If you were to ask me what stands out the most about my blog, I would have to say the photographs. From the positive feedbacks and constant inquiries of how to achieve the photos that I take, it’s probably safe to assume that we connect with things much more when visuals are involved than with just descriptions alone. I hesitate to say that my photos are ‘professional’ because I don’t have any formal training in photography. I do, however, have this innate sense of how I like things to look in photographs and how their placements as a whole could provoke certain emotions.

A place of constant visual inspirations has been Instagram.  Here’s how I categorize images on Instagram. First, there are ‘instant’ photos. You know, those spur of the moment candid shots which I believe that’s what Instagram was intended for in the first place. Kid’s visit to the dentist, life’s celebratory events, morning runs to the cafes, gorgeous places, happy faces….

And then you begin to see more and more images that are not so instant. They’re pretty to the eyes, make you wanna buy type of photos. Creatives are taking Instagram to another level. The second category of photos are ‘styled’. The naysayers would call these fake or staged but to me and many other creatives out there; we consider this photo styling. It’s a form of art. Photo styling to me tells a story and evokes feelings.

Here are a few tips on how to make the most out of your styled shots. Allow your subjects to shine through and put their best foot forward! Best part? No professional cameras required.

Embrace natural light. It is your friend! Always work in a naturally well-lit space or next to a window if possible. Next, subjects stand out best against a white surface (in my opinion). If you don’t have a white area to work with, use any table and place a white blanket, sheet, or rug on top. Also, it’s best to use a low table such as a coffee table so that you can easily hover over it. Ready. Set. Shoot!

Below’s how I styled instagram shots for the things in these three popular categories: food, clothes, and accessories. All taken in front of this window.

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As you can tell, I prefer to use the VSCO Cam F2 filter because of the artsy feel effect. I barely use filters that are on Instagram. You can download the VSCO Cam app separately. Just shoot your image, filter through VSCO Cam and then import it into Instagram. Also don’t forget to hashtag. This is a new thing for me too but hashtagging will allow others with the same interest to find you.

I played around with different backdrops. After shooting the clothes on a white rug, I felt they would look better against a white blanket.

When you look at a photo, do you feel inspired, creative, and hopeful? It’s more than those perfectly placed flowers or the untouched pastries; it’s about how they make you feel. Happy shots. Positive thoughts.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this post! If you found it helpful and would like to read more related posts like this one, please let me know in the comment section.

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