getting new instagram followers can be really hard, but losing them is easy! with so many people on instagram, it is more important than ever that you are maintaining an account that people not only follow, but keep following. more often than not, followers will stick around for a little while and then eventually click that “unfollow button.” and that’s okay, because some followers just aren’t for you and you want to be sure the people who are following you are genuinely interested in your photography. but sometimes, followers are simply unfollowing you because you are making some common instagram mistakes. here are 5 mistakes that will make you lose instagram followers…are you making them?
are you trying to improve your following on instagram? check out my 8 tips to grow your instagram following.
5 Mistakes That Make You Lose Instagram Followers
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1. Overposting
posting is so much fun, but there is such a thing as posting too much. be respectful of your instagram followers and don’t clog their newsfeed with your images. it can be overwhelming for your followers, causing them to unfollow you simply to clean up their newsfeed. as a good rule of thumb, post at least once but not more than twice a day.
2. Inconsistent Style
people decide to follow instagram accounts because they see an image that draws them in or an image that they can relate to, encouraging them to click over to your account. once they are on your account, if they see even more images that flow and share the same style as that initial image they fell in love with…they are definitely encouraged to follow you. but if you have a style that is all over the place and doesn’t flow, it is confusing to your instagram followers and they tend to unfollow you because they don’t know what to expect from you. for example, if you are posting soft natural light images and then start posting images with artificial light or high contrast, you may lose instagram followers because you aren’t posting the type of images that they initially started following you for.
if you are struggling with finding a photography style that is unique to you as an artist, be sure to read my new eBook “The Styled Photographer,” where i help you really look at your images and develop a photography style that best represents you.
3. No Niche
the best instagram accounts have a clear niche. whether it’s natural light, food, landscape, still life, lifestyle or portraiture photography, an instagram follower should be able to instantly identify your niche when they click on your profile. instagram followers decide to follow your account because they can relate or have interest in your niche, but if you don’t have a clear niche or you are not consistent with it…your followers may choose to unfollow you. for example, if you are a landscape photographer you will begin gaining followers who are interested in landscape photography. if you start posting images about food, you will most likely start losing followers because they originally started following you because they were interested in landscape images, not food images.
4. A Lack of Takeaway
the best instagram accounts are the accounts that inspire or teach their followers something. think of the reasons why you choose to follow someone. you may follow them because their images inspire you, or maybe their words or wisdom inspires you. you may follow them because they teach you new things or because they offer products that interest you. being able to offer your followers some type of takeaway will encourage your followers to stick around to learn more from you. whether you are sharing wisdom, tips, or offering products, be sure to keep your instagram followers engaged so that they are motivated to keep following you.
5. Negativity
one of the main reasons why people click that “follow” button is because they want to be inspired. they follow you because they like your content and what it brings to their life. one way you can quickly get unfollowed is through negativity. yes, we want to be real. yes, sometimes we have bad days. but being negative doesn’t do any good. keep your posts light and positive so they continue to inspire your instagram followers. negative posts will only encourage your instagram followers to unfollow you because, to be honest, nobody has time for negativity.
instagram is one of the best places for creatives to share their life and art with others. it’s a wonderful place for people to connect and relate to one another. connecting with others can be so motivating for you, so be sure you are also encouraging others through your posts so you can maintain a list of instagram followers that are truly interested in your account. by keeping these 5 mistakes in mind, you can start encouraging the followers you gain to stay around for the long run.
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with summertime finally hear, there is nothing better than getting outdoors with your camera. for me, summertime is all about adventure and fun. it’s about travel, bright fruits, relaxing here and there, and reliving summer traditions year after year. because summer ends just as fast as it begins, it is more important than ever to grab your camera and document, document, document! summer photography is one of my favorites because the subjects take me outdoors. as you are gearing up for summer, check out what 10 photos you must take.
summer means bbq and yummy fruits on our picnic tables, so be sure to all check out my post about food photography so you can make your food look as good in camera as it does on your plate!
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Summer Photography: 10 Photos You Must Take
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1. Summer Sports
one way to really have fun with your summer photography is taking your camera to a sporting event. whether you capture all the details that make up the sport, or play around with your shutter speed to capture the fast movement, a summer sporting event is a great opportunity to capture some amazing shots. get creative with your photography and think about how you can portray a sporting even without photographing the field or the players. think about what surrounds you.
