Instagram Photography

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, my loves! I was trying to think of something different that I could post today instead of an outfit and I decided to share some of my tips for taking photos on Instagram.  I’ve mentioned how I recently upgraded my lenses and lately I have been getting questions about how I shoot my images.  I’ve already done two different posts on how I edit my pics and the things that I do to create a cohesive feed. You can check those out here and here. I’ve actually changed some things since then in terms of my feed. I still love the idea of keeping things cohesive as I think it looks so beautiful aesthetically, but I am starting to switch it up a little and I love the new direction I am taking with it. 🙂

I am not a professional photographer by any means, but I have really formed a love of
photography. It might sound silly, but I feel like Instagram pushes me to be more creative. Sometimes coming up with new ideas can be challenging, but I love posting a variety and this helps me to do that. I think I make improvements every time. The non outfit/blog photos that I post to Instagram are usually taken with my Olympus Pen E-PL7 and now with the 25mm lens. Before, I was using the generic lens that came with the camera.  Now obviously not everyone has a camera and that is totally OK. You do not need all of this professional equipment to capture beautiful images.  You can still take great photos with your iPhone and make them look even more beautiful with different editing apps.  I was doing that for years until I got this camera last fall for my birthday and now I am just obsessed with it and the quality of photos that it takes. The 25mm lens was seriously such a great purchase. I personally love the bokeh (blurred background) so for me, it’s just personal preference that I use this camera to shoot my images majority of the time. Regardless of what you use, here are some tips to help you with your Instagram photos!

Lighting

When it comes to taking photos, lighting is everything. I prefer natural light, but
unfortunately I don’t have many places in my house where it shines through.  I typically shoot on my bedroom floor right by the window as this tends to be the best place.  Find a spot where the light shines through the most and try to take photos there only when there is daylight. It’s hard for me to do this on gloomy days when it’s dark out because honestly, the lighting in my house sucks. If you have a camera, try shooting on manual mode and turn up your ISO and adjust your aperture. The higher the ISO, the brighter the image will be. The only downfall to this though is that the higher the ISO also means the grainier your picture will be too. Make sure that you don’t go overboard. I am guilty of this sometimes. If you are shooting with your iPhone and the photo still seems to look a bit dark, just tap the screen and you can adjust the lighting there. Now keep in mind that shadows can come into play regardless of what you are shooting with. This is where apps like Snapseed are super useful.

Placement 

I’ve learned with trial and error that the placement in a photo makes all the difference. The key is that you want to fill up the space as much as possible, but you also want there to be some sort of balance in the photo. It helps to focus on one main item by placing that in the center and then setting up everything else around it. Make sure that there is a little bit of space with each object. This is something that I keep trying to get better at.  I noticed some of my older photos looked a bit sloppy or I didn’t fill up the space enough. Flat lays are not easy! A tip I have also learned is that you can organize the objects by size and color if you prefer. This can help to keep a specific flow or theme. Placement is probably the most
challenging for me, but just like with anything else in life practice makes perfect. 🙂

Angles 

Just like you work different angles with your selfies, try doing the same thing with the other photos that you take. I honestly take a bunch of different angles before deciding on the image that I think looks the best.  Certain angles can capture specific details in a better way or can even help to enhance the overall image. This is one of the main reasons why I love shooting with the Olympus Pen. The screen flips out and rotates so it makes it much easier for me to get those “from above” or flat lay shots. This especially comes in handy for photos where I am sitting down, like the one up there with me holding the flowers. So experiment a little and see what works best for each photo.

Props & Backgrounds

Sometimes taking a pic of your jeans and shoes is not enough to make the photo pop. Try
incorporating props into the image like flowers, coffee, your watch, etc. These are extra
details that can help enhance your photo.  Focus on shooting with different backgrounds so that the objects in the photo can stand out. This is why I usually use white. My go-to is my faux fur throw blanket and rug.  I need to mix up it more though. You can also use white poster board, a marble table, your comforter, etc. You can even purchase backgrounds from Etsy. I know they sell marble paper on there. The background that you use makes all the difference in the overall vibe of the photo.

Apps 

Editing apps are seriously a life savor because no matter what you shoot with, most photos need some type of adjustment.  I’ve listed out the ones I use before, but I will list them again along with a few new ones.
Snapseed: This is great for adjusting the lighting and editing specific areas in a photo.
VSCO: You can also adjust the lighting here and apply the same filter to every image.
Facetune: Love this for using tones, adding details and removing unwanted objects. 
TouchRetouch: This is also great for removing any unwanted objects in a photo.
Afterlight: This is another one to edit the lighting and to add filters. 

Hope that you enjoyed this post! I definitely plan to create a separate post on the cameras and lenses that I am using. What are some of your tips and tricks for Instagram
photography? Do you like to get creative the way that I do when it comes to your Instagram photos? Would love to get your thoughts. 🙂

Wishing all of you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving! Many more blessings to all of you.