#these are such bad quality but hey hoy

[quarterprioritymidnight]

Dan Smith and Charlie Barnes of 'Bastille' at Belladrum 2023

[thesimpanions]

⭐️ N E W  V I D E O ⭐️ The Sims 4 | MAKING OVER MY SUBSCRIBERS SIMS #5! | CAS & Lookbook + CC Links

Hey there! Today I'm making two beautiful sims created by my subscribers! I also finally created a discord server for us all to join and talk about not just the sims but also a bunch of other things! Use this link if you want to join: https://discord.gg/UQUDAFV

▶️https://youtu.be/6XYNkTY4cFo

CC Links

SIM 1 (ARIELLE)

GENERAL Skinblend: https://www.patreon.com/posts/38472438 Face Overlay: https://heihu.tumblr.com/post/168522486651/i-did-a-little-spring-cleaning-of-my-blog-and Eyes: https://baieyu.tumblr.com/post/179216040640/still-feel-eyes-previews-heavily-insp-by Catchlight: https://simulationcowboy.tumblr.com/post/183759640852/inspired-by-okyio-and-the-eyes-in-her-edits Eyebags: https://ratboysims.tumblr.com/post/188237560445/kiwi-eyebags-updated-1110-2019-by-ratboysims Nose Shader: https://simfileshare.net/download/977930/ Freckles: https://joviean.tumblr.com/post/186573920181/maple-freckles Blush: https://squeamishsims.tumblr.com/post/185846308452/booboo-blush-by-squeamishsims-so-ive-tried-so Hair 1: https://grimcookies.com/post/614903696818683904/deliliah-hair-your-sims-inner-icon-is-gonna Hair 2: https://dogsill.tumblr.com/post/621917028322803712/margot-buns-i-love-margot-robbie-this-hair-is Hair 3: https://grimcookies.com/post/167010061675/aubrey-a-remake-of-my-kimberly-bun-with Edges: https://setsuki.tumblr.com/post/178307334864/full-scalp-with-edges-skin-detail-version-1-6

MAKE UP Eyebrows: https://adiec.tumblr.com/post/185708180915/eyebrow-set-1-some-cute-lil-eyebrows-i-made-in Lashes: http://kijiko-catfood.com/3d-lashes-version2/ Eyeshadow: https://crypticsim.tumblr.com/post/613974349191561216/the-blossom-collection-this-collection-is-a-collab Eyeliner: https://crypticsim.tumblr.com/post/190594545470/the-lotus-collection-inspired-by-the-lotus-flower Eyeliner: https://caelhinn.tumblr.com/post/190809835077/heart-shaped-wing-an-eyeliner-by-caelhinn Liner: https://crypticsim.tumblr.com/post/180694444347/passionfruit-liner-the-passionfruit-liner-is-a Blush: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-makeup-female-blush/title/biscuit-blush/id/1453076/ Lipstick: https://sagittariahx.tumblr.com/post/178538243045/50-shades-of-nude-lipstick-download-sfs-buy-me Nails: https://simlaughlove.tumblr.com/post/163327412088/sll-rainbownails

EVERYDAY Top: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-female-teenadultelder-everyday/title/trillyke--paper-plane-t-shirt-%28part-1%29/id/1471674/ Bottom: https://clumsyalienn.tumblr.com/post/189104784520/gerda-winter-cc-pack-base-game-compatible-female Shoes: https://sssvitlans.tumblr.com/post/159295739339/heypixels-low-top-all-star-conversion-by Piercing: https://pickypikachu.tumblr.com/post/130419022043/celebrating-10000-followers-here-is-part-2-of-my Choker: https://grimcookies.com/post/186093894930/its-here-this-cc-set-is-the-conclusion-of-months Bracelet: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-accessories-female-bracelets/title/s-club-ll-ts4-hand-catenary-n01%28f%29/id/1307432/

FORMAL Dress: https://grimcookies.com/post/612432610906554368/grimcookies-x-deligracy-2-deli-i-have-once-again Shoes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/35228475 Earrings: https://nach0sims.tumblr.com/post/187201760442/sutton-earrings-basically-the-earrings-that-my-mom Bracelet: https://veranka-s4cc.tumblr.com/post/142800259050/claire-necklace-bracelets-i-did-some-simple

ACTIVE Top: https://mousysims.tumblr.com/post/182712684887/bgc-custom-thumbnail-disabled-for-random-18 Bottom: https://grimcookies.com/post/186093894930/its-here-this-cc-set-is-the-conclusion-of-months Shoes: https://tunayegit.tumblr.com/post/616484713367060480/chonk-sneakers-so-i-didnt-like-how-the-sneakers

