Here's to hoping your weekend will be "out of this world!"👏 💯 My niece and I painted this UFO together last summer, and I thought it would make for an excellent prop for my "at home" photoshoot. The challenge was to photograph something from "around the house" in an interesting way. That challenge came from the LearnPhoto365 app, which is an "oldie but a goodie" from iTunes store. Great for if you're ever stuck for ideas about "what to photograph." It's essentially an idea generator app, which can help you come up with 100s of photo ideas (like this one). 👍 Which shot do you like better? A or B? Let me know in the comments & follow @my_togblog for more tips on photography, video, and social media. . . . . . #creativephotography #creativephotographyideas #creativephotographyclub #photoidea #photoideas #photoideasforphotoshoot #photographyhobby #photographyhobbyist #athomephotoshoot #athomephotochallenge #photoblogger

As a content creator, I'm always looking for ways to maximize efficiency for creating and publishing new content. One thing I've noticed is that reducing "friction" in moving content from one platform to another is a great way to do that. If you've ever used a number of tools to create a single post, you know what I'm talking about. Maybe you start by editing your photo on desktop, then you transfer it to your scheduling software to add the caption, then switch it all over to mobile so you can authorize the post from your phone and add an IG filter. It can become very time consuming, especially when working with large file formats such as video. That's why I've put together this handy list to ensure "minimum friction" for "maximum efficiency" with your posting process. Here's my recommendations: - Edit Reels with InShot and post direct to IG from from your mobile device (where the video will be housed). Use Caption Writer to add a nice caption, complete with spacing. No need to fuss around with emailing anything to yourself from mobile to desktop, and/or mess around with any separate scheduling software. - Post Stories direct from IG. Honestly, the IG features offer plenty enough options for nice customization. - Single Graphics can be created and even scheduled direct from Canva now. All you need is an IG Business account, which anyone can sign-up for. - Carousels can be created in Canva, then saved and posted from desktop (via Instagram). That does add one extra step, but it's not too bad as at least it's all on the same device. - Single image posts go direct from my camera to my desktop editor, and then get posted direct to IG from there. If I do post from my mobile device, I go direct to IG from there to and just use Caption Writer for the spacing and emojis. Can you find any efficiencies in the "friction" within your production and posting process? Let me know in the comments and follow @my_togblog for more tips on content creation and social media. . . . . . #socialmediatips #socialmediatipsandtricks #instagramtips #instagramtipsandtricks #instagramtipsformarketers #instagramtipsforbusiness #instagramtips101 #contentcreatortips

As a content creator, I'm always looking for ways to maximize efficiency for creating and publishing new content. One thing I've noticed is that reducing "friction" in moving content from one platform to another is a great way to maximize the efficiency of your production and publishing workflow. If you've ever used a number of tools to create a single post, you know what I'm talking about. Maybe you start by editing your photo on desktop, then you transfer it to your scheduling software to add the caption, then switch it all over to mobile so you can authorize the post from your phone and add an IG filter. It can become very time consuming, especially when working with large file formats such as video. That's why I've put together this handy list to ensure "minimum friction" for "maximum efficiency" with your posting process. Here's my recommendations: - Edit Reels with InShot and post direct to IG from from your mobile device (where the video will be housed). Use Caption Writer to add a nice caption, complete with spacing. No need to fuss around with emailing anything to yourself from mobile to desktop, and/or mess around with any separate scheduling software. - Post Stories direct from IG. Honestly, the IG features offer plenty enough options for nice customization. - Carousels and Single Graphics can be created and even scheduled direct from Canva now. All you need is an IG Business account, which anyone can sign-up for. - Single image posts go direct from my camera to my desktop editor, and then get posted direct to IG from there. If I do post from my mobile device, I go direct to IG from there to and just use Caption Writer for the spacing and emojis. Can you find any efficiencies in the "friction" within your production and posting process? Let me know in the comments and follow @my_togblog for more tips on content creation and social media. . . . . . #socialmediatips #socialmediatipsandtricks #instagramtips #instagramtipsandtricks #instagramtipsformarketers #instagramtipsforbusiness #instagramtips101phogrammer

