Instagram is my favorite form of social media (make sure you follow me @julianna_claire!). Instead of using words or short blurbs, Instagram’s main form of communication is through pictures. I love how creative people can be in their photographs and I never tire of the endless stream of photos I receive on a daily basis. But how do you take photos for Instagram that are eye catching, beautiful, and look amazing on your feed ?! In my short time as a blogger I have picked up a few tips along the way and I decided to share some of the tips I use to create beautiful Insta photos for your feed! So here they are!

– Lighting is Everything: I have learned great pictures depend on how great the lighting is when you take it.  You don’t need a fancy camera to take great pictures if you understand the best times to take them! I use my iPhone all the time because I always have my phone on me. You don’t want to take a photo in the dark because everything you are trying to capture will appear as shadows. On the opposite spectrum, you don’t want to take a picture in broad daylight or else the picture might turn out over-exposed. So try this- when it’s super bright outside find some shade and shoot under flat light. You will still get plenty of light (since the sunshine is out!), but the shade will allow for minimal shadows and a great photo. Another prime time to shoot is during sunrise or sunset. This time of day is called the “golden hour” because this is when the light is really soft and creates that halo effect around the object you are trying to shoot.

– Don’t Pose for Every Pic- Sometimes the best pictures are the ones where you are in the moment and didn’t even realize your photographer (and by photographer I mean friend or rando) is taking the photo. There is something very endearing about those moments.

– Photo Editor Apps are your Friend- Very rarely do I take a picture and there is nothing that needs to be fixed about it. I don’t mean photoshopping so the picture doesn’t even look like the same one you originally started with. I mean using apps such as Afterlight or Camera+. These apps help you change the exposure or saturation of the photo you would like to post! There is a fee to purchase these ($.99 for Afterlight and $1.99 for Camera+) but they are totally worth it! If paying for apps isn’t your style you can also use the Instagram custom filters ability as well!

– The Right Backgrounds Make for a Great Picture- I am a total weirdo and LOVE looking for street art or colorful walls. You could have a picture that is amazing but the background is a row of port-a-potties (totally over exaggerating, but you get my point). Look for backgrounds filled with nature, a street with a bunch of trees, or a colorful wall that will really make your picture pop!

I hope these tips help you out when you are out taking some Insta pics! These are not the end all be all of Insta tips, but things I have found helpful when posting on this platform of social media. Thank you SO much for stopping by Blush & Camo:)

xx Julianna