SLEEP Top: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-female-teenadultelder-sleepwear/title/trillyke--dreams-come-true-pajama-shirt/id/1485054/ Bottom: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-female-teenadultelder-sleepwear/title/trillyke--dreams-come-true-pajama-shorts/id/1485056/ Socks: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-female-teenadultelder-everyday/title/trillyke-run-away-socks/id/1469854/

PARTY Top: https://savvysweet.tumblr.com/post/187251375353/clothes-dump-hey-yall-i-decided-to-make-some Bottom: https://captainmrbored.tumblr.com/post/188628810356/classic-edge-skirt-simblreen-gift-call Shoes: https://tunayegit.tumblr.com/post/187577862556/better-than-mosc-boots-hoi-guyss-welcome-to-my Socks: https://love4sims4.tumblr.com/post/161466199623/ceiuu-fishnet-socks-please-forgive-the-bad

SWIM Swimsuit: https://gvbesims.tumblr.com/post/185126083949/inakhs-80s-swimsuit-recolors-i-absolutely Sunglasses: https://casteru.tumblr.com/post/181406722897/cat-eye-sunglasses-tou

HOT WEATHER Dress: https://moontrait.tumblr.com/post/189960301998/10k-followers-gift-moontrait-layered-dress Shoes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/mmsims-dr-molly-25334773 Earrings: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-accessories-female-earrings/title/venus-earrings/id/1444335/

COLD WEATHER Top: https://www.patreon.com/posts/female-autumn-cc-29988371 Bottom: https://tajsiwel.tumblr.com/post/168013107850/erin-28-swatches-custom-thumbnail-disallowed-for Shoes: https://madlensims.tumblr.com/post/182216831210/madlen-roberto-boots-high-quality-leather-boots Hat: https://down-in-simsland.tumblr.com/post/141566884905/leave-your-hat-on-casual-hat-hi-its-been-a

SIM 2 (JADA)

GENERAL Skin Overlay: https://nesurii.tumblr.com/post/190606984166/lunaria-a-default-non-default-skin-this-was Hair: https://sleepingsims.tumblr.com/post/621543129293750272/bria-braids-i-wanted-some-braids-that-werent Edges: https://setsuki.tumblr.com/post/178360831744/full-scalp-with-edges-100-followers-gift-7-8 Eyes: https://baieyu.tumblr.com/post/179216040640/still-feel-eyes-previews-heavily-insp-by Catchlight: https://simulationcowboy.tumblr.com/post/183759640852/inspired-by-okyio-and-the-eyes-in-her-edits Eyebags: https://ratboysims.tumblr.com/post/188237560445/kiwi-eyebags-updated-1110-2019-by-ratboysims Nosemask: https://simfileshare.net/download/977930/ Face Shine: https://nesurii.tumblr.com/post/182508085171/amaryllis

MAKE UP Eyebrows: https://adiec.tumblr.com/post/185708180915/eyebrow-set-1-some-cute-lil-eyebrows-i-made-in Lashes: http://kijiko-catfood.com/3d-lashes-version2/ Eyeliner: https://caelhinn.tumblr.com/post/190809835077/heart-shaped-wing-an-eyeliner-by-caelhinn Eyeshadow: https://crypticsim.tumblr.com/post/613974349191561216/the-blossom-collection-this-collection-is-a-collab Lipstick: https://stretchskeleton.tumblr.com/post/188423483268/finally-back-with-some-cc-download-under-the-cut Blush: https://simandy.tumblr.com/post/613202637416988672/its-not-a-hiatus-come-back-if-i-dont-make-a-new Nails: https://simlaughlove.tumblr.com/post/163327412088/sll-rainbownails

EVERYDAY Top: https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/620123767733141504/eco-lifestyle-add-ons Bottom: https://emmibouquet.tumblr.com/post/186212027867/summer-time-shorts-i-have-seen-many-versions-of Shoes: https://majorpanicgamer.tumblr.com/post/159625104726/pxelbox-converse-by-pxelbox-some-simple Necklace: https://enriques4.tumblr.com/post/618844358245023744/egirl-collection-by-enriques4-isjao-so-were

FORMAL Dress: https://sulsulhun.tumblr.com/post/614473277807689728/sulsulhuns-dana-dress-hi-everyone-simfileshare Shoes: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-shoes-female-teenadultelder/title/madlen-jasmine-shoes/id/1376912/

ACTIVE Top: https://dear-solar.tumblr.com/post/187076819275/the-chuuuuu-collab-this-is-a-korean-beauty-and Bottom: https://grimcookies.com/post/186093894930/its-here-this-cc-set-is-the-conclusion-of-months Shoes: https://mmsims.tumblr.com/post/611005735890993152/s4cc-mmsims-cb-thunder-sneakers-download

