It is easily the best Nerf blaster that looks and feels like a real rifle and has a ton of options for adding aftermarket stocks, barrel extensions etc. The Stryfe is also perfectly suited to modding as you can access the blaster using standard screws without needing to use glue.

Nerf Stryfe with aftermarket mods compared to the official Nerf add-ons you can buy - both look great!

The plan. Upgrade the Nerf Stryfe to make it more powerful, accurate and interesting to look at.

Upgrading the Nerf Stryfe

The Stryfe is a “flywheel” blaster that pushes a dart inbetween two flywheels that spin and push the dart out at high speed.

To upgrade the blaster you need to upgrade:

• Flywheels and cage
• Motors
• Power supply

Although discontinued. The Nerf stryfe is still easily available online - I picked one up for £15 on Facebook Marketplace.

The Stryfe comes in two main versions, the blue version (older) and the orange version (newer). Try to buy the orange version as it was upgraded to have less stoppages but if you are going to upgrade the blaster then it doesn't really matter as you'll be removing the parts that cause it to jam.

Retailer options

• Ak-blastermod – Great selection, pricing, and reputation
• Outofdarts – The oracle on Nerf, they only sell parts they personally recommend
• Blasterparts – Produce a lot of well priced 3d parts and upgrades
• Workermod.com – Not actually affiliated to workermod but sell a ton of parts

Recommendation: Blasterparts for visual mods, Outofdarts for internals. The price of parts vary wildly across sites and if you are after Workermod parts it is worth checking Alibaba or Etsy for cheaper deals.

Battery Options

If you are upgrading your internals (motors and flywheels) it is definitely worth upgrading your battery.

You also need to find a battery that will fit your compartment. The upgrades I did below required hollowing out the battery tray to fit a new battery in using a plastic cutter/plyers. I also purchased an expanded battery cover to give it more space. Make sure the battery you are buying will fit your compartment!

Battery types

LifeP0 After reading many guides you should never use the “AA size” LifeP0 batteries. They can be extremely unsafe (they literally explode with mid to heavy use) and are not suited to running these blasters. An example of them are here.

NiMH Nearly all Nerf modders recommend a decent NiMH battery as they are more suited to operating for prolonged periods of times without exploding (always a bonus!).

LIPO Luke and others also recommend using a LiPO battery as long as you have an ‘alarm’ fitted that will beep before the battery becomes unsafe/explode. Example of the LIPO alarm is here. Do not use a LIPO battery without an alarm!

Internals - flywheel types

There are a bewildering array of flywheel options out there. The closest I could get for information on the different types are listed on ak-blastermod.com:

• Standard (White) Straight GrooveDiameter: 33.7mmWeight: 4.2gMuzzle Velocity: LowAccuracy: LowDart Condition: Very Good

• Standard (Black) Angled GrooveDiameter: 34.1mmWeight: 5.4gMuzzle Velocity: Very LowAccuracy: Very HighDart Condition: Excellent

• High Crush (Black) Straight GrooveDiameter: 34.7mmWeight: 6.0gMuzzle Velocity: Very HighAccuracy: FairDart Condition: Poor

• High Crush (Black) Angled GrooveDiameter: 34.7mmWeight: 6.1gMuzzle Velocity: LowAccuracy: HighDart Condition: Fair

• Standard (Black) Smooth SurfaceDiameter: 34.5mmWeight: 5.7gMuzzle Velocity: LowAccuracy: HighDart Condition: Excellent

Source - Note I haven't personally tried any of these.

I ultimately went for the ones Luke recommended which were the "Worker Transparent Canted Flywheel Pair". These give the best accuracy without destroying/wearing down the dart (which many do).

I also went for the motors Luke recommended as some of the workermod ones can be a bit hit and miss with regards to quality.

The Build

I looked on many forums, youtube vids, and guides and many of them featured conflicting information. The guys and gals on the Nerf sub reddit were the most useful and they recommended I talk directly to Luke at Outofdarts.com as he is a modding Guru. Luke runs an amazing website that has a ton of useful information on Nerf modding. He also has written a lovely book on all things Nerf which have some step by step modding guides (including for the Stryfe)! I would recommend buying this book as the guide is very simple to follow and will support Luke (getting limited run books printed is not cheap!).

He very helpfully sells a number of kits that include everything you need to upgrade the Stryfe internals.

As I was after a blaster that wasn’t too extreme I went for the Stryfe 3s entry level mod kit as it promised good accuracy.

It includes:

• 2x - Valkyrie Motors

• 1x - Worker Transparent Canted Flywheel Pair (W0357)

• 1x - Worker Transparent Flywheel Cage 43.5mm (W0354)

• 1x - Tezuo 21A Microswitch Lever

• 1x - Stryfe Switch Mounting Plate 3D Printed

• 1x - Stryfe Extended Battery Cover Small

• 1x - 18AWG Hobby Wire Red/Black (Pre-Cut)

• 1x - XT-60 Connector Male/Female (Pair)

• 2x - Large Heat Shrink Wrap (Pre-Cut)

• 1x - Small Heat Shrink Wrap (Pre-Cut)

• 2x - 3D Printed Motor Cage Spacers

With this kit you will need a number of tools, including a soldering iron and plastic cutter. You will also need to purchase a LIPO battery and a LIPO alarm. Ensure the battery comes with an XT60 connector (or buy an adaptor).

Installation

I won’t post the full install guide on here as it is all listed very nicely in the book (it was nice to follow a written guide rather than having to play and pause a youtube vid). The only thing I would point out is the book talks about building a switch spacer with putty. This isn’t needed any more as Luke now includes a 3D printed spacer in the kit which saves a ton of time (but the book doesn’t mention it).

The installation is reasonably simple for someone that can use a soldering iron. It basically relies on you completely gutting the internals and replacing them with safer components designed to handle the upgraded parts.

The Result

Power The blaster is now much much more powerful but is still suitable for outdoor play or indoor target practice. I would not recommend using this inside without eye protection as the darts are pretty powerful now. They sting a little as well indoors but outdoors they are fine.

Noise. It is quite a bit louder!

Accuracy! It is now much, much more accurate which was the main reason for the upgrade so I am very happy with the upgrade. I only use the accustrike darts.

Was it worth it? The cost of upgrading these was a bit silly, especially as a lot of the parts were from overseas so the postage was astronomical. The blaster is much better than the original but I wouldn’t bother doing it again as the difference between the original is definitely not worth the cost. My personal recommendation would be to just by a Nerf rival blaster if you want something more accurate.

Visual modifications

There’s a ton of 3D printed parts available. The cheapest one I could find was this excellent kit by blasterparts:

It is extremely well priced for what you get. Shame the postage is so expensive but the kit is still worth it.

Pros

• The magazine with magpul is excellent
• The stock is extremely well made and is adjustable! For an adult it is the perfect extension.
• The handguard and angled foregrip is very sturdy.
• Comes with two flash hiders/muzzles. The M4 vortex style flash hider was my favourite. The other one doesn't really work as the darts tend to hit it.

These things alone make the kit great value for money. With them all fitted the rifle feels like a real M4 as it is almost the exact same dimensions.

Cons

• The rear sight unit is awful and flimsy and doesn’t particularly fit on the blaster well. When clipped to the top of the blaster the front end just hovers in the air and comes off really easily. I removed this straightaway as it’s not fit for purpose. I tried getting an extended rail for it but they aren't compatible.

• The barrel is very thin and flimsy and will break easily. (although it hasn’t yet!). It is also so long that on a stock blaster it causes every 3rd round to be a stoppage and destroys the accuracy and power of the blaster making the blaster performance unusable. Without the barrel you cant have the handguard fitted so it makes the kit a bit tricky as to use the kit you effectively destroy the performance and usability of the blaster.

Note: On a stock blaster you will not be able to use the barrel or handguard without making the blaster completely useless. If you upgrade the internals it largely solves the issue and makes the blaster usable BUT whatever you do to the internals, by adding the barrel and handguard you will always increase stoppages, reduce power, and accuracy of the blaster. If you just want a performance upgrade I would avoid using the barrel and foregrip at all.

Barrel options

You can buy rifled and non-rifled barrels. I have tried both and the rifled ones are useless and don’t help as all they do is increase friction thereby reducing power and accuracy. You should only get a barrel extension for aesthetic reasons as it will nearly always reduce power and accuracy by a considerable margin!

Other recommended mods

• Worker Picatinny Rail Mount - 27.9cm – This goes the length of the blaster and looks great. It is very well made and sturdy.
• Spraying the muzzle orange/yellow – These are toys and you always want to ensure that the end of the barrel is a bright colour to reduce the chance of someone thinking that they are a real gun. I just got some orange spraypaint and sprayed the muzzle so it matched the rest of the blaster.

Summary

Modding the Nerf Stryfe was a fun experience but ultimately I don't think it was worth the overall cost. I do think the blaster looks great now and without the foregrip and barrel extension the blaster is very accurate and performs really well outdoors but compared to the stock blasters if you are wanting a performance Nerf gun I would go down the stock Nerf Rival series or buy a dedicated modded Nerf gun like this

I hope this was useful. If you have any suggestions/improvements please add them below and I can update this guide.

