I thought you’d be interested to see some of the things that I did to make my little lamp vignette on my last post look prettier. Maybe prettier than it deserved to be.
First of all, I rotated my primrose so the best side showed. The ugly wrinkled up flower was turned toward the back.
No ugly flowers will be seen here!
I put the lamp on the books to make it taller. But, then the lamp was leaning a bit because stacked books aren’t level, so I folded up a piece of paper towel and propped up the lamp a bit.
Of course I wasn’t going to show you THAT in the original photos.
No unsightly paper towels will be seen here!
The shade I bought was one of those ones that attach to the lamp by sitting right below where the light bulb screws in. But the shade was hanging too low for the lamp. It looked wonky.
In order to make it look like it fits, I needed something to raise the shade up a bit. Enter the calculator I keep in my junk drawer to do the trick.
No wonky shades will be seen here!
And you may be noticing that if the calculator sits there, then there’s no room for a light bulb in the lamp. So yeah, there’s no light bulb in that lamp and it’s not plugged in anywhere.
And that brings me to my point here (because, really, there is a point). Increasingly in blogging, the photos you see involve a lot of smoke and mirrors and are veering farther and farther from real life.
There’s a lot of pressure on blogs to show magazine worthy photos. Over the top ideas. And out of the world projects that are so wild that no one would actually really have them in their house.
I don’t know when blogging took the turn from being a creative outlet for women to share their ideas and crafts and meet other like minded people and in many cases make a living . . . to trying to be an issue of House Beautiful magazine. I’m quite sure I don’t like that turn though.
The main reason I’m not a fan of the big one-eighty is that authenticity and truthfulness often gets pushed to the side in favor of the WOW shot. It’s too easy to stage a photo for photo staging effect only.
And let’s face it, you rarely see a blogger disclose that their blog is a fairy tale version of their life. Or they made that project just for their blog photos and now it resides at Goodwill. Or their home is not at all what it would look like if you knocked on their door right now.
It’s all about pageviews, popularity and Pinterest. Screw the truth. To heck with values. I got me some more pageviews!!! (that’s sarcasm in case you can’t tell)
Was my little lamp photo going to kill anyone? No, it’s just my tiny little example of a much deeper problem that exists in blogging right now, so I thought it was a good time to bring it up. A problem that I hope gets resolved, so we can all go back to trusting that what we read is the truth and what we see is reality and what we feel is authentic.
So if you felt a little scratchy around your eyes on that last post, it was just me. Pulling the wool over your eyes. And then feeling so guilty about it that I had to confess my lamp sins to you.
Carlene @ Organized Clutter
Good post, Pam! You are right that a lot of staging goes into blogging. To be honest I think that my house was cleaner and neater before I was a blogger!
Shelley Kuhn
I like to see real photos….life is sometimes propped up with paper towels too….so when the cookie crumbles….I like to see that too…as happens in baking and a blog I follow, she shows the good and not so good!! it happens….so I am with you…
Pam Kessler
Thanks, Shelley!
Anonymous
You are so right! the word “staging” seems to be cropping up all the time. Magazines have been staging forever, and photos in magazines are starting to look more and more phony. For example, ridiculously huge decorative items on kitchen benches that would obviously get in the way when actually trying to cook! And children’s bedrooms tend to look as though no child really sleeps or plays in them. And as you say, some blogs are starting to follow suit. I would like to get practical ideas from the pictures I see, and that’s not really possible if things are overly staged. Things don’t always have to be “magazine-worthy”!
Kathy from Tasmania
Pam Kessler
So true. It’s hard to see how a room could work for you if it’s filled with stuff that you would never put in it anyhow.
Last Home Before Heaven
I agree. I often wonder how some bloggers have any time for their families if they’re doing 2-3 amazing projects every day, plus cooking that fabulous supper, plus homeschooling and keeping their houses looking like a magazine spread. I always appreciate it when they include a “just keeping it real” photo or comment to let us know that they’re not living in a perfect, clean, magazine-worthy house every day. Also, one blogger recently pointed out the items that the magazine stylists placed in her house just for the photo shoot. That was an eye-opener for me.
Sue P.
