Last week, I did a post where I interviewed five Bookstagrammers and this week I am at it again with a fresh batch. I feel so lucky that I got to interview these ladies on how they are shaping #Bookstagram and on the future of their account.
If you didn’t read last week’s post, you are missing out on five other amazing #Bookstagrammers — so make sure to read all about them.
As a bit of a refresher here are the three questions I asked them:
1. What made you want to start a #Bookstagram account (or at least incorporate some aspect of it)?
2. What phone or camera do you use to take pictures? What filters do you use?
3. What haven't you done yet with your page that you want to get to eventually? (Use props, cooperate, etc.)
Let’s get started.
Rachel from rachaelrexds
1. I've always had a passion for books since I was a kid and at the beginning of 2015, I also found that I had a passion for photography so I thought " Why not combine those two and create a #Bookstagram account? " Another reason that I decided to start a #Bookstagram account is because I wanted a platform where I can share my passion for books and reading with others who share that same passion and love.
I don't have many friends who read so it's always hard to share my love for books with them. Starting my #Bookstagram account has really provided a platform for me to meet new people who share the same interests as me and it also allowed me to express myself through the photos I take :)
2. I actually just use my iPhone 5s to take my photos! I don't really use filters but I use this application called “Photo Wonder ", to edit the brightness, saturation, color and sharpness of the photo. I also use the Brightness function on the Instagram application to increase the exposure of the picture.
3. I'm honestly really happy with my page at the moment, but I would love experiment more with different photo angles instead of just sticking to flat-lays and I would love to make my feed more colorful (if that's even possible :D ). Apart from that, I'm happy with how my page looks overall.
Aiko from libros_de_amor
1. Few years ago I started posting my love for books w/o even knowing the idea of "hashtags" until my friend told me 😂. After I learned that hashtag is like a portal that can bring you to different place I became more interested in viewing a lot of pictures and so I tried to post my own in sharing in "bookstagram" community. After that I saw the frequency of the comment/s in the picture I'm posting then I realized why not share my own choice of book/s and keep update on the community since not everyone is always up to date.
2. Most of the time I used my iPhone 6S plus and iPad Air 2 to edit clearly in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe fix. 😊 It is more of adjusting the color and clarity of the pictures than directly putting ready filters on my photos and natural lightning is my best friend. 😂 If I will need an extra brightness on my photo and touch up on Instagram I'll use the Clarendon filter.
3. I've been planning to start different props that I'm now conceptualizing like the ff (following):
. Tear pages from book/s
. Funkopop character related to book/s
. Nature related theme
Hikari from foldedpagesdistillery
1. I started a blog with one of my best friends a couple years ago and I wasn't on Instagram AT ALL at that point. After a while my friends kept bugging me to start one and I thought... “You know, I should do an Instagram for the blog”. I thought I was being super clever and original when I started, but it turns out there were already many people doing book-only IG accounts.
I quickly got into the community and after a few months of figuring out Instagram in general, and what I wanted my account to be like, I made it my top social media priority. It was just so much fun and I was making so many cool bookish friends. So I started (it) to get my blog exposed, but stayed for the community.
2. I started off taking pictures with my iPod touch (because I was the last person on the planet to get a smart phone). Then about four months in I got an iPhone6 Plus and it is the only thing I use. I used the VSCO app and use the A5 filter on all my photos. I tweak it every time, but it's the only filter I use.
3. I love incorporating food (like meals) but have only done so maybe three or four times. I want to maybe try some cookbook posts, or maybe go out and specifically find a bunch of food-related novels and try to create some foodie inspired photos with those. I love food as much as I love books, and I'd like to make those types of photos a regular occurrence.
Crystal from crystalcandis
1. I started Instagram with a personal account and stumbled onto #Bookstagram by accident. I was recently sober and reading a lot more than I had been. The only other non-drinking hobby I had, other than reading, was using Instagram. People I didn't know started liking my pictures when I would post pics of the book I was reading and after cyber-sleuthing their pages, I found the #Bookstagram hashtag. Everyone was so inviting and welcoming, and I found myself really enjoying the conversations and the book recommendations. After a couple of months I figured out my style and realized that white flat lays were definitely not my thing. I just kept making friends and finding all of these cool feeds with even cooler people running them. I fell in love, HARD.
I've been a part of the #Bookstagram community for almost six months and I've finally found my people... my tribe. It's like that quote from "Sleepless in Seattle": "It was like coming home... only to no home i had ever known..." I know Tom Hanks was talking about his dead wife, but the quote still fits for this situation. I've found hilarious, nerdy, neurotic, creative, smart, wonderful, and sweet people (with a few psychos here and there) and I wouldn't give any of them up for anything. Who would have thought I would find some of my best friends on a social media app?
2. I use my Samsung Galaxy S4 camera phone. I don't edit my pics on a computer or use any kinds of fancy software. I point my phone and shoot. I don't use any filters either. I sometimes sharpen my images or strengthen the shadows... but that's it!!
3. I can't think of anything that I want to change at the moment. I'm super happy with my feed and my aesthetic. Sometimes I'll subtly change the background of my pics or add a prop or two, but I don't really have any plans on mixing things up too much right now.
Ally from allysnovelidea
1. I have always loved reading but in the last few years I realized I'm actually quite obsessed and stumbled into the #Bookstagram world and decided I HAD to be a part of it!
2. I generally just use my iPhone 6s for my pictures. Early on I tried using my camera but the iPhone does a good job and it's definitely easier lol I always use the Clarendon filter and typically saturate my photos.
3. My page is fairly dark, and I really enjoy some of the other #Bookstagram feeds that are crisp white and minimalist. So maybe I will try that sometime. 😜
Hope you check out these lovely ladies accounts. I know that this time around I focused on lady #Bookstagrammers but I hope to focus on male #Bookstagrammers as well in the future.
Check out these accounts and tell them I sent ya!
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