How to make your holiday look better on Instagram
By Sophie Raine
You’ve got four nights in Málaga and you’ve got to make them count… on the Internet that is. We asked jetsetting queen of the selfie, @Little_Miss_Travels, to talk us through the art of taking Instagrammable holiday snaps that will make your mates jealous.
SUN DOWN GLASS UP
Sunsets and booze are a match made in heaven. This doesn’t mean you need to ask a random in the beach bar to capture you and Tony as you chink glasses of Sex on The Beach against a backdrop of orange. Be creative and show people what they’re missing.
THE GREEN WITH ENVY FILTER
Absolutely no hotdogs/legs snaps. We get it, you’re there, it’s the first bit of sun you’ve seen in months but trust me, your followers don’t want to see you on a sunbed with Look magazine resting upon your greasy pale pins. Unless you’re Kendall Jenner aboard some sort of Yacht on the French Riviera – forget it. Instead, opt for capturing the beach or pool at a good time of day and let the view do the talking.
Home for the next 3 days A photo posted by Sophie Raine ✈️ (@little_miss_travels) on
KNOW THE CAMERA RULES
Do not shoot inside of Instagram, it’s so limiting. Your smartphone’s native camera has a wealth of really cool functionality. For example, if you own any red swimwear, you can use ‘Slo-mo’ to emulate the running scene of Baywatch fame. You can also use the ‘pano’ feature to take incredible wide angle shots of what’s in front of you.
THE I-HAD-NO-IDEA-THE-CAMERA-WAS-THERE SHOT
If you must be the star of the picture, you don’t ALWAYS have to be gurning at the camera. I find it can be incredibly effective to ask my holiday companion to snap away whilst I put myself into a very posed position designed to look entirely unposed and as if I am alone and deep in thought…
Where better to recover from Ibiza? #DontWantToComeHome A photo posted by Sophie Raine ✈️ (@little_miss_travels) on
ABSOLUTELY NO CHEESE
I know it’s tempting, but if you spot a bar or restaurant that shares your name, I beg you to avoid the urge to take a photo of yourself standing by it. Believe me, every time I’m in Covent Garden I have to hold myself back from posing next to Sophie’s Steak House with my thumbs up. Instead, take a picture of the food on offer, especially if it’s specific to the country you are in. Tapas in Spain is a surefire win.
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION
Don’t be afraid of using hashtags to increase engagement. This is probably one to avoid if you’ve gone to Bognor for the weekend, but if in #Barcelona – let people know. Make sure you click on the hashtag yourself and like a few of your favourite images others have taken, chances are they’ll do the same for you.
#Barcelona A photo posted by Sophie Raine ✈️ (@little_miss_travels) on
