subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 11 April 2020 17
Don’t do it just
for the Likes
Our addiction to social media is
well documented: every time we
receive a ‘Like’ or positive
comment a surge of dopamine is
released in our bodies, urging us
to keep checking the stats. I set up
my account to encourage me to
take more pictures. It is also a way
to celebrate the quieter, less
extraordinary moments in life. If
anyone ‘Likes’ my work it’s a
bonus. Obviously, if your account
is intended to drum up business
you might be more concerned
with the fi gures.Optimise the light
I use natural light where possible,
but that doesn’t mean I can just
place something on a shelf and
snap away. Noticing how the light
shifts around the house
throughout the day helps me to
plan what I want to shoot next. Tomaximise the amount of light
available, I pull the curtains right
back, remove clutter from the
windowsill and wipe away
condensation or marks on the
glass – it’s surprising how much
light these things block!Get creative with
backgrounds
The backdrops I use for my still-life
arrangements range from tin
boxes to strips of bark and thin
plastic boards – I like Photo
Boards (www.photoboards.org).
Keep a look out at car boot sales
and around the garden and house
for suitable backgrounds –
anything with peeling paint, fl aking
rust or rough texture work well.Don’t back yourself
into a corner
Your Feed might look beautiful
when you post content that has a
consistent and similar feel, butTracy Calder Instagram newbie
Tracy is our former technique editor and a very experienced
photography journalist. In 2018 she co-founded Close-up
Photographer of the Year – a competition celebrating close-up,
macro and micro photography http://www.cupoty.com. Tracy is a
regular tutor at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation in
Sussex. She shares her work on Instagram as @tracy_calder_
photo. You can see more CUPOTY images at @cupoty.great. I often spend as long
editing a shot as I do taking it.
Avoid using the preset fi lters in
Instagram; try to familiarise
yourself with its manual editing
suite or another good editing
app instead. Once you are
confi dent, advanced editing
apps such as Snapseed or
Adobe Lightroom will broaden
your horizons signifi cantly.Tell your story
If you’re a brand or business
using the platform, think about
the things that will excite people
and engage with them.
Authenticity is a word many
people try to practise and
preach on the platform, but few
do it very well. Think about what
makes you you. Consider how to
capture all the things in front of
you that are a part of your daily
life, and do your best to share
them with as much care and
consideration as you can.don’t restrict yourself too much. If
you always post head-and-
shoulder portraits, for example,
there’s nothing wrong with posting
a more candid portrait
occasionally. If you’re worried
about it ‘breaking’ your grid or
confusing people, set up separate
accounts. Just share what you love
and you won’t go far wrong.Time it right
In recent weeks, I’ve read a
number of articles professing to
know the best time of day to post
content. The consensus seems to
be once a day, just before work
(7-9am) or just after work (5pm
onwards). Obviously this will
depend on your audience (and
their habits), so you might need to
experiment a bit before hitting the
sweet spot. Think about when your
followers will be on a train, feeling
bored at work or perhaps stopping
for a cup of coffee.© MATT INWOOD
© MATT INWOOD
© TRACY CALDERcolour, as with this apple
Choosing the right
background can add
interest and
narrative impact