Instagram is purely a free photo and video sharing mobile app that allows people to like, comment and share with other people. It is an excellent platform to start a business, blog or anything you are interested like fashion, health, fitness, animals, plants etc.
How it all started
I started my Instagram account in 2017 as a ‘fun’ account then shifted my focus to fashion a year later because I realised having a niche attracts more followers and engagement. The fashion community is massive but very supportive and engaging. I have connected with many people all over the world through this platform and consider some are dear friends of mine.
Instagram allows me to express my passion for fashion through styling with clothing, shoes, accessories and jewellery from luxury to affordable brands. My ultimate goal is to be a well known influencer so I can share and provide advice and services on fashion tips and trends to my audience, and collaborate with reputable brands to achieve our mutual benefits.
The process
As a mother and working full-time, I have very limited time for myself during the week. So on weekends, if there are no plans or other commitments, I try to do photo shooting to create contents for Instagram. Planning a photo shoot is very exhausting from choosing outfits (sometimes up to five outfits) to locations and putting on makeup.
Choosing outfits
My styling is quite versatile with a mix of corporate, feminine, artsy, trendy and casual. I am very strategic when it comes to posting my next outfit and consider elements of colours, style, background, trend and the overall aesthetic look on my Instagram grid. Occasionally, I may post a random spur-of-the-moment without much consideration.
Choosing locations
The location is very important and is dependent on the outfit, weather and time of the day. I much prefer to take photos out in the open at different locations to explore and promote my home city, Brisbane.
Here are some handy tips I have learnt and adopted for shooting photos:
- Avoid direct sunlight and shadows like trees. Instead choose a location that has full shade but bright. The best times are before sunrise and after sunset.
- Ensure your background goes well with your outfit and does not clash. For example, if your outfit is colourful or color blocking, choose a neutral colour background like white. Or, if the location is beautiful like a small boutique cafe with black and white chairs, then wear a red outfit or something with strong bright colours to make the outfit stand out.
- Where possible, and depending on the type of phone or camera try both normal and portrait mode to get the best of both options. Portrait mode is generally great if your outfit is clashing with the background.
Taking photos
The majority of my posts are photos are taken by me. Sometimes my children and/or friends take photos and videos for me. I used to bribe my children to take photos for me when I first started blogging, so sad right?!?! Here is a great tip – take as many photos as you can and keep checking to see if you are satisfied with the photos. You can always go back and delete the ones you don’t like. Often times, I regret not taking a lot of photos at a shooting or an event. When the time to make a post or a video I don’t have enough content or good photos to make a post.
Posting
When posting, I dedicate at least two hours for editing, providing a caption and commenting. This is the time where I respond the most to comments. However, these days Instagram has limited the number of comments in one sitting so it’s very frustrating. The day and time of posting is also important to receive the most engagement. Many social media marketing firms advises that the best engagement time is during the week on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday between 2-3pm Central Daylight Time (CDT) or Eastern Standard Time (EST).
