• August 02, 2021
• Lifestyle

Life On Film

 

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I’m often asked about my editing process when it comes to my images, and in a recent Instagram poll, lots of you said this is something you'd like to see from me, so today I thought I'd share with you just that! Now, just a word of warning, I'm not a photographer or professional editor, these are simply my go-to tricks for editing my images for Instagram and here on my blog. It's simple, quick and works for me!

I love a very minimal edit, but I also love having my staple app presets and ideas to use when it comes to editing. I'm a phone editor, you see, (photoshop experts look away now haha), and pretty much always have been. Since my images are mostly seen via phone, I like to use apps to create my desired effect, so that I know exactly how it will perceived when it comes to sharing them online. 

The process of editing for me is super fun. I love watching an image transform, and playing around with different tones and exposures. It's like seeing my work come to life in the matter of minutes and that's really exciting for me. 

To start with I'll take you through the image capturing process. 

Most of the time these days I shoot the majority of my content on my camera, the Canon 6D Mark ii. It's the best investment I've made since doing this job and I couldn't be happier with the kind of content it's able to produce in comparison to previous cameras I've used. Saying that though, you don't need an amazing camera to create an amazing image. Sometimes I shoot simply from my phone, the Google Pixel 4XL, and can still capture an equally wonderful image. 

Lighting is a key factor in the process however. For me, I love natural light. I have a big bedroom window and love to shoot a lot of my content inside, so this has been the situation I've worked with from day one. I love the way natural light works with my editing process, especially when it comes to self-portraits. I don't like my images to look too harsh and much prefer a softer, natural vibe. 

Framing is super important to me when capturing an image. Depending on the focal point of the image I like to shoot from different angles and different depths. A wider angle is great for outfit photos and flatlays. I like to be able to crop into an image and allow room for different details. I like a wider frame too when it comes to posting on Instagram, to ensure things aren't cut out from the 4:5 image crop. I prefer a more close-up shot when I'm shooting jewellery details and beauty-portraits. I like to be able to capture finer details like eyelashes, freckles and make up or intricate designs when it comes to jewellery.

I self-shoot the majority of my work, meaning a tripod and remote can come in super handy when shooting my self-portraits and outfit images. Most of the time I'll use a timer on my Canon and focus the camera on my hand or have my mum stand in before shooting to ensure the focus is correct, whilst, when it comes to shooting on my phone, using a blue-tooth remote makes photographing alone much easier. 

Onto the good stuff now, the editing process.

I have several go-to apps for editing, a few of which make my images what they are with their amazing filters and presets, but it all comes down to doing those little tweaks and perfecting what works well for you and your images too.

VSCO

VSCO is a long time favourite app of mine. Does anyone remember the days where we actually used to plan our Instagram feeds on there? Wild! Previously, I would solely edit via this app and often still do for quick story snaps and things. 

The beauty of this app is that it is so easy to use. There's so many filter options to choose from and it's great for adjusting things like the exposure of an image or the clarity. It's amazing for editing more than one image in one go too, as you're able to copy and paste edits really easily. My go-to on here is the A6 preset. It's adds a really nice soft, warm tone to an image whilst also adding in a really nice contrast, perfect for self portraits.

I also love this app for adjusting the crop or frame of an image. I love using the 'skew' option to adjust any off-centre images and ensure they're straight and there's the option to crop to 4:5 on here too, which is great for Instagram images.

I usually begin by adding this filter (A6 +6.0) before moving onto the next app, Tezza!

Tezza

I absolutely adore Tezza. I love the presets it offers and again, it's so easy to use. I'll often head straight to Tezza for editing as adding one of the presets on this app really transforms an image and I think that's amazing if you're looking for a quick edit! It's great for copying and pasting edits too!

 

INSPR is my go-to preset on Tezza. It's great for creating a soft and creamy look, whilst also keeping with the neutral tones that I love to have in my images. I'll usually adjust the exposure and tweak the HSL in here too, to get the correct tones.

I will normally add Tezza filter INSPR (+20) on top of VSCO filter (A6 +6.0) to create my desired preset.

Lightroom

If you're not one for presets but simply want something to tweak things like temperature and clarity in an image, Lightroom is amazing. I love using Lightroom to create more clarity in my images by increasing the noise reduction and adding sharpness, as well as adjusting the tones and temperature. 

