she barely responds and keeping her in a happy state, instead of a fearful or reactive state, by pairing the experience with things the dog likes (such as food, play, toys). The goal is that, as we systematically increase the level of the stimulus (how close the people are, how quickly they move, or how scary they look) while keeping Fido in a happy emotional state, the dog will systematically come to associate the scary people with this positive emotional state permanently.

Now, a lot of people try this method and have only partial success because they omit a few vital points.

  • The first is that you must stay below the level of scariness where Fido barks, lunges or has any major reaction. This is referred to as staying below threshold. That usually means that the visitor must pretend Fido doesn’t exist. That is, stand sideways to the pet and look away as if the visitor is actually ignoring Fido even though he’s tossing treats. Ideally Fido just looks like he’s happy to get food.
  • The second key point is that the food or fun thing must be occurring the entire time the scary person is near. For instance, if the scary person is tossing small treats, the treats must come at a rapid enough rate that Fido doesn’t have a ton of time in between treats to decide that he’s still scared. Usually that means starting with treats coming rapidly at first and then slowing the treat rate down.
  • Treats also have to continue long enough so that Fido decides that the person is safe. That may take just a minute or it may take several visits, depending on Fido. In the latter case, when the visitor is running out of treats, the dog should be removed from the room or the visitor should leave.
  • The visitor also must make sure she doesn’t move too close too quickly or move in a quick or threatening manner since these can make the dog react defensively (e.g. going above threshold). (For tips on how to approach correctly so you aren’t accidentally threatening: refer to the How to Greet a Dog book and poster)

The second method for modifying behavior is to train dogs to perform appropriate replacement behaviors that are incompatible with the fearful behavior. This is called operant counterconditioning. The replacement behaviors we train must be ones the dog enjoys so that Fido is at the same time learning a positive association with the situation. For instance, when a dog is fearful, we can train the dog to focus on us and engage in fun behaviors such as heeling and other focus games that we have taught through reward-based training. Why do we have to be careful to avoid methods that use force or punishment to train or maintain the replacement behaviors? Say we train the dog to focus on us so he doesn’t bark or lunge and we do so using choke chain or pinch collar corrections. The dog may learn to focus but will do so out of fear of getting a correction. As a result, the dog is not likely to develop a positive association with the scary person/object/environment. The dog may outwardly look more controlled, at first, but side effects such as greater reactivity and fear are likely to occur in the near future. The dog may hide that he’s scared or that he wants to react, prompting us to put him in a situation where scary people are even closer to him. Then, at some point, he might not be able to contain himself and may break out in a reaction more severe than before.

As with the DS/CC we described in method 1, always start at a level where you can keep the dog happy and focused on you, keep the dog focused the entire time, end the session and remove the dog from the situation before he’s tired or you run out of treats. The better your technique and ability to train in a systematic fashion the faster the training will go. Technique is the difference between taking 10 minutes and 10 months to see a huge change. (For more information on technique, read Dog Training Classes Can and Should Be More Than Sit, Stay, Stand)

To learn more about:

Understanding How They Learn and The Principles that Guide Learning (Timing, Motivation, etc):

Why We Tend to Avoid Punishment and Aversives and Dominance Theory

Treatment Must Also Address Impulsivity

These general approaches are pretty straightforward and, with good technique, you can get dogs through situations relatively easily. However, it turns out there’s more to these situations than just using the DS/CC techniques in the reactive situations. In fact, the first thing that we often have to do is address the dog’s impulsivity (lack of impulse control) and his lack of ability to look to the owners for guidance, especially when he’s scared or highly excited. How are these things important? Impulsivity is the tendency for animals to perform behaviors without first thinking and evaluating the situation. Dogs with high impulsivity or low impulse control tend to rush towards items they want (food, people, dogs) and react in an extreme manner when excited (jump, whine, pace, bark, lunge). The more they practice acting impulsively, the more likely they will react impulsively when scared. These dogs also have an inability to look to their owners for direction, especially when they’re scared or distracted.

Luckily, one program can address both of these issues. In my version of the Learn to Earn Program where dogs are required to automatically say “Please” by sitting for everything they want – every bit of kibble, petting, praise, attention, getting their leash on, going out the door—dogs learn that they can have what they want if they ask politely by sitting and looking at their owners for permission. In this intensive program, dogs can exhibit huge changes within a week. The trick is that the humans need to learn to reward the dog’s good behavior consistently and must be aware of their every interaction so that they don’t accidently reward unwanted behaviors, such as jumping, whining, and pushing for attention. So, at the same time, this program teaches owners how to give the right body signals and cues that their dog naturally understands and how to actually provide leadership and guidance through skill rather than force. As an added benefit, once owners have these skills they are better bonded to their pet and their pet feels more comfortable looking to their owners for guidance in the scary or highly exciting situations.