Looking to have access to a huge range of toys without having to store them or throw them away? Then Whirli could be for you!

Just here for a discount code? Click here for 30% off !

As any parent knows we're always on the lookout for ways to stimulate our child at home without creating a landfill of rubbish along the way. Whirli aims to solve this by having a subscription service that lets you swap toys, similar to how you'd rent a car or a book.

We hope you like this review and please comment below if you have any questions on anything that we cover.

In a rush? Here's why we love Whirli:

Pro's

• Huge range of toys to choose from.
• Has an 'unlimited swaps' option so you can really maximise the amount of toys to play with.
• Each box comes with its own return label so you can post them back easily without having to print anything.
• All toys come in their own canvas bag so you can keep track of all the parts.
• Pricing is competitive and very transparent.
• You get to help the environment by not wasting toys.
• If you want to keep a toy you can buy it at a discounted price from new.
• More and more toys are getting added every day.

Con's

• Whirli is very cheap compared to the cost of buying all the toys you would use, but it is still a subscription service so make sure you can factor it into your monthly budget.
• The toy range is mainly focused on under 4's.

Already going to buy one? Please support our page by buying through our links (it helps us write more great content and saves you money): Whirli link

What you get:

Refer your friends and get £40 off your subscription for every person that signs up. Your friend will get £10 or 30% off their first payment (whichever is greater).

Want to know more? Let's dive into our full review now...

How does Whirli work?

Choose your toys - This is the easy part, go on their website and choose from a huge list of toys, similar to how you would in a shop. On Whirli everything is priced based on 'Whirli tokens' where 1 token = 1 British Pound. Basically it's what the price of the toy would be if you bought it new.

We recommend having a look on their site before you sign up to see if the toys are what you're after.

Toy range - We've been very happy with the selection so far, most of the toys are of the wooden variety as they prioritise environmentally friendly (and robust!) toys. They do have things like dolls and even a nerf gun in there though!

Our current 'toybox'

Age groups - Whirli caters for lots of age groups but definitely favours younger ones, we found that above 4 there is less variety but they do keep expanding their range (the company only launched last year).

Ordering - Once you've selected the toys press 'checkout' and then they will be posted to you. Nice and simple! The toys arrive in a cardboard box that you can keep to send back the toys.

The canvas bags! - These are really really great, each toy comes in a reusable bag which is great as you can store all the parts for each toy in a separate bag. Bizarrely most of the toys don't come with a list of parts so in the case of marble toys its up to you to roughly keep track of them! That said we've had a few rogue marbles that have been lost and haven't been charged so they account for minor losses and wear and tear which is great :)

These bags are great!

Returning the toys - As soon as you want to return a toy, go on the website and initiate a return. As you do this your Whirli credit allowance is renewed so you can immediately order more toys.

Then all you have to do is put your unwanted toys in their canvas bag and the cardboard box they sent you and seal it up using the tape supplied in the box.

What we love is that you don't have to print a return form or label as it is all in the box already. This saves so much hassle!

Subscription options - Whirli has a few options for different price points. Each subscription has a 'Whirli token allowance' which is effectively the total value of toys you can have at any one time. For example 7.99/month will let you have £80 worth of toys etc. We went for the 'Toy Trunk' option as it gives you access to the bigger toys. The toy chest is only really needed if you want their giant wooden toys.

You also get a discount on yearly plans but we would advice taking out a monthly plan first, trying it for a month then going in for the yearly plan if you think you like it as it'll save you a mighty 20%!

Postage options - There are two options:

1. Pay each time you post the toys - £3.49 each way
2. Pay a monthly fee for unlimited swaps - £6 a month

Now I've seen a lot of people unfairly saying this is a 'hidden fee' but it does cost money to send things by post (shocking i know) and they're not making any money off their postage fees. Infact if you choose the £6 a month and do 2 swaps a month that would be costing them at least £12 in shipping fees alone so your subscription cost is paying for the postage too.

Just make sure you factor in the postage costs into your budget. We would recommend the unlimited swaps as we normally switch out our toys every 2-3 weeks but if you want to swap less often then go for the fixed fee option.

Royal mail postage fees

Sustainability - We really like the fact that we are not wasting anything and don't have to constantly worry about reselling old toys or hunting out bargains on Facebook marketplace (the ultimate guilty pleasure!). Whirli definitely ticks the box on sustainability and minimising waste which we like.

Top tip - We have a draw where we put the Whirli toys in their bags then periodically swap them. This way our little one doesn't feel spoiled that there's an infinite amount of toys and it feels more like being at nursery whereby they get access to different toys at different times.

Summary

So we're a big fan of Whirli, it's a really simple platform to use and the toy selection is great. We haven't found any drawbacks (yet!) and there doesn't really seem to be any worthwhile competitors out there either.

The pricing is always going to be the deciding factor on whether you can afford it but if you want a huge variety of toys and plan on swapping them regularly the subscription is a total bargain in our book.

Discount code - 30% off! We hope you liked our review, if you did and are thinking of getting a subscription, please use our referral link to get a discount on your order (30%!) and to help us out writing these reviews :)

Let us know what you thought about our review in the comments and if you have any questions on this then please send us a message and we'll update it.

They have pretty much every Janod toy you can think of!

Fancy a photography lesson? Do you want to be a better photographer? Want to finally master manual? Please click here to check out our practical workshops held all across Kent.

Photography workshops

The problem:

When you click on an AE project file it starts to load and then gets stuck loading at about 56%/some random number and then crashes the program.... Nightmare! If you can't open your AE project file then hopefully this article will help.

My solution:

• Check you have the latest version of AE. If you have been using linked files from Adobe Illustrator or Premier Pro one of these apps may have updated and it may be creating a negative loop that won't let you open it.

• Check your autosaves. In this case all of my autosaves were having the same issue. If this is the case then it's highly unlikely that it is a corrupted file as it'd be very unlucky to have all your autosaves corrupt at the same time.

• Open up a new Project in AE. Find your AE file and then try to open it up within the project.

• When you open up AE turn the CAPS LOCK on, this stops rogue plugins from loading on startup.

• Clear the media cache on AE.

• Edit > Preferences > Media Cache > Empty disk cache

• Rename the AE file with a random letter at the end of it.

• If all else fails move all of the source files to a new location to break the link. Hopefully AE will then load everything and then you just have to relink the files.

I hope this worked for you! Let me know if you have any other tips and always remember to backup your files!

After reading almost universal 5* reviews we have finally taken the plunge and equipped our team with the award winning Peak Design Tripod. We have been blown over by this amazing bit of kit, and it really is a beautiful piece of premium engineering with no expense spared!

We hope you like this review and please comment below if you have any questions on anything that we cover.

In a rush? Here's why we love our Peak Design Tripod:

Pro's

• Extremely compact (It's the most compact professional tripod on the market)
• Very lightweight 1.56Kg (Al) / 1.29Kg (Carbon)
• Strong enough for most professional cameras and larger lenses (rare for a tripod this size!)
• Looks stunning
• Everything about the design is extremely well made and thought out

Con's

• We really love this but there is one drawback .... It is insanely expensive compared to others but we think that it is worth it given how good it is.

Already going to buy one? Please support our page by buying through our links (it helps us write more great content):

Amazon (cheapest) - Aluminium + Carbon Fibre

Peak Design (direct)

Want to know more? Let's dive into our full review now...

Design

We were extremely impressed with how they've managed to build a full size tripod that is unbelievably compact.

Peak Design has revolutionised tripods by looking at every element of a typical tripod design and have re-written the rule book on how they should be built.

All of the elements are built with premium materials and it feels very sturdy despite how lightweight it is.

It also comes with a number of accessories that fit a variety of travel needs. I would usually say that it is great to have these included with the package but then again you are paying a lot for this tripod so I can't give them too much credit!

Size

This is where the tripod truly shines. Due to the design of the legs that use a triangle shape as opposed to a circular shape the tripod is extremely compact in diameter and is the smallest professional tripod we've ever seen.

About the thickness of a water bottle and is even thinner than a Sony 70-200 lens!

Comparison Tripod - Our usual travel tripod is the excellent MeFOTO Roadtrip. We love this tripod as it is a compact, full size tripod that is still strong enough to mount full frame bodies and professional lenses. We have chosen the Roadtrip to compare to the Peak Design Tripod as it is currently our favourite. If the Peak Design Tripod can beat this then it'll be our new number 1!

Now look how wide the Roadtrip suddenly looks compared to the Peak Design Tripod!

A huge difference in diameter!

The dimensions of this tripod are pretty special:

• Folded length: 39.1 cm (15.4”) - Same as the Roadtrip which was the smallest full size one we could find.
• Folded diameter: 7.9 cm (3.125") - Absolutely crazy!
• Max Tripod height when extended: 152.4 cm (60")

This is class leading and makes a huge difference when you're carrying the tripod in a rucksack or as a carry on when flying. This alone is the main reason why we bought one. I really can't stress enough how thin this is when folded.