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2. The 4th of July
one of the most memorable parts of the summer is always the fourth of july. whether you want to practice your photography skill by photographing the fireworks, or you want to capture some moments at your family barbecue, don’t forget your camera this year. try having fun with your shutter speed as you capture our american flag flying in the wind or the fireworks bursting in the sky. the opportunities for creativity are endless on this summer holiday.
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3. On the Boardwalk
whether you are near the lake, ocean, or a small pond…have fun photographing the movement of water this summer. don’t live near a body of water? capture your kids jumping into the pool or running through the sprinkler! summertime is all about swimsuits and sunblock, so have fun capturing some of your funnest moments in the sun..jpg "Summer Photography: 10 Photos You Must Take - bethadilly photography")
4. Watermelon, of course
summer isn’t summer without a nice juicy slice of watermelon. watermelon is such a wonderful photography subject, as it’s vibrant color lends itself to some bold and mouthwatering images. whether you are playing around with symmetry or capturing your little one enjoying a piece, grab yourself a watermelon at the market this summer and get creative with your camera. oh, and enjoy a piece too!
need some help getting the food on your plate look as good in camera as it does before you? check out the 7 things i learned about food photography for some helpful tips!
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5. Icey Cold Beverages
i feel like summer photography is a great opportunity to capture movement in a variety of subjects, but especially with liquids. and raise your hand if you love a nice cold beverage on a hot summer day!? (me, me!) while you are enjoying sitting and sipping, capture your favorite summer drink in a photograph. capture the fun details about it like the condensation on the glass or bottle, or the movement as you pour it into a mason jar before serving.
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6. Nature’s Vibrant Colors
just like spring is about pastels and fall is about oranges…summer is about bright vibrant colors. especially in nature. summertime is full of beauty in nature and you will want to have your camera ready. as you are photographing the beautiful nature that surrounds you, specifically seek out the vibrancy of nature. look for those bright pinks, oranges and yellows and practice exposing them properly in camera so they reflect their true color in your images as they do in real life.
for more help on how to learn manual mode, check out my post manual mode confused me, until i read this.
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7. BBQ
i don’t know about you, but my oven stays off during the summer months and we are on the patio! summertime is all about the barbecue so grab your camera as you fire up the grill. capture what your family loves to enjoy on your plates this summer, whether it is corn on the cob or a platter full of hamburgers fresh off the grill.
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8. Roadtrips
more often than not, summertime is the most popular time of year to take a road trip. whether it is a weekend away, or a little longer…don’t forget to capture all the things that make your road trip memorable. photograph how you get to your destination, what you see along the way, who you are traveling with, and much, much more! don’t forget to get in the pictures too! a great way to do that is by photographing your reflection in your sideview mirror!
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9. The Fair
it comes to every town, every summer. the fair is an event that is perfect inspiration for summer photography. whether you want to capture the movement of the rides or you want to practice your night photography and photograph the bright nighttime lights, be sure to pack your camera in your bag to the fair this summer. a great lens to bring would be a nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, as you can experiment with wide angles, while having the zoom option to get a closer view.
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10. Your Favorite Pastime
if summer is about one thing, it is about relaxation. well, it should be anyway! think about what your favorite pastime is and get in front of the frame to capture you doing it! for me, i love pouring myself a cold glass of white wine to enjoy on the patio with a good book. have fun experimenting with your camera’s self timer as you get in front of the camera. investing in a wireless remote makes getting in front of the camera even easier!
summertime is one of the busiest times of year because there are just so many things to do. let this season inspire your summer photography as you make memories with your family. as you are enjoying time with your kids while they are out of school, don’t forget to capture these 10 summer photos so you can savor every moment.
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how you compose your photographs is really important. and i have 8 photography compositions that are sure to take your photos from being anything but boring. if used thoughtfully, your composition will be what takes your photograph from one that someone simply glances at to a photograph that is visually intriguing to your audience and pulls them in. there are so many ways to incorporate thoughtful composition into your photos and, if you keep these 8 creative photography compositions in mind when you pick up your camera, your photographs will be much more fascinating.
