How to Take Awesome Instagram Travel Photos on Your Island Adventure
There’s nothing greater than packing the bags, the board, and the sunscreen and heading off on a tropical island adventure, and for those that love the sea, sun, sand and surf – Namotu Island in Fiji is the perfect destination.
Some of us haven’t quite got the cash to go jet-setting just yet, and this is where Instagram supplies us with our daily dose of turquoise oceans, stunning sunsets, epic wipeouts and all the other photo-worthy things that come with everyday life in paradise. Don’t believe us? Have a look at the Namotu Island Instagram account for some of the best Instagram photos coming out of Fiji.
Want to have one of those accounts that inspires and ignites the travel bug in people all over the world? Check out these tips on how to make your Instagram travel photos absolutely incredible:
Time it right
If you are a surfer or an outdoors lover, you probably rise before the sun anyway, but the importance of getting up an hour before sunrise and photographing around an hour before sunset cannot be stressed enough.
Sunrises and sunsets add a different quality of light to images. Their soft hues and warm colours can create an amazing photograph that would look dull at any other time of the day. Check out this beautiful Instagram photo from photographer Stu Gibson taken at the perfect time of day.
Swish it up a bit
Your Instagram travel account is going to be a bit bland if you photograph everything from eye level. In today’s technological age, we have modern equipment and tools that allow us to explore previously unimagined possibilities.
Make use of a drone to get epic aerial shots, attach a GoPro to your board to get sublime underwater photographs, and don’t forget to change it up a bit by using video to capture your adventures. Adding funky videos using Boomerang will make your profile more entertaining.
Know what you want
Gone are the days where you snap an Instagram photo and instantly upload it. If you want to get a great following, you’re going to have to stage your photos or be aware of what kind of photos you want before you even go on your trip.
Practice makes perfect, and if you have a specific shot in mind then check out a tutorial on YouTube and research as much as you can. We know that you can’t plan every shot, but some of the best ones come after a few attempts.
Use editing apps and not Instagram filters
Some amazing apps were released for Instagram travel photo editing over the last couple of years. Apps such as Afterlight can really take your Instagram travel photos to the next level by adjusting contrast and saturation – making colours and patterns really pop. There are a bunch of free apps for those that don’t want to splash the cash too. Take a look at the top 14 Instagram photo editing apps.
Be Consistent
Every photographer has a signature look to their photos; it’s their defining feature – the one thing that helps them stand out from millions of other photographers all over the world. That is why it is important to be consistent with the look and feel of your photographs.
Choose two editing tools and use them consistently throughout your photos. This will result in a look that will instantly identify your Instagram photos and help your followers recognise your work. Stu Gibson is known for his amazing aerial beach photography, which all have the same distinctive look.
Get some inspiration
There’s no better way to get the creative juices flowing than to see other amazing work that inspires your inner photographer. Follow accounts that are filled with unbelievable island photography and the kinds of Instagram photos that you would like to take yourself.
If watersports is your thing, then Stu Gibson is the man you want to keep an eye on, and for gorgeous pictures of Fiji’s white sandy beaches and glorious sunsets, check out Tourism Fiji and Must Do Fiji’s scintillating Instagram accounts.
Namotu Fiji is a surfer’s paradise, and their gallery is sure to entice even the most novice watersports lover to visit and travel Fiji. The tips above will enhance your Instagram skills, but if you want to take truly unbelievable travel photos, then the most important tip is to get up, get out, have fun, and never stop travelling.