Weight

Naturally this Tripod is extremely light at:

• 1.56Kg Aluminium
• 1.29Kg Carbon Fibre

Yes it is one of the lightest tripods on the market but personally I think manufacturers are obsessing over the weight of their tripods and we always prefer functionality over weight.

The only time weight really matters is if you're including it with check in weight in a bag for travel but apart from that a few 100g here or there doesn't really bother us (extra weight can make it more stable as well).

Carbon fibre or Aluminium? Obviously the Carbon Fibre one is lighter and is slightly stronger (20% more rigid) but for nearly double (yes double) the price we can't justify the price difference for something that is only 270g lighter (less than a can of coke).

But if you do have the budget then go for it and the tripod will probably last longer but we normally stick with Aluminium tripods.

Camera Load

Now this is really important as many cheaper tripods are fairly useless when it comes to mounting professional cameras and larger lenses. The Peak Design tripod will securely hold a payload of 9.1kgs! This is certainly class leading and will be suitable for even very large camera and lens combinations.

Usability

Every part of this tripod has been beautifully thought out and it really is a pleasure to use. Every component feels premium and there is absolutely no rattle or flex on any of the parts. This really is a no expense spared piece of kit!

Lever or Twist lock?

The Peak Design tripod is one of the few travel tripods that have lever locks and they are really well designed. The legs are very sturdy and slide out beautifully. The level of machine work on the legs is outstanding.

Why do we prefer lever locks?

• Faster to deploy than twist ones
• More Secure (sometimes with twist locks they aren't quite tight enough and you notice the leg is dipping slightly when using heavier cameras)
• A lot more compact

Also due to the Peak Design tripod folding into itself you don't have the hassle of having to folding out the legs and moving the centre column each time like you do with the meFOTO and most other compact tripods:

As you can see the Peak Design tripod is good to go whereas with the MeFOTO one you have to fold out all the legs 180 degrees first and then move the centre column before use - Takes a lot more time!

Tripod head

The tripod head is truly fantastic. The innovative design makes it a pleasure to use. It has:

• Ball head - You can very easily switch between landscape and portrait with a tilt (a must for any tripod)
• Single adjustment dial - By twisting the circular dial you unlock the ball then twist to lock. This is much easier and faster to use than most tripods that have multiple dials (resistance etc). The beauty of this dial is you can slightly untwist it to have minor adjustments then relock it without the head becoming completely loose/floppy. The head is very secure when locked with absolutely no play or movement.
• Secure click and lock base plate - the camera baseplate on the Peak Design Tripod is tiny as well which is great as you can leave it on the camera and barely notice that it's there. When you need to click it to the tripod you simply place it down and the weight of the camera will auto lock it into place. You then have a further securing dial then locks the lever from unclipping. It's very secure, quick and simple to use. The baseplate also uses a hex screw as well which is much better than the flat head screws that always tend to wear quickly. Peak Design have included an allen key and mount for it so you don't need additional tools. The baseplate is very very secure on the camera and the materials feel rock solid.
• Spirit level - Rare for tripods of this size.

This is beautiful to use

Tripod Height

The Tripod extends to 152cm and can also be lowered to 14cm so you have great flexibility. Some tripods go flatter but due to the compact mechanism this would have ended up making this tripod larger and 14cm is plenty low for most applications (PD do an adapter to make this even lower on their site). There are 5 levers to unlock depending on the height. I am 6ft and the height of the tripod is more than suitable.

In its lowest setting with my battered Sony A9!

Hook lock

The tripod centre column also has a hook so you can add a weight to further steady the tripod if needed (hi-winds etc).

Tripod feet

There are rubber feet included in the package that are replaceable. You can buy optional ground spikes if needed.

Monopod

Unfortunately there is no 'monopod' option to detach one of the legs. This is a bit of a shame but the tripod is so light and compact that you can actually use the whole tripod pretty easily as a monopod if needed.

Included accessories

You get loads of 'goodies' included with this tripod.

Allen Key - Just look how beautiful this is! This is a fantastic little tool used for securing the camera baseplate. There is a little slot on the tripod to stow this away so you don't lose it.

Storage options - The tripod comes in a hard tube. Now this obviously would add a lot of size to the tripod but it looks nice and would be good for long term storage to protect it. The material is some form of recycled semi-rigid material and it reminded me of the packaging expensive wine bottles come in.

Soft bag - This is a lovely extremely light weight 'sleeve' with zip for you to carry your tripod around to stop it getting scratched. We normally ditch the bags as they add so much bulk but this one is so snug that we actually use it for travel now. The zip is very high quality and we think this bag will last quite a long time.

Phone Mount - We thought this was a bit bizarre but in the centre column there's a 'phone mount that you can pull out and then clip your phone into and mount onto the tripod head. We don't usually use phones with tripods but it's a nice (if not very random) touch included with the package. The locking mechanism with the hook is beautifully engineered though and uses a magnet to prevent a rattle.

Shoulder strap - Unfortunately there's no strap included with this tripod and there's no strap on either of the sleeves or the bag so you can't independently carry this without buying their (again excellent but expensive) strap.

Cost

Now you may have noticed that we rather love this tripod (A LOT). I think the design is virtually perfect and it ticks every box we would need in a tripod.

BUT

These aren't cheap, and not just 'slightly more than other tripods' I mean these are top top top end. The Aluminium model is £320 on Amazon (Mar 2021) and the Carbon Fibre is £570! Now this sounds like a lot and it really is when compared to the competition. The MeFOTO Roadtrip (our 2nd favourite travel tripod) is a mere £130 by comparison.

So is it worth it?

If price was no issue then hands down this tripod is outstanding. We'd give it a firm 10/10 for virtually everything you'd ever need in a tripod. You can see why it is so expensive because it has been so beautifully engineered and it will probably outlive you it's that well made! It comes with lots of useful kit within the package and this is a classsic 'get what you pay for' premium item. Peak Design are also a relatively new company so hopefully they'll be able to bring their prices down in the future if they sell more units.

If you can afford it then you will certainly not be disappointed, it is so beautiful to use and I still can't get over how tiny it is (I carry this tripod pretty much everywhere now because of it). Everyone I have shown it to has been rather jealous of how beautiful it is and I haven't seen a single negative review yet.

Want to buy this amazing piece of engineering? Please support our page by buying through our links (it helps us write more great content):

Amazon (cheapest place we could find in the UK) - Aluminium + Carbon

Peak Design (direct)

Let us know what you thought about our review in the comments and if you have any questions on this then please send us a message and we'll update it.

Fancy a photography lesson? Do you want to be a better photographer? Want to finally master manual? Please click here to check out our practical workshops held all across Kent.

Photography workshops

Ever wanted to know how professional photographers clean their cameras?

We often get asked how to clean lenses and sensors correctly so here's our handy guide on how we keep our lenses clean...

Tip 1 : Always carry a dedicated lens cleaner when out and about.

Avoid the temptation of using a t-shirt or an old bit of cloth by always keeping a dedicated lens cleaner with your camera. It is really easy to scratch your lenses (especially filters) so we only ever use dedicated lens cleaning products.

Item 1 - LensPen We can't recommend these enough! These 'pens' have a brush on one end and a really clever cleaning tip on the other. They are absolutely brilliant at cleaning lenses and sensors.

When to use: Cleaning dirt or smudges off your lenses and sensor (use a separate lenspen for sensors to avoid cross contamination). They are really handy to carry around and quickly clean off a smudge mid shoot.

Be careful: The pad on the lens will pick u dirt (which it is supposed to do!) but that means you risk scratching the lens. To solve this replace the pens frequently and use a disposable wipe when possible instead of the len pen.

Unfortunately there's a ton of copy cat lens pens on the market and (very) convincing lenspen branded fakes out there. Ebay and Amazon are really bad for it and so we now buy them direct from an official distributor. If you want to purchase them off our site please click ,here.

Item 2 - Ewipe These disposable wipes have a small amount of embedded Eclipse fluid in them to help remove dirt from lenses. They are also sensor safe so you can use them on camera sensors (use a clean wipe and do not reuse the wipe when cleaning the sensor).

Tip 2 : Have a dedicated cleaning kit for professional lens cleaning.

At home or in our larger camera bags we have a dedicated cleaning kit to make sure we can clean our cameras without any damage to the lens or sensor. We mainly use Photographic Solutions products as they really are the best in the market. They’re even used on the international space station!

Item 1 - Orbit Hepa Blower. We use this to blow off dirt and dust away from sensors (and lenses). At this stage we blow off as much dirt as we can before having to touch the sensor (if you touch the sensor when it has dirt on it you risk scratching the sensor with the dirt).

The orbit ones actually have a full filter in them to ensure it's only ever blowing purified air (snazzy but quite expensive!). The only drawback to these is that they are quite expensive. The cheaper option is to use a ,rocket blower.