SLEEP Top: https://kimoanasims.tumblr.com/post/179496231902/simblreen-treat-3-reggie-top-srry-for-being-so Bottom: https://grimcookies.com/post/621067688626864128/softe-a-collection-of-intimates-ive-been Glasses: https://www.patreon.com/posts/remove-makeup-29396235

PARTY Top & Bottom: https://ilkup.tumblr.com/post/174829580382/magnolia-magnolia-shirt-16-patterned-swatches-16 Shoes: https://sims4nexus.tumblr.com/post/184857327879/caroline-sandals-for-ladies-of-all-ages-go-to

SWIM Top: https://kumikya.tumblr.com/post/187408460326/heatwave-bikini-this-is-my-third-and-final-bikini Bottom: https://www.renorasims.com/product-page/sulani-swimwear-collection

HOT WEATHER Jumpsuit: https://sentate.tumblr.com/springsummer2019 Shoes: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-shoes-female-teenadultelder/title/madlen-marius-shoes/id/1407602/ Rings: https://christopher067.tumblr.com/post/617650784711098368/g-l-i-m-m-e-r-r-i-n-g-s-hello-today-i-have

COLD WEATHER Top: https://clumsyalienn.tumblr.com/post/189104784520/gerda-winter-cc-pack-base-game-compatible-female Bottom: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wide-leg-jeans-29395817 Shoes: https://simtone.tumblr.com/post/179065116035/buckle-boots-10-swatches-more-cas-pictures

[babanillustration]

Hey Baban, I am a huge fan of your work. I'm currently trying learn digital illustration on my own. Could you tell me approx. how long it took you to get to the level you are right now? Thanks! -L

hoi! 

I started purposefully trying to improve/make stuff consistently in around 2015? So I guess that long. If you go and root through my DA gallery you can probably see the speed the quality changes. I’m still far off where I want to be but the past 5 years has done a lot I guess?

It was still on and off in terms of how much I was actually doing and you could definitely improve a lot quicker than I have. I am way more consistent now that I’m used to doing so much, but don’t feel bad if you can’t do LOTS all of a sudden. 

I started off forcing myself to just do at least 2 pages in a sketchbook a day of literally anything and any quality level, just to get used to sitting my ass down and doing it. What I mean is don’t stress too much about it, you gotta play the long game and adjust to it and find a way that’s comfy for you, so don’t feel bad about just starting off doing little bits, then progressively doing more.

Those 2 pages of sketchbook a day used to be /agony/ but now I can stream quite happily for hours, you just get into a routine. The more you do it the more like norm it becomes. You start to forget what it’s like to not be doing that much after a while, which makes it more difficult to go back to doing less.

At the same time though don’t wear yourself out. I kinda bully myself into doing lots which works but isn’t great at the same time lol, find yourself a comfy way that works where you aren’t bullying yourself my dude.

That’s kinda long and rambly, I hope it helps though <:

[machudson]

@bup-oh​ said:

Hey, sorry if this is a little weird, a random person in your askbox, but with talk about tammy and her shortcomings as a writer, I wanted to interject. While I DO believe tammy isn't a fantastic writer, imo her main issues are; she seems to favor quantity over quality, and has bad time management. She works on multiple comics, and strictly commits to her once a week updates. She posting pages before the comic is fully complete(?), shes on a time constraint to get pages drawn, and (1/3)

most likely be forced to rush to get them out the door at some point. On top of this, she has to keep in mind that we only see one page a week, and I feel like it effects the pacing. IMO, tammy doesn't necessarily lack skill with character development and proper character interaction, she just doesn't give herself time to do it. Throughout CCT and ESPECIALLY OE, it feels like some of the pages are missing panels and are spaced too far apart (2/3)

You can see in some of the pages she wants to do more, but doesn't have the room to do it. Pair all this with the fact shes so excited with starting BUP (which I don't blame her) and even more time is taken away from her. Tbh I feel like if she got better at time management, and when shes down to one comic for continuous updates, she could greatly improve and put more thought into her writing, by. giving. herself, ROOM. (3/3)

ok so im gonna try and sum up your points just for my own ease of understanding this: 1. you agree that she’s not great re: time and 

actually wow im so bad at reading comprehension rn. thot you were trying to start discourse not just add your own point of view LOL im so good at this

personally i feel like she is good at time management, she’s just... idk... i wanna say she’s just focusing on bup way more than cct. because she was able to keep up four comics at a time (rd, ice climbers, cct, and the private nsfw cct comic i think), but she finished rd a while ago and ice climbers is almost finished on the patreon side. she basically has half as many comics going as she used to. (and a bit off topic but now that i think about it, i don’t think her writing re:character development declined from where I felt it was at while reading first match two years ago, it’s just becoming more relevant and visible now.) so it’s not rushed because she just doesn’t Have time, but she’s probably managing it poorly

