8 websites to sell your photography

Photography is a great outlet for creativity. You can take lots of different photos in different genres like fine arts, commercial and editorial. Whenever you're inspired by a genre of choice you can sell your photos and make some profit off of your art 

One fun way of using your photography to help others is by selling your photos in stock agencies. You will help other creators inspired by your work while making some money off of something that inspired you. 

Here are some great stick photography websites to start out with. 

1. Alamy

2. Getty images

3. iStock photography 

4. Bogstock photography

5. Dreamstime

If you don't want to do stock photography you can also sell prints of your photographs online. These websites will print and ship for you.  There are so many more websites too. Just Google websites like Fine Art America to see what you will get. 

1. Fine art america

2. Red bubble

3. Society6

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7 ways how to deal with anxiety

 

When I picture myself in a room full of people and everyone staring at me waiting for me to say something, I get anxious. Like the walls of my mind start closing in and I need to find an escape. Quick.

 People have told me before, "Oh, but you're so pretty!" 

"You need to stop caring."

"You need closure about your mom."

Yes, probably. And I know that they say those things because they care. But I have to live with myself and it's not easy without direction. I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and PTSD after mom's disappearance. It's been five years. I've hired a private investigator to find her but this woman has no trace. I'm coming to the realization that maybe mom passed away and we just don't have the physical answers right now. But there's a God who loves her and she is somewhere in heaven with him if she's not walking this green earth.

So when I'm not pacing the walls of my mind waiting for an answer about mom, I pray. I pray for comfort to know about her and that she's ok. I pray for courage to face the day. And I try to remember I'm not the only one going through something no matter how easy it is to project the weight of one's problems as greater than another person's. I go through bouts of loneliness sometimes because I feel like I focus to much on what I don't know. I feel like I push people away. It's part of the greiving process, and you can read that here. 

Drink warm drinks. Another way, I try to cope with anxiety is I drink warm things. I like to drink coffee in the afternoon sometimes. I learned that people around the world drink coffee at different times during the day. Some have never even heard of drinking coffee in the morning until they have seen an American movie. I find holding a warm porcelain cup of joe between my chilly palms warms my heart as I slurp my coffee the way mom used to. Mom used to really love coffee.

Be grateful. I spend time thinking of things that I'm thankful for. I will search my heart and while I'm getting dressed, I think how thankful I am for my sweater. Its thick acrylic fibers against my skin keeping me warm. I'm thankful for the corner of my bed, where the sweet spot meets and craddles me at night providing a sanctuary for me. Most nights I can't sleep but its warm in my little corner of the world. I'm also thankful for my purse, because every girl needs one to accesorize with her shoes. Its brown and big and my camera fits snuggly as I pack my keys for a walk around the block.

Words of affirmation. Something my therapist told me to do is to try words of affirmation. Make a list of the things you're good at and tell yourself everyday that you're good at these things. 

• I am beautiful

• I am smart

• I am a good friend

• I am a good writer.

Now you try

Care less. I'm learning to care way less of what others think of me. This is really hard considering that's all I do. I assume people judge me because of my youth. And its true because I look ten years younger than my age. I'm tweny sometime and people never guess it. If I try to picture other's needs before mine and how I can help through my insecurities, then I just don't care. People are still going to do what they want to anyway. Might as well just let life run its course. 

I try to be happy. I still wake up in the morning -- or in the afternoon some days -- and take a shower, get dressed and put on perfume-- even if I'm not going anywhere. I like to feel fresh because I feel like I have been productive in some way. I clean my room and turn on music some days to set the mood. I look for funny memes on Facebook to make others laugh and try to find the bright side of life while I can.

I do something creative. I feel like doing creative activities because it destresses me and calms my PTSD. I like taking my mind off of work and just taking pictures. I try to look for a story in every picture I take, creating a narrative with a series of pictures. I like looking at other pictures that people take as well. I go on Twitter and Instagram and become inspired by the everyday pictures that people take. The soft pastel filters resemble film and like something eatheral. 

Another creative activity i like to do is blogging. There are so many helpful articles i could right in my niche. Plus, i enjoy writing the occasional personal journal to express myself creatively.

Watch a movie. Watching a movie is a great way of destressing. I like to stay I and watch movies at home. You can pop in your favorite genre and sit back and relax entertaining your mind. It's a good way of distracting yourself from other problems in life. 

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional doctor, these are just ways i deal with anxiety based on tips i got from my therapist. 

If you liked reading this and you found it helpful try signing up to my newsletter for more tips and an occasional update about this blog. 

11 Blogging Tips for Beginners

Starting a blog is a fun and exciting experience. Chances are you have a lot to say and you will need to build up your audience to get your message across to your readers. It doesn't matter what topic you have to blog about, here are just a few tips you can follow to help you become a better blogger if you're a beginner. 