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8 Creative Photography Compositions You Should Be Using
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developing the habit of thinking through your photography composition every single time you pick up your camera is something that comes with time. but by knowing about how you can compose your photographs more effectively, you will start inspiring yourself to see even ordinary objects or situations in new ways. a good photographer can take any subject, whether it be a person or a basket of laundry, and make it an intriguing image solely through their use of their photography composition.
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1. Framing
think of a picture frame and what it’s job is. a frame not only holds and displays a photo, but it showcases it. framing your subject within your camera frame is a great way to draw the viewers eye to your subject. in the image above, i used the natural frame of the doorway to frame and showcase my puppies. there are so many things that can frame your subject including doorways, windows, trees, etc.
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2. Depth of Field
creating depth of field is a great way of drawing your viewer into your photo because it adds so much visual interest. instead of having a two dimensional photo, creating depth of field pulls your viewer into your image because their eye is drawn into the background of the photo. to create depth of field, you will want to select a lower aperture like f/2.8 or lower. depth of field can of course be achieved at higher apertures, but i personally like f/2.8 or lower when using my sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens to create really soft blur in my foreground or background. after you select your aperture, you will either pick a focus point in your foreground or background to focus on, creating depth of field by either blurring out the foreground or background on your image as you focus on your intended subject.
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3. Symmetry
creating symmetry in your photo is a very effective photography composition tool because it creates balance and comfort, which will be appreciated by your audience. when you think about symmetry, you should be able to cut your photo in half and each half should mirror the other. the image above of the potted plants resembles symmetry because, if you create a vertical line down the middle of the image, each side perfectly mirrors the other and the image is balanced.
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4. Negative Space
another great way to incorporate creative photography compositions is through the use of negative space. negative space is where you balance out your photo with your subject on one side, paired with absolutely nothing on the other side. this is a great way for you to showcase your subject because the negative space leads the viewers eye right towards your focus. in the image above, i used negative space in the bottom half of the image which draws my viewers eye to my intended subject: my husband. instead of filling the entire frame with your subject, try incorporating negative space by placing your subject in just a portion of your frame and leaving the rest of the frame blank to create visual interest.
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5. Leading Lines
using leading lines to compose your photo is when you use natural lines in your surroundings to lead your viewers eye to the subject. to incorporate leading lines into your photo, you will position your camera so that you have lines extending from one edge or multiple edges of your frame and those lines move directly towards your subject. in the photo above, i positioned myself at a low angle with my lensbaby composer pro sweet 35 lens and i used the natural lines from our deck to lead my viewer’s eye directly to my subject, my puppy. you can find leading lines anywhere and everywhere, from roads to tables. just look around and you will notice that our world is full of lines, all you have to do is position your camera accordingly, usually at a lower angle, and incorporate them!
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6. Texture
creating texture in your photographs is a great way to bring your photograph to life and make it more realistic. texture allows your viewer to incorporate their five senses into your photograph. to create texture in your photographs, you will want to make sure you are using an appropriate aperture that will capture the details of your subject. depending on what your subject is, this could be achieved with a higher or lower aperture, based on what you are trying to achieve. in the photo above, i used a lower aperture and placed my focus point on a particular section of the asparagus that had the crispy and salty texture i wanted to showcase. i chose to use a lower aperture because i wanted to also incorporate depth of field, by having my asparagus surrounded by blur in both the foreground and background of my image to really showcase that texture of the asparagus.
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7. Rule of Thirds
a great way to incorporate photography composition into your photographs is through the rule of thirds. the rule of thirds is when you vertically and horizontally cut your photo into thirds, creating 9 sections. your two vertical and two horizontal lines will intersect at 4 points and these are the points that you will focus on when incorporating the rule of thirds into your photography composition. it is at one of these 4 points that you will want to place your subject. in the photo above, my subject is the wooden instagram camera so i intentionally placed it in the lower right third of the frame where the lines intersect. because we read from left to right, it is always best to place your subject on the right side of the frame so that, when your viewer looks at your image from left to right, their eye ends on your subject.
