Many influencers appear to have perfect homes tastefully furnished with an array of desirable decorative items. But sometimes, in a fit of authenticity, one of them will admit to living in a very ordinary house blessed with what is known as ‘an Instagram Corner.’
What does an Instagram corner look like?
An Instagram corner is a spot with lighting that will give reliable photographs or videos and which is kept tidy and clean and decorated.
Your Instagram corner should reflect you – but it’s a good idea to keep it fairly uncluttered so that you can treat it like a blank canvas. Some people use a curtain as a backdrop. But a wall with shelves can work well, too. This allows you to show off prized possessions or share interesting finds. Bookcases are popular, and viewers may enjoy learning more about your literary tastes. Houseplants, too, are a good prop.
A surface is useful for taking social media pictures, particularly if you are sharing pictures of objects or products, or if you’re demonstrating a technique.
Think about storage in your social media corner. Once you’ve finished your shoot, it’s good to be able to box up your equipment and put it out of sight. A basket, box or drawer will let you quickly turn your ‘studio’ back into your home again.
Is your workspace ready for social media?
Some Instagrammers and YouTubers use their normal worksurface for social media. A hardworking surface – think paint splashes, tool marks etc – provides interesting textures for backgrounds, and it also means you have all your kit ready for whatever you are demonstrating.
Lighting your corner for the best photography
It's common to have a window to one side of your photography spot – but don’t try to take pictures in front of a window, or you’ll look like you’re in a witness protection programme. Window treatments like voile panels give you control over lighting, as can a mirror or a portable reflector. Different paint colours can give different lighting effects too.
Certain times of day are traditionally considered better than others for photography – harsh rays in the middle of the day will create over-bright whites and deep shadows, while early morning or late afternoon light gives a softer look. It will take a bit of experimentation and practice to find the best time of day for photography in your home.
You can learn more about photography techniques at Fix the Photo, or you might find some inspiration in our article about taking pictures for online selling.
Rotate your props to keep your images fresh and exciting
Rather than cluttering up the rest of your home with props and ornaments, consider putting some things into storage. That will allow you to change your look quickly and cheaply, whenever you want. You can rent a storage unit for as little or as much time as you want. Store and Insure charges by the day for self-storage insurance, so you can rest assured that you’ll get best value when you insure stored domestic goods with us.
Maintaining your social media spot
Show your social media spot some love every day by giving it a quick tidy. Make it a rule not to dump things there, too. You may even find that the space becomes a bit of a creative outlet.
Instagram corners as a way of life
Even if you don’t have a social media habit, you may well want to snap a photo of yourself for your aunt, look great on a video call or take a pic of an item you want to sell. That one tidy corner can really come into its own then. And if keeping your whole living space neat is a challenge, starting small with one tidy spot is a great way to begin improving your home.