When I turned around and saw this scene, I knew right away that I wanted to get this photo. The sun was just peeking over the opposite horizon, illuminating the snowbank at the side of the road but not quite lighting up the entire field yet, which was still covered in a long shadow. Then there was that barn off in the distance. It was one of these scenes that make you go, "wow." I imagined what it would be like trudging across that field to get the barn, and that made me think of those times when you have an objective that seems far off in the distance. Maybe it's a long-term goal or a tough week that you need to manage through. I thought, how does one proceed in these cases? And the answer I came back with is pretty much the same as if the objective was right there in front of you. Focus on the next steps to get from A to B. If it's a long way off, though, maybe just look down instead of up for a while, so you're just thinking about those next few steps ahead of you rather than how close or far the destination is. Then if you do that long enough, you'll get there. Hopefully, not too heavy a thought for a Monday in January. It's actually supposed to be a positive view if the meaning comes across right. Let me know what you think in the comments 💬 and follow 👉 @my_togblog for more stories, as well as tips and ideas about content creation and social media. . . . . . #winterphotography #winterphotography❄ #ruralphotography #essacounty #photoblog #photoblogger #photobloggers #photographyblog #photographybloggers #photographyblogger #ontarioblogger #mytogblog

Next year, I think that I'm going to need a bigger shovel. When the snow pile gets almost as tall as you are, you know you've got a lot of snow! ❄️ This is my "hero shot" after having shoveled the last load, though I can't take credit for the entire pile. On some of the earlier snowfalls, I did have help from the neighbours with their snowblowers. That was really nice! 😀🙏Also goes to show you can't believe everything you see on social media. Lol! 🤣 Kidding aside, I do have a photo tip for you here. Have a look at my right arm in the first slide here. Notice how it's bent in a way that looks like I'm either in motion or holding something? 🤔 That's an easy tell that I'm holding the remote shutter in that hand. I seem to do poses like that all the time for the first few photos when using my remote shutter. Now check out slide two. See how my arm is resting more naturally? That's the way you want to do it! A good thing to keep in mind when photographing yourself using a remote shutter and tripod or gimbal set-up. 😀🙌 How big is your snow pile this year? Let me know on the comments 💬 and follow 👉 @my_togblog for more tips on photography, video, and social media. . . . . . #winter2022 #photographytipsandtricks #photographytips #photographytipsforbeginners #photographytips101 #photographyhobby #photographyhobbyist #photographysocialmedia #socialmediaphotography #mytogblog

Minus 27 Celsius in Angus, Ontario, this morning. Can you feel that in this photo? I know that I did! 🥶❄️ Still nice to get out there for a while though.😀📸 ⠀ Hope your weekend is off to a great start so far. Follow 👉 @my_togblog for tips on photography, video, and social media. . . . . . #angusontario #simcoecounty #simcoecountyliving #simcoecountyphotographer #winterphotography #shareyourweather #photoblog #photoblogger #mytogblog

There's something that's been perplexing me about this bird farm. I drive by it on my way to Alliston often, and I've noticed they have chickens, roosters, geese, and perhaps other types of birds. Seeing chickens and roosters in fenced areas within a field is not all that unusual around here. But the geese are another story. And this got me wondering: of all the birds that are there, why don't the geese just fly away? I see plenty of other geese living in the wild here, so presumably, it's not for the lack of food and water in the natural environment. There must be something else that's holding them back. But what would that be? Do you know or can you guess? Follow @my_togblog for stories, ideas, and tips on content creation and social media. I admit to having to look up the answer, as I've lived most of my life in cities and suburbs. But it turns out the reasons are largely the same as what keeps the chickens and roosters there: 1. Their needs are met where they are. Why fly away, when you're fed, you're largely protected from predators, you've got other bird friends there, a warm barn to go into at night, etc. 2. They're bred and fed to be bigger and heavier, making it more difficult for them to fly and much harder to do so for long distances. 3. In the case of the geese, these birds also would not have migrated before and this may have been true for generations of their ancestors as well. So not only are they not in the right physical condition for the long-distance flights (like wild geese), they might not even realize that's something they're "supposed to do" or how to do it. 4. They may have had their wings clipped (which, if done right, apparently does not hurt the birds); however, some sources indicate this often isn't even necessary given the above. Drop a like if you found this interesting, and let me know in the comments if you got any of the reasons right (or if you had any alternative theories). . . . . . #ruralphotography #ruralstreetphotography #rurallove #simcoecounty #allistonontario #simcoecountyliving #geeseofinstagram #rurban #photographyblog #photographyblogger #photographybloger #photoblog #photoblogger #mytogblog