ok so i came back to this after i wrote the above bit at 11 pm last night and wrote like three paragraphs and then tumblr crashed on me and deleted them so uhhh im gonna. rewrite all that. remember kids, when writing long tumblr posts, write them in the drafts page and save often. or just write them in word or gdocs or something just make sure you wont let tumbly fuck u over

so. personally I believe she’s not really having a time management issue. she has fewer running comics than she used to - she’s finished RD, ice climbers is nearly done on patreon, and the nsfw comic she once had going has been long over - and even when doing four comic updates a week she still managed to be successful. ice climbers is fully sketched and just three pages away from finishing on patreon. cct is 8 pages ahead on patreon and tammy sometimes leaves responses like ‘oh just wait till next page’ so I think it’s safe to say she has a couple pages sketched in advance. she’s been doing comics for at least a decade, i think she’s pretty experienced in that area by now.

i agree she’s rushed, but not in regards to bad time management. she’s got a good work schedule for herself, but with her focus shifted to bottled up, she’s rushing herself in terms of comic progress. she clearly wants to start bup as soon as possible, and that means finishing her other comics as soon as possible. and to nobody’s surprise, rushed comics are lower quality! she plans to start bup before the end of the year. there’s expected to be ten or so more  patreon pages in cct, or about 19/20 publicly, and there’s twelve more thursdays this year. and ice climbers is gonna stretch into the new year too, ending on jan 8th i think. (so unless she decides to give another slot to one of those two she’s probably gonna give the former RD update day to bup if she wants to start it publicly this year.)

though I do think she has an issue with writing. she’s said before that for cct, she never writes down her plot lines in advance. she just keeps them in her head until she sketches the pages. and i feel like this really screws with pacing and also just the writing in general. idk if you’ve seen it but a while ago there was a post floating around of pixar’s writing tips - one of which was “putting it on paper lets you start fixing it”. which I feel really applies to tammy. if she wrote down her plans before sketching them, i feel like she could work them out at a better pace and with better quality. she also tends to think of a lot of stories and plotlines she wants to get to, but ends up with way too much on her plate and never manages to get around to covering most of them. also the one page a week schedule definitely affects pacing too. i feel like since we have to wait a week to see each page, it’s kinda common for them to end on cliffhangers to keep readers hooked (like yesterday’s public page)

also related, she doesn’t…. stay true to her word. i had another example for this but its mostly regarding future comic stuff thats currently patreon only rip. but you know for tetrox’s story. she’s recently been talking about how tetrox was the octarian soldier who attacked whinter back in HoI. and i think at one point she had a more in depth story planned for tetrox (and probably also arnick) regarding that, but since she wants to get onto bup soon she made the decision to skip it over and just move onto final match, and how her original plan was to have tetrox be an infiltrating soldier who planned to take the zapfish again. and she’s been saying that since she isn’t going to do that tetrox arc, that she might change tetrox’s backstory to be more like octo expansion’s story - watched the match against Octavio, decided to run away to the surface to join inkling society. And personally I feel like it’s … really telling of tammy’s character (as in, how she is as a writer) that she decided to just change her backstory because she knew she wouldn’t get to writing the comic.

a while ago on patreon she answered an ask of mine with the sentence “My stories and especially my mind changes all the time. So, holding me to things I say months back isn’t really the best idea.” and that’s really…. bothersome to me because while I love stories that develop and bloom as they move along, like cct (and also ovw’s lore), it’s incredibly disappointing when you practically memorize the lore and then the writer decides to retcon major details. and it shows how she hasn’t been planning well enough to keep what she’s already said in the past as canon. going back to the third paragraph, she might not have this issue if she wrote down her stories before sketching them, But Alas. :(

tldr: i believe she doesn’t have an issue with short-term workloads, but instead has trouble with long-term planning and writing her story.

[junker-town]

Will the NFL move the Chiefs vs. Rams game because of field conditions at Estadio Azteca?

Field conditions for the NFL’s Week 11 game in Mexico City are bad, REALLY bad.

The NFL’s never been one to let hazardous field conditions interfere with its unstoppable corporate machine. How would you explain Dan Snyder’s Maryland mud pit or the carpet literally coming up in Houston? So you know things must be bad at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca if the league is weighing whether or not to cancel a Week 11 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams there because the field’s in such terrible shape.

As of Tuesday morning, no decision had been, but the league expects to reach a conclusion by the end of the day. The field conditions are a “significant concern,” according to Adam Schefter.

Where will the Chiefs vs. Rams game happen if they can’t play in Mexico City?

