As a creative professional, it is sometimes easy to get lost in the daily grind of business. Today I want to share with you some behind the scenes ways to create a better Instagram feed and ways to make your social media images pop! Instagraming is something that I love to do, not only for my business, but to also showcase my personal life and why I work so hard!

For me, attending workshops is one of my favorite things to do to continue building my business and to constantly keep my creativity fresh. At the Bloom workshop, this team of creative ladies love to support women in their small businesses, shops, and creative endeavors! So I figured in the spirit of giving and community, I'd pass on some of the helpful tips I learned about image styling for you to try out on your business Instagram!

I met so many wonderful creatives at Bloom which was hosted at the beautiful Bieker Farms!

To Social Media or Not to Social Media, That Is the Question . . .

For me, when I was just starting out in my business the idea of learning so many different social media platforms to try and reach my ideal brides was a daunting thought. There are so many different ways to interact with peers, customers, and friends online now that it's hard to know which direction to go in; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Blogging, etc., etc.!

So why Instagram?

My passion is photography and a social media platform that is based on posting photo updates - it's almost a no-brainer. However, in the spirit of being as unplugged as I could possibly be, I questioned if I really needed to be on Instagram. What I ended up discovering is that Instagram:

Helps me to tap into new markets - photographs are a universal language that can speak to anyone anywhere!
It helps establish my brand's presence - when my couples see my photography brand in multiple places it creates trust and brand awareness!
It allows me to interact with my clients in a personal way - I love following my couples who are on social media and it deepens my understanding of who they are and in turn makes me that much more connected with their personalities on the wedding day!
Lastly, Instagram is something that other creatives enjoy - The wedding industry is very much a collaborative industry and many artists come together to serve a couple on their wedding day, so why wouldn't I want to interact and build relationships with these vendors on Instagram?!

So now that you know the why . . .

Here are 3 Ways to Improve Your Instagram:

1. Find Natural Light

Assess your lighting situation and utilize natural light as much as possible! Styling your products near a big window that allows natural light in is a great solution to this. If you are outdoors, shoot in open shade and not in direct sunlight to get soft, even lighting on your subject.

2. Develop a Color Story and Bring a Bit of Nature In

When thinking about the types of objects you want to photograph pay attention to their colors. A tightly curated color palette always does well! Think of how your brand colors can complement a location or product. As you see below, in these specific images I focused on a pink and black color story (top left), a green and red scene (top right), a gold and pink (bottom left), and a blue and tan color story (bottom right). I also seem to like to use drinks and my glasses as props. :)

Your color story should also be in shades of one or two colors and sometime it's a nice visual for the viewer's eye if there are other elements involved like texture!

Using natural or live elements are effective in breathing a bit of life into your still life composition. Feel free to add in a flower stem, pine tree branch, rocks, food, wood, etc.

3. Focus on The Composition

Start by thinking about your background. You want it to be uncluttered and non-distracting. Using poster board, fabrics, wood, and even a slab of marble will help change up the look of your composition. Also switching up your atmosphere will help keep your overall Instagram feed from becoming too stale!

Next, you'll need to figure out how to organize your subjects. Four items may seem too cluttered, yet two objects may end up being too symmetrical. You want to be sure to style your image in a way that draws in the viewer and that is visually pleasing. Try organizing items in mini collections, frame the main subject, and use repetition. Objects arranged in odd numbers (especially groups of 3's) naturally draws the eye in and is considered more appealing.

Bonus Tip: Find Inspiration but Don't Let It Stifle Your Creativity!

Connecting with other creatives is one of the best features of Instagram so while it's easy to get down on yourself as you scroll over other impeccably styled feeds, don't hold yourself to unrealistic standards. Instead, leave a genuine comment or introduce yourself! You may connect with someone who will be a cheerleader for your business or better yet a friend!

Many (many) thanks to the talented group of creatives who are featured here and who were apart of the Bloom Workshop:

Educator: Michaela Noelle

Educator: Ashley Slater

Workshop: The Bloom Workshop

Floral Design: The Day's Design

Runner and Ribbon: Adorn Company

Venue: Bieker Farms

Water Colors and Calligraphy: Jordana Fine Art

Photography: Courtney Carolyn Photography

Meet Courtney

Welcome to the CCP Blog! I'm Courtney Carolyn a wedding photographer based just outside of Detroit, Michigan. I hope you grab a cup of coffee (or sweet tea) and enjoy viewing my latest work, reading up on resources for brides, and getting a little peek into my life! I'm so excited you stopped by! Read more . . .

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