1 Niche down 

There are so many great topics out there like blogs about blogging, fashion, food, travel, and your dog. However, it's not a great idea to talk about all of these things at once because it will ruin your SEO with Google. Choose a niche that you enjoy writing about and stick to that. This is a lifestyle and travel blog. I focus on looking for budget-friendly ways of living and traveling for the average person. 

2. Know your audience

Decide who your audience is early on because it will make it easier for you to write. Are you writing to college female students with a dog for companionship or are you writing to working adults who need quick and budget-friendly ideas for recipes? Once you figure out who you're writing to it will be easier to come up with ideas that target that audience and Google will reward you. 

3. Write great content 

Maybe you have heard the saying, "Content is King" and it's true because when you write great content your audience will come back for more. Blogging is all about helping the reader. Think of topics that will bring value to the reader and help them solve a problem. Maybe you can write a story for a college student who has a pet and needs to know the best chew toys and dog food for her small dog. Create a blog post that answers these questions and your readers will appreciate that. 

4. Write a long form 

Shoot for 800 - 1000 words blog post because blogging is meant to be read. Google will reward you in search ranking for long and detailed blog posts about a specific topic. 

5. Use keywords 

When stumped for thinking about great ideas to write about, use Google to find keywords to help you find topics that people usually search for. Use the recommended search results at the bottom of Google's page and input keywords into Google's keyword planner to help you target search terms that people are searching for SEO-friendly content. 

6. Write great headlines 

Write brief headlines that explain your article in concise words. Include the keywords in your headlines for SEO targeted search terms and Google will rank you for them. 

7. Use great images and Alt text

Studies show that people are more likely to read blog posts with images in them. Take your own pictures or find creative common images on websites like Unsplash or pixels for beautiful photographs that add a visual element to your blog. Adjust the alt text in your settings to make your post more discoverable on Google. 

8. Use good grammar and spelling 

Always be sure to use great grammar and spelling in your blog posts. No one likes to read poorly written blog posts and it's good for Google because it will recognize that your blog posts are professional and well written. I like to use Grammarly to help me proofread my blog posts. 

9. Create an email list early on

Creating an email list is a great way of building an audience that is your own. It's not like social media because even though social media's audience is more sporadic, you get to collect emails from people who want to hear from you. Give them something of value in return for their email, like a free ebook, a PDF, a checklist, or a course and when they sign up they permit you into their inbox and become your tribe. You might even be able to convert them into customers in the future. 

10. Write lists 

Google loves lists. Write a list like this blog post and expand your readers' knowledge with valuable content. Google will reward you for the SEO-driven list article with more traffic to your blog. 

11. Have fun

Write about topics that are meaningful to you. When you write about things that you care about people will notice the passion in your tone and appreciate your writing all the more. Be sure to be friendly and conversational in your blogs because this isn't a professional setting it's just a place for you to build your audience around a topic that you love. So go and have fun following these tips for beginner blogs. 

If you liked this blog post and you thought it was helpful try signing up to my email list at the top of this blog. You will get a 100 FREE lifestyle blog post ideas to start your blog in 2021. 

8 Tips for House Sitters

House sitting is a great way of traveling on your own time. You get to see the sites at your own pace while traveling like a local. Here are some tips to follow for new house sitters who are interested in this traveling experience. 

1. Treat your profile like your resume 

Your profile is the first thing homeowners see when they are looking for new house sitters. Be sure to use your profile to talk about all the good qualifications that make your experience shine as a house sitter. 

2  House sit for friends and family 

If you don't have experience as a house sitter, you can start off by house sitting for friends and family. The next time one of your friends goes off for a trip, ask them if they need someone to watch their home for them. Chances are they will need someone to pick up the mail for them, walk their dog and water their plants while they are away. When the house sit is over ask for their written recommendation to help you stand out as a house sitter to potential homeowners. 

3. Visit early 

Arrange a time with the homeowner to visit the home early to get a feel for how things work around the house. They can show you dog walking schedules, times when to water the plants and how to shimmy that finicky lock at the gate. You will feel more aware of how things work and more confident in your house sitting abilities. 

4. Don't be afraid to ask questions 

It's a good idea to set up an interview with the house sitter, whether in person or over video call to talk about details that go into caring for the house while they are away. If there is anything you don't understand be sure to ask them to help you better understand how things work. Maybe you want to know if you can have friends over, you can talk about policies for visitors, where you sleep in the home, and a dog walking schedules for their pets. 

5. Meet the neighbors

If you'll be staying for a while, be sure to ask the homeowner to introduce you to the neighbors. You and the homeowners will feel better knowing that the neighbors know how and why you are there and you will gain new friends in the area in case you need help about anything. 

6. Visit the local tourism office 

By visiting the local tourism office you will get to learn about the town you are staying in. Chances are you might find a good museum or an event to visit and try new experiences like a local would do. 