Pam Kessler
I think I read that same post about the magazine shoot. Sort of ruins looking at magazines now doesn’t it?
Musings from Kim K.
Smoke and mirrors is alive and well on everyone’s blogs. Thanks for the “Keeping it Real” conversation. That’s why we love ya, Pam.
Cozy Little House
Well, Pam, you make me feel better. Because I SURE don’t live a fairytale life in a big fancy house and paint every single thing because I’ve run out of projects. I’m a terrible painter. I don’t have the money to go out and buy things to show on my blog. I’m pretty real. Probably too much so.
Brenda
Pam Kessler
We love your realness, Brenda!
cindy the cottage chick
My two most recent posts deal with this very issue. I’m planning to host an impromptu linky for folks to link up their ‘in this moment’ house tours so we can all relax. I almost gave up blogging because I can never get stuff clean/decorated/crafted/photographed like the ‘big blogs’. That’s why I took up my camera the other day and just took pictures of stuff in my home that make me happy. 🙂 Great post!
Stacey
Thank you, thank you. Honestly I’ve really been thinking about quitting all together for this reason and a few others. Blogging seems to be all about DIY, making money, and 1,001 projects. That’s not how we live here…maybe I’m looking at some of the wrong blogs, I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel as good as it used to though. For me it’s about connecting with other people who love their homes. Period. There are a few blogs that I read from the start and now..well, they never respond to a comment or visit. What’s the point? Thank you for sharing the truth and yes, I’ve done the same thing a time or two. 🙂
Pam Kessler
Blogging sure has changed since we started, hasn’t it. Makes you wonder what’s around the next corner 🙂
[email protected] Charm
I agree Pam. Just let me say this…what you see on blog is the real thing. I will say this…there no way any of you can see my screen porch or cottage today…I pray that all of our guests come to front door. Blogging has really changed so much and I will say this…I liked the old blogworld better.
Blessings,
Linda
pam {simple details}
HA! I felt guilty too, and posted this about a week ago ~ yours is mild, Pam! 🙂
http://simpledetailsblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/our-homereality-vs-blog-photos.html
Pam Kessler
That is hilarious! Love it!
AntiqueChase
I agree and quite frankly don’t feel like I have stuff to share al the time… so I don’t. I want to be content in my house .. and for me right now, content means just keeping the rooms the same, no projects…
marcy
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
Well, you know how my home redecorating goes, Pam…it takes me forever…and my dining room set has been in the middle of my living room for 3 weeks now…
Pam Kessler
Lol. Yes, still waiting for the kitchen 🙂
[email protected]
Amen Sista! I have not posted on my blog since Sept., I think. A little bit because I feel like my blog is not up with the times and I just don’t have the want to change it. And too, not much has been going on around here but breast cancer, doctor appointments, treatments and struggling to work. I also did not want my blog to turn into all that. I do read my favorites still though and I quickly leave those glitzy blogs that are more staged. I do have a post sitting in queue…I feel so English when I say that :-)…its been there a while. I felt the photos were not all that great and I really didn’t have a whole lot to say about them. You’ve encouraged me though and I think I’ll post it before too much longer. Here’s to a day in the life of normal! Let all non-glitzy bloggers unite! Great post Pam!
Kristin_Texas
When I discovered your blog I knew you were a kindred spirit! ;o)
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as well. (The timing of your post is strange. This has happened to me twice this week. I’ll think of googling something, or making a post about the ‘new blog world’, and lo and behold someone’s beat me to it and is thinking the same thing).
While I truly do LOVE quite a few blogs out there, it can get a little depressing. My bedroom doesn’t look like it could be in any magazine just now, and even after moving recently some of these blogs make me wish I had more.
Every day I see these beautiful photos of people living a life in the country on hundreds of acres and being surrounded by farm animals. Everything seems so perfect, or at least close to it.
I don’t have the luxury – or talents – of working from home via crafting, being an artist or writer. I have no husband or family of my own. Heck, I’m ‘fill-in-the-blank’ years old and I’m living with my parents! (Partly because of money, and partly by choice. I don’t enjoy living alone, even if I am a textbook introvert).