Item 2 - Eclipse lens cleaner. This outstanding cleaner is brilliant at removing dirt and leaving no residue/smudges on sensors and lenses. We normally add a few drops of this to a Pec Pad before wiping our sensors and lenses.

Warning!! These contain highly flammable liquids and are not safe for air travel. Photographic solutions make an air safe bottle for travel called the aeroclipse.

Item 3 - Pec Pads (for lenses) Pec pads are little white squares that are perfect for cleaning lenses. The pads are 99.99% lint free and are designed to pick up dirt. If used with a dedicated lens cleaning solution such as the Eclipse lens cleaner it will help dissolve any smudges/dirt and make your lenses crystal clear.

Used for - Cleaning Optics (lenses, filters, bodies etc)

Not used for - Cleaning Sensors (see below for alternatives)

Why are they so brilliant? The beauty of buying a big pack of disposable pads is that you use a new pad for each wipe so that you never scratch the lens by moving around dirt from an old bit of cloth.

How do you use them correctly? We usually use two pads per lens surface, the pads come in packs of 100 so it works out pretty cheap.... It also stops the temptation of you using your t-shirt to 'clean' the lens (which in fact will be scratching it, even if you can't see that you are). Please see our video on the top of the page for how to use the Pec Pads correctly.

For more information on PEC PADS see their website here.

Buy Pec Pads on Amazon Prime here (next day prime delivery).

Buy Pec Pads on our site here (much cheaper but we're not as fast as amazon!).

Item 4: Sensor Swab (Sensors). If you damage a camera sensor you risk destroying the entire camera which can be extremely expensive to repair. These Sensor swabs are the industry standard for cleaning sensors and come in 3 different sensor swab sizes. All you need to do is add 2 drops of Eclipse lens cleaner to the swab and then paste the swab over the sensor, flip the swab and repeat. Only use the swab once to avoid any possibility of damage to the sensor.

Tip 3 : Try to stop them getting dirty in the first place!

It sounds obvious but if you keep your lenses dirt free then you don’t have to worry about cleaning them as much. We recommend:

• Keep your lens cap on as much as possible and only remove when you're immediately taking photos.
• Have a dedicated camera bag for your camera and lens bags. We recommend the Tenba range as they're absolutely fantastic! (Link here to the one we use : here)
• Use a protective lens filter. This is really important as it means you can keep cleaning your lens filter without ever having to touch the lens itself. We recommend the Hoya HD range as they have a good mix between cost and quality. (here). The beauty of these is if they ever get scratched or damaged they're relatively cheap to replace!

Find out more (including great video tutorials) at:

,https://lenspen.com/

,,https://photosol.com/products/

and feel free to buy any of the products mentioned in our store here:

,,https://www.kentphotostories.co.uk/lens-cleaning-store

Pro tip: If you're on a budget the cheapest solution is to buy 2 lens pens, one for your lenses and one for the sensor (to avoid contamination). All the other items here are aimed at professionals and due to the level of quality they're not cheap... but then again they are much cheaper than a scratched sensor (sadly we know this from experience shooting in Kenya with the Army)!

Ever wanted to know how professional photographers clean their cameras?

We often get asked how to clean lenses and sensors correctly so here's our handy guide on how we keep our lenses clean...

What are Pec Pads?

Used for - Cleaning Optics (lenses, filters, bodies etc)

Not used for - Cleaning Sensors (see below for alternatives)

What are Pec Pads? Pec pads are little white squares that are perfect for cleaning lenses. The pads are 99.99% lint free and are designed to pick up dirt. If used with a dedicated lens cleaning solution such as the Eclipse lens cleaner it will help dissolve any smudges/dirt and make your lenses crystal clear.

Why are they so brilliant? The beauty of buying a big pack of disposable pads is that you use a new pad for each wipe so that you never scratch the lens by moving around dirt from an old bit of cloth.

How do you use them correctly? We usually use two pads per lens surface, the pads come in packs of 100 so it works out pretty cheap.... It also stops the temptation of you using your t-shirt to 'clean' the lens (which in fact will be scratching it, even if you can't see that you are). Please see our video on the top of the page for how to use the Pec Pads correctly.

For more information on PEC PADS see their website here.

Buy Pec Pads on Amazon Prime here (next day prime delivery).

Buy Pec Pads on our site here (much cheaper but we're not as fast as amazon!).

Want to know more about Lens cleaning? Please read on for our full guide...

Tip 1 : Always carry a dedicated lens cleaner when out and about.

Avoid the temptation of using a t-shirt or an old bit of cloth by always keeping a dedicated lens cleaner with your camera. It is really easy to scratch your lenses (especially filters) so we only ever use dedicated lens cleaning products.

Item 1 - LensPen We can't recommend these enough! These 'pens' have a brush on one end and a really clever cleaning tip on the other. They are absolutely brilliant at cleaning lenses and sensors.

When to use: Cleaning dirt or smudges off your lenses and sensor (use a separate lenspen for sensors to avoid cross contamination). They are really handy to carry around and quickly clean off a smudge mid shoot.

Be careful: The pad on the lens will pick u dirt (which it is supposed to do!) but that means you risk scratching the lens. To solve this replace the pens frequently and use a disposable wipe when possible instead of the len pen.

Unfortunately there's a ton of copy cat lens pens on the market and (very) convincing lenspen branded fakes out there. Ebay and Amazon are really bad for it and so we now buy them direct from an official distributor. If you want to purchase them off our site please click ,here.

Item 2 - Ewipe These disposable wipes have a small amount of embedded Eclipse fluid in them to help remove dirt from lenses. They are also sensor safe so you can use them on camera sensors (use a clean wipe and do not reuse the wipe when cleaning the sensor).

Tip 2 : Have a dedicated cleaning kit for professional lens cleaning.

At home or in our larger camera bags we have a dedicated cleaning kit to make sure we can clean our cameras without any damage to the lens or sensor. We mainly use Photographic Solutions products as they really are the best in the market. They’re even used on the international space station!

Item 1 - Orbit Hepa Blower. We use this to blow off dirt and dust away from sensors (and lenses). At this stage we blow off as much dirt as we can before having to touch the sensor (if you touch the sensor when it has dirt on it you risk scratching the sensor with the dirt).

The orbit ones actually have a full filter in them to ensure it's only ever blowing purified air (snazzy but quite expensive!). The only drawback to these is that they are quite expensive. The cheaper option is to use a ,rocket blower.

Item 2 - Eclipse lens cleaner. This outstanding cleaner is brilliant at removing dirt and leaving no residue/smudges on sensors and lenses. We normally add a few drops of this to a Pec Pad before wiping our sensors and lenses.

Warning!! These contain highly flammable liquids and are not safe for air travel. Photographic solutions make an air safe bottle for travel called the aeroclipse.

Item 3: Pec Pads (for lenses). These disposable pads can be used to remove dirt and polish lenses. As they are a disposable pad you never risk damaging your lenses with dirt from previous cleans. We sell them on our site direct or you can buy them on ,amazon.

Item 4: Sensor Swab (Sensors). If you damage a camera sensor you risk destroying the entire camera which can be extremely expensive to repair. These Sensor swabs are the industry standard for cleaning sensors and come in 3 different sensor swab sizes. All you need to do is add 2 drops of Eclipse lens cleaner to the swab and then paste the swab over the sensor, flip the swab and repeat. Only use the swab once to avoid any possibility of damage to the sensor.

Tip 3 : Try to stop them getting dirty in the first place!

It sounds obvious but if you keep your lenses dirt free then you don’t have to worry about cleaning them as much. We recommend:

• Keep your lens cap on as much as possible and only remove when you're immediately taking photos.
• Have a dedicated camera bag for your camera and lens bags. We recommend the Tenba range as they're absolutely fantastic! (Link here to the one we use : here)
• Use a protective lens filter. This is really important as it means you can keep cleaning your lens filter without ever having to touch the lens itself. We recommend the Hoya HD range as they have a good mix between cost and quality. (here). The beauty of these is if they ever get scratched or damaged they're relatively cheap to replace!

Find out more (including great video tutorials) at:

,https://lenspen.com/

,,https://photosol.com/products/

and feel free to buy any of the products mentioned in our store here:

,,https://www.kentphotostories.co.uk/lens-cleaning-store

Pro tip: If you're on a budget the cheapest solution is to buy 2 lens pens, one for your lenses and one for the sensor (to avoid contamination). All the other items here are aimed at professionals and due to the level of quality they're not cheap... but then again they are much cheaper than a scratched sensor (sadly we know this from experience shooting in Kenya with the Army)!

A guest Blog by @ella_alexander1

Photography by @poppyhollis It’s not breaking news that Kentish seaside towns are back in fashion. There’s Whitstable with its candy coloured beach huts and genteel clientele; Broadstairs and its sweeping sandy beaches seemingly borrowed from across the channel; Margate, now an embarrassingly gentrified hipster parody; and Dungeness, its barren seascapes popular with artists and students back from university. Then you have Folkestone, the scrappy underdog with its growing art scene and seafront pubs where locals stare with fleeting suspicion as you walk inside.