7. Be safe 

Especially if you're traveling alone, don't tell people your exact address and don't bring strangers back to your place. Be safe about the information you give people while you're traveling. 

8. Have fun

This is a new experience and you have never been to this town before. Try the local cuisine, go for bike ride in a park and make friends with locals. You get to travel at your own pace and make new memories that will last a lifetime. So make the best of it. 

What is WWOOFing

Imagine traveling at your own pace while working on a farm. You can certainly do that with WWOOFing. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. And volunteers, or WWOOFers, spend time working on farms in exchange for accomodations and food by their hosts. 

It is all about learning how to farm, taking part in the organic agriculture program and learning the culture. WWOOFing is a worldwide movement,

Adults 18 yeàrs and older can WOOF and in some countries volunteers younger than 18 can visit farms when accompanied by an adult. 

Some of the things you'll discover while WWOOFing are making wine, beekeeping, creating straw houses, growing vegetables and more. There's nothing like getting your hands dirty and experiencing this lifestyle for yourself. 

Today the WWOOFing organization is available in more than 50 countries and is available as independents in over 40 more.WWOOF-USA® Host Farm Directory has more than 2,000 organic farms all over the nation. 

It's really easy to sign up. All you have to do is sign up with your host country and apply for membership. Once you have applied for membership, you gain access to that country’s list of smallholdings, gardens and organic farms. Here the WWOOFer can contact a host farm and arrange for their stay and the type of volunteer work the will do. In exchange for the farm work you do, your host will take care of your lodging and food.

Your length of stay really depends on you the travelor. You will negotiate your time on the farm with the owner and it can be fir as long as you want. It doesn't matter because you can spend 2 days, 2 weeks or 6 months. 

What photographers use to edit their photos

Ever a stunning photo and wonder what the photographer used to edit their photos? There are lots of different programs out there for editing photos and if you read on you can learn about a few.

Lightroom

Lightroom is probably one of the apps that photographers use most to edit their photos. For a small subscription fee you can get access to all the editing features and even buy presents for your photos. I used kight room for a while but found another alternative to fit my budget. 

VSCO

VSCO is another subscription service that use can use to edit your photos. The aesthetic is very known for the instagram girls who use this application. It has lots of different features and filters that you can use to enhance your photos. 

Snapseed 

Snapseed is a free editing app that you can download from the Google app store and it has a lot of features like lightroom. However, I don't think you can use presets with this application. I used it after my subscription with light room ended and I like the amount of features it has.

In phone editing tool

Your cell phone likely has an in phone editing tool to adjust the exposure, contrast, high lights and shadows. I use this alot because I like the control i have over my editing. I don't like to use heavy editing on my photos just a slight adjustment and tweak to the filters to give my photos a smooth look. 

How to become a house sitter

House sitting is a fun way to travel the world on a budget. You don't have to worry about spending money on accomodations because you will be watching someone else's home while they are away on their trip. That gives you the opportunity to see the sites on your own time without rush. If you want to become a house sitter follow these steps. 

Start by house sitting for friends and family

What better way to get recommendations from the people who know you the longest and the best in life. You can go to them and ask them if they need someone to watch their house the next time they go on a trip. They'll likely need someone to check on the mail, water their plants or watch their pets while they're away. If you do a good job and leave the house cleaver than when you found it, you can ask them to write a review of your services on your Facebook or LinkedIn website. The more reviews you get the more other homeowners will see your dedication and qualifications to the job and hire you. 

Use your profile page as your resume 

You will likely find some services to help connect you to homeowners who need a house sitter. Some websites like trusted house sitters, house carers, nomador, and mind my house are some of the most popular websites that will connect you to homeowners for a small annual fee. When you build your profile and answer the questions, treat it as your resume to boost all of the good qualities you have as a great house sitter. It's the first thing that homeowners see when they are looking for house sitters. 

Maintain good communication with home owners 

When you find a house sit you might be interested in, reach out to homeowners and set up a time to meet with them video call to talk about all the details of the house sit. If you're in the same area maybe you can meet them in a public place like a café to see if you're a good match. 

Don't be afraid to ask them questions and talk about details that are important to the house sit before agreeing to commit to this responsibility. Some things you might talk about before the house sit are: 

• How much time you expect them to spend at your home each day
• Whether or not guests are permitted at your home
• Any areas of your home that are off-limits
• Your pet’s schedule, diet, and exercise needs
• Any other chores around the home you would like to be completed
• How you expect to communicate during the house sit (as well as how often you expect that communication to occur)
• Amenities provided (food, Wi-Fi, swimming pool access, etc)

Also, don't forget to reply promptly to homeowners' messages while they are away  And send them pictures of their home and pets so that they can see that their pets are being loved and everything is in good hands. 

