Photofocus

education and inspiration for visual storytellers

Instagram

Photography Marketing: Instagram Caves, New Posts to Appear First in Feed

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You might have noticed a few changes to Instagram over the past week — and now it's official. Instagram has caved, and has decided to make newer posts more important to its users. I had received messages from several people about this over the past few days, and while I, too, had noticed some changes, Instagram made it official on Thursday, saying in a press release, "With these changes, your feed will feel more fresh, and you won't miss the moments you care about." What This Means Simply put, you're more likely to see new posts from the … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Instagram Caves, New Posts to Appear First in Feed

Photography Marketing: Be Everywhere — But Only Where it Counts

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With the marketing and social marketplace changing on what seems like a daily basis, it's easy to get overwhelmed and think you have to be active on every platform imaginable. It's great to have profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus, Flickr, Instagram, 500px, LinkedIn, MySpace (wait, MySpace?!?)... You get the idea. There are a ton of networks out there that can help achieve your marketing goals. But you should only be active on those networks that positively impact you and your business. A Case Study: Google Plus Back in … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Be Everywhere — But Only Where it Counts

Its All About the Square

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Why I love Instagram & Hipstamatic Like every photographer nowadays, I have been shooting with my iPhone more—it has virtually replaced the pocket point & shoot! The one camera that is always with me, it has come to represent the future of photography technology, and it cannot be ignored. More often than not, my go-to photo app is Hipstamatic. Why? The funky, old fashioned, snapshot camera simulator has an interesting effect on my vision, simplifying my approach to picture making by virtually removing the post-processing part of image … [Read more...] about Its All About the Square

Photography Marketing: Upload Pixel-Perfect Images on Social Media

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Let's face it — as photographers, we have to spend a ton of time on social media sharing our images. But depending on the platform, it's not as easy as just clicking the "Upload" button. Different social networks recommend different image sizes, in order to make your photos look as best as possible. While every social network compresses uploaded images somewhat, the amount your image is effected is often based on the size you upload at, as well as some additional factors, like compression and converting to different color … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Upload Pixel-Perfect Images on Social Media

How to up your social media engagement

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After the first couple times, I was asked about how I have such good engagement on social media, I disregarded the questions because I didn’t feel like my social media following was that big of a deal. Many other’s have much more followers and engagement, or so I thought. When one of my friends who runs several Instagram accounts with thousands of followers asked me how my engagement was so high, I literally looked at her confused. I admired her following. Then when my followers started asking me advice on what I do, I actually ignored their … [Read more...] about How to up your social media engagement

Photography Marketing: Uploading Finished Images to Instagram

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I'm often asked how to further utilize Instagram as a photographer. And while using applicable hashtags and giving a location to your images is great, sometimes the simplest of techniques is overlooked. That is, uploading photos taken with your camera to Instagram, instead of just photos on your iPhone. That's not to say that images taken with your iPhone are necessarily bad; they have a time and a place. But for marketing purposes, you want to display your best work in all mediums, and that includes Instagram. How Can I Upload My … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Uploading Finished Images to Instagram

Photography Marketing: Creating Brand Engagement Through Instagram

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Instagram is a constantly evolving tool, and one that has changed drastically over the past year. Now, more than ever, it's important to follow some simple rules when posting to the social networking platform that can help you engage with not only your fans, but potential clients. Tag Businesses and Locations This might sound obvious, but oftentimes, it's overlooked. Mention your clients or potential clients by tagging their Instagram accounts in images that feature them or their products. On my recent trip to North Carolina, I stopped at … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Creating Brand Engagement Through Instagram

Getting Creative With Instagram’s Multiple Photos Feature

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Recently Instagram added the “multiple photos” feature, where an image post can include up to 10 images and/or videos which you can swipe through.  Although sharing an album of shots from a trip or shoot is the most obvious choice, I am always on the lookout for new ways to share my work and the stories behind it.  Below are some creative ways to use multiple photos in my Instagram posts, as well as a short primer on how to use this new feature. Ideas for Things You Can Do with Multiple Photos Action Sequence (See it on Instagram.  Best … [Read more...] about Getting Creative With Instagram’s Multiple Photos Feature