It’s not a particularly photogenic place upon first sight. Anyone who arrives at Folkestone Central expecting sandy beaches and colourful architecture will be disappointed; the two most prominent buildings that greet visitors are the Saga HQ building and a supersized Asda. This isn’t a town overburdened with visual charm. Folkestone is no Brighton, Whitby or Falmouth - and that’s no bad thing.

It was the Channel Tunnel that finally spelt the end of days for Folkestone. At the start of the 20th century, the town was a thriving port and a popular holiday destination among royalty and the British elite. Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express from the town’s Grand Hotel, and King Edward VII apparently spent so much time there that locals would peer into his hotel to spy on him and his mistress, Alice Keppel. The first and second world wars weren’t great for business and, if ever there was a fact to illustrate how unlucky Folkestone has been over the years, it’s that the Germans used to drop their leftover bombs on the town before they headed home. The 60s and 70s welcomed overseas travel for the masses and Folkestone slipped into decline. The opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 meant that its port was more redundant than ever before.

I have always loved Folkestone. I like the regeneration of it, but only because it seems to be an example of one of the few seaside gentrifications that has managed to do so in a respectful way. The locals are still included and it hasn’t tried to arrogantly recreate Peckham by sea, then blithely, righteously quip that it’s boosting the local economy through seasonal employment or by erecting craft breweries that the locals can’t afford to drink in.

Unlike some of Kent’s most aesthetically gifted seaside towns such as Whitstable and Broadstairs, Folkestone radiates a stoic, dour quality that is so singular to coastal towns that were once popular; if you’d spent centuries being battered by storms and icy, salty water, being picked up and dropped by DFLs (Down from Londons), you’d be pretty grumpy too. Its high street – not the cobbled stone-covered ‘creative quarter’ – isn’t much to look at, although I challenge you not to enjoy the Italian ice cream at La Casa Del Bello Gelato. It remains steadfastly and resolutely plain in comparison to its quaint postcard-perfect siblings further along the coast. This is a place where Banksy created a mural and a resident spray-painted a penis over the top of it. And yet, despite itself, Folkestone has always possessed certain charms – such as the majestic Leas, a picturesque clifftop promenade overlooking the sea. It was designed in the mid 1800s by Decimus Burton, who also worked on buildings and gardens at London Zoo and Kew Gardens, which gives you an indication of its visual prowess. In the middle stands a Victorian bandstand, surrounded by deckchairs in the summer. Folkestone has a lot of crummy hotels (read the TripAdvisor reviews of the Grand Burstin Hotel if ever you want a good giggle), but The Grand on the Leas is unarguably beautiful – a century-old building designed to be town’s sunniest spot with towering windows and views looking across the ocean to France.

Anthony Gormley’s human statue under the Harbour ArmPOPPY HOLLIS I have fond memories of being treated to a ride in the Grade II-listed Leas Lift, which during the '40s and '50s carried thousands of tourists every day to and from the promenade to the seafront. It was closed in 2016 for health and safety reasons, but there are plans to restore it back to its former glory. If you carry on walking along the seafront you’ll reach the Lower Leas Coastal Park, which boasts the largest free adventure play area in the South East. There’s an amphitheatre that hosts children’s workshops, live music, opera and theatre, some of which are free – Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale is on the agenda for this summer. The award-winning space offers plenty of picnic tables and picturesque spots to sit with a drink, or there’s the Mermaid Café which sits high above the beach below and has long been reenergising walkers and tired families with paninis, jacket potatoes and big cups of tea. On the other side of town, you’ll find Sunny Sands – a small, but perfectly formed sandy beach overlooked by grassy hills decorated with wild thyme and flowers. Charles Dickens came here to write the first chapters of Little Dorrit and described the view from his window: “The cliff overhanging the sea beach and have the sky and the ocean, as it were, framed before you like a beautiful picture." In fact, he continued, his vista was so pretty that he found himself distracted constantly and barely wrote anything. If you keep walking above the hills, you’ll come to The Warren and the East Cliffs, in which overgrown grassy meadows descend to a usually empty pebbly and sandy beach below. It’s overgrown now, but I like that about it – there’s nothing manicured or polished about this side of town. Steep grassy corridors of foliage and rock sea lavender lead down to the sea and the tiny bays themselves look out across to the White Cliffs of Dover. A rare colony of Grayling butterflies has made the Warren its home. You can swim here, but the water will be freezing so approach with caution.

A lot has been said about Folkestone’s rising arts scene. This small coastal town has the largest urban outdoor collection of contemporary art in the UK. The changing exhibition currently consists of 74 artworks by 46 artists, most of which have designed their respective piece with the exact site in mind. Think a treasure hunt of outdoor art and you won’t be far off. There’s Cornelia Parker’s mermaid sculpture, which sits high on the rock above Sunny Sands; under the Harbour Arm’s arches stands Anthony Gormley’s cast-iron human statue, which resolutely stares out to the sea; Lubaina Himid – the first black woman to ever receive the Turner Prize – created a giant ceramic jelly mould where Folkestone’s former fairground, The Rotunda, used to be; and then there’s my favourite, Richard Woods’ Holiday Home, six colourful, cartoon-like bungalows that are dotted in unusual or unlikely spots around the town – in the middle of the shingle beach, floating in the sea or perched on top of rocks in a carpark – to open a discussion about second homes. The idea is that no site is too small, too unlikely, or too inconvenient for its neighbours, for a holiday home. There is an argument that the long-standing locals couldn’t care less about public art, but there is a singular quality about these installations that eludes an art gallery which people often feel intimidated by. Public art is inclusive – whether you decide to engage with it or not is entirely up to the viewer.

My favourite way to do Folkestone is to start at the harbour. You could eat at Rocksalt, the town’s Michelin-starred restaurant, but you’d be daft to miss the fresh prawns and crab sticks at seafood stall Chummys. If the weather’s bad, head along the cobbled road and under the railway arch to The Ship Inn for hearty pub food in a warming, cosy setting. The fish and chips are particularly good. Afterwards, walk across the new landscaped walkway to the Harbour Arm – one of Folkestone’s biggest recent success stories and an example of gentrification done respectfully. The Harbour Arm was originally a railway terminal (and also a departure point for soldiers on their way to the Western Front), but remained desolate and unused until five years ago, when it was regenerated.

Now, it’s peppered with independent food and drink trucks and stands that span Greek food to excellent flat bread pizzas. Live music is a big part of the activity down on the arm, as the locals call it, and there’s no fee to watch any of it. In the summer, there’s a regular vintage market, where prices feel genuinely affordable, as well as film screenings where two tickets cost only £10. Picnic benches and tables and deckchairs look out across the sea to the majestic White Cliffs of Dover. Yes, there’s the family-run champagne lighthouse at the end of the arm, which plays a mix of reggae, blues and funk vinyl, but the best thing about the Harbour Arm is that people from Folkestone actually use it. There are as many people drinking canned beer and sandwiches bought from Asda in the town centre, as there are DFLs. Everyone is invited to watch the live music, soak up the atmosphere and look out to sea.

Once you’ve walked up and down the arm, explore the Old High Street or the ‘Creative Quarter’ as it’s now called, which offers a mix of colourful independent shops, cafes and bars, from record and vintage shops to galleries selling unusual neon artworks. My favourite is Rennies Seaside Modern, a beautifully-curated store which sells furniture, vintage seaside posters, ceramics and textiles by 20th Century British artists. Its owners, Paul and Karen Rennie, have such in-depth knowledge and a contagious enthusiasm for every single item in their shop. You won’t want to leave this tiny cabin of unique curiosities.

It’s a steep hill up the Old High Street, but a pretty one – each of the buildings are painted different colours – and a lot of the cafes and bars double up as performance spaces that host talks, workshops and gigs. Keep on walking until you come to Church St. Relative culinary newcomer Folkestone Wine Company has received positive reviews from the critics (and also from my grandad, who loved the food, even if he didn’t understand why the plates were mismatched), and The Pullman next door offers that rare thing of being a pub that works just as well in the summer as the winter – its garden and the terrace is pleasant during the warmer months and a seat by the open fire is warming beyond autumn. As nice as the Pullman is, I still prefer the British Lion which is about two minutes’ walk away in a picturesque, secluded spot called The Bayle. The British Lion is thought to be the oldest pub in Folkestone with parts going back to the 1500s and was a favourite of Dickens' when he visited. It’s a snug, welcoming place that locals love and is decorated with dried hops that hang from the beams. End your day here with a pint at the bar or hunker down in one of the booths.

Perhaps part of the reason I love Folkestone so much is that it’s where I first fell in love as young teenager. It makes me happy because it reminds me of a time when I was madly happy – that unique form of mad happy that only happens with intense, first love. I remember my first kiss in the then-dilapidated Silver Screen Cinema and long days spent at the Warren or Sunny Sands usually slightly cold and damp but never minding much. I remember listening to garage compilations in his room recorded off the radio and running through town singing them. I remember proms in run-down venues wearing dresses bought on sale at TK Maxx. Maybe I’ve looked at this grumpy little town with rose-tinted glasses ever since.

