I am getting better! (I think.) I will say that much.
But I was glancing through my page (including my year in review portion), and sometimes I just thought “what am I doing?!”
I already had a post all about how my strategy is to take chances and use filters because it’s instagram. So why not?!
But then, I posted this picture of my and my dad’s trip to OKC. But I didn’t filter the photos. I don’t think I made them instagramm-y enough. Look what I could’ve done (in this post).
Also, I happened to see someone else who did a year in review on instagram. They wrote the month in the corner of each photo! That’s brilliance!
Why wouldn’t I do that? It helps differentiate those photos as that’s what those are for.
Also, after I just said in my instagram post that pictures shouldn’t be all selfies, I had three different boring selfies in a row during my year in review.
I was trying to position the computer far enough away from me that they wouldn’t just look like boring selfies, but they totally came across that way. When I said that close-ups are boring – I think I said the wrong thing… Because technically, I didn’t make any of those super close-ups. And I did put my face in different parts of the screen…
But here’s what I think I’ve really learned – unless there is a very compelling reason to have a shot of just your face… the rule isn’t about just making sure it’s not a super close up – it’s about making sure there are interesting shapes or poses.
(I’m actually okay with this super close up, ’cause I was leading to a reveal the next day, and I was teasing my blonde hair… So, there’s an example of reasons that are compelling enough to me.)
But overall, I think full (or close to full) body shots are best.
Another thing I noticed looking back through my instagram is that sometimes I have no idea how to filter. This photo is ridiculous. Why did I choose a filter that makes my jacket look SO white? The jacket is not the most important part of that photo!
(Also, I think generally I don’t love that photo, ’cause I think you can tell I look a little uncomfortable in that ridiculously short running outfit.)
The point is, I think we can definitely point to things from a while ago that make my instagram seem like a bit of a mess. But, I’m trying.
I think I’m getting better. I’m taking chances. I’m using more filters. I’m trying my best to post multiple times a week.
For a while I was going for once a day, but I don’t know that I have a visually interesting enough life to do that. And while I think once a day is optimal, I think if I don’t have enough visually interesting things, it’s better to post 3 times a week, or whatever I can handle – but have the photos be good – than somehow squeeze out 7 passable photos.
I’m sure I’m still going to make instagram mistakes. But I already see my feed improving and hopefully that improvement keeps on going! You can follow me on instagram and let me know what you think. 😉