The Step-by-Step Approach:

Now that you know some of the general approaches. Here’s the basic order of approach.

  1. First, keep safe: avoid all situations where the dog is fearful or aggressive until you have gained the skill to work productively in these situations. And when you do work with your dog with visitors and unfamiliar people present, you may choose to avoid having the visitors or unfamiliar people give your dog treats. It can be unsafe to rely on other people to give treats because the visitor may do something inappropriate such as moving too close, staring at, or suddenly trying to pet the dog. Or because they toss the treat too closely to themselves and the dog comes closer and then realizes he’s too close for comfort and snaps. Instead, you, the owner, can give the dog the treats or have the dog perform exercises where he focused on you.  Also, it’s best to have the dog on leash, even on a gentle leader, snootloop or halti head collar. Make sure you’re holding the leash short enough that even if your dog does lunge towards people he can’t reach them (e.g. he can only lunge a few inches). For added safety, some dogs will need to learn to enjoy wearing a muzzle. You can cut a hole in the front of the muzzle to give treats. (See Training Dogs to Love Wearing a Muzzle)
  2. Second, identify all other situations where your dog is fearful or highly aroused (e.g. uncontrollable barking, whining, lunging) and address these issues too.  This is important because fear of objects and other things can heighten fear of people. For instance, if your human-fearful dog gets scared of a loud noise or object in the morning and then goes for a walk, he’s more likely to react fearfully to people on his walk. Similarly if your dog practices rough, overly rowdy behavior, then, when he’s fearful, he’s more likely to display that fear with the same rough, overly rowdy behavior.
  3. Avoid the other fear and high arousal situations until you have the skills to modify the behavior in these situations. Generally you can gain some skills quickly and just start working in the situations at the distance or intensity that you can handle. For instance, if your dog gets scared around inanimate objects on walks, when you see the type of object he might bark or lunge at or run away from, you can work at the distance where you know you can keep him happy and focused on you.
  4. Take your dog through Dr. Yin’s version of the Learn to Earn Program so that you can systematically and quickly develop the ability to provide direction for your dog and so your dog can quickly develop the ability to control his impulsivity. Some dogs only take a few days to a week while others may take a month or two—the biggest variability is the human’s awareness of what they are doing. If owners could be 100% consistent in rewarding desired behaviors and removing rewards for unwanted behaviors, they’d have a nearly perfect dog in just a week or two but for many owners it takes weeks to become aware enough to be 80% consistent. The benefit of the Learn to Earn program is that even if you never reach professional level skill, you’ll still be way better at communicating with your dog and moving in ways that make your signals and intentions clear.
  5. DS/CC to the specific fear, reactive, and/or aggressive situations. Generally, this means going about your day in a normal manner, but, whenever you pass an unfamiliar person, you have your dog perform the fun heeling games so that he can focus on you while learning good things about the people that pass by. The better your technique, timing, and ability to use your body movement to help keep the dog focused on you, the more successful and efficient you’ll be. Similarly when guests visit, set the situation up so that you can keep Fido focused on performing replacement behaviors and then you separate him from the guests if he’s not completely comfortable and under good control.
  6. Also, DS/CC to any handling type procedures that are an issue: In many fear or reactivity cases, the dog is also difficult for being handled in certain ways (such as for toenail trims or grooming). Generally I recommend starting with classical DS/CC where the owner pairs the procedures with food and then increases interval between food until food is no longer needed (See Training a Dog to Enjoy Toenail Trims). Once less food is needed, I often switch to rewarding a specific behavior such as holding still for 10 seconds while being groomed and increasing the amount of time the dog must perform the good behavior to earn the reward.

This is the overall approach to the fearful or reactive dog in a nutshell. It’s all about addressing the dog’s overall ability to look to you for guidance, and your ability to be aware of his emotional state and to reward desired behaviors and remove rewards for unwanted behaviors. Because the techniques do actually involve skill and technique, unless your dog is extremely easy, you will most likely need coaching. But now you’ll know what to look for and you’ll be aware of the common mistakes to avoid.

Dr. Yin passed away in 2014 but her legacy lives on.


