Instagram, Fashion, Capturing My Style

Capturing My Style Through Instagram

Connecting with people through the use of social media has been a creative outlet for me to express myself and interact with others. Through Instagram, I've had the pleasure of meeting people all the over the world who comment and like my posts. I've only been a serious user of this app around last year but have already amassed a decent following with around 1600 followers and 400 likes on average but I felt as if it was time to take my hobby to the next level. In my blog posts these three skills will be expanded upon:

• How to take Instagram worthy photos
• The essentials and technicalities to different styles of images
• Defining the Instagram experience

Through my book Capture Your Style by entrepreneur, fashionista, and Instagram expert; Aimee Song. First and foremost, I'd like to introduce my Instagram so I'd like you to go on your phone, tablet, or computer and type in my Instagram username (@cameralenzz) to get a feel of what my general style is. Now that you've done that, the first thought that came into mind probably was't my username. Most people tend to disregard something as simple as the name to your page but there's quite a lot of thought put into a good name and after reading the book I decided it was time to make a change. Aimee states that "Your Instagram handle is your calling card - the public moniker that will appear at the top of your profile and shout your brand, personal, or otherwise, to the world" (Song Aimee, 26). This already highlights the importance of a handle that'll be memorable and if you haven't already guessed by now it's a play on the word camera and my name Alenz (Camer-Alenzz). Instagram is about taking pictures and you're seeing the world through my lenses. Obviously there are do's and don'ts , one of the biggest of them would be to avoid numbers when creating a handle. People forget numbers, and they, much like double_underscores_, complicate things (Aimee, 28). After hearing about this I quickly changed my name from "that_asian_boy21 to something people would more relate with. Another important lesson that I've learned from her would be that "You want to snag something simple and memorable-especially if you're planning on using your Insta feed to promote a store, business, blog, or anything else that leans toward the professional" (Aimee, 28). For this purpose, changing my name allows me to promote my Instagram more effectively and capture the attention of other like minded individuals. Taking a picture that you want to be satisfied with after what has felt like endless tries is something that most people tend to struggle with, especially with outfit shots. The art of #OOTD's (Outfits of the Day) is an essential skill for any Instagrammer and in this post I'll be choosing an #OOTD for this blog post and putting it on my Instagram! One of the pieces of advice that has really brought my outfits and photos to life was to "Imagine your outfit as the main character and display its role in your daily life" (Aimee, 72). These winter days tend to be colder but at the same time bring out the beauty of monochromatic colors and outfits. Because the sun is less likely to give bright lighting, I decided to opt for a warm, black toned sweater with white stripes and to contrast the dark background. The theme for this photo was to melt into the background using the colors I have and some smart editing tactics. Which I think I succeeded in. The outfit, the pose, and the way the shot was taken was done to show a darker, brooder tone. The white on my clothes were really highlighted in the image as they pop out and become the focal point of the photo. My hands and face were kept visible to let the viewer know that I'm still there and looking away from the camera made the scene more dramatic. All of this added to the full impact of the photo and I was able to capture a simple narrative with one image. User interaction is a huge part of Instagram success and Aimee says to "Get into the habit of interacting with other users so you build a relationship with not only your followers, but the people and businesses you follow too"(Aimee, 178). So get active with your followers gives them an incentive to look forward to your posts and replies!
From then on, I'll post the photo pertaining to the blog post and have a section dedicated to the likes and attention the image received. To spark some inspiration for everybody involved, what are some tactics that would benefit me when posing for a full body shot like this?

Works Cited

Song, Aimee, and Erin Weinger. Capture Your Style: Transform Your Instagram Images, Showcase Your Life, and Build the Ultimate Platform. New York: Abrams Image, 2016. Print.