There hasn’t been an official decision about where they could play the game if the field at Estadio Azteca isn’t fixed in time. One likely option is back in Los Angeles at the Coliseum. Postponing the game is still an option too, though you can be sure it’s a last resort for the NFL.

There’s another reason Los Angeles is the primary backup option for the game — rules!

Re CHIEFS-RAMS Mexico City game, it's worth noting that NFL rules say the home team in the international series (in this case, the Rams) has to have its home stadium available in the event the game has to be moved, for whatever reason.

— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) November 13, 2018

They’ll take a closer look at the playing surface on Tuesday and try to figure out whether or not they can get it into good enough shape for Monday night’s game.

“We are working closely with the field manager at Azteca Stadium and others to ensure that we have an NFL-quality surface for our game, and we are looking forward to kicking off in Mexico City on Monday night,” league spokesperson Brian McCarthy told ESPN on Tuesday.

What exactly is wrong with the field at Estadio Azteca?

Oh, buddy. It’s bad. Real bad. Bad enough to made FedEx Field look like a bucolic pasture somewhere in the wilds of Scotland.

Check this out.

Hey @ProFootballDoc this is the Aztec Stadium today. What are the risk for Rams/Chiefs players to play over there in a week? pic.twitter.com/r6ILWkaG6j

— Ulises Harada (@ulisesharada) November 10, 2018

La NFL y el sindicato de jugadores (NFLPA) se reunirán hoy en el Estadio Azteca para determinar si el #ChiefsKingdom vs. #LARams se juega en México o se mueve a Los Ángeles. El estado de la cancha preocupa a los altos mandos de la NFL. pic.twitter.com/5m1xuSJ9kk

— Comex Masters (@ComexMasters) November 13, 2018

Let’s get an shot from the air just for effect.

The @EstadioAzteca field in Mexico City was left like this after a concert just nine days before the @RamsNFL and @Chiefs will play there ( @Migue_luk) pic.twitter.com/tCaOfearoo

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 10, 2018

A concert at the field on Nov. 7 did significant damage to the playing surface. That last photo up there, the one taken from above, is what the field looked like the day after that concert. On Saturday, there was a soccer game there, pushing back the ability to fix it.

This isn’t the first time the field’s been a problem this year. A Shakira concert in October tore up the field too. Reports in the wake of that show said the damage may be irreversible.

The problem stems mostly from ripping out the natural grass field and replacing it with a hybrid turf earlier this year. That process wasn’t finished until three days before the stadium went into use, heavy use, and that, combined with bad weather, has left the playing surface in tatters.

Why do field conditions matter?

Simple — shitty field conditions mean more player injuries.

The league and the players union had one of their rare come together moments over the issue in 2016. After a rash of injuries directly and indirectly attributed to the physical locations where teams play, the two sides set up a joint committee on the issue during the offseason that year. Less than a month later, they canceled the preseason Hall of Fame game when the field there literally MELTED after a concert the night before.

We’re still waiting to see if the show goes on in Mexico City, but just looking at the state of the field, it’s hard to see how the league can justify it at this point.

[5hfanfiction]

Touch My Soul (Hold It Tight) - Chapter 5 - Take Me Higher (Than I've Ever Been)

A/N: The title for this chapter comes from Tear In My Heart by Twenty One Pilots. I’ve had this song on repeat all day and I have no idea why it’s just stuck in my head.

ALSO I’ve made a playlist on Spotify with all of the songs I’ve been using for chapter titles, so usually when I’m writing a chapter I’ll put the song I’ll use for the title and put it in the playlist before I post it. So if you guys wanna listen to it while you read or use it to get a little sneak peak of what the next chapter could be called, you can follow the playlist here.

-

Lauren paced around the back room, hastily trying to calm herself down. The incredibly beautiful stranger she’s been talking to is sitting out in the lobby, waiting for her, because she asked her on a date. Lauren freaking asked the girl herself and she’s still shook.

‘Why! Why didn’t I think this through? Why didn’t I say like Friday or something?!’ Lauren thought, unamused with her own spontaneity.

When the insistent back and forth of her shoes did nothing to quell her fears, the young barista decided she needed help. 'Desperate times call for desperate measures,’ she thought as she dialed the first person she thought of that could possibly help her.

“Hoi if you don’t get your ass out in that lobby and go on that date right now, I'mma have to come down there and give you a poly beatdown.”

Ah yes, so soothing.

“But Dinah I’m so fucked and- wait, how did you even know I had a date?” Lauren inquired.

“Ally called me while you were busy staring at your lover. She had a feeling you’d try to chicken out or some other bullshit, so she told me everything, knowing you’d call me,” Dinah sassed back. “So here I am, your gorgeous guardian angel, telling you to GET IT TOGETHER.”