For further references, hopefully this will help https://www.vetfolio.com/learn/article/understanding-behavior-dominance-versus-leadership-in-dog-training


Bibliography

Reference Cited

HELP, MY DOG BITES! HOW TO DEAL WITH DOG WHO BITES (2020) [Online] Cattledog Publishing. Available from: https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/help-my-dog-bites-how-to-deal-with-dogs-who-bite/

[Accessed: 24 AUG 2020]

Sunday 19 July 2020

Shower Sequence

While bathing or showering, do not wet the head and hair first. This is the wrong sequence.” writes a professor at UiTM National Sports Board.

We tend to take bath by letting go shower or bucket water on our head directly. It causes the body to adjust its temperature too quickly because we are warm-blooded. It may generate pressure and cause artery or capillary breakage.


Sequenced bathing is very important to avoid such incidences. Start with wetting your legs and up to your head gently. Frequently, incidences of stroke or heart attack or cardiac arrest in the bathroom happen more in winter than in summer. Water temperature matters a lot while bathing.

No sequenced bath or shower

Usually most people wet the head and hair first while bathing. This is the wrong sequence. It causes the body to adjust its temperature too fast because humans are warm-blooded. This might generate pressure and cause artery or capillary breakage. Sequenced bathing is crucial to avoid such incidences. One should start with wetting the legs first.


Bibliography

Reference Cited

WHY DO STROKES HAPPEN IN THE BATHROOM (2020) [Online] Ascent Emergency Medical Centre. Available from: https://ascentemc.com/why-do-strokes-often-happen-in-the-bathroom/
[Accessed: 19 JUL 2020]

STROKE OR CARDIAC ARREST IN THE BATHROOM IS FREQUENT (2020) [Online] MedClique. Available from: https://www.medclique.org/heart-health/cardiac-arrest-bathroom-heart-attack/ 
[Accessed: 19 JUL 2020]

Wednesday 1 April 2020

Team Work >:-(


In relation to our lockdown situation, we MUST all play a role to overcome this pandemic. I came across this video randomly while browsing the internet in isolation. It motivates me the importance and reminds me the fun of teamwork. I would like to thank all those essential services teams for their dedication and sacrifices in keeping us safe at ALL times 😇

Being a combat aircraft enthusiast, this has been in my shadows for 20 years. It is only NOW I got to know this low profile combat aircraft even better. It has its hidden assets. Among them are: 

1)   US Navy Compatibility - The Rafale M is fully compatible with US Navy aircraft carriers and some French Navy pilots have qualified to fly the aircraft from US Navy flight decks.

2)   Shared Engineering - The first jet fighter of a foreign navy to have its engine replaced on board an American aircraft carrier.

Constantly being in the shadow of mightier and more publicized navies, French Navy Aircraft Carrier inventory is worth a check out. They are, as the saying goes, "Still water runs deep".


Getting prepped for catapult launch.


Full afterburners catapult launch!


I like this Flottille 12F Unit 'Donald Duck' tail fin!

 

A Flottille 11F Unit jet leaves 'Tiger Meet' in full afterburners!


Bibliography

Reference Cited

DASSAULT RAFALE M [Online] Seaforces.org. Available from: http://www.seaforces.org/marint/French-Navy/AVIATION/Rafale-M.htm

[Accessed: 1 APR 2020]

Thursday 19 December 2019

The most Instagram-friendly cameras

The most Instagram-friendly cameras

Best cameras for Instagram
Maggie Westhead-Digital Editor

Travel, food, family life… whatever you document, here are the best cameras (and filters) for your feed

Whether you’re a budding photographer or social-media pro, the camera you use can make all the difference. With more high definition, lightweight, easy-to-use and Wi-fi compatible cameras around than ever before, the choice can be a bit overwhelming. These days, we are all capable of becoming good photographers if only we find the equipment to suit our needs. So, what are the best options?

‘I believe in the saying, “the best camera is the camera you have on you,” so it’s really not about having the most expensive gear, it’s about spotting the opportunity, pressing the shutter and capturing the emotion,’ says professional photographer Katrina Campbell, who snaps everyone from families to celebrities and dogs. ‘Some of my favourite photos are taken on an old iPhone XR, my Fuji X-T 100 or my trusty Nikon D800, and the photos I post on Instagram really reflect that – they’re a mixture of three different cameras.’

How to achieve those Insta gold shots? ‘My approach is be the same whatever the camera,’ says Katrina. ‘Slow down and try to think lighting, composition and emotion before you click. Be consistent with your filter, adjust the angle to ensure the best composition, and finally put on a powerful crop. The more you know what you can achieve by altering certain settings, the more you can free yourself up to be creative with your photography.’ Happy snapping.