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8. Low Angles
getting on a low angle with your camera is a wonderful way to compose your photo because it can create so much visual interest. not only does it help you to get on a more realistic level with your subject, but it also helps to create depth of field by doing so. depending on what you are photographing, being at a low angle can create reflections as well. you can achieve reflections at low angles when you photograph on a reflective surface such as a wet surface like a pond or puddle, a glass surface or a hardwood floor.
by thoughtfully picking up your camera and incorporating one or more of these photography compositions into your photos, you will start creating photos that draw your audience in and make them really appreciate your photography. getting creative with your photography composition will also have you picking up your camera more and more to photograph even the most ordinary of moments as you will see how something as simple as how you compose your photo can make even an overflowing laundry basket into a wonderful photo.
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Letters To My Little One | Two Months Old
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tuesday, june 14, 2016
hello my darling!
i can’t even handle the fact that you are already two months old. with every day that we wake up, you have grown so much. sometimes i look at you in the morning and swear that you have grown overnight, right before my eyes. your great grandmother says that this feeling is so true and that you really are growing overnight, and it really isn’t the sleep deprivation that is making me think that. it makes me want to just stare at you all day because, every minute, you are getting older and i want to savor your tinyness.
more and more every day, you are turning into such a fun little lady. you are starting to smile and you smile with your eyes more than anything. they just sparkle and reflect happiness. your eyes are simply happy. you lift your head really well and are always turning from left to right, curious about the new world around you. whether you are staring at the puppies, or out the window, your eyes just hold so much wonderment.
you absolutely love story time with mommy and we love to read lots of books after you have breakfast in the morning. we have read countless books already and you are turning into a little bookworm, just like mommy. as you grow, i can’t wait to read even more stories to you and together we will find our favorite books. your strength continues to amaze us, as you love to kick your legs really hard and pretend you are walking when we stand you up on the changing table after you get a fresh diaper. we always had a feeling you would be an active little one, as you kicked and squirmed constantly in my belly. the fact that you love to kick your legs makes us think you will be on the move in no time!
at two months old, you also love going on evening walks with mommy and daddy. if you get a little fussy, daddy puts you in the chest carrier and from the moment we step outside you are nice and happy again. you love listening to the birdies chirp and feel the summer breeze and are soon snoozing away on daddy’s chest as we walk. we love taking you on coffee dates on the weekends and you are starting to like your car seat a little more with every outing. mommy just holds your little hands and prays for green lights while daddy drives, because you like to be moving and aren’t too happy when the car stops. once we get zooming, you are perfectly perfect.
on june 2nd you cooed for the very first time for mommy and daddy when we were playing with you after dinner. we love listening to your cute sounds, some of the sounds you make sound like little baby animals and are simply darling.
oops, you just started crying…i might need to stop and go cuddle you.
wait, you just went back to sleep. you do that a lot, i am learning. you will cry for a split second, and fall back asleep.
where was i? because it is summer, we had fun watching the lightening bugs one evening before bedtime. i don’t think you could see that far away just yet, but we had fun watching them for you and telling you all about them. the puppies are getting better about knowing what toys are yours and have left your sweet plush toys safely unharmed lately. mommy has had fun buying you a closet full of shoes to wear. poor daddy is going to have two shoe addicts in the house by the time we get your wardrobe complete. while in your closet the other day, i had to pack away your newborn clothes, as you have already grown out of them and are now wearing your 0-3 month outfits. mommy got a little sad for a second, while boxing away your first clothes…i just can’t believe how fast you are growing!
not only are your legs moving like crazy, but your hands are too! your new favorite thing to do is pull on mommy’s hair and it often takes me by surprise. daddy keeps reminding me to put a ponytail on, but i was thinking about a shorter hairstyle for summer anyways! and speaking of hair, your hair is turning so blonde! every time your bath time is over, we think you are even more of a blonde beauty, just like momma. you are starting to not hate bath time as much as you did in the beginning and are fussing less and less. you seem to enjoy the warm water because you only get fussy towards the end when it’s time to dry off.
all of your doctors appointments have been fantastic and, even though i am sad with how fast you are growing, we are so proud of how well you are doing. you were so brave during your first set of immunizations, i think mommy cried more than you did.
we have developed a sweet routine, you and me. we fill our days with cuddles, stories, naps, and feedings. and before we know it, daddy is on his way home from work and we all gather together at the front door to welcome him home. we love watching for daddy to pull into the driveway, get the mail, and walk through the front door. he gives us a happy wave as soon as he sees us standing there, followed by kisses once he is through the door.
