Food and travel blogging can be a strenuous process. I love exploring a new city and taste-testing all the unique foods a place has to offer, but how can I document it in a way that will accurately bring a new place and culture right to your screen?
There are a few tips and tricks that go into every photo you see on my Instagram, @meat.onherbones, and blog. Below is a quick rundown of my process...
Sony & 2 Lenses
First, my cherished Sony α6000 camera & lenses (16-50mm & 55-210mm). This camera was an investment for me, but well worth it. I had a larger Canon DSLR (love Canon, also) that I would travel with, but often found myself leaving it at home or at the hotel, because of its size. I didn't want to lug around a camera all day. I often resorted to just using my iPhone. Although I still love a good large, high quality lens, my Sony camera is absolutely amazing because of its size. It can easily fit into any day purse I carry, while still having multiple lenses and producing extremely high quality photos. It is a no brainer to carry it around while exploring a city, and each photo can easily be uploaded via WiFi to my phone in a matter of seconds. It is the perfect travel companion.
iPhone
That being said, I love a good iPhone shot. Where it lacks in quality landscapes and long range photos, it excels in flatlays and close facades. In addition, if I am out at a nicer sit-down restaurant, or out with friends and family, pulling out a larger camera can be a little awkward. The iPhone is the perfect way to grab a quick, high quality shot when out on the town. I cannot tell you how many times I've been out and have found myself at a spot I want to recommend to you all, sans formal camera. Don’t think you have to stick to the "professional" shots - intimate, personal shots are perfect for a genuine post too.
VSCO & Adobe
Next: editing. I cannot emphasize this enough. Editing is one of my favorite parts of photography; although it can be time consuming, it is where your creativity can really come alive. If I grab a shot on my iPhone, I love to edit on my VSCO app. Through this app, you can create your own presets, which will help you create a uniform and beautiful page. Love some primary color pop? Love dark hues and shadows? This app has a full library of presets for you to use, but as you begin to edit photos, you can also customize and make them your own! You can save your presets and quickly edit any photo you snap while wandering.
In addition, learning to use Adobe is a huge asset. Photoshop and Lightroom are excellent for both camera and iPhone shots. There are even apps for your phone, if you want to edit and post right away! Lightroom is always a go-to for me when using my iPhone. It may take a little more work and training, but you can
create excellent photos through Adobe.
Top: South Korea, Greece, Turkey
Bottom: South Africa, Austria, Australia
Edited with VSCO & Lightroom
Canva & Preview
Two extra apps that I adore for planning and posting are Canva and Preview.
Canva can be accessed on your desktop or phone. I use it for my marketing masters program at Georgetown constantly. On this site, you can create an enormous amount of creative materials. It is extremely easy for those wanting to create stories, posts, graphics, etc. Couldn't recommend it enough!
Preview is the app I use to plan upcoming posts and the look of my entire page. It allows you to organize all your posts in one place, with calendars, captions, and hashtags. I am a huge planner, often posting on my Instagram daily and my blog about every two weeks. This app helps me plan in advance and see how the layout of my posts will flow. It can even send you push notifications, to remind you when you should post (based on when your followers are most active). It is a great way to stay on top of your photos and help them creatively and seamlessly blend.
Any other tips or questions? Let's share!
Written and Photographed by Emi Lungmus
Edited by Anna McCarthy
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