Go compact


A popular choice with Instagrammers, compact system cameras provide a lightweight and slightly easier-to-use alternative to the traditional DSLR. Models such as the Sony A600 and Canon Power Shot G7 also provide excellent vlogging opportunities thanks to exceptional quality video. ‘With the Fuji X-T100 I use the film simulation effect so photos are ready to go from camera. I also use the Wi-fi connection to upload them straight to my phone so that I can share them instantly. Again, no messing around with filters or editing,’ says Katrina.

Carrie Santana da Silva, of travel, style and photography blog wishwishwish is also a Fuji fan. ‘I shoot exclusively with Fujifilm cameras after discovering their magic a few years ago. The colours they produce, as well as how easy they are to use, even for beginners is a major draw,’ she says. ‘For an excellent option you can carry around in your coat pocket, go for the Fujifilm X100F– the pictures look even better than the vintage-inspired camera itself (I’m always getting compliments when it’s around my neck!). If you need something more robust with interchangeable lenses, the Fuji X-T30 is the way to go for a compact camera that delivers beautiful shots. I edit everything for Instagram in Lightroom for mobile. It has the same powerful tools as its popular desktop version, and you can switch between the two seamlessly, making editing on the go a breeze.’

Keep it simple

Rebecca Lawson of Scandi interiors blog, Malmo & Moss whose stylish Instagram feed inspires over 90,000 followers reveals: ‘I use my iPhone 11Pro for some things but also have a Oylmpus OMD E M10 that I absolutely love. I have two different lenses that I use depending upon whether I want crisp wide shot or softer close up. It is very easy to use and has some great modes you can play around with depending upon the subject you are shooting, whether that’s people or nature or landscapes. I use apps like Snapseed and VSCO to edit photos after I have shot them, then the adjust the saturation, exposure and contrast.’
Compact digital cameras, also known as a 'point and shoot' cameras, are a good choice for documenting on the go due to their compact size. ‘Compacts can be split into three categories,’ explains Rebecca Atkinson, Partner and Junior Buyer, Audio & Imaging. ‘Entry level, which offers greater flexibility than a smartphone; super zoom which provides great capability to get closer to the subject, and premium compact with larger sensor sizes and manual controls, for more creativity.’

DSLR cameras

Aiming for professional level imagery for you blog or Instagram feed? Consider getting to grips with a digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR). ‘A DSLR is a camera body with an optical viewfinder built in,’ explains Rebecca. ‘This is where you can see the image through the lens via an internal mirror. This gives the photographer the exact representation of what they are shooting. DSLRs have a wide range of lenses available for maximum flexibility. This makes them the choice for professionals and beginners wanting to take the hobby to the next level.’
‘My favourite camera is definitely my Nikon, which I use for all my family or commercial shoots, usually with a prime lens attached whether 35, 50 or 85mm,’ says Katrina. ‘No need to zoom in, I can simply move in close or stand further back, and the glass is just beautiful, giving me gorgeous light-filled images every time, even in pretty low light. I post these images frequently on Instagram, with no filter, as the small amount of editing that I do in Lightroom is enough.’

Get mobile

As the camera quality has improved vastly over the past year, many Instagrammers are now just using their mobile phones. These days you can zoom and they offer high definition quality, too. The new Google Pixel 4XL boosts vivid colour, extremely rich details and the ability to take pictures in the dark without a flash. Rosanna Falconer, brand consultant and co-founder of FashMash says: ‘The Google Pixel transformed my content game. I use it for everything from my tablescapes to travel imagery. The abilities of Night Sight blow my mind every time. My favourite party trick is to show friends just how much of the evening can be captured with its intelligence. The sharpness and saturation of the imagery is a credit to how far smartphone technology has come. I then often use the Adobe Lightroom app to tweak the imagery to my tastes, adjusting exposure, contrast and colour.’
Like many other social media pros, parenting blogger Courtney Adamo has stayed loyal to the iPhone: ‘I just use my iPhone 10. I can't be bothered taking photos on a camera and then uploading to my phone. And I know it's a silly consideration, but I like the quality of the photos on my feed to all look the same, so if I do put the occasional camera photo in there, it always looks out of place among the iPhone photos. I do use VSCO to edit my photos, usually increasing the exposure and sometimes the contrast.’


Bibliography

Reference Cited

THE MOST INSTAGRAM-FRIENDLY CAMERAS (2019) [Online] John Lewis plc. Available from: https://www.johnlewis.com/content/electricals-tech/best-cameras-for-instagram
[Accessed: 19 DEC 2019]