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Lorna Ryan - A San Francisco Lifestyle Blog sharing top finds

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Why I started my blog and 10 things that I have learnt from blogging

June 2, 2020 Lorna Ryan
Why I started my blog & 10 things that I have learnt from blogging

While I usually write about the latest beauty product or what to do on a trip to Ireland, today I am going to answer one of my most asked questions; why I started my blog.

It all began with modeling

I moved to the US in 2014 and before then I lived almost my whole life in Ireland. During the years leading up to my move, I modeled a lot and had a modeling agent for a few years. I LOVED modeling. I got to meet so many new people from the other models to the photographers to the makeup artists and hair stylists. I was a financial auditor in Ireland so this was such an adventure on my weekends compared to my day to day job. I always viewed modeling as a hobby although I modeled almost every other weekend. I knew that I wanted my career in Finance. I didn’t have an Instagram account before 2016 so posted a couple of photos occasionally on Facebook, however, not many people knew I modeled.

My first ever photoshoot in Ireland

My first ever photoshoot in Ireland

I missed the creative side of my life when I moved to the US

After I moved to the US in 2014, I was a financial consultant and I loved my new life. There was so much newness, traveling, new friends, first apartments, new clients with my consultant role and so much excitement. I met a photographer in DC randomly and he asked if I would do a photoshoot with him. He had no idea that I had modeled before at that time. After some persuasion, I ended up doing it. I initially said that I had retired as a model and that was in my past (I was 25!). That initial photoshoot lead me to the fashion circle when I lived in DC including modeling in DC fashion week. I realized that I missed the photoshoots, getting my hair & makeup done and meeting all these new fun people so I started saying yes to some fun opportunities that came my way.

My first photo shoot in DC

My first photo shoot in DC

Modeling on TV in Washington DC

Modeling on TV in Washington DC

I had no reason to use all the photos from photoshoots

I set up a modeling Instagram page (which I now use for my blogging) and posted a few photos and kept growing on instagram. After lots of photoshoots, I had so many images yet nothing to do with them. I have always loved writing & I thought I should use these photos for blog posts. I originally started as a Beauty, Fashion & Travel Blog and definitely thought that I would end up writing more on fashion however the beauty world makes me so passionate that I love focusing on beauty topics.

A very fun and different photoshoot that I did in San Francisco

A very fun and different photoshoot that I did in San Francisco

I kept enjoying blogging more and more

It’s been quite a few years since I started my blog as a hobby and I can say that it has brought me so much happiness, learnings & friendships. I moved to San Francisco from DC in 2016 and set up my blog in 2017. It really helped me to make friends through blogging events & also one sweet model/photographer became one of my closest friends here. I have learnt so much from blogging and know that I will keep learning the longer that I continue to blog. It is so different compared to my full-time finance job so I really enjoy blogging as a past time.

The first photoshoot in San Francisco that was specifically for my blog

The first photoshoot in San Francisco that was specifically for my blog

10 things I’ve learnt as a blogger

  • How to design a website - this was quite the learning curve and Youtube became my best friend

  • Photography 101 - I am still learning at product photography. I was always in front of the lens so being behind the lens taking the photo is new for me.

  • Expectations from brands for content - so much to learn about what brands are looking for and expecting from a brand campaign

  • How to use social media for a blog - I am learning Pinterest here and how to share my blog posts through Pinterest

  • When I put in an effort, the results are massive compared to when I let things slide for weeks

  • Bloggers/influencers work hard and it’s not simply receiving free products

  • There are so many friendships to be made through blogging

  • How much goes on behind the scenes - a lot!

  • I really love writing - as you can see from this post, once I start writing, I find it hard to stop

  • I am so so passionate about Beauty - I am a #SephoraSquad influencer which you can read about HERE.

Hope you learnt more about why I started my blog and some of the things that I have learnt as a blogger. Read some more of my recent blog posts below to learn about some of my favorite beauty, fashion and travel adventures.

Thanks for reading.



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