It has the option to correct the optics of an image, which is perfect if you're image hasn't come out quite right. You can enter which camera you use and it'll adjust the image accordingly - the lens corrections can be a life saver!

Snapseed

Whether it's a spot that my concealer wouldn't cover or an annoying thing in the background that I'm just not vibing with, Snapseed is here to save the day!

I love Snapseed's healing tool to erase any unwanted details. It can sometimes take a few tries to get it right if it's really obstructing the image, but is totally worth it for the outcome (I'm sure photoshop users have a much easier way though haha).

I also really love the selective feature, which allows you focus in on certain areas of the image and adjust things like the saturation and structure. I always tend to reduce the structure in the background of my images for a softer look and de-saturate any unwanted bold colours!

With the photo above, I actually really liked the original un-edited image, but the tones didn't quite work with the rest of my images and, especially when posting to Instagram, I like my images to feel and look cohesive. I really love the softer look the 'After' image has and the way the backdrop looks a little less harsh in comparison to the original.

Edits: VSCO Filter A6 +6.0, Tezza Filter INSPR +20, Exposure +5, Contrast -10, Orange HSL Hue +0.2, Cropped to 4:5

I think image editing is such a personal process. It's about figuring out what catches your eye, what makes the image special to you or unique to you and your 'brand'. For me, I know I love neutral tones and a minimal style, but you could love bold colours and exaggerated contrast! It's all personal and I love seeing different people's editing styles.

I really hope you've enjoyed this little insight into how I edit my images anyway, and I hope you have fun experimenting and editing your own images too!

• July 26, 2021
• Lifestyle

How I Edit My Images

 

I’m often asked about my editing process when it comes to my images, and in a recent Instagram poll, lots of you said this is something you'd like to see from me, so today I thought I'd share with you just that! Now, just a word of warning, I'm not a photographer or professional editor, these are simply my go-to tricks for editing my images for Instagram and here on my blog. It's simple, quick and works for me!

I love a very minimal edit, but I also love having my staple app presets and ideas to use when it comes to editing. I'm a phone editor, you see, (photoshop experts look away now haha), and pretty much always have been. Since my images are mostly seen via phone, I like to use apps to create my desired effect, so that I know exactly how it will perceived when it comes to sharing them online. 

The process of editing for me is super fun. I love watching an image transform, and playing around with different tones and exposures. It's like seeing my work come to life in the matter of minutes and that's really exciting for me. 

To start with I'll take you through the image capturing process. 

Most of the time these days I shoot the majority of my content on my camera, the Canon 6D Mark ii. It's the best investment I've made since doing this job and I couldn't be happier with the kind of content it's able to produce in comparison to previous cameras I've used. Saying that though, you don't need an amazing camera to create an amazing image. Sometimes I shoot simply from my phone, the Google Pixel 4XL, and can still capture an equally wonderful image. 

Lighting is a key factor in the process however. For me, I love natural light. I have a big bedroom window and love to shoot a lot of my content inside, so this has been the situation I've worked with from day one. I love the way natural light works with my editing process, especially when it comes to self-portraits. I don't like my images to look too harsh and much prefer a softer, natural vibe. 

Framing is super important to me when capturing an image. Depending on the focal point of the image I like to shoot from different angles and different depths. A wider angle is great for outfit photos and flatlays. I like to be able to crop into an image and allow room for different details. I like a wider frame too when it comes to posting on Instagram, to ensure things aren't cut out from the 4:5 image crop. I prefer a more close-up shot when I'm shooting jewellery details and beauty-portraits. I like to be able to capture finer details like eyelashes, freckles and make up or intricate designs when it comes to jewellery.

I self-shoot the majority of my work, meaning a tripod and remote can come in super handy when shooting my self-portraits and outfit images. Most of the time I'll use a timer on my Canon and focus the camera on my hand or have my mum stand in before shooting to ensure the focus is correct, whilst, when it comes to shooting on my phone, using a blue-tooth remote makes photographing alone much easier. 

Onto the good stuff now, the editing process.

I have several go-to apps for editing, a few of which make my images what they are with their amazing filters and presets, but it all comes down to doing those little tweaks and perfecting what works well for you and your images too.

