Instagram Like A Pro

Posted by: Randi Vasquez

A lot of people think you need a professional camera and equipment to get a great Instagram: wrong! Getting the perfect Instagram is much easier than you imagine. The key elements involve lighting, placement, and creativity. Whether you are a baker, DIY queen, or you just want to improve your selfie game-- this article is for you.

Step One: Find your subject

By now you've probably seen thousands of the classic "I love fall" and "Morning coffee" photos on your feed. Today I was inspired to put a little twist on a few common classics. I poured my typical morning cup and ventured outside to gather a few leaves as the subject of my 'gram.

Step Two: Find your light

This is what I believe is the "make it or break it" step. Lighting is the key ingredient in every photo- professionally and on Instagram. Open your windows, go outside, or use a lamp light to make dramatic shadows. Play around and have fun with lighting. I choose to shoot a lot of my photos on my front porch. It's shaded but has enough even light to make all the tones look rich and vibrant.

Step Three: Location, location, location

Now that you've got the lighting down, let's move on to location and/or backgrounds. The trick is easy! You can make all basic objects look incredible with paper. Yes, paper. Striped, polka-dotted, patterned, plain, etc. I constantly keep a poster board in my car and always have access to some type of background when photographing. If it gets dirty or bent, I just run down to Walgreen's and pick up another. No need for a canvas background when you can pay 99 cents and have luxury.

Step Four: Choose your angle

We've all seen 4 million coffee cup photos taken straight on and dozens of fall boots in the freshly fallen leaves #snooze. Spice things up a bit with a new perspective. I chose to document the fall weather without actually showing the sky and took a photo of my cream at the exact moment it hit the coffee. Look for an angle that will be eye-catching. Lay on the ground, get in close, and snap away!

Step Five: Step away from the filters

My go-to apps are Afterlight and VSCOcam. Don't get carried away with filters. They're fun, but you're a professional now. Let your creativity show by just enhancing a few minor details. Here is a step by step of what I did to get the final product.

Step Six: Be a square

Crop! Nothing ruins a great photo like a black border around your photo. Use apps like Afterlight or Squareready to make your photo fit perfectly in the Instagram square.

Step Seven: Your caption is everything

Ahhh, the icing on the cake. You just took the most incredible photo of that new lipgloss. Now, think of a caption that's witty and correlates with your photo. Do a little play on words and, when all else fails, just quote Mindy Kaling.

Voila! You're now the Nigel Barker of Instagram! Get out there and snap away! Be creative and think outside of the box. You may not be able to get the perfect shot at first, but with a little practice you'll be Instagramming like a professional in no time.

What are your favorite tips & tricks for the perfect Instagram photo? Comment below and share your Instagram.

#lifestyle