“Wow, you’re so humble too, and she’s not my lover!” Lauren grumbled.

“Hush now, you should be getting your girl instead calling me.”

“But Dinah, I’m freaking the fuck out, what do I do? I have literally no plan!”

“Here’s an idea: TAKE HER OUT TO DINNER LIKE YOU SAID YOU WOULD,” Dinah all but screamed into the receiver, causing Lauren to hastily pull the phone away from her ear so she didn’t go deaf. “That way, she don’t think you’re crazy, you can get to know her, and you can bring me back something when it’s over! Okay? Okay. Now you’re interrupting my quality Netflix time so bye Lauser you’ll do great I love you!”

“Dinah wait no I’m not-” Lauren’s frantic response was cut short by the sound of the phone call ending. “Shit!” Lauren exclaimed. 'She’s not getting shit after that,’ the barista thought frustratedly.

Hurriedly, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and ran a hand through her hair. She thanked every deity she knew that she showered and looked presentable today. After one last glance at herself, she walked out to the lobby to the girl waiting for her.

“Hey, sorry about making you wait,” Lauren greeted her with a guilty smile.

“Oh that’s totally okay! I didn’t expect you to like, throw your apron onto the ground and James Bond the counter or anything the minute you got off of work just to take me out” the girl replied with a laugh, making Lauren chuckle at her imagination.

Lauren held the door open for the stranger, who blushed profusely at the gesture. Ally waved goodbye to her friend, giving her an over enthusiastic smile and two thumbs up, making Lauren shake her head with a breathy laugh.

Lauren took a moment to admire the girl beside her. She wore a pair of torn faded jeans, a baggy maroon crop top sweater, and a matching pair of slightly beaten up converse adorned her feet. Lauren couldn’t help but admire how she could look so casual and so effortlessly beautiful at the same time. The thought alone brought a warm smile to her face. 

She probably would’ve looked at the girl for hours, but the subject of her thoughts was currently looking at her with a smug look on her face, making Lauren smile apologetically.

“So, how does pizza sound?” Lauren asked, trying to get the attention off of her blatant staring.

“Are you serious?!”

Lauren was taken aback for about a half of a second until she heard the girl continue.

“Are you like a mind reader or something? I was literally just about to say 'Hey Lauren, we should go get pizza’ and you just-” she ended her sentence with a flurry of hand gestures. She took a look at Lauren to see her staring back at her slightly shocked. “Sorry I’m just very passionate about pizza.”

The barista was silent for a few seconds. She felt a giggle bubble up from within her, growing until she was almost crying she was laughing so hard, bent over and clutching her sides from the ache in her abdomen.

“That was- oh my god I haven’t laughed that hard in so fucking long,” Lauren answered after calming down. “You’re incredible, you know that right?”

The other girl bit her lip as she looked away, a furious blush rising on her cheeks. “Is this just another attempt to get my real name?” She asked in a faux accusatory tone.

Lauren thought about it for a moment. She really did want to know this girl’s name, but something about tonight felt different. She wanted to know her, not just her name.

“For once, no. Tonight is just about me and you getting to know each other. As much as I want to know your name, who you are is so much more than just your name. There’s your favorite color, what you like on your pizza, what makes your bad days better, what side of the bed do you prefer to sleep on, what dance can you not do but totally do anyways, what sets your soul on fire.. Sorry I’m ranting,” Lauren cut herself off quickly.

When she didn’t hear a reply, she chanced a look at the girl next to her, who was gaping at her with that same twinkle in her eyes from before.

“That was.. That was just.. wow. I’ve never seen someone so passionate about, well, anything before. It was amazing.” The girl stated, a look of adoration presenting itself on her face.

“Well, why live your life without passion, you know? Dulling yourself down won’t make you happy in the long run. Like, if you have to be lowkey around the people that are the most important to you, are you really living? ”

“Are you saying I’m important to you?” She asked, teasingly.

'You have no idea,’ Lauren thought.

-

A/N: Thank you all so much for reading! I’m still trying to figure out what the heck I’m doing so thank you all for bearing with me! I’m trying to keep this story as disgustingly cute as possible because I enjoy the fluff so much. I hastily proofread this so I apologize for any mistakes!

If you guys have any suggestions or anything you want to see happen in the story let me know! Also I might start taking oneshot suggestions so if you have anything you wanna see, message me and I’ll give it a try when I’ve got a minute!

Have a great day and I love you all ❤️

-Katie

 (As always, you can find my story on wattpad here)

[adventuresaroundasia]

That’s right, yours truly did a full-on Hoi An photoshoot with a professional photographer. Thankfully despite my initial fear of being super awkward, it was actually amazing!

