How to Build an Instagram Following

 While there’s no question that Facebook is an important social media tool to use when promoting your photography, Instagram continues to grow in importance and influence as well.  With over 100 million users registered, Instagram is becoming increasingly important as the photograph takes center stage.  It’s an excellent vehicle to use to explore your shooting skills, promote your work or simply connect with others who enjoy shooting similar subjects such as travel or architecture. And if you shoot photography as a side business, Instagram is an