Birkenstocks in one hand, man-bun boyfriend in the other, wide-teethy-smiles, palm tree to the right, sea to the left and a short-and-sweet caption, or reminder, to love.
It is the season, again we witness the various love stories of Aussie girl meets winter, said girl escaping cold season through a picturesque holiday gallivanting anywhere from South-East Asia, to Western Europe. Same girl advertises said trip by uploading beautiful content on personal Instagram, planting zealously and inspiration in surrounding contacts.
It is a story we know and love, and continue to follow, no matter how many times it has been done before. The attraction is not necessarily the girl or the place, but rather the meticulously orchestrated image of scenery, coordinated clothing and witty captions that crafts a figment fable. We love her, we want to be her and we copy her.
Five photo taking tips to enhance your Instagram:
- Aim for quality, not quantity. It is what you post, not how often you post. Yes, posting frequently might build followers, but only temporarily, posting quality content gains loyal followers.
- Play with texture. Employing strong colours, lines, shapes, and contrasts draws focus and can enhance a mood. For example, try rusty threads to assist a natural earthy vibe to contribute a relaxed tone, or block colours to compliment neat city intricacies.
- Lighting is key. Don’t be afraid to play with different lighting for different moods. Natural light is always the best light, but then start to play with the time of day or weather when you snap your picture.
- Don’t be afraid to edit. Play a little, use outside apps to edit your photographs, however minimal is always best. Good photos don’t need much, however sometimes it can help keep the feed consistent.
- Practice, practice, practice! Photographing is hard, further photographing to an audience that has the power to like or dislike can be intimidating. Just remember, it isn’t the be all. Photographing only gets better with practice! Don’t believe me? Go to your favourite instagrammar and scroll all the way down. They didn't always post like that.