we are just so happy, the three of us. it is like we have been a family forever. we laugh at how much you are starting to look more and more like your daddy every day, and have fun talking about the type of little lady you are growing to be. one of our favorite things to talk about are all of the adventures we want to have as a new family. where we want to take you. what we want to experience. what we want to teach you.
everyday is a whole new adventure. sometimes you sleep more, sometimes you sleep less. but when i hear you wake in the middle of the night and see those smiling eyes, i am even more excited to see what the next day with you will bring. and i know it will bring happiness and joy, laughter and sweet moments. it will bring endless pictures of your sweet face and cuddling you close.
the last 62 days have been the best of our lives. they have been days filled with firsts. days filled with memories we never want to forget. and days filled with happiness like we have never known.
i love you, sweet baby and now i am going to go watch you sleep because i miss you.
love,
mommy
it’s that time of year again when the kids are out of school for the summer and we find ourselves both excited to leave behind that morning school routine and also a little panicked as we try and plan activities to keep them entertained all summer. well, i’ve got you covered this year with a summer photography project for kids that will both encourage you to pick up your camera, while teaching your children the importance of simple acts of kindness.
summer also means one thing: great food! check out the only book you need to learn about food photography so you can bring that beautiful summer food to life with your camera this year!
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A Summer Photography Project for Kids To Encourage Kindness
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a couple of years ago, i stumbled upon a darling little journal called “one good deed a day,” containing pages of good deeds that make our world a better and kinder place. on each page there is a good deed to complete, a place to journal how you did it, and a place to document your completion date. there is so much kindness and inspiration within these pages, that it makes for a perfect photography project to do with your kids this summer.
with summer break right around the corner, it’s time to organize some activities that will not only keep them entertained, but also have some meaningful life lessons. this year, pick up your camera and grab your own copy of this journal…i’ve got a photography project that will help you as a mama practice your photography skill while teaching your children the importance of kindness and how to show it.
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with your “one good deed a day” journal, sit down with your children at the beginning of your week and pick a handful of good deeds you want to focus on that week. whether you want to do a few good deeds in one day or spread them out throughout the week, browse through the good deed journal and talk about how and who you can show a good deed to. you can either complete the book in page order from cover to cover, or go through it with your children and focus on certain good deeds in an order of your choice. it’s a project for you and your kids, you make the rules!
then, grab your camera! as you are out and about with your journal, photograph your children doing good deeds for others. whether you are baking cookies to send to a friend, waving hello to someone, or picking up a piece of litter, photograph your children completing these random acts of kindness.
it’s that easy! not only are you picking up your camera to document moments with your children, but you are teaching wonderful life lessons to your littles.
Photography Project Materials You Will Need
1. “one good deed a day” journal
2. your camera + memory cards + batteries
3. you + your kids!
instead of counting the days until your kids go back to school, start a summer photography project for kids to encourage kindness, that will bring something meaningful to your day and encourage great conversation! and don’t forget, have fun and take some great photographs along the way!
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This is awesome. We just moved to a new town and with summer break officially starting in just 3 days for my boys, this is such a sweet idea and absolutely perfect timing. Thanks so much for sharing both the book and the idea to document our adventures with it. I may just make this my summer daily project!ReplyCancel
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Love this idea. My boys are 11 and 14 and are very competitive and not always very nice to each other. They are always the first ones to jump in to be kind and helpful to other people, but have a very hard time translating that same kindness to their sibling. Maybe there are some “good things” that they could do for each other instead of always keeping score.ReplyCancel
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This sounds like the sweetest idea. I would even suggest for other parents to read their kids a children’s book about kindness to fully inspire them to do good things. Here’s a nice list of some of the best children’s books that teaches kindness: http://www.inguspingus.com/2016/06/04/27-childrens-books-about-kindness/ReplyCancel
Heather Grilliot - I strugle with this all the time and feel I’m all over the place especially since I don’t have a “business” of sorts. That probably shouldn’t matter. We have 4 kids and one is ill. We try to show positive images of our strugles and how our lifestyle is in constant healing mode…but then we also are able to camp a lot. Very different ranges. Should people have more than one instagram account to catagorize them?
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