VSCO

VSCO is a long time favourite app of mine. Does anyone remember the days where we actually used to plan our Instagram feeds on there? Wild! Previously, I would solely edit via this app and often still do for quick story snaps and things. 

The beauty of this app is that it is so easy to use. There's so many filter options to choose from and it's great for adjusting things like the exposure of an image or the clarity. It's amazing for editing more than one image in one go too, as you're able to copy and paste edits really easily. My go-to on here is the A6 preset. It's adds a really nice soft, warm tone to an image whilst also adding in a really nice contrast, perfect for self portraits.

I also love this app for adjusting the crop or frame of an image. I love using the 'skew' option to adjust any off-centre images and ensure they're straight and there's the option to crop to 4:5 on here too, which is great for Instagram images.

I usually begin by adding this filter (A6 +6.0) before moving onto the next app, Tezza!

Tezza

I absolutely adore Tezza. I love the presets it offers and again, it's so easy to use. I'll often head straight to Tezza for editing as adding one of the presets on this app really transforms an image and I think that's amazing if you're looking for a quick edit! It's great for copying and pasting edits too!

 

INSPR is my go-to preset on Tezza. It's great for creating a soft and creamy look, whilst also keeping with the neutral tones that I love to have in my images. I'll usually adjust the exposure and tweak the HSL in here too, to get the correct tones.

I will normally add Tezza filter INSPR (+20) on top of VSCO filter (A6 +6.0) to create my desired preset.

Lightroom

If you're not one for presets but simply want something to tweak things like temperature and clarity in an image, Lightroom is amazing. I love using Lightroom to create more clarity in my images by increasing the noise reduction and adding sharpness, as well as adjusting the tones and temperature. 

It has the option to correct the optics of an image, which is perfect if you're image hasn't come out quite right. You can enter which camera you use and it'll adjust the image accordingly - the lens corrections can be a life saver!

Snapseed

Whether it's a spot that my concealer wouldn't cover or an annoying thing in the background that I'm just not vibing with, Snapseed is here to save the day!

I love Snapseed's healing tool to erase any unwanted details. It can sometimes take a few tries to get it right if it's really obstructing the image, but is totally worth it for the outcome (I'm sure photoshop users have a much easier way though haha).

I also really love the selective feature, which allows you focus in on certain areas of the image and adjust things like the saturation and structure. I always tend to reduce the structure in the background of my images for a softer look and de-saturate any unwanted bold colours!

With the photo above, I actually really liked the original un-edited image, but the tones didn't quite work with the rest of my images and, especially when posting to Instagram, I like my images to feel and look cohesive. I really love the softer look the 'After' image has and the way the backdrop looks a little less harsh in comparison to the original.

Edits: VSCO Filter A6 +6.0, Tezza Filter INSPR +20, Exposure +5, Contrast -10, Orange HSL Hue +0.2, Cropped to 4:5

I think image editing is such a personal process. It's about figuring out what catches your eye, what makes the image special to you or unique to you and your 'brand'. For me, I know I love neutral tones and a minimal style, but you could love bold colours and exaggerated contrast! It's all personal and I love seeing different people's editing styles.

I really hope you've enjoyed this little insight into how I edit my images anyway, and I hope you have fun experimenting and editing your own images too!

Read more »

 

I was having a chat recently with a friend, talking about the way that there are some jewellery pieces that simply just feel a part of you... you know, those pieces you never take off, the pieces you can't leave the house without, the pieces that just feel so 'you' that they're integral to your daily, getting-ready, routine?

I have so many jewellery pieces in my life that I love, from so many beautiful and amazing brands too, however, there are certain pieces that I just can't help but gravitate towards when it comes to putting together my day-to-day looks. 

So, today I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite go-to brands for jewellery, as well as some of my favourites from them, and maybe it'll inspire you to add something special to your daily, getting-ready, routine too!

Daisy Jewellery is one of my absolute favourites when it comes to jewellery. They were the brand that really got me into making jewellery part of my day-to-day wear. I fell in love with their classic and yet intricately designed pieces and as soon as I began wearing their pieces I couldn't stop. One of my all time go-to's are their Stacked Rope Charm Earrings - whenever I need a simple pair of earrings that can go with any outfit, any day, and that can even survive me sleeping and showering in them, I grab these!

