Blogging on Instagram 101: How to Get Creative With Photoshoots

What is Creativity, Anyway?

One of the number one questions I get asked is, “how do you come up with creative photo ideas?” The real magic is that, growing up, I never thought that I was a “creative” until I got into blogging in college. Art wasn’t my strongest subject in school; I’d rather write stories! I think that as kids we are told to think that a certain type of person is “creative” and it’s something you are born with. That notion is utterly wrong– creativity is something you practice and build as a skill!

Recently, Spencer and I were talking about things we did when we were little. Both of us deal with anxiety, and to combat that, we would often play out conversations in our head to get better at socializing. I remember falling asleep and thinking about all the possible scenarios of a conversation I might have at school the next day, going through what I would say in each instance. Now, doesn’t this sound like a form of creativity to you? It certainly is similar to daydreaming, which is a thought pattern we often associate with “creative types”.

As I dove into the world of blogging and made it a business in my early twenties, I had an “ah-ha!’ moment when I realized that business ideas take creativity, too. When I am emailing a brand back and forth, coming up with the best way to tell a story about their product, connect with my audience, or get engagement– those all require going through the creative thought process! The more I became in-tune with my creative side– which I believe we all have– the more I was able to translate my storytelling abilities into my photos.

How to Tell a Story Through Photos

Scout Backdrops

In my experience, finding locations is one of the most difficult things for people to do. I have had other Utah bloggers mention to me that they are always impressed with how the photos turn out because “Utah is ugly”. This definitely isn’t true– Utah is beautiful– but what I think they mean to say is that Salt Lake isn’t a big city and it’s harder to find the locations they want. Everything changed for me as soon as I switched my perspective about my surroundings. While I am driving or walking around town, I view the area through the “lens of a photographer”. Each spot, wall, and backdrop has to be seen as if you were going to create a scene. Imagine it! Since I have a specific branding on my feed and with my photography, going through this step has become easier. I automatically rule out certain places (like an orange wall) that won’t fit my needs. Once I find a place, it gets written down in the notes of my phone with a description of the colors or main aspect and the exact address. This makes it possible for me to return to the spot when the right story is ready to be told.

Practice Posing

First of all, you have a mirror at home, right? Then use it! For me, posing is the most difficult part of photoshoots. I’m not a natural model! Born to be curvy, I have to make sure that whatever angle I am throwing the camera’s way looks flattering. Really, I have gone on photoshoots with slender bloggers and they can pose any way and look good. But, I am telling you, it takes practice (I love Nicole in Colour because she talks about posing for photos). Even more, what you think feels good and natural, does not look good on camera. Most of the time, in order to look as natural as possible in a photo, I have to contort, squeeze, and contract my body in ways that I would not normally think would “look natural”. Make sure that you are practicing a pose a few times in the mirror before heading out. It’s also helpful to have a photographer (or other friend tagging along) that’s willing to say, “yo, you have a double chin right now, turn your head like this.” Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it took a whole team and a lot of practice. PRO TIP: create a modeling board on Pinterest! I like to pin photos with wild poses that I want to try later on. No one has copyright over a pose– practice it and make it your own!

Focus on Conveying a Mood

“It’s a MOOD” is one of 2019’s biggest phrases. It’s what you say when a photo truly evokes a relatable feeling amongst peers. People like familiarity. They want to feel included and seen. If you are able to capture a moment that others identify with, they are more than likely to like, comment, save, or re-share your work. This goes back to the bottomline: tell a story.

Use a Prop

Ideally, I would have a box full of props. These range from big lollipops to disco balls. Props make your photos pop! They help give your photos a sense of purpose. You can go both ways: start with a prop and create a photo around it, or have a photo in mind and add the prop to it. The best places to find props are at the dollar store or dollar section at Target.

Stick to an Aesthetic or Theme for Your Brand

Head on over to @lauryncakes Instagram page and you should get a sense of my branding, just by looking at my photo grid. I chose specific colors, and stick to them, that awaken certain feelings! Hopefully you look at my feed and feel femininity, empowerment, and a bit of dreamy wanderlust. This was by design! Make sure that you are working with colors, backdrops, clothing styling, and edits that fit your brand aesthetic. After you nail it down, it actually becomes easier to achieve since you know what NOT to do. PRO TIP: use apps to help you achieve your branding. I talked about the must-have photo editing apps for instagram on this post.

What is your photo process like? What would you add? Tell me in the comments below!