Hey friends! Can we talk about Instagram? Does it feel like it’s gotten out of our hands? Like everyone is everywhere doing everything (with cocktails) and we’re… distinctly not? Instagram has become a beautiful and nearly unbearable place. Here are my tips to contributing and carrying on.
• First, we all owe one another an apology. I’ll go first. I’m sorry I make everything look perfect on Instagram. In fact, nothing is perfect. Everyone is, in fact, doing the same thing.. hiding their pain and disguising their anxieties behind various overhead shots of coffee and doughnuts. I’m sorry. I’m guilty of the same. Let’s forgive people in advance for their perceived perfection, see past it and love each other anyway.
• Let’s be generous with our likes. I mean, why not? We follow each other for a reason and that reason is probably that we like each other, or you have cute kids, or a sweet looking cat, or go on excellent food adventures, or have a great sense of humor. Double tap. Like. Or unfollow in which case… peace out, nothing personal.
• There must be an element of beauty to Instagram. We’re scrolling (with increasing speed) through visual images so our goal is to share our unique perception of beauty. It’s about what you see, what speaks to you, and what you want to share…. and a proper amount of apps to edit and filter the beauty we see. I love VSCO CAM for overall filters and white balance, sharpening, and general loveliness. There’s a down and dirty VSCO food editing tutorial here for a few quick tips!
• Let’s talk about the nitty gritty of our food photography composition. Here are a few tips I like to work within when photographing the food I make and eat.
Tighten and clutter up the frame. This is a ‘more is more’ approach. Add layers of texture and ingredients to the frame and inch them atop and very close to each other. We’re creating delicious chaos. Don’t be scared.
See: Fresh Raspberry and Gin Slushies
Opposite of the ‘more is more’ technique: allow for some breathing room in your photograph. Leaving empty space in a photograph is a nice rest for the eye. Simplicity is best!
Remember the rule of thirds? Same applies for (ooey gooey) food photography on Instagram. It’s about placing a subject in the lower third, center, or upper third of a photograph frame creating concentration and tension in a picture. Also, all sticky buns look delicious so… this was too easy.
• Here are some of my favorite food folks on Instagram.
• Probably This • Minimalist Baker • Nicole Franzen • Tracy Shutterbean • The Candid Appetite (picture above) • DinexDesign • BelleAnnee • Kitchy Kitchen • LocalHaven
• Last, it’s (just) Instagram. More specifically it’s your Instagram. Do what feels good to you. Stand on a chair in a restaurant, style your friends hands just right. Forget the photograph and just dig into those cheese fries. Do what feels good to you. Perfection has it’s charm, but so does a real real life. Ain’t no shame in the game.
Oh also… all the cool kids are using Snapchat now so… what are we even doing?
Instagram: joythebaker. Holla at your girl.
aliborgas
Thank you! Pretty sure I breathed a sigh of relief after reading that first paragraph! (by the way, I can no longer use Instagram, as I forgot my password! I’m not missing it.)
Joanna
Love this post! I read recently that to encourage people to take interest in your instagram you should develop a ‘theme’ so I’ve tried to keep my ‘theme’ light and airy. I take loads of dark photos too, but save those for scrapbooking – a more tangible version of instagram :)
ohhellojo.blogspot.com
cateinthekitchen
Instagram is the BEST. I used to use VSCO Cam to edit my pictures but now I just keep it to Instagram, I never use the filters but I do up the brightness by a big amount and play with saturation too, does the trick for me!
Cate in the Kitchen
Angie
I really like you.
Jodi
Holla at me if you like food and nature! @homemadeandwholesome!
Sara @ Cake Over Steak
Love this! Instagram + VSCO are some of my greatest joys in life these days. What does that say about me? I don’t know.
Colleen
So real, thank you. I wholeheartedly enjoy Instagram, but lately it has been more difficult than not to appreciate photos and scenes without having my head instantly compare or create or assume based on the fact that I am merely seeing “scenes of” and not a whole life. I especially liked the be generous with likes/comments part, which I will start doing. For me, my own Instagram is like my life photo album, I don’t mean it to be perfect, but if anything a series of photos to remind me who I am, what I’ve done (and that I’ve probably had too many cocktails).
Jen @ Fresh From The...
I love instagram, but one thing I will say – those that post 10 photos in a row multiple times a day… oh man please stop.
Ryan @ The Feed by Round Pond
I actually just started using the VSCO app on my phone and I am in love! Love the rest of the tips as well – and sometimes you do just need to dig into those cheese fries :)
The Natural Citizen
Great info! We’re new to instagram, so every little bit of insight helps a ton. Thank you! :)
http://blog.thenaturalcitizen.com/
cadylwhicker17
I love the idea of being generous with your likes.. I’m often not, but seriously, why not? Show a little love! And the tips and tutorials are fantastic. Additionally your insta is amazing, Joy. When I insta, I seriously think, would Joy use this for a Let it Be Sunday? Yes? Post. Boom.
Kimberly/TheLittlePlantation
Thank you!
Cheri
100% – thank you for adding your voice. Loved the encouragement to be generous with likes.
Steph Bauer (@Onest52)
Thank you for this! Your posts are always very helpful but this one was really timely in my opinion; I know a few people who would benefit from reading it!!
Tiffany
“We all owe one another an apology.” Ummm…you are the BEST! This is true true true! I totally didn’t even need the tips you shared. The first part was ah-mazing! (Though I do need instagram tips so perhaps I’ll circle back!)