Astrid & Miyu are a brand I was quite recently introduced to. I'd heard so much about them but never had the chance to try out their pieces until I was kindly asked to work on a super fun campaign with them. Once again, I was completely hooked! I wear one of their necklaces daily and really love their Rope Charm Hoops for day-to-day wear too. Their designs have this great mixture of bold, but classic, which I adore! 

Sun & Day kindly worked with me last year during lockdown and gifted me some of their pieces. Their Glass Tear Drop Earrings are the ones I always reach for when I'm trying to jazz-up a look a little bit and I also love the details on them too - they've got this textured detail on the hoop, which is so so nice! It's great to shop smaller, independent brands when it comes to jewellery - you can find such unique and beautiful designs that way!

Missoma are a brand that I just adore. I received one of their necklaces as a Christmas gift from my parents a year or so ago, and I've basically worn it every day ever since! The quality is so amazing and I love the beautiful simplicity and yet boldness of the designs - just beautiful! I've been eyeing up so many pieces from them lately!

The list goes on really! There are so many amazing brands, with so many amazing pieces to choose from to create your collection, so if you'd like to check out even more brands, I'll leave that list below!

• Mejuri
• Estella Bartlett
• Kurious Studio
• Mahnal
• A Weathered Penny

• May 30, 2021
• Fashion

Go-To Jewellery Brands For The Perfect Day-To-Day Pieces

 

I was having a chat recently with a friend, talking about the way that there are some jewellery pieces that simply just feel a part of you... you know, those pieces you never take off, the pieces you can't leave the house without, the pieces that just feel so 'you' that they're integral to your daily, getting-ready, routine?

I have so many jewellery pieces in my life that I love, from so many beautiful and amazing brands too, however, there are certain pieces that I just can't help but gravitate towards when it comes to putting together my day-to-day looks. 

So, today I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite go-to brands for jewellery, as well as some of my favourites from them, and maybe it'll inspire you to add something special to your daily, getting-ready, routine too!

Daisy Jewellery is one of my absolute favourites when it comes to jewellery. They were the brand that really got me into making jewellery part of my day-to-day wear. I fell in love with their classic and yet intricately designed pieces and as soon as I began wearing their pieces I couldn't stop. One of my all time go-to's are their Stacked Rope Charm Earrings - whenever I need a simple pair of earrings that can go with any outfit, any day, and that can even survive me sleeping and showering in them, I grab these!

Astrid & Miyu are a brand I was quite recently introduced to. I'd heard so much about them but never had the chance to try out their pieces until I was kindly asked to work on a super fun campaign with them. Once again, I was completely hooked! I wear one of their necklaces daily and really love their Rope Charm Hoops for day-to-day wear too. Their designs have this great mixture of bold, but classic, which I adore! 

Sun & Day kindly worked with me last year during lockdown and gifted me some of their pieces. Their Glass Tear Drop Earrings are the ones I always reach for when I'm trying to jazz-up a look a little bit and I also love the details on them too - they've got this textured detail on the hoop, which is so so nice! It's great to shop smaller, independent brands when it comes to jewellery - you can find such unique and beautiful designs that way!

Missoma are a brand that I just adore. I received one of their necklaces as a Christmas gift from my parents a year or so ago, and I've basically worn it every day ever since! The quality is so amazing and I love the beautiful simplicity and yet boldness of the designs - just beautiful! I've been eyeing up so many pieces from them lately!

The list goes on really! There are so many amazing brands, with so many amazing pieces to choose from to create your collection, so if you'd like to check out even more brands, I'll leave that list below!

• Mejuri
• Estella Bartlett
• Kurious Studio
• Mahnal
• A Weathered Penny

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So we've all seen that photo, right? The one where Kendall Jenner is wearing the most perfect, model off-duty, look, consisting of a simple white shirt, tee, some amazing trousers, belt and beautiful black sandals... If you haven't, then take a look here. But, oh my, I am just obsessed with it (I think we all are!)

Given that I spent a while drooling over the images of it, and just imagining myself ever looking so effortlessly chic, I thought 1. I'd try and recreate it myself (as you can see above, and yes, it's no where near the level of 'cool' that Kendall gives off haha) and 2. share some pieces with you so that you can recreate the look too!

