NO INSTA BOYFRIEND? NO PROBLEM – HOW I SHOOT MY OWN CONTENT

Time and time again I’m struck with the dilemma of having content I want or need, to shoot, yet nobody to shoot with. However over the past couple of weeks I’ve taken things into my own hands with a no ‘Instagram boyfriend? No problem’ approach. And I’ve started taking my content all on my tod. I’ve been toying with the idea for a while, yet there was always that overhanging feeling of not wanting to look like a bit of a tit. But I was really inspired by Style Structure’s photos and it’s really not as bad as you think, plus it is so convenient. So here’s how to be your own Instagram boyfriend and take your own photos.

THE BASICS

Let’s cover the basics of how I actually take the photo before we go into any details. You can use your phone or camera, whichever floats your boat. But I use a Canon 1300D camera with either a 50mm or 35mm lens. And I just attach this to a tripod I got from Amazon. It was about £13 and is great for taking around with you as it folds away nicely and is a staple for photography. There’s only so many times you can pile books and boxes up together.

Luckily, my camera has a built in WiFi. And with most Canon cameras you can then just link it up to your phone. And it basically becomes a remote for your camera. It’s also fab as you can adjust your settings and see what the cameras taking. Meaning less time taking a billion test shots. So I tend to have it on a small timer to give me time to pop my phone out of sight, and then its just strike a pose and you’re on your way! If your camera doesn’t have this feature, you can always use a normal remote! It’ll just take a few more test shots to get the one you want.

You can also easily use your phone for this, and all you’ll need is a phone mount for your tripod and a bluetooth remote. And the process is exactly the same just keep clicking till you get what you want!

FIND YOUR INSPIRATION

When I shoot alone, inspiration is a massive thing for me. When you’re alone, it makes life 10x easier when you’ve already got an idea of the sort of shots you want to get. Whether they’re full body, details or action shots. It’ll just make the whole process so much quicker and easier for you. I tend to just plan out my outfits prior to the shoot, and head to Pinterest to create a little moodboard around it. Focusing on the different pieces, different styles and poses that I want to get and just save it to my phone so it’s easy to refer to when I’m out shooting.

LOCATION LOCATION

My first thought when I wanted to do this: ‘Okay, but where??’ I was thinking of all these snazzy streets and buildings I could use but all in all, I’d say to keep it simple at first. If you’re anything like me you’ll want to find somewhere quiet too. So find a nice little street that suits your style and has good natural lighting and just start there. You also won’t have the problem of having lots of people in the background! If at first you don’t want to head out into the big wide world to take your own photos, just try doing some in your house at first, and get used to the routine. However I’ll do a post on at home portraits another day.

THE SHOT

So just some final tips on getting the shot. When you want to take your own photos, I’d say keep it simple at first. You won’t get all the shots you could with a photographer. However, of course, experiment. Get to know different angles, lighting, depths and find what suits you. Utilize natural light, I’d suggest aiming to shoot before the suns completely out however as you’ll have more leeway. If you’re an early bird, 6/7am is a great time to get some soft lighting, and most places will be dead so no need to worry about people looking. And on that note, people will stare, people will be confused, some may even make a comment. But at the end of the day you’re very unlikey to see them ever again, and it’ll all be forgotten about in a few hours. So don’t worry about anyone else and you go get your content!

E x