I know I’m lucky to be living on these little 2 acres of ours, even with all the traffic noise and pushy neighbors trying to get us to join their church. My entire life I’ve wanted to get out of suburbia, and finally I have. Is it my perfect dream place? No. Is it better? In some ways, most definitely.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that the blogging world really can assist a person in forgetting to be happy with what they already have. We shouldn’t be fooled by all the smoke and mirrors, because I really don’t think it’s so much about trickery to them. It’s more like picking up your front room when you have guests over.
I highly doubt these people are really baking chocolate chip cookies every day, and then eating them off a fancy hand-painted china plate sitting next to a flawless bouquet of roses freshly picked from their garden. When it comes time to actually eating the cookies (most likely store bought), I bet those sugary babies get slapped on a cheap paper plate and all the crumbs fall onto the carpet.
And the crumbs STAY THERE…. unless they have a dog.
Kristin
Pam Kessler
So true. We need to be content in our own lives. It’s so easy to think what we have needs painted or remodeled or changed in some way, because other people are doing it on their blogs.
And I do think a lot of bloggers just look at it as putting their best foot forward when they show the flawless photos. But then again, I do happen to know of some, who will remain nameless, who purposefully mislead and are not above buying something from a store for decorative purposes and then returning it after the photos have been taken. That’s just a little bit silly 🙂
Kristin_Texas
I suspect they’re the same folks that purchase new clothes for a party, but keep the tags on because they plan on wearing it just the one time and then get their money back. :p
Anonymous
I love your blog, the way you write,your sense of humor, all of it. I especially like it when you do things like you did with your lamp etc that are something i would do myself.If we knew each other, we would be friends.At any rate, keep up the good work, do what makes you happy. All of this other crap is a part of the reason I don’t blog. Thanx for the fun!!
Pam Kessler
Thank you! You are so sweet!
Shara
If anyone knocked on my door right now, I would hit the floor and hold my breath and wait for them to leave. Pilles of flea market junk here, Valentine stuff to be put out there, pottery on the shelves – but not arranged, the GIANT BAGS OF STUFF we bought at Sams Club still lining the kitchen floor, a cat whisker on the carpet, so much dirty laundry that I rally honestly almost cried when I opened the laundry room door a bit ago, dishes in the sink from supper and on and on. But if YOU showed up, I’d let you in and we could just laugh and laugh about my messes. And, you could fold some towels! I’ll blog forever no matter who comes to read it. Good pictures, bad pictures, something worth writing about or maybe just nothing – I’ll blog about it all. You keep on, keeping on!
mary scott
I prefer blogs over magazines any day for the reasons you covered. If you are not your delightful self & continue to tell it like it REALLY is, I will stop reading your blog! Just kidding! All of us need to connect with people who have “lived-in homes” & bad days every once in awhile. Have a great week, Mary
Shabby chic Sandy
I yell at my kids all the time to keep the house looking like it does on my blog–that’s the real truth 🙂 You know, some people don’t have kids and pets and I want to believe their houses do look that gorgeous!
Laura
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura
Hi Pam-
Sorry about the previous comment being deleted. Too many typos-
This was a wonderful post that really spoke to me.
I didn’t blog much last year for the very reasons you mentioned.
I didn’t start blogging to create a magazine.
Sure- I would like to improve my photography, but I just want to connect with people.
So after the first of the year I started looking for new blogs and blogs that are real.
They are out there.
I have enjoyed that more.
Enjoyed visiting,
Laura
White Spray Paint
marty (A Stroll Thru Life)
Love this post. I am not good at posting just to post. I love being able to see what is real and I am with you, so wish more of the posts were real. Hugs, Marty
GinaE
As a new blogger I feel very intimidated by the BHG worthy homes on so many blogs. I am also still on a huge learning curve for photo taking and so far mine haven’t been very good. I tend to loose interest in blogs that portray everything to be so perfect all the time. Thanks so much for this post. I’m a big fan of your blog and have read for a couple of years.