I've compiled a small bunch of pieces that I think work perfectly to recreate the look - from high end to the more 'budget' end of the spectrum - so hopefully there's something here that inspires you make your own 'Kendall Jenner Look'!

*scroll down to shop*

Shirts:

Tees:

Trousers:

Shoes:

 

• May 23, 2021
• Fashion

The Kendall Jenner Outfit

So we've all seen that photo, right? The one where Kendall Jenner is wearing the most perfect, model off-duty, look, consisting of a simple white shirt, tee, some amazing trousers, belt and beautiful black sandals... If you haven't, then take a look here. But, oh my, I am just obsessed with it (I think we all are!)

Given that I spent a while drooling over the images of it, and just imagining myself ever looking so effortlessly chic, I thought 1. I'd try and recreate it myself (as you can see above, and yes, it's no where near the level of 'cool' that Kendall gives off haha) and 2. share some pieces with you so that you can recreate the look too!

I've compiled a small bunch of pieces that I think work perfectly to recreate the look - from high end to the more 'budget' end of the spectrum - so hopefully there's something here that inspires you make your own 'Kendall Jenner Look'!

*scroll down to shop*

Shirts:

Tees:

Trousers:

Shoes:

 

Read more »

Hello everyone, and happy bank holiday weekend! Today's post isn't going to be a wordy one, but I did want to share with you some of my favourite shirt-dress finds, to hopefully inspire some new picks for your S/S wardrobes this year. We all know I love a shirt and I also love a good dress, so the combination of the two is perfect for me. 

I was recently sent some gorgeous pieces by Sandro, including this lovely dress pictured above. It's just so perfect for those sunshiney days, strolling through the city (which I'm hoping we'll have more of soon *crosses fingers*). So, with this dress in mind, I thought I'd share some of my recent finds with you all so that you can get the look too!

Happy Shopping!

DRESS - SANDRO [GIFTED]

• May 01, 2021
• Fashion

The Shirt Dress Edit

Hello everyone, and happy bank holiday weekend! Today's post isn't going to be a wordy one, but I did want to share with you some of my favourite shirt-dress finds, to hopefully inspire some new picks for your S/S wardrobes this year. We all know I love a shirt and I also love a good dress, so the combination of the two is perfect for me. 

I was recently sent some gorgeous pieces by Sandro, including this lovely dress pictured above. It's just so perfect for those sunshiney days, strolling through the city (which I'm hoping we'll have more of soon *crosses fingers*). So, with this dress in mind, I thought I'd share some of my recent finds with you all so that you can get the look too!

Happy Shopping!

DRESS - SANDRO [GIFTED]

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Last week was the time we've all been waiting for - it was the thing we'd been daydreaming about, planning for and wishing lockdown away over. Restrictions lifted and we were all able to escape our homes for the first time since Christmas, hallelujah!

I hadn't really planned much for that first week of freedom... to be honest, I was feeling a little apprehensive about the whole thing. The idea of heading back into normality was an odd idea after being stuck in the same day-to-day routine for months on end. I think we all began to feel that way as the 12th edged nearer and nearer, a lot of us unsure of how to ease ourselves back into things, but a week later, looking back at that first week of normality, I'm so glad I got myself out and about and enjoying the little things again.

SHOES - CHARLES & KEITH [GIFTED]

BLOUSE - AUGUSTE [GIFTED] / TROUSERS - AUGUSTE [GIFTED]

I made plans with friends, catching up after months apart, had drinks in the sunshine and finally got to head back into my favourite place, Manchester. It was really nice to feel like things had almost never changed. I'd missed laughing with my pals and seeing somewhere other than the four walls of my bedroom, and we luckily got to have some lovely sunshine to accompany it all too. 

I mean, I still fully believe we've all got to take things at our own pace. If you're not keen on heading out just yet, there's no pressure too. I know that I definitely need some time at home to recoup from the excitement and just the change in my 'new normal' routine. I've got a couple of nice things planned for this week, but I'm still looking forward to my days WFH and being able to put my PJs on whenever I want!

It's just nice to feel like things are finally moving forward in a positive way. I'm excited to see what Summer brings and to potentially wave goodbye to lockdowns altogether. 

Shop the look:

• April 19, 2021
• Lifestyle

Lockdown Lifted

Last week was the time we've all been waiting for - it was the thing we'd been daydreaming about, planning for and wishing lockdown away over. Restrictions lifted and we were all able to escape our homes for the first time since Christmas, hallelujah!

I hadn't really planned much for that first week of freedom... to be honest, I was feeling a little apprehensive about the whole thing. The idea of heading back into normality was an odd idea after being stuck in the same day-to-day routine for months on end. I think we all began to feel that way as the 12th edged nearer and nearer, a lot of us unsure of how to ease ourselves back into things, but a week later, looking back at that first week of normality, I'm so glad I got myself out and about and enjoying the little things again.

SHOES - CHARLES & KEITH [GIFTED]

BLOUSE - AUGUSTE [GIFTED] / TROUSERS - AUGUSTE [GIFTED]

I made plans with friends, catching up after months apart, had drinks in the sunshine and finally got to head back into my favourite place, Manchester. It was really nice to feel like things had almost never changed. I'd missed laughing with my pals and seeing somewhere other than the four walls of my bedroom, and we luckily got to have some lovely sunshine to accompany it all too. 

I mean, I still fully believe we've all got to take things at our own pace. If you're not keen on heading out just yet, there's no pressure too. I know that I definitely need some time at home to recoup from the excitement and just the change in my 'new normal' routine. I've got a couple of nice things planned for this week, but I'm still looking forward to my days WFH and being able to put my PJs on whenever I want!

It's just nice to feel like things are finally moving forward in a positive way. I'm excited to see what Summer brings and to potentially wave goodbye to lockdowns altogether. 

Shop the look:

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I'm a homebody at heart. I love evenings in, candles lit, snug PJs on and a series set up and ready to hit play on Netflix. The last year has made me really appreciate those moments of relaxing- those moments of taking time for myself and settling down from a busy day, but it's also made me really appreciate feeling put-together and good about myself, even when I am simply at home in my PJs and not really doing a lot. 

I think we all saw the surge in popularity of loungewear sets over the last year - we all wanted to feel put-together even when remaining relaxed (and let's face it, sometimes lazy) at home all day. I love to think of my comfies as their own little outfit now - something that's comfortable yet still makes me feel good even when I'm covered in biscuit crumbs and on my 98th episode of Ru Paul's Drag Race.

PJ SET - MEEKA [GIFTED]

Today I thought I'd share with you some Spring PJ sets/loungewear that have caught my eye - pieces that give you that fabulous feeling, yet are the perfect thing to sit back and relax in. I mean, we all wanted to look as put-together as Blair Waldorf lounging around in her nightwear when we were watching Gossip Girl, right? 

Hopefully there's something here that catches your eye and can be a lovely addition to your evening routine to make you feel good through Spring/Summer!

ROBE - MOON CANOPY [GIFTED]

Shop the edit:

• April 10, 2021
• Fashion

The Spring PJs

 

I'm a homebody at heart. I love evenings in, candles lit, snug PJs on and a series set up and ready to hit play on Netflix. The last year has made me really appreciate those moments of relaxing- those moments of taking time for myself and settling down from a busy day, but it's also made me really appreciate feeling put-together and good about myself, even when I am simply at home in my PJs and not really doing a lot. 

I think we all saw the surge in popularity of loungewear sets over the last year - we all wanted to feel put-together even when remaining relaxed (and let's face it, sometimes lazy) at home all day. I love to think of my comfies as their own little outfit now - something that's comfortable yet still makes me feel good even when I'm covered in biscuit crumbs and on my 98th episode of Ru Paul's Drag Race.

PJ SET - MEEKA [GIFTED]

Today I thought I'd share with you some Spring PJ sets/loungewear that have caught my eye - pieces that give you that fabulous feeling, yet are the perfect thing to sit back and relax in. I mean, we all wanted to look as put-together as Blair Waldorf lounging around in her nightwear when we were watching Gossip Girl, right? 

Hopefully there's something here that catches your eye and can be a lovely addition to your evening routine to make you feel good through Spring/Summer!

ROBE - MOON CANOPY [GIFTED]

Shop the edit:

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