Lightroom Mobile Update: RAW HDR’s for iPhone and Android

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Lightroom Mobile is far and away my most used app on my phone and iPad, and Adobe have just suped it up even more. The latest version of the app adds power to the integrated camera by unlocking the ability to shoot RAW HDR from within the app. That means you'll have greater control over the colors and tones of the pictures captured on your mobile device. And yes, this is for both iOS on Apple phones and for Android (affected models are listed below). The thing that blows my mind is that this app continues to be included with your Creative … [Read more...] about Lightroom Mobile Update: RAW HDR’s for iPhone and Android

IFTTT for Photographers – Part 3: Managing Your Social Media

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Are you new to IFTTT? Then check out this article For my two photography businesses, I have about 9 billion different social media services, profiles, portfolio sites, and websites. Well, maybe 9 billion is a slight exaggeration. But, just keeping up with your online presence can turn into a full-time job. I would rather be spending time with my family and going out to take a photo or two, than basking in the glow of my computer screen. Whether you are new to IFTTT.com (IF This, Then That), or have been using it for a while, these applets … [Read more...] about IFTTT for Photographers – Part 3: Managing Your Social Media

Use Lightroom to post images to Instagram

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The LR/Instagram plug-in is a great addition to your Lightroom Publishing Services.When you post an image from Lightroom to Instagram, the plug-in keeps the images in sync. If you modify the image, change the caption or decide you want to remove it from the catalog, the plug-in will send those changes to Instagram. Pretty cool! Here’s how to install it. Installing the Lightroom to Instagram Plug-in Step 1: Download LRInstagram plugin: http://www.lrinstagram.com/index.html. If you haven’t organized your Lightroom’s plug-in folder, now maybe a … [Read more...] about Use Lightroom to post images to Instagram

Instagram Grids– Hot or Not?

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Grids. Banners. Cubes. Whatever you call them. More and more companies and individuals have been jumping onto this trend since the Summer of 2015. The owners of these instagram accounts segment one photo into typically 3, 6, 9, 12+, square blocks and post them in a progressive order, typically by using some apps that make it pretty simple-- like Giant Square or Banner Pic. The result is a pretty interesting Instagram profile that can break down the feed into sections or just displays the photo in a unique way. Instagram has been changing a … [Read more...] about Instagram Grids– Hot or Not?

Look at this Instagram [Humor]

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While many of you have figured out how to use Instagram effectively, not everyone is quite as sharp.  Enjoy a little humor in the middle of your day. The pictures you want to remember. A song you want to forget. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn-dD-QKYN4 … [Read more...] about Look at this Instagram [Humor]

What’s New with Instagram

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With over 400 million users, Instagram is one of the top social networks for images and short-form videos. Since it’s beginning, Instagram has always shown new posts chronologically. But Instagram is looking to change that and they’re currently testing a new algorithm that will filter your news feed to see only the best images when you launch the app. The content creators, brand, and celebrities using Instagram are verbally opposed to this change that would let Instagram choose what posts its users see and don’t see. Really though, this isn’t … [Read more...] about What’s New with Instagram

Instagram Launches Multiple Account Management

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Anyone who uses Instagram as a social media outlet for sharing personal images, as well as maintaining and building an audience for their business, knows that switching accounts can be a royal pain. The idea of swapping all the time was annoying enough for me to never create a second account and for a while, I used my personal account for everything. I don't mind my followers having a peek into my private life, but after a while I felt my personal life was overwhelming the select images I chose to share from my business. I was so close to … [Read more...] about Instagram Launches Multiple Account Management

15 Seconds of Fame: Preview Videos for Instagram

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Videos slideshows are a powerful way to show pictures, and I think Instagram offers a unique opportunity. The thing is, my clients love to watch a slideshow of themselves, but few other people are willing to watch a long slideshow these days. Instagram has a 15 seconds limit on slideshows, though, and that's just about perfect--I don't know about you, but I watch almost every video that comes through my feed 'cause it's only 15 seconds. https://vimeo.com/128199972 So, let's use Instagram to make a short impactful slideshow that acts as a … [Read more...] about 15 Seconds of Fame: Preview Videos for Instagram