Suesan Kennard
I love this post, Pam. You have such a great sense of humor. As I am finishing up a 1.5 year project to redo my kitchen, I have to tell you that I’ve been debating this very point. I have open shelves to hold all my dishware that we use on a daily basis. It’s mismatched in color and style and I’m torn between buying new stuff so my shelves are pretty for the photos and leaving the stuff as is. In my case, it’s more that I really want new and pretty stuff, but since we are now moving and leaving this home, I’m not sure that what I’d buy to look good in this house is stuff I’d want to take to the next.
I do want my kitchen to be taken seriously, and the money shot does bring people in. People who regularly read my blog know that I’m doing all the work myself and it’s a long process. But people who have never read my blog are not going to be excited about a finished project in a half-finished room, knowwhatImean? I’ve put off showing people how I’ve done something because even though the project is done, the money shot is still waiting for the completion of other work. In fact, I plan to paint my ceiling around my new kitchen light enough that I can take a money shot. Since I want to test out this paint color anyway, is it unauthentic to paint it in the place where I can get a good “after” shot for the blog?
At any rate, I’ve been living in a construction zone since Sept of 2012. I’m not sure I remember what it’s like to live in a pretty house. Nearly all my decorations are still packed away, waiting for me to finish work so they can come out and play. Of course, by that time, I’ll be packing up again for the next move.
Joanne Noragon
I’m so happy I’m just in it for the fun. So, I won’t tell anyone if I stage a picture, especially as beautifully as you have done it.
LivingVintage
I totally agree. When I post a room reveal, I try to make it perfect, but otherwise, hopefully, my followers will be able to deal with the fact that my kitchen usually has WAY too much clutter on the island. And, my office? I’d be embarrassed to take a photo of it right now.
Melinda
My blog is as real as it gets!
Yes, I move things out of the way
in order to take a picture but other
than that you see what you get.
I agree with you and am not fond of it either.
I enjoy the realities.
I blog for fun and to meet others that’s it.
M : )
Art and Sand
I was having this conversation with another blogger recently.
I don’t have posts ready in advance, I post what’s happening in my life on that day.
There are blogs I have stopped bothering to read because they seem to be posting just to be posting to get up their numbers.
Of course, you have given me inspiration on how to get that wonky lampshade to lie correctly. Thanks
TARYTERRE
LOVED the end result. It’s beautiful.
Leslie Harris
Pam, What a refreshing post. I know what you mean about the staging of rooms. I had to do it for our Open Houses and you’re right. It is all smoke and mirrors. Lately I’ve been posting less because I haven’t felt the need to do any projects and I haven’t been as interested in decorating now that we’re moving. And it’s actually made me question my blogging because i don’t feel like i fit into any one category. So lately i stopped worrying about fitting in anywhere and I just write when i have something to say. I seem to be happier that way.
Pam Kessler
Oh,thank you! I’ve always struggled with where I fit in too 🙂 It certainly stifles your creativity if you have to limit your thoughts to one or two subjects when there is so much more happening in your life than just those two. And if you aren’t happy in what you blog about, then what’s the point!
Teresa OConnor
Bullseye! Thanks so much for this post cuz it opened up my eyes to what I already knew but was starting to cave into, and your advice is going to save me a bucket of moolah! I am pretty fresh to the blogging world and my blog has been viewed by maybe only 3 or 4 people if that, and I already find myself apologizing for my poor quality photos taken with a lowly point and shoot or iPad etc., and was starting to tell myself I needed to save up for a fancy pants camera and maybe classes and on and on. Gosh, I just wanted to share how pretty it is where I live, and maybe show a few things around my house – not be a candidate for Queen of all blogdom! So, thanks for bringing me back down to earth and helping me remember that my blog is good enough for who it’s for – me!
Teresa at Cottagelodge.net
PS -Love your blog, it’s always a bright spot 🙂
Pamela
Oh Pam you have said what I have been thinking for so long! This is why i was gone for so long. It’s so stressful if you let it! Some of the blogs are so fancy. Like what is with the one photo and a little blip and you have to click on “read more” cause the whole page is a week worth of blog posts??? I just like to visit and scroll down for the whole day’s post. It’s getting crazy.
And the photos! I can’t spend all day staging. When i got back into blogging my husband panicked lol that i was going to be doing that again!!!
