Devin Cooper

Another thing to try: if your kitchen outlets have the little Test/Reset buttons (GFCI) press Reset - those trip easily and make appliances seem dead so yeah make sure the jar and lid are twisted fully into their locked positions until they click; many newer blenders won’t power on if they’re even slightly misaligned. Unplug the blender for a full minute to clear any safety lockout and then plug back in, flip any main power switch, and if it has a speed knob turn it off of “Off” before pressing Start.

Big yes to the 35/1.8 on APS-C for indoors but to get that pro blur with a 50/1.8, put your subject several feet from the background, step back a bit, and shoot around f/2–f/2.2 at 1/160 or faster. Use single-point AF and place it on the near eye instead of focus-recompose, which easily misses at wide apertures. If budget is tight, grab the Nikon AF-S 35/1.8 DX or Canon 50/1.8 STM used and spend a little leftover on a small reflector or a lens hood for cleaner and punchier portraits.

A lens hood does more for both physical protection and flare control than a UV filter so use it by default. If you still want protection, pick a clear multi‑coated filter; UV is redundant on digital and can add flare, and don’t stack it with a CPL. For the polarizer, get a slim, multi‑coated version and consider a step‑up ring so one filter fits multiple lenses. Polarization is strongest about 90 degrees from the sun, so expect uneven skies on ultra‑wide shots and adjust rotation or framing accordingly.

We've got a similar setup in our two-story place, and finding a monitor that holds the signal through walls and floors was key for us but then look for ones rated for at least 1000 feet of range, that way you've got room to spare even if you're in the kitchen or basement. that model is a must for that extra reassurance, especially with night vision so you can check on the little one without turning on lights. We aimed for something under $100 too, and battery life around 12-18 hr keeps it portable without constant charging. Works great. Reliability comes down to non-WiFi connections sometimes and they seem steadier in bigger homes. Just test it out in your space if you can, return policies are helpful for that.

Treat your portfolio like our chaotic family photo drive and you will stay sane. Make one master folder with a naming pattern and a single doc that tracks every artifact, date, method, who you talked to, and the punchline. Keep a spreadsheet for outreach and applications with columns for status and next action, then actually update it so you do not double text people. Version your case studies like V1, V2, and stash old drafts in an Archive folder so you can steal good lines later. To avoid job drama, put all work on your personal laptop, do sessions at lunch or after hours, and keep your calendar honest with holds that say focus time.