And that's it. Be sure to ask home owners for good recommendations on your website or profile to build trust in the community. You will be ready for future house sits with every experience you acquire  

How much do house sitters make?

For some, traveling is too expensive to see the world but house sitting is a budget friendly way to explore other cities. It really depends on a few factors to calculate how much house sitters make because it depends on the location of the house and what services house sitters use to connect with owners.

As home owners are thinking about their next trip and who could check up on their house for them while away they could consider hiring a house sitter to check their mail, water their plants and watch their animals. It depends on location first of all when deciding how much to pay house sitters. 

It depends on location 

When looking for a place to stay during vacation the price of location will determine varingly how much house sitters will make. For example, if a house sitter goes to an expensive city like New York, then they might charge $80 to $100 a night to watch you're home. Same goes for touristy destinations because the location will be more desirable for tourists. In contrast, rural neighborhood's would cost less to sit like $30 to $50 dollars a night because they are in small towns.

It depends on the service

Moreover, using a service will determine how much to pay house sitters per night. There are lots of services out there to connect house sitters and owners like house carers, mind my house and Rover.

A service like house carers costs $50 a year for house sitters to sign up. Once subscribed then they can contact home owners to stay in their house to travel. It's really a small expense for membership and it will give home owners peace of mind as they think about entrusting their home to someone who will take care if it. 

Rover is another service unlike house carers and mind my house which charge a small membership fee. Rover let's house sitters set their daily rates which helps the home owners find someone close to their requirements

It's a good idea to conduct an interview before house sitters stay at the house so both have an idea about what to expect about the exchange. Whether you live close enough to meet at a public place to talk about the exchange or you meet through a video call, here are some of the things you will talk about before your trip: 

• How much time you expect them to spend at your home each day
• Whether or not guests are permitted at your home
• Any areas of your home that are off-limits
• Your pet’s schedule, diet, and exercise needs
• Any other chores around the home you would like to be completed
• How you expect to communicate during the house sit (as well as how often you expect that communication to occur)
• Amenities provided (food, Wi-Fi, swimming pool access, etc)

Prepare to house sit: what is house sitting

House sitters get to see the world on a budget. They travel at their own pace while staying at the owner's home while they are away. On occasions they pet sit the owners pets and even stay overnight taking care of the home. 

Some of the many tasks that house sitters will become responsible of while running the home while the owners are away are picking up the mail, paying for the bills, watering the plants, taking out the garbage and taking care of animals. House sitters might even stay the night and sleep in the guest bedroom. Of course, you will talk about all the details before your stay with the owner and they will show you around the house before they leave. This way you will feel caught up with the way things work and feel at home while the owners are away on their trip. 

What are house sitters

Imagine traveling at your own pace and sitting in a house near the beach while blogging and sipping on some coffee. Some people take these easy travel accomodations by doing house sitting-- getting paid to stay in someone's home while the owners are away. On occasions they will leave behind pets for you to pet sit or you can just stay in the home and water their plants, check their mail and keep the house running for them while they are away. They are many house sitting websites that connect you to house sits in North America only or even in parts of Europe, Latin America, new Zealand and Australia. Some of these websites are free but others require you to pay an annual subscription to contact owners. Some of the places you can sign up to are 

Nomador

Trusted housesitters

Mind my house

House Carers 

Of course there are many other sites and I will include that in another blog post but this is a good place to get started searching for house sits if you're interested in saving money while traveling. 

Journal: a girl's day

Ever just wake up and get ready for the heck of it even if you have no where to go? Today I rolled out of bed and washed my hair. I hadn't dried it with the blow dryer in a while nor have I straightened it. I swiped some eye shadow on my eye lids and got dressed with the outfit I would wear if i were to go out on a date with my non-existent significant other. I think i looked cute with my brown criss-cross sandals and cream colored cardigan. I walked around home all day with a red lip and spritz of my favorite body spray from Bath & Body works, Wild Blackberry & Vanilla Fine Fragrance Mist 💙

Then after i got ready I ate so much i could fall sleep. I had Macaroni and cheese topped with bread crumbs and bacon bits. Then dad brought home donations of food. So I unexpectantly had two boiled eggs, with a mango yogurt drink and chocolate peanut butter cookies for desert. I felt really satisfied, so i had to lie down. After I scrolled through Instagram for an hour, i wanted to search for art in my room. 

I took a few pictures of this keyboard to document a story of song. I really like how the depth of field disappears into the background as the keys are photographed.

I put note stickers to help me find the keys when i was learning how to play.

I also took a picture of this basket to document all the things I'd cary in it. I thought of  taking a picnic with this basket but all it's ever gone with me is to the laundry mat because it holds my clothes.

I like the shadows it creates as the light falls on it through the window. 

After my day was over, i did some work.

Now I'm curled up writing this blog post. I had a good day. More satisfying than most. At least it was satisfying for being single, which isn't all that bad. Alone time is good.