It’s not as uninviting as it used to be, but it’s as genuine and hardy as ever. Folkestone, you’re all that and a bag of very nice chips.

To order any prints of these beautiful images, and for many more please visit

https://www.poppyhollis.com/

If you know one that we should list please let us know by commenting on our blog or sending us a DM. This is a work in progress so will get bigger over time.

Our criteria. We've avoided influencer and wedding photographer accounts and focused on accounts that show scenic locations around Kent to give you inspiration for your next photography trip.

So here we go...

Kent Online @Kent_online #kentonline

Number of followers : 15K

What it's about : Showcasing images taken in Kent that are usually linked to news events, landscape photos or photos of people doing activities in Kent

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes and actively post 1-3 submissions a day

Quality of Photos : Beginner to Professional

KentPhotoStories @KentPhotoStories #kentphotostories

Number of followers : 11K

What it's about : Showcasing photos from across Kent from our amazing community. We have the largest photography Instagram account in Kent.

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes

Quality of Photos : Beginner to Professional and all photos are welcome

We'd love for you to get involved with our amazing community by sharing your photos using #kentphotostories. We think we're the best..... but then again we are biased!

Rachna_bassi @Rachna_bassi

Number of followers : 1.5K

What it's about : Kent based explorer taking stunning photos of the beauty spots of Kent with a particular fondness for Castles!

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Expert

Rogerstangerphotography @rogerstangerphotography

Number of followers :500

What it's about : An selection of local landscape and Astrophotography photos taken in East Kent by Roger

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Expert

Igers Kent @Igerskent #Igerskent

Number of followers : 5K

What it's about : Reposting the best photos taken in Kent. Mainly Landscape based

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes

Quality of Photos : Mid to Expert. One of the longest running Instagram accounts out there. Igers Kent showcases some amazing photography and has one of the most used hashtags in Kent.

Theartychap @Theartychap

Number of followers : 1.1K

What it's about : Stunning photos focusing mainly on Early morning and sunset landscapes

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Expert

Visit Kent @visitkent #visitkent

Number of followers : 25K

What it's about : Inspiration and places to visit in Kent

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes

Quality of Photos : Beginner to Expert

Jessicaellie_photography @Jessicaellie_photography

Number of followers : 200, should be a lot more!

What it's about : Mainly nature wildlife shots

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Claims to be a beginner but the quality of photos are amazing

We hope these Instagram accounts have given you some great inspiration for your next photography adventure!

If you have a location please DM us and we'll add it to the list!

Now grab that camera and get snapping away! Don't forget to tag #kentphotostories to get featured! Many of the photos here are from some of our amazing community of photographers in Kent. Check out their Insta's for more amazing pics.

1 - Leeds castle

Photography by @lonestagphotography

A firm favourite on our Insta! As well as the stunning castle there are numerous beautiful gardens to capture some amazing photos!

https://www.leeds-castle.com/

2 - Ouse Valley viaduct

Photography by @fallenimages

The Ouse Valley Viaduct is a most impressive location and very popular with the instagram selfie crowd for good reason - even on a gloomy afternoon it’s crazy architecture makes for a wicked shot. I can’t wait to get back there when the light is better later in the year.

3 - Dover Castle

Photography by @theurbanteller

Dover castle continues to be an amazing location for castle photography. The castle also poses a challenge due to its layout and size. In addition to the beautiful walls there are a number of attractions including the wartime tunnels and even a WW2 themed escape room!

4 - Canterbury Cathedral

Photography by @stewart_mckeown (check out his amazing 2021 calendars here)

Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site and is situated in the heart of the city centre.

5 - Reculver Towers

Photography by @,,rachna_bassi

The imposing twin towers of the medieval church at Reculver dominate the skyline of Herne Bay, acting as a navigation marker for ships at sea. This was the site of one of the earliest Roman forts built against Saxon raids on the 'Saxon Shore'. It later became the site of an Anglo-Saxon monastery before becoming the parish church for Reculver. The tall towers were built in a remodelling of the church in the 12th century ⛪️

6 - Scotney castle

Photography by @,,suerose1313

Scotney Castle is an English country house with formal gardens south-east of Lamberhurst in the valley of the River Bewl in Kent, England. It belongs to the National Trust.

The gardens, which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a celebrated example of the Picturesque style, are also open to the public. The central feature is the ruins of a medieval, moated manor house, Scotney Old Castle, which is on an island on a small lake. The lake is surrounded by sloping, wooded gardens with fine collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and kalmia for spring colour, summer wisteria and roses, and spectacular autumn colour which makes for some amazing photos!

Here's a quick 5 minute guide to help you go viral!

Step 1 - Make your profile public

Public posts get much better coverage than private ones and opens up your photos to be shown to other users via hashtags.

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Privacy.
3. Turn off Private account.

Step 2 - Tag the location of your post

Instagram loves personal posts and you should always tag the location where the photo was taken.

1. Tap Add Location.
2. Find your location in the suggestions or search for the location and select it.
3. Tap Share.

Step 3 - Add an interesting description

Instagram is all about being social so make sure you add lots of interesting information about your photo, including what it is, where it is and why you took it. Add a few questions to your followers so you can invite them to add comments. The more comments you get the further your post will go!

Step 4 - Tag some friends and businesses

Make sure to tag any friends, locations or businesses in your photo using the @ tag. Your photo will then be featured on their account for people to see and will also encourage them to comment on the photo and reshare.

To tag people as you're posting a photo or video:

1. After you've selected a photo or video and added effects and filters, tap Tag People from the Share screen.
2. Tap on someone in the photo.
3. Start entering their name or username and select them from the dropdown menu.
4. Tap Done (iPhone) or (Android).

To add people to a photo or video you've already shared:

1. Go to the photo or video.
2. Tap (iPhone) or(Android) above the photo or video.
3. Tap Edit.
4. Tap Tag People, then tap on someone in the photo.
5. Start entering their name or username and select them from the dropdown menu.
6. Tap Done > Done (iPhone) or tap then tap (Android).

Step 5 - Use Hashtags!

We all know how great a hashtag can be. On Instagram it means that people that dont already follow you will see your amazing photo!

Instagram will let you post up to 30 hashtags per post but that doesn't mean you should always use all 30 slots! Instagram is very secrative on the exact amount you should use so I always recommend experimenting with different numbers of hashtags. The experts currently thing the best amount is around 11.

Which Hashtags to use?

Always use relevant hashtags and dont always go for ones with the most posts. The more popular the hashtag is the more competition you'll have against other photos so it's good to use local hashtags and a mix of popular and small ones.

Here's a handy list of popular hashtags that we use that are specifically for Kent Photographers that'll get your pics noticed, increase your follower count and get you more engagement:

Area and location based (only use the area where you took the photo)

#folkelife #Folkestone #Canterbury #Margate #Tunbridgewells #Ashford #Chatham #Kent #dover #Tonbridge #Maidstone #Deal #Ramsgate

Popular Kent hashtags

#visitkent #instakent #kentbloggers #kentlifemag #visitsoutheastengland #ruralkent #kentvillage #kentdaysout #kentuk #Kentphotography #kentphotographers #photographykent

Kent Photography page hashtags (these will often repost your photos)

#igerskent #kentonline #kentphotostories #seisbest

Example hashtags (to copy)

#visitkent #Kentphotography #Kent #kentphoto #kentphotographers #photographykent #kentlifemag #seisbest #kentphotostories #instakent #photographylover #kentonline #igerskent

We hope that this short guide has been useful! Don't forget to use our hashtag, #KentPhotostories to get featured on our page and if you have any recommended hashtags then please sent us a DM or post in the comments.

UPDATE Since I wrote this article, Reade has been in touch with me and has answered a number of questions that I raised in this article. This is very much a startup business that is ironing out teething issues and does have genuine intentions. I hope the platform grows in time. Updates are in Blue!

You may have seen the 'creadoor' ads on Instagram. Here we review the platform and give you our verdict.

What is Creadoor? According to Creadoor :

"Creadoor is a one-stop marketplace where individuals and small businesses can find and hire creatives to create high-quality photos and videos.

Simply sign up, post your project and let the creatives come to you. Or search amongst the portfolios of hundreds of creatives to find the perfect match for your project."

What's the platform like? So we managed to set up both a seller/photographer profile and also post a project as a new buyer within about 2 minutes. It has a very clean interface and you can search by location and type of project. We really liked the idea of the site and it aims to compete with other freelance markets such as fiver and peopleperhour.com which is why we signed up to it.

Who runs the site? Cleardoor is owned by Reade Owen and operates under Creadoor ltd, uk company number 11026467 since 2017. The site was originally developed by Clockwise software (they have a case study on their site: https://clockwise.software/creadoor/). Update - Reade has now confirmed the current platform has been developed by a different team not affiliated with clockwise.

Is it a scam? Although their intentions seem to be pure there does seem to be a few issues.....

