Blog Camp with Tots100

Yesterday saw me getting up shortly after 5.30am – probably not something I’ve done intentionally since I was commuting to Leeds on a daily basis.  But I didn’t mind, I was excited for the day ahead!

I left the house at around 6.30am fully expecting it to be freezing, especially as I had heard it lashing down shortly before.  Thankfully the rain had stopped and it really wasn’t cold either.  I arrived at the tram stop just in time to see a tram pulling away but I wasn’t concerned as I knew I had left myself plenty of time to get to the station. Or so I thought. 

I was more than a little surprised when the tram I got on only went two stops before terminating leaving us to get a replacement bus service – if there’d been any mention of this on the website I’d have just got on a flipping bus in the first place!  Anyway, I found time slipping away whilst the bus pootled around making its way into Manchester and I was texting Kate, starting to panic – if I missed the train that was my day done and dusted.  As it turned out I made the train with about 3 minutes to spare – no chance to grab any breakfast or a hot drink but I was on the train and that was all that mattered!  As I was looking for my reserved seat I heard someone call my name and there sat at a table behind me, was fellow North West blogger Jen.  Big love to her for providing me with a blueberry muffin, a can of Diet Coke and good company – especially at 7.30am!

We arrived at Birmingham New Street, met up with Kate and made our way up to venue – excited to see each other and for what the day would hold. 

The day itself passed in a flurry of laughter, new faces and not so new faces.  It’s always so lovely to put real life faces to the blogs and twitter handles that now form part of my daily life!  

I enjoyed listening to each of the speakers during the morning sessions – each in their own way inspired, gave me things to think about and, importantly, confidence in what I was already doing – which is surely a winning combination?  

This photo taken by Sally pretty much sums up my afternoon: 

Having only relatively recently invested in a DSLR (more affectionately known as “Jonny“) I’m still very much learning the basics of what it can do.  The final session of the day was set up to be a bit of a “Camera Clinic” – and in that 45 minutes or so Tom explained some basics of composition – which I knew in theory but now actually “get” having had him demonstrate them.  But, more significantly, he introduced me to some buttons on my camera which did things I’d wanted to do but didn’t know how – for this I loved him!  (He might have also just set me off on a dangerous lens based path but at least Dave knows what to get me for Christmas now!) 

So, to everyone I saw, spent time with and spoke to – you’re all ace and thank you!  To those I missed – maybe next time? 

Tots100 – thanks for an awesome day (and to Sally for publicly embarrassing me as she is now wont to do it would seem!)