I just want to post about my cottage and the town and get house tours of the old classic homes here since there are so many.
My girlfriend works with a lady who is selling her brand new 1.2 million dolloar french country home. The woman emailed me and said i was welcome to come over and take photos for my blog. It is a gorgeous home something you would only see in an upscale magazine. So perfect and amazing. But you know what I am not compelled too. I just see that as trying to be like the big shots blogs out there. I don’t know I just didn’t jump at the chance. I actually told my girlfriend i want to photograph her home…an very old classic farm house. You get what I’m saying??
This post was so refreshing and really made me feel great!
I figure I will post and talk about what i want and whoever wants to visit can if not i don’t care!
[email protected]
Your sense of humor is what draws me to your blog. Your gorgeous photos are a plus, but your sense of fun gets top billing with me. Great post…love your honesty!!!
Pam Kessler
Aww, thank you Sherry!
longtodolist
Thanks for your post. I’m a blog reader, not a blogger, and I sometimes feel like I’m a total failure with my unfinished projects, lived in house messes and all the rest. I am trying to go through the hoard in my basement to begin the process of downsizing my “junk”, but it’s slow going (because I spend too much time on the computer!!). I appreciate the other comments here, too. I feel better knowing most of us do not have the perfect house that is always clean and orderly. I’d rather see the real more often and flip through magazines to see the perfect. Thank you again.
[email protected] Cultivated Nest
My friend Brenda (Cozy Little House) told me I should come read your post. So glad she did! Things changed in blogging when money became involved and I really don’t think it’ll go back to the way it was. Which is a shame – the blog world was a much nicer place then.
So agree with you about projects people do that you wouldn’t actually have in your home or projects done just for the sake of a post. I don’t have time to make things I don’t actually use! I just can’t do that kind of blogging!
Anyway, great post and one that a lot of people need to read!
Angela Davis
LOVE this post!! This is exactly why you won’t find me doing any home tours! We live here! Not only am I insanely private about my personal space, I refuse to stage my home for photos! I don’t stage photos of my furniture either. I know it would make for a nicer picture but in the end, I want my work to speak for itself! Sharing 🙂
Marci
You hit it on the head Pam. I totally agree, and kinda stopped blogging because of that reason (not that I ever had many followers to begin with Ha!) But I agree with Sherry, I read your blog because you crack me up, you remind me of myself, and we have similar tastes. I do enjoy your beautiful pictures but I would read your blog even if they weren’t. I read blogs for the people, not the pics.(Thats what Pinterest is for) Other blogs that drive me nutty are…
When you feel it is necessary to show me a “tutorial” on how to do even the smallest task (pretty sure I can figure out how to make a chalkboard with spray paint and wood all on my own thankyouverymuch)
B) Overuse of excamation points! DRIVES! ME! CRAZY! Not everything is important!!!!!!!!
Rant over, thanks 🙂
Tammy
Perfect! I was searching for a DIY on stamping silverware and voila! I found your blog. Once I read what about the stamping project and made my Harbor Freight list, I began to linger around and read more. Your sense of humor and frank reality drew me right in.
What you speak of is EXACTLY what I wrote about in one of my posts recently. It has been that fear of not being up to everybody else’s standard that has kept me from blogging. And, with that said, I decided to give it a go again in my own way. So glad I found your blog. I am now your newest follower!
Building Moxie
:~) guys blog too … ha! and Pam let’s talk about that glossy mag for sec … pro designers pro stagers pro photographers come together to work up and feature thousands of dollars of product in the shoot of a room that will be tore up in ten minutes because … living in a house does not happen in a bubble. Is it really different? blogging that is and anyway still more authentic… I appreciate your honest and a fun look behind the curtain but it is that aspiration the fantasy of perfection that sucks the people in … get on with your bad self. ~jb
Lynn @The Vintage Nest
I miss the blogging days before linky parties…when all those participating in a “party” had their names on the side bar of the host and everybody and I mean everybody came to the party. It was great fun….just like a real party. Now it seems people just “link and run” to a party and you hardly get any comments, at least I don’t. Great post Pam and I too, love your wit. xo