I think we all know that I’m not an Instagram model that sets up elaborate photoshoots wherever I go. While I like to get a few photos here and there, I don’t bring a tripod, plan my outfits (hence, why I’m wearing the same 3 outfits in half my Instagram photos), or wear makeup because I’ll just sweat it off.

But I’ve really been wanting to get some great travel photos in Hoi An for some time now, so when Jim Grootes of Circular Media posted in an expat group looking for some models for his new photography business website, I hesitantly volunteered.

I’m not a model but… never hurts to ask right?

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I’m Not a Model Okay?

The one time I tried out to be a “model” for a backyard BBQ photoshoot in China featuring “German looking people”, they hired me… to be an English teacher to their Chinese staff. Yep, the one time I tried to be a model they hired me as an English teacher. Hey, at least it was a lucrative job!

I’m pretty used to people looking for non-models be in photos, only to have them turn me down for being too short and curvy. That’s why I was actually surprised when Jim jumped at the chance to do a photoshoot with me!

It turns out Jim was a professional wedding photographer back in the Netherlands and was looking to create a business and client base in Hoi An and Danang. Non-models like me were precisely who he was looking for.

Hoi An Vibes Only

Why I Wanted to do a Hoi An Photoshoot

I’ve been wanting (and needing) nice photos of myself for my blog and social media for a long time. But I hate forcing Chris to take them for me, and let’s be real, I’m usually sweaty and gross every time we go anywhere.

In addition to being perpetually damp whenever I go out, I also get a little awkward in front of the camera. I have no idea what to do with my hands, and I also dislike most “candid” photos of myself because I’m typically posed in a very unflattering way.

I’ve watched some Youtube videos on how to position myself for photos, but I still feel super uncomfortable and I hate that I can’t see myself on the camera when I’m posing.

I realized what I really needed to do was book a photoshoot with a professional photographer. I wanted someone who could give me direction, tell me how to pose, and produce some great quality photos to use for my website.

Thankfully Jim Grootes did exactly that, and it was awesome.

Health and Body Image: Celebrating My Hard Work

Many of you know I’ve been working really hard on improving my health and nutrition. In Beijing, I had a desk job from 10-7 with a 45-minute subway commute each way every day. I sat at a desk all day and ate out for most meals, which in Beijing means large portions and a lot of oil.

I went from eating a lot of fish and veggies in Ningbo to noodles, meat, bread, and oil in Beijing. Instead of having a glass of wine before salsa dancing in Ningbo, I switched to craft beer and sitting in Beijing. My hobbies morphed from dancing 3-5 days a week to trying to squeeze in 30 minutes on the treadmill during my lunch breaks.

Slowly but surely over the 2.5 years, I lived there, I gained a bunch of weight and no longer felt comfortable in my own body. None of my clothes fit, I didn’t like photos of myself, I had no energy, and I constantly felt puffy and sluggish.

Healthy Changes in Hoi An

Over the last year, I’ve made some major changes. Now I keep track of what I eat and try to get in four servings of vegetables a day. I measure out my portions and cook most of my meals, and I understand what’s healthy and what to eat in moderation. Finally, I also cut down on my alcohol consumption a lot.

I’ve gotten very into fun exercise with my Latin dance workout videos and 3x weekly strength training at the gym! I may not be as thin as I was in my early 20’s, but I don’t think I’ve ever been this healthy in my ENTIRE LIFE.

Since I’ve been working so hard on improving my health and fitness, it was great to celebrate all of my hard work with a photo shoot. The best word I can use to describe my experience is: empowering. I felt beautiful, comfortable in my own body, and happy to celebrate all the hard work and effort I’ve put into creating a healthier lifestyle for myself.

Working with Jim Grootes From Circular Media

I made it super clear to Jim that I’m definitely not a professional model, and I’m going to need a ton of direction. I have approximately 3 poses I know will (probably) look good, and that’s about it.

Thankfully, Jim was great at making me feel comfortable. If something looked awkward he’d tell me. If I was slouching too much, my hands were weird, or my angle was unflattering, he’d let me know! The direction he gave me definitely made me feel much more confident. I knew he’d tell me if something looked bad, so I had a fun time experimenting with different poses and shots.

Jim’s girlfriend Yến Nguyễn was also really amazing during the shoot. Not only did she carry my purse the ENTIRE time, but she also paid very close attention to the fact that I was sweating off all my makeup, dabbing me with tissues and even reapplying makeup that she brought from home halfway through the shoot!

The yellow walls in Hoi An!

Why Hoi An is Perfect For a Photoshoot

If you want to get amazing travel, family, or couples photos on your trip to Vietnam, I couldn’t think of a better place than Hoi An. The most obvious place to take photos is in Hoi An Old Town. With all the lanterns, cute cafes, yellow walls, little alleys, the river, decorated shops and more, you’ll literally never run out of good places to take photos.

