002 Does Your Phone Make You A Photographer?
When scrolling through an Instagram feed how often do you stop? When you do stop on an image what compels you to like or comment? For me a scroll-stopping image can be eye-catching color, a breathtaking vista or an interesting face that tells a story. But stopping almost always starts with a “wow”.
My Instagram goal is to learn my camera so it does more of what I want rather than settling for automatic pilot. My feed is filled with pictures captured on daily walks in and around Washington DC. In a quest to understand why some pictures are liked more than others I’m sharing 7 things I’ve observed in my brief time as an Instgrammer.
1. Nobody can tell it was cold. Make sure the image speaks for itself. Nobody cares about the distance travelled, heights climbed or how early you had to wake up for that awesome sunrise. What matters are the thoughts, emotions and actions the posted picture evokes.
2. Say what you mean. Every image has the potential to send intentional or unintentional messages. Something small in the foreground, middle ground or background can inadvertently become the focal point. Test to determine if that filter really improves the photo. Would video gain more attention and more engagement? How do content, color and composition impact the audience? Bottom line - make sure you are sending the right message.
3. Inspiration is everywhere. The colors and textures found in nature can fuel the creative process. You don’t need to travel far for great photography. Look for inspiration and you will find it everywhere.
4. Ordinary is extraordinary. Everything is interesting when you add your unique perspective. Try to show things from a unique perspective. Shoot everyday to develop your personal style.
5. Be consistent. Set expectations for your feed. Whether you post daily, weekly or monthly pick a frequency you can maintain. Unless you are shooting time sensitive events, try curating pictures and schedule posts over time. The Planoly app can help schedule posts.
6. If your audience is everyone your audience is no one. When choosing people pleasing pics for clients, community or to promote your personal brand, your favorite will not necessarily have mass appeal. Creativity is subjective. Followers will let you know what they like. Test and learn. Time will tell what works best.
7. Be a Good Social Citizen. Like and comment on other people’s pictures. Gain followers and increase engagement by becoming part of the community. The more you engage with others the more they will engage with you.
It’s fun and flattering when fellow amateurs and professionals like and comment on your photographs. So far that’s enough to keep me going. How do you create a scroll stopping “wow” in your feed? Shoot me a comment. Join the mailing list and never miss an update. Next– How to UP your hash tag game. Share your #InstaObservation
More: Instagram Hacks: 44 Tricks and Features You Probably Didn’t Know About Hoosuite https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-hacks/
7 Instagram Tips Every Photographer Should Know WIX https://www.wix.com/blog/photography/2017/01/30/instagram-tips-for-photographers/
50 best creative accounts to follow on Instagram in 2017 Creative Boom http://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/50-best-creative-accounts-to-follow-on-instagram-in-2017/
Check out these INSTAGRAM STARS
See you soon.
Dave