Fake profiles. Most of the 'requests for photographers/videographers' appear to be fake. Here's why I think they're (mostly if not all) fake:

• First of all, non have replied to any request or message and offer suspiciously high rates for the services they are after. Freelance sites normally expect lower rates for their services whereas a lot of these profiles were offering large payouts. If I were a cynic (which I am in this case!) it's to entice photographers onto the site to joinup.

• Nearly all of the profile pics used by potential buyers can be found online on stock websites or on websites where the person has a different name (see below for example)!

• All of the 'business listings' are for businesses that don't seem to exist anywhere or are for business located outside of the UK that havent posted anything in 6 years (the LFT games listing).

• A lot of the business requests were posted within a short window and had the delivery date months in advance. This is a bit odd as if I were a business that needed some photos doing I would want them within a few weeks not in three months time!

Unless Stan is a superhero or doing something odd it's very weird to be posting for a photography request in a different country under a pseudonym!

Update - Creadoor has promised to look into any fake profiles and will seek to remove them.

Non existent support. There is no support option on the site. The only email I found was by replying to the email I received when I signed up to the platform. I've asked them about the fake profiles above but havent received a reply. Update - They are in the process of improving this. If you need to contact them please contact them at : contact@creadoor.co.uk

Impossible to cancel subscriptions. There is no option to cancel the paid subscription options for the site. Update - This is a work in progress but should be resolved shortly.

Giving them the benefit of the doubt. The lack of support and lack of subscription cancellation options are likely just missed buttons that they forgot to develop when they built the site. The fake profiles probably exist as its a new platform with very few providers of services so theyve tried to big it up however it is dishonest and they shouldnt be doing this.

Genuine posts 'could' exist. We've tested both the buyer and seller side of the platform and it is entirely possible genuine profiles can be created and delivered. It's just hard to know at this stage which are real and which aren't.

A happy end to our #Afghanistan trip!

We've had a great time out in #Kabul teaching photography again. Our students loved their lessons and we can't wait to see the great photos they'll be taking in the future.

Thanks to the Afghanistan government, especially the Ministry for Womens Affairs for inviting us and USAID for sponsoring the contract.

We really do love this city and hopefully the recent peacetalks will continue so this beautiful city can continue to heal from decades of war. The scenery is stunning and the people are so amazing and welcoming xx

As we plan our next adventure we'll be back in the UK ready to deliver more great photography lessons in Kent!

We're not sure whats happening with the lockdown so we are still only running 1to1 lessons at present. We'll continue to assess the situation and will be running our group courses as soon as possible.

If you know one that we should list please let us know by commenting on our blog or sending us a DM. This is a work in progress so will get bigger over time.

Our criteria. We've avoided influencer and wedding photographer accounts and focused on accounts that show scenic locations around Kent to give you inspiration for your next photography trip.

So here we go...

Kent Online @Kent_online #kentonline

Number of followers : 15K

What it's about : Showcasing images taken in Kent that are usually linked to news events, landscape photos or photos of people doing activities in Kent

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes and actively post 1-3 submissions a day

Quality of Photos : Beginner to Professional

KentPhotoStories @KentPhotoStories #kentphotostories

Number of followers : 5K

What it's about : Showcasing photos from across Kent from our amazing community. We have the largest photography Instagram account in Kent.

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes

Quality of Photos : Beginner to Professional and all photos are welcome

We'd love for you to get involved with our amazing community by sharing your photos with us using #kentphotostories. We think we're the best..... but then again we are biased!

Rachna_bassi @Rachna_bassi

Number of followers : 1.5K

What it's about : Kent based explorer taking stunning photos of the beauty spots of Kent with a particular fondness for Castles!

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Expert

Rogerstangerphotography @rogerstangerphotography

Number of followers :500

What it's about : An selection of local landscape and Astrophotography photos taken in East Kent by Roger

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Expert

Igers Kent @Igerskent #Igerskent

Number of followers : 5K

What it's about : Reposting the best photos taken in Kent. Mainly Landscape based

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes

Quality of Photos : Mid to Expert. One of the longest running Instagram accounts out there. Igers Kent showcases some amazing photography and has one of the most used hashtags in Kent.

Theartychap @Theartychap

Number of followers : 1.1K

What it's about : Stunning photos focusing mainly on Early morning and sunset landscapes

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Expert

Visit Kent @visitkent #visitkent

Number of followers : 25K

What it's about : Inspiration and places to visit in Kent

Do they accept photo submissions? Yes

Quality of Photos : Beginner to Expert

Jessicaellie_photography @Jessicaellie_photography

Number of followers : 200, should be a lot more!

What it's about : Mainly nature wildlife shots

Do they accept photo submissions? No

Quality of Photos : Claims to be a beginner but the quality of photos are amazing

We hope these Instagram accounts have given you some great inspiration for your next photography adventure!

12. ,Flickr

Flickr was once the go-to place for sharing your images online. Now, managed by ,SmugMug, its online presence has dropped somewhat. It lost its top position from a few years back. Saying that, it is still a treasure trove of information.

This is a place I would go for information on experimental photography processes. Caffenol or Selenium Toning are only a few. The benefit here is you get to learn from others’ attempts, trials, and mistakes.

With Flickr, you won’t see any adverts or annoying click-bait articles. It only provides information necessary for your search.

You might find better results and returns when using Google and ‘Flickr’ tag.

On the site, use the search bar, locate a group on what you’ll need. The number next to the speech bubble lets you know how many discussions are in motion.

11. ,Reddit (r/photography)

Reddit is a go-to place for all news and information. The website is an American social news aggregation. It gives the viewers the chance to delve into discussions about any possible topic in the world.

If you don’t find the one you’re looking for, why not start it?

One of the most active communities is the r/photography page. Here, photographers discuss all types of topics. They cover topics such as ,lenses, vintage photography and ,photoshop tutorials.

If you want to know about something photographic, the chances are it’s here!

Go to the site, log in and subscribe to the photography page. From then on, you’ll get all the updates on your home page.

10. ,Fred Miranda Forum

The Fred Miranda Forum has a strange name for a photography forum. But its a great place for all photographic knowledge.

On the front page, you’re presented with ,all kinds of photographic fields.

These range from ,nature and ,wildlife to a ,sports photography corner. ,Digital art, ,smartphone and ,abstract are also found here.

A specific area is set aside for ‘Gear-talk’ and another for ‘Assignments and Critique’.

One of the best parts of the website’s forum is the ‘buy and sell’ area. It doesn’t have any security, but it might be a better fit for you than eBay.

9. ,Talk Photography

Talk Photography is a new photographic forum for me. Immediately, from accessing the homepage, you’ll find the Main Discussion Forums.

‘Talk Photography’, ‘Talk Equipment’ and ‘Talk lighting and Studio’ are at the top of the list.

You’ll find a special area for ,Photo Genres. This is along with a section for ideas and inspiration and the ,business of photography.

The threads on this page reach well over 600K, with over 8 million messages. If it isn’t findable here, it isn’t available anywhere.

Join one of the 60,415 members today and find answers to those nagging photography questions.

8. ,Amateur Photographer

Amateur Photographer is yet another great forum for photographers. They have a cache of information, answering any and all questions.

There are many discussions located on this site, but you’ll need to find the right board. Luckily for you, they made it easy.

From the home page, you can select any discussion you wish. These include the sections ‘AP Magazine’, ‘AP Community’, ‘Equipment’, and ‘Technical Discussions’.

Every discussion you are looking for will be found within one of these areas.

If you’re new to photography, start with the Beginner’s Corner.

7. ,Photography Talk

One of the benefits with Photography Talk is the ‘Getting Started’ forum video. This is the best-starting step for you to jump right into. It covers all photographic topics and discussions.

This website is great for articles, free e-book, and how-to guides, not just an awesome forum. Within the forum, you’ll find many great sections.

‘Taking the photo’, ‘editing’, ‘camera manufacturers – by brand’ and ‘research on equipment’ are the main ones

Unlike other photographic forums, Photography Talk has a great yet simple design. It will stand out among the others on this list.

6. ,The Photo Forum

The Photo Forum not only has great topics across all photography areas. It also houses a ‘Business District’ section, along with dedicated ‘,film photography‘ and ‘,digital photography‘. Everything is nicely sectioned and easy to find.

If you’re looking for information on ,mirrorless cameras, you came to the right place. Information beyond the basics? This is the place for all the knowledge you’ll need to answer your questions.

On The Photo Forum, you’ll find over 410K discussions holding over 3.7 million messages. Your photography question will be answered here.

5. ,Photography Forum

On the Photography Forum, you’ll find a plethora of information. Everything designed to answer all your ,photographic questions.

You’ll start with the ‘Photography & Basics’.

Then learn about ‘Photoshop & Editing Tips’ and then move on to the ‘Studio Lighting’ forum.

If you’re looking to post your images, there is a dedicated section inside the forum. You’ll find every photographic field possible.

There’s even a ‘Critique Corner’ to find out what others think about your images.