Coming up with a Great Idea for a Photo

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Coming up with a great idea is challenging for me. I only know one person who can come up with a great idea on the spot, and that's Photofocus editor Rich Harrington. Recently, our studio was selected to design a Dream Shoot for LensRentals.com. We could do anything we wanted, a wide-open project, and LensRentals.com would provide all the gear we needed. One of the hardest things for me to do is come up with a good idea. I have ok ideas all the time, but most never amass to anything. Here are a few ways that I come up with a good idea. … [Read more...] about Coming up with a Great Idea for a Photo

How to Post Instagram Photos Directly to Twitter

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Back in the day, Instagram photos used to show up in our Twitter feed. That changed several months after Instagram was bought by Facebook in April of 2012, and . Instead, if a photo is shared through Twitter, it is linked to the photo on Instagram instead of being embedded into your tweet. Instagram is the number one way that I (and millions of other people) share mobile photos. For those of us with linked Twitter accounts, the bottom line is that more people are less likely to see the photo if they have to click a link to view it. But alas! … [Read more...] about How to Post Instagram Photos Directly to Twitter

Lr Mobile: Perfect Instagram Solution

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Instagram is all about pictures, so it's kinda funny that I've only just started using it. Nonetheless, I've fallen in love with it. I love that I can post to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter all at once, and if i've tagged someone it automatically seeks out their Twitter handle, too. I hate that I can't post images using my computer. The Perfect Solution I prefer to share finished images, photographs that've been through Lightroom for a little polish, and I rarely like what my iPhone shoots because I prefer to use telephoto lenses. My GH4 … [Read more...] about Lr Mobile: Perfect Instagram Solution

What’s Changed in the Instagram App

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Instagram just dropped a new update to their mobile app. Instagram for iOS version 6.2 is available in Apples App Store, and Instagram for Android version 6.1 is available on Google Play. New Features The goal of the new release is to give the user more control over posts and make it easier to find content. Caption-editing After posting an image you can now go back and change it. This means you can fix any typos or add that witty caption after the fact. You'll find a new "Edit" option in the menu beneath each of your images. Tap it to modify a … [Read more...] about What’s Changed in the Instagram App

Posting to Instagram: “Mobile Only”? Or “Anything Goes”?

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If you're like me (and 200-million other people on this planet) you probably have an Instagram account. Instagram has redefined instant photo-sharing, making our mobile phones vessels to show the world what we eat, where we travel, and what our pets are doing. For me, I use it to share my life. Outings with friends, which are typically photography-related, end up as "behind the scenes" shares on my Instagram account, and meals at restaurants turn into mini-photo-shoots, assuming that the light near our table is decent enough for a … [Read more...] about Posting to Instagram: “Mobile Only”? Or “Anything Goes”?

Mike Corrado & Gerard Murphy | Photofocus Podcast 4/15/14

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This week's podcast takes a look at two very different topics in the photo industry. Our first guest Mike Corrado discusses his concert photography and passion projects. Then we catch up with Photofocus contributor and industry expert Gerard Murphy about photo sharing services like SnapChat and the new Lightroom Mobile. Get the show here or get it on iTunes Don't forget to post a review on iTunes. Mike Corrado Mike Corrado is a photographer and visual artist with over 35 years experience. He also works with Nikon as the Manager of Nikon … [Read more...] about Mike Corrado & Gerard Murphy | Photofocus Podcast 4/15/14

Why Instagram Is About More Than Photo Sharing

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Guest Post by Tamara Lackey - Follow Tamara on Twitter I have been using Instagram for about nine months now, so I feel like I can finally deliver an opinion on this wildly popular app. Initially, I thought the concept was to take a photograph every day with your iPhone, run a simple little filter over it, and post it while checking out others' images. Over time, though, I started realizing that it could be about much more than that. It could be about showing a slice of your life and getting a very visual feel for how others are living, too. … [Read more...] about Why Instagram Is About More Than Photo Sharing