If you’re not on Instagram, you are seriously missing out.
And if you do have an Instagram account and aren’t following me, we’re fighting.
Hardcore.
When I first started out on Instagram my page was private, I didn’t follow anyone, was obsessed with using filters and pretty much just used it to tweak my photos before sharing them on Facebook.
I may not be all that well known in the blogosphere (yet), but 9 out of 10 times, when someone has heard of Twenty Something Plus, it’s because of my Instagram account.
The most common question I get asked about Instagram is what do I use for my white background. I recommend a basic white foam board that you can find in any office or craft store. But you can pretty much use anything white. Paper, fabric…I also use white (or off-white) walls, the top of a short white bookshelf that I have, and I now have a white tray I found at Target (similar here), which I like because I can also carry stuff on it and don’t have to worry too much about getting it dirty.
There are tons of articles and blog posts out there about Instagram tips, tricks, and apps. My number one Instagram tip is to use natural light.
Why?
I mean, seriously, just look at the difference!
Both photos were taken with my iPhone 5s, are haven’t been edited, aside from being cropped to be square. The ONLY difference is that the second one was taken in front of a window and the other wasn’t. Natural light provides a much better starting point for editing. No?
When natural light isn’t an option, I use daylight light bulbs. They’re still not quite as good as using natural light, but believe me, they make a world of a difference. (So much so that my mom switched most of the lights in the house to daylight ones.)
Oh! And those things that roll around when you’re trying to do a flatlay like a boss? Painter’s tape. It’s cheap, and in my opinion, works the best, without tearing your board.
Want more tips?
Here’s some Instagram related blog posts that really helped me:
Cupcakes and Cashmere
Bloguettes
Zelma Rose
Who What Wear
Oh my goodness. All this time I have been putting off doing better photos because I’m too lazy to iron a white sheet every time I need to take them for my blog. I can’t believe I never thought of using the foam board. And the tape! Genius. Thanks for this!
No problem! Yeah, ironing sucks, I have replanned an outfits out of sheer avoidance. I try to keep like two or three boards around, they’re really great because they can also double as a reflector.