Being an Instagram rock star is more than just having thousands of followers, yes we want lots of followers, but what impact do you make if you don't inspire someone by your photos.
I love Instagram, mostly because I love photography, I love being artistic, and I love expressing myself through photography.
I often get asked how do you make your photos look so fabulous, ironically I don't do a ton of editing on my Instagram photos, I very rarely actually use a filter, but I do use the brightness setting some.
My main purpose of using Instagram is that I can share it on my other social networks instantly, along with Instagram being a social network....I like to be social also.
Here is my tips to success:
Be original - everyone (including me) does the duck face, selfies (yes I do selfies too..especially with my kids), or swimsuit pics to catch eyes. Really those are overrated, unless you are using them for profile pics and need fix your face blemishes with filters (I do this to). Sorry ladies, I spilled the secret!
What is amazing to you? I find the most hilarious things amazing, like my neighbors Keep Out sign. It looks like it is wrote in blood, so I shot a picture of it. I think dirt roads, barns, sunrises, sunsets, the mean turkey in my backyard, and other out of the ordinary things are amazing. I rarely press like on someones dinner, unless it looks like sculpture or something. I do occasionally share photos of food, but only when I am dining out and want to let people know that restaurant actually exists, and the rare occasion that one of the men in my house actually cooks....then I blast that news!
When I am photographing people I do occasionally share, but I try not photograph the mocked up pics, often they have no clue I have captured them. That is the beauty of it, I like the unaltered moments of life....just as life really is.
Be daring! I once stood at the edge of the train tracks just to capture an image, the picture was priceless and I knew no one else had captured it the same as me....even though I was on a press trip and there was 100+ cameras around me.
Don't be a copycat, Geshh this is biggest flaw with modern day photographers. Are photographers not still artist? I see so many mocked up interesting ideas of ways to capture that perfect photo. Okay seriously who carries around a list of ideas of how to capture life? Not I my dear, I carry my Iphone and when the mood strikes I snap the photo....some times I stop the car in the middle of the road.
Do not take your picture with the Instagram app, use your regular camera on your mobile device and then crop, edit, and share through Instagram. Why? It is harder to get a clear photo through apps on your mobile device, so take a few photos on your mobile device, pick the best one, and run it through Instagram.
Share Share Share, is your Instagram linked to your Twitter and Facebook? I am waiting for the day they are linked to Google+....sighh! Did you know that you can Pin your Instagram Photos? Yep, you just have to log on from a computer (using Webstagram or Statigram) and pin like you do from normal websites......I personally suck at Pinterest, but I occasionally remember to pin my own photos! You can also upload the photos directly to Pinterest and then go back and add the original Instagram link in, this may work best as it leads the other user back to your Instagram account.
Check your Instagram settings, are you a public or private user? This can be good or bad, if you are using Instagram for a social network, you better make sure you are a PUBLIC user!
Last but not least, #hashtag and @ (tag) other users! Instagram works like Twitter and if you want your photos to be found then you better use #hashtags. You can also Direct Message now on Instagram, this may work best when you are talking about a specific business and want them to see your photo.
Good Luck Folks and you are welcome to follow me on Instagram (Becky Davenport)!