4. ,LightStalking

For a ton of articles, guides and freebies, there is Lightstalking. The area where it shines the most are the photography forums.

What you’ll find here are very active discussion boards covering all fields and ideas related to photography.

Over 80k posts can be found with another 25k relating to ,photographic challenges. One discussion board is for ‘constructive, yet negative criticism’.

,Landscape is the biggest photographic field found here. If this is your field, then consider all your questions answered.

3. ,Photonet

What you’ll find on Photo.net are an enthusiastic group of beginner and ,professional photographers alike.

This forum holds a huge repertoire of content, useful for guiding photographers in the right directions.

Articles, courses and a huge active following – what more could you want? This is the place for answering those hard to define questions.

The design is simple and much better than other photography forums on the interwebs.

2. ,Photography on the Net

Photography on the net is a photography forum, owned by Pekka Saarinen. For all ,Canon photography gear, this is the perfect place.

You also have the possibility to learn and discuss photographic techniques while showcasing your own work.

If you are looking for more risque threads, such as nude photography, you’ll need to register first. Everything is free and accessible immediately with a user account. Most of it is searchable if visiting as a guest.

Over 1.2 million posts cover this forum with the number of posts rising above 16 million. With 385k members, you can see why the photography forum is a popular one.

1. ,DPReview

DPReview is the go-to website for all photography related questions. It is by far the most active photography forum online. You’ll definitely find the answer to your questions. If not, you get to start a thread and help others.

If you’re looking for information regarding ,camera gear, you found the right place. Tips for beginners? Most definitely.

Even if you have questions requiring a more advanced answer, there is no other page.

You’ll find over 35 million posts, across 3.4 million threads. What we like is the gear list attached to each user.

We've had a few fantastic submissions featuring lensballs recently and we've received a lot of DM's asking for which one to buy. The one we recommend (and used by most of the professionals) is the:

Clear Crystal Ball | 80mm K9 Glass Lens Photo Sphere by Maison & White

It features the same crystal clear optical grade K9 glass as the more expensive lensballs but at nearly half the price it is our lensball of choice.

Whichever brand you choose, make sure they have good reviews and very good optical characteristics as if there is even the slightest imperfection it can spoil your shots.

We currently sell the Maison and White balls in our shop. You can purchase it today here:

https://www.kentphotostories.co.uk/product-page/lensball-photography-crystal-80mm

photo by the lensball guru that is @hans_inspiredphotos

Ever wanted to know how the professionals clean their cameras?

We often get asked how to take care of lenses and sensors correctly so here's our handy guide on how we keep our lenses clean...

Tip 1 : Always carry a dedicated lens cleaner when out and about.

Avoid the temptation of using a t shirt or bit of cloth by always keeping a dedicated lens cleaner with your camera. It is really easy to scratch your lenses so we only ever use dedicated lens cleaning products.

Item 1: LensPen We can't recommend these enough! These 'pens' have a brush on one end and a really clever cleaning tip on the other. They are absolutely brilliant at cleaning lenses and sensors.

When to use: Cleaning dirt or smudges off your lenses and sensor (use a separate lenspen for sensors to avoid cross contamination).

Unfortunately there's a ton of copy cat lens pens on the market and (very) convincing lenspen branded fakes out there. Ebay and Amazon are really bad for it and so we now buy them direct from an official distributor.

Item 2 : Ewipe These disposable wipes have a small amount of embedded Eclipse fluid in them to help remove dirt from lenses. They are also sensor safe so you can use them on camera sensors (use a clean wipe and do not reuse the wipe when cleaning the sensor).

Tip 2 : Have a dedicated cleaning kit for professional lens cleaning.

At home or in our larger camera bags we have a dedicated cleaning kit to make sure we can clean our cameras without any damage to the lens or sensor. We only use Photographic solutions products as they really are the best in the market. They’re even used on the international space station!

Item 1: Orbit Hepa Blower. We use this to blow off dirt and dust away from sensors and lenses. At this stage we get off as much dirt as we can before touching the lens as by touching the lens we would be moving the dirt around and potentially scratching it! The orbit ones actually have a full filter in them to ensure it's only ever blowing purified air.

Item 2: Eclipse lens cleaner. This outstanding cleaner is brilliant at removing dirt and leaving no residue/smudges on the lens. We normally add a few drops of this to our sensors and lenses.

Warning, these contain highly flammable liquids and are not safe for air travel. Photogrpahic solutions make an air safe bottle for travel called the aeroclipse.

Item 3: Pec Pads (for lenses). These disposable pads can be used to remove dirt and polish lenses. As they are a disposable pad you never risk damaging your lenses with dirt from previous cleans.

Item 4: Sensor Swab (Sensors). If you damage a camera sensor you risk destroying the entire camera which can be extremely expensive to repair. These Sensor swabs are the industry standard for cleaning sensors and come in 3 different sensor swab sizes. All you need to do is add 2 drops of Eclipse lens cleaner to the swab and then paste the swab over the sensor, flip the swab and repeat. Only use the swab once to avoid any possibility of damage to the sensor.

Tip 3 : Try to stop them getting dirty in the first place!

It sounds obvious but if you keep your lenses dirt free then you don’t have to worry about cleaning them as much. We recommend:

• Keep your lens cap on as much as possible and only remove when you're taking photos.
• Have a dedicated camera bag for your camera and lens bags. We recommend the Tenba range as they're absolutely fantastic! (Link here to the one we use : here)
• Use a protective lens filter. This is really important as it means you can keep cleaning your lens filter without ever having to touch the lens itself. We recommend the Hoya HD range as they have a good mix between cost and quality. (here). The beauty of these is if they ever get scratched or damaged they're relatively cheap to replace!

Find out more (including great video tutorials) at:

,https://lenspen.com/

,,https://photosol.com/products/

and feel free to buy any of the products mentioned in our store here:

,,https://www.kentphotostories.co.uk/lens-cleaning-store

Tip: If you're on a budget the cheapest solution is to buy 2 lens pens, one for your lenses and one for the sensor (to avoid contamination). All the other items here are aimed at professionals and due to the level of quality they're not cheap... but then again they're cheaper than a scratched sensor (sadly we know this from experience shooting in Kenya when we scratched a sensor)!

Interchangeable lenses?

Although there are many different makes and models out there we think you should always buy a camera that has interchangeable lenses. This allows you to purchase better lenses as you develop your skills whilst using the same camera body.

We recommend you buy (in this order) :

Camera body + Short Entry lens

Medium Entry lens

Professional Short lens (2.8) 24 -70

Professional Mid Lens (2.8) 70 - 200

Professional body

We rarely use more than two lenses and unless you have very specific requirements with your kit we wouldnt bother buying lots of primes.

Which make and model?

It is important to pick a brand and stay with it, that way a lot of the accessories and lenses will continue to be compatible as you upgrade your kit.

High end - Sony Our camera of choice is the Sony A9, it's simply the best camera we've ever used and is perfect in almost every situation (apart from its price). We also highly recommend the A7RIV and that is a much better value for money camera.

Sony A9 - https://amzn.to/3i054AO

Sony A7RIV - https://amzn.to/2PpN86m

Price - £4k++ (body only)

Mid Level - Fujifilm. The XT-4. Our favourite camera for almost any use is the XT series. We used the XT-1 all around the world and it is favoured by military units for its compact size and excellent performance. I love the fact that you could easily carry this around with one of their excellent Medium lenses. The colour profiles on this sensor are beautiful as well.

Fuji XT4 https://amzn.to/2PAyKsl

Price 1.5k+ (body only)

Entry Level - Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III. Currently available with 2 amazing lenses for only £550 this camera is an absolute bargain for the price and packs a serious punch. We don't think you can get better quality photos for cheaper than this. The body also is suitable to upgrade to professional lenses so you can grow with the camera.

Olympus OM-D MIII (with two lenses) https://amzn.to/3fsXpJJ

Price - £540

One of the many positive reviews :

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/olympus-om-d-e-m10-ii-review

Example of it being used for weddings :

https://blog.mingthein.com/2017/12/21/micro-four-thirds-and-wedding-photography/

Which camera do you use on the course?

We use the brilliant Canon 70D to teach with. It's a solid camera that takes stunning photos and it has a really versitile 18-135mm lens on it which suits most situations. The 70D is discontinued now and is currently in the form of the 90D

https://amzn.to/2EL4Cbf

Price - £1.2k with lens

If you have any questions please get in touch with our team today and we'll steer you in the right direction.

Did you know that you can see Giraffe's, Elephants and Zebras just by walking around Kent?

All you need to do is follow the free public footpaths around Port Lympne zoo and also Wingham Howlett's wildlife Park!

We've written a handy guide of where to find the public footpaths (they are a little bit hidden) and all you need to do is follow the routes to have your own mini free safari!

This is a great option for photographers but an even better option for a short walk with the kids without committing to fully going into the zoo for the day.

Our guide (with pictures) is all here : https://www.kentphotostories.co.uk/kentsafariroutes

Awesome!