Hoi An is also home to beautiful rice fields and stunning villas right on the many rivers. So if you’re looking for beautiful outdoorsy photos in a more natural environment, the Anh Mi rice fields or one of the many beautiful river villas could be a perfect choice.

You have no idea how much I was sweating here…

Hoi An Photoshoot Challenges

That said, there are some things to be aware of if you are trying to get beautiful photos in Hoi An. Firstly, the sun and heat can be very intense, especially in the summer months (June, July, August). I did my photoshoot at the end of July and man it was HOT. We started at around 9 am to avoid the heat, but even then I was SO SWEATY.

Seriously, in Hoi An I pretty much never wear makeup or a real bra before 6 pm because I just can’t deal with the heat. Not only did all of my makeup sweat and streak during the shoot, but my bra was also literally soaking wet when I took it off. (You’re welcome for that TMI).

To avoid the sun, I usually go out in the evenings. But starting around 5 pm Hoi An’s old town gets CROWDED with busses of tourists coming to see the old town lanterns light up at night, and to release floating lanterns into the river (wonder who collects all the trash from them….?).

So basically the optimal time to do a photo shoot is between 6-8 am, but who really wants to wake up that early? Aside from the sweat, we managed to get some great photos by hiding in the shade from the trees and shop buildings.

Where to Take Photos in Hoi An Old Town

While we wandered around a lot of Hoi An’s Old Town, there are a few spots I really loved!

The Tiny Yellow Alley

To be honest, I have no idea where EXACTLY this is, so you’ll have to wander around a little until you find it. It’s a super tight alley with yellow walls on both sides. Of course, there will probably be someone taking a photo here when you arrive. I just know it’s somewhat near 92 Station on the opposite side of the road.

92 Station Restaurant and Cafe

All of the amazing photos from the balcony are shot here! Go to the 3rd floor for an incredible view with rooves in the background. The roof of 92 Station has a terrace, but it’s a bit bright and much harder to get good shots up there.

Sunday Hoi An!

SUNDAY in Hoi An

This shop is extremely cute and has a little covered patio area painted pink with the “Hoi An Vibes Only” text that you see all over Instagram. Most people think this is a random cafe, but it’s actually a store. You’re welcome.

Grab a Bicycle

Take your bicycle, or grab a random stranger’s parked bicycle like I did. Hoi An is famous for bicycles, so use one as a prop!

This berry dress went well with yellow, pink, and brown/blue!

What to Wear For Your Hoi An Photoshoot

If you’re going to book a photographer in Hoi An (or take a ton of photos yourself for Instagram), I highly suggest figuring out what you’re going to actually wear so that your photos turn out well.

Firstly, you want to wear something that makes you feel comfortable and beautiful (or handsome!). Part of the reason I chose this red dress is that I love how flattering it is on my body shape. You’ll also want to consider that it will probably be HOT so wear some breathable summer clothes!

The main thing you’ll really want to consider is color. Hoi An has a lot of yellow walls with bright green vegetation and some dark pink bougavelia flowers. Ideally, you’ll pick a color that pops against yellow. That said, all of my favorite photos actually the ones on the balcony with all the greens, pinks and browns. I just feel like yellow is not the best color for my skin tone!

92 Station in Hoi An

My favorite colors for a Hoi An Old Town photoshoot are definitely berry or blue. I think the A. Byer dress I have is pretty perfect. But if you’re looking for more options, here are a few dresses I love!

DB Moon TShirt Dress (in light blue or white)

Azalouise Wrap Dress (in blue, light blue, or red bean would be perfect!)

KILIG Halter Neck Dress (Floral E and Floral F are my faves!)

ZESICA Bohemian Wrap Dress (any of these would look amazing)

Booking Your Own Hoi An Photoshoot

Jim is an experienced wedding photographer from the Netherlands who now runs a photography business in Danang and Hoi An. While he specializes in wedding photos, he does amazing travel photos as well.

If you’re looking to book a photoshoot with Jim, be sure to contact him through his website, or through Facebook.

Get incredible photos from your vacation or wedding so you can remember your time in Hoi An forever!

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What Do You Think?

Have you ever booked a photoshoot while traveling? How did it go? Are you thinking about booking a shoot in Hoi An? Leave me a comment below and I’ll be sure to get back to you ASAP!

Who’s getting their photos taken in Hoi An?!

My Hoi An Photoshoot: How to Take Awesome Photos in Hoi An That's right, yours truly did a full-on Hoi An photoshoot with a professional photographer. Thankfully despite my initial fear of being super awkward, it was actually amazing!