Sumac at the roadside on the side road, Barrie, Ontario.😉 This shrub is fairly ubiquitous in our area, often located along the roadside or the edge of forested areas. It's a native plant that's well adapted to thrive in dry or gravelly soils and provides food for birds and woodland animals. 🐦 Some varieties of Sumac are edible for humans, but others are poisonous or harmful to touch. A good rule to follow is never to eat or handle plants in the wild unless you're sure what they are and that it's safe to do so. Staghorn Sumac is green in colour through the Summer, but the leaves turn orange and red before falling off in the Fall. The branches of female plants also bear bright red "fruit" that can last through Winter but turns a duller colour as the season goes on.🍂 I got this shot in late autumn after the leaves were gone but the fruit still had a nice, red hue. Putting a colourful plant like this into the foreground can be a nice way to add an element of interest to landscape or streetscape photos, or can stand as the main subject with elements of interest (like the car you see in this shot) in the background. 📸 How do like to spice up your landscape and streetscape photos? Let me know in the comments 🗨️ and follow 👉@my_togblog for more tips on photography, video, and social media. . . . . . #discoverontario #barrieontario #plantphoto #photographytips #photographytipsandtricks #photographytipsforbeginners #photographytips101 #photographyblog #photographyblogger #photographybloggers #photoblog #simcoecounty #simcoecountyliving #simcoecountyphotographer #mytogblog

If you haven't mapped your digital ecosystem yet, here's why you might want to do that. A map of your digital ecosystem shows how your social media accounts are connected with one another and any other "digital assets" you have on the Internet (e.g., Linkinbio page, website, or eCommerce store). 👍 Follow 👉@my_togblog for tips on content creation and social media. The purpose of the map is to show the 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 (i.e., directness) of each 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. This is important because the more "𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻" (or clicks) an audience member or potential customer has to make to get to where you want them to go, the 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙡𝙮 they are to make each successive click. So this means you want to be deliberate about how the system is set-up, in order to remove as much friction as possible. This also helps to ensure you're using appropriate "calls-to-action" in any post, based on where you are best to channel your audience for that post.🎯 By going through this exercise, you may also discover new potential connections, as I have here in recognizing that I could be promoting my YouTube on Twitter (which I've not tried yet) and reminding me that I should still be working on the email sign-up as a future step in building out the infrastructure.🏗️ A couple of last notes on the map: the width of each arrow shows the "strength" of each connect, as to whether the link is direct from the post or located elsewhere (e.g., link in a profile). Dotted arrows show connections that are still under construction.👌 Are you going to try this out? Here's to hoping it may reveal some new insights for you. Or if you're a nerd like me, it's also just kind of fun to map out! 👓😂❤️ . . . . . #socialmediatips #socialmediatipsandtricks #socialmediatips101 #socialmediatipsmarketing #socialmediamarketing #socialmediamarketingtips #socialmediamarketingstrategy #socialmediamarketing101 #socialmediamarketingmanager #socialmediatipsforbusiness #socialmediastrategy #socialmediastrategytips #socialmediastrategy101 #socialmediaplan #sleekbio #mytogblog

The mystery of the Shoe Tree. Not the first one I've seen, if you can believe it! I saw another one north of Barrie a couple of years ago. Then a while back, I thought "that might be a neat photo for the Instagram feed." Yet when I went back to try and find it again, it was gone! Follow 👉 @my_togblog for photos, ideas, and stories! I wasn't sure if this was because I was on the wrong road and was unable to find the exact location from before, or if it had been taken down. I would say that I dreamed it, but why would someone dream of such a thing? Plus, my wife was with me and also saw it the first time. But after trying a few different routes going home on my way back-and-forth from Barrie, I decided to give up, thinking that I was unlikely to ever see it again. Then a couple of weeks ago, another one appeared! Just off County Road 10, near Tottenham, Ontario, on another route I travel fairly frequently. So I know this could not have been here before. It was like it had just popped up, out of nowhere! This time, I stopped to document the existence right away. And here’s the proof! 😀📸 There are various theories as to the meaning of shoe trees. Have you even seen one in real life? What do you think they represent? Or what would you imagine it should symbolize for you? . . . . . #shoetree #shoetrees #photoblog #photoblogger #photobloggers #photoblogging #photographyblog #photographyblogger #tottenhamontario #simcoecountyphotographer #discoverontario #discoverontariopics #ontarioblogger #canadablogger #canadabloggers #ontariobloggers #mytogblog