Taking Bookstagram Pictures

   I meant to post this on October but I forgot. FAIL! That's why it has a Halloween theme.

   Now onto the post...

   If you guys didn't know, the blogging and book community has been evolving over at Instagram for who knows how long! I created my IG this year and I never actually thought I would because it didn't seem like my thing. But now I love taking daily pictures of books!!

   I saw Aimee from Deadly Darlings do her own post on how she takes her Instagram posts and I wanted to do one myself. Mine is a little amateurish compared to hers. You can check hers out here.

   A lot of people seem to have their own style when it comes to the content they post on their accounts like maybe they only use a white background. I just go random. I don't have a specific pattern I follow just as long as the photos are light and clear. Though I do prefer taking photos of books in nature because the lighting is perfect and I don't really have to edit it. And I also don't really use props because I'm not that good at arranging them.

   I am here to show you how I usually take my photos and edit them. I am no professional photographer by any means. I don't even use a digital camera. I use my iPod touch. Cue the laughter!!

   I think my photos still come out looking decent since my photos come out of an Apple product. If you have a phone that has a good-quality camera, by all means, use it.

   What I love about my iPod is that when I take my photo, I can edit it straight away with the options it gives me. It saves me time from the hassle of uploading it to my laptop and to PicMonkey.

   I can just load it onto Instagram when I'm satisfied with the picture.

Here's My "Studio:"

    I place my studio on the bed in front of the window for natural lighting. I take 3 to 4 pillows to make my "wall" and cover them with a white sheet. I straighten the sheet as best as I can.

   Then I begin snapping pictures. I suggest taking lots of photos from multiple angles.

   Once you're done, start deleting the ones that turn out blurry or unsatisfying. This is the hard part for me because I get picky or I can't choose. But just use the best to your ability.

                            Before:                                                    After:

The Features I Use To Edit My Photos:

   I usually just use Exposure, Black Point, Saturation, Color Contrast, and Cast. But there are times where I do mess around with the others features as well.

• Turn the exposure really high to get rid of the photo's darkness. I turn it all the way until I can't see the bed sheet. Sometimes, I also use brightness for a more heavier effect.

• Turn the Black Point up to darken black spots. But recently I've been turning it to the negative side because it makes the picture have a brighter look that I like.

• Move the Cast to the negative side so that it will whiten the photo and get rid of that yellowness that a photo has.

•  Then at the very end, I turn the Saturation to negative to tone it down a bit.

So do you guys have a Bookstagram? If you do, how do you edit your photos?