Want Your Instagram To Look Like Mine? Read This …

So I’ve gotten a few questions lately about my picture editing process and I thought it might be helpful to put all my answers in one place. One, because I am lazy. Two, because I don’t want to repeat myself 😉 Most of the questions I have relate to my instagram feed so I will limit my feedback to this platform.  One disclaimer before I continue; I am not a professional photographer. I am only sharing what I have learned in the short time since I started blogging. This post is basically a combination of  frequently asked questions. If you came here for style photos from from my trip to France and to shop, keep scrolling. I  will have a separate post talking about the trip itself. So lets get into it…

Above is an example grid from my instagram feed, All information provided below is based on the photos from my grid.

What Camera Do you Use?

I feel obliged to mention that the type of camera you use matters less than the lighting and framing of the shot. Simple habits like cleaning your lens before photographing make a huge difference. Also, it doesn’t matter how good of a camera you have, if you do not set up the shot correctly, no amount of editing can make the photo great.

  • Nikon D7200 ; Connects to my phone with WiFI and is light weight which makes this my go to camera
  • Samsung S7 Edge ; use this to take photos of my food, and many of my travel pictures
  • Nikon D800 ; This is heavy and large and also owned by my husband so I hardly use it.

What Camera Lenses Do you Use?

In my opinion, the lens you use matters more than the actual camera. This is likely why the lenses sometimes cost way more than the camera body itself. My instagram feed has been limited to the lenses below. PS: One lens on my Christmas wish list is the 35mm for my action style shots. Hint. Hint.

  • Nikon 85mm ; for detail style shots
  • Nikon 24-70mm ; for almost everything
  • Nikon 50mm ; for food shots

What Editing Software Do you Use?

This is where the magic happens. You can make a photo 10 times better with post editing. There is a wide range of editing software available,  but I am comfortable with these ones.

  • Adobe Lightroom: I use this on both my cellphone mobile and my computer. Every picture is different so the adjustments depend on the picture but I tend to up the whites, up the vibrancy and lower the color saturation since I tend to take super colorful pictures.
  • Snapseed: I use this app for landscape photos and only use the “ambiance” feature adjusting up or down.
  • VSCO:  I mostly use A6 and HB2 (turned down from 12 to 2-4) filters with the following edits;
    • This is basically my preset and I adjust based on the pictureHighlights (5-6) , Tint (2-3), Contrast (+1 or -1), Exposure ( +1 or -1), sharpness (1), saturation (+1 or -1).  I love that you can copy your edits from one picture and paste them on another.
    • For a comprehensive overview of different combinations of VSCO filters and settings, read this blog post here. I found it super helpful when I first started using Instagram.
    • I also use this app to plan my Instagram feed. It allows me to see what my feed is going to look like ahead of time. There are other apps you can use for that purpose but , you probably guessed that I am too lazy for all of that. The one downside is that if you switch phones, you lose your work/presets. I have provided an example VSCO grid below.

How Did you Learn How to Do all of this?

Honestly, the internet is your friend. I have gained my knowledge mainly online.

  • Youtube : That would be the short answer for how I teach myself how to take photos and edit them.
  • Other bloggers : Bloguettes.com has super helpful tech tips that they blog weekly. I’ve also grown an online community that I feel comfortable asking for tips and tricks.
  • Alex Tooby’s Free Instagram Course : You can sign up here 

And there you have it. Now go out and let your Instagram feed be great!  Please let me know if you still have questions that I did not cover. I love to hear from you guys.  For those of you who came here for outfit details, keep scrolling. 😎

SHOP THIS LOOK

Coat // Shoes // Sweater // Hat // Carry On Luggage // Camera Bag // Business Tote

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11 Comments

  1. 1 December 2016 / 12:39 AM

    I enjoyed reading this so much! Thanks for sharing and I think you are doing so great like you said you only started this not too long ago.

    P.S. your paris photos are amazing!

    • Dinah
      Author
      1 December 2016 / 7:19 PM

      Paris is such a beautiful city, it makes anyone look good.
      Thank you so much for reading! Yes, i only started in April this year so there is plenty more to learn.

  2. Michelle
    30 November 2016 / 12:42 AM

    My first camera is canon so I can only use canon lenses. I current have the 85mm mounted to my camera and it’s basically what I use all the time. I’m hoping that I will one day afford the 35mm for indoors and food photography. Love that your camera has a wifi to your phone.

    On a different note, you look absolutely stunning. 😍😍😍

    • Dinah
      Author
      1 December 2016 / 7:18 PM

      85mm is my favorite! I find that it works better on the full frame camera though so I tend not to use it as much.
      But i especially love how it blurs the background so well.
      Thank you for reading!

  3. 22 November 2016 / 11:05 AM

    Thank you so much for this post. It’s something that I can keep referring back to. I love your Instagram feed as you know and I’m happy you were able to compile this info into a post. Love the vacation pics! Xoxo

    • Dinah
      Author
      1 December 2016 / 7:17 PM

      Yes! so glad you found it helpful.
      Just had to put my thoughts in one place. As i learn more, ill update the blog

  4. 22 November 2016 / 4:24 AM

    amazing pictures and helpful tips!!! thanks for sharing!!!i haven’t used snapseed but have heard great things about this app. will try!!!! your pictures in Paris are gorgeous

    • Dinah
      Author
      1 December 2016 / 7:16 PM

      Snapseed does so much! I havent used it beyond the ambiance feature but the videos on YouTube are super helpful

  5. 21 November 2016 / 5:01 PM

    Wonderful post girl! I liked your tips. I am on the fence whether I should change to canon. I have always used Nikon but I’m just not sure. Have you always used Nikon?

    • Dinah
      Author
      21 November 2016 / 8:00 PM

      Yes. I have always used Nikon. I kind of didnt have a choice because my husband has all the lenses so it didnt make sense for me to start over with canon. The lenses are way more expensive than the camera body. And i dont know if they are compatible with canon cameras. But honestly, i think if you have some friends with canons, maybe try it out first? I have seen photos of me with both canon and Nikon and i really dont see a difference.

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