I would also like to add a Friends List module and Photo Album module to the left hand side under the News Feed Module.

You can assign these module in this custom-position es-dashboard-sidebar-before-newsfeeds.

I would also like to disable the Custom Filters module. Does that do anything?

It seems like currently we do not have setting to turn it off, perhaps you can try apply these following css code into your custom css file.

#es .es-side-widget[data-type="custom-filters"] {

	display: none !important;

}

JoomlaFolder/templates/protostar/html/com_easysocial/css/custom.css

Hey Arlex thank you for your reply.
Can you please send me a print screen for the "custom-position es-dashboard-sidebar-before-newsfeeds" as i am not sure where that option is.

Also with the custom filter, what is it supposed to do, what is the benefit for the members?
thanks

You're welcome Ben

Can you please send me a print screen for the "custom-position es-dashboard-sidebar-before-newsfeeds" as i am not sure where that option is.

Maybe you can watch my video here : http://take.ms/ihsIL so you will probably know how to display your module on Easysocial custom position area.

Also with the custom filter, what is it supposed to do, what is the benefit for the members?
thanks

The purpose of custom filtering is allow user to add some desired hashtag as what they interesting to looking for.
For example: if other user submit some new stream on your site and contain those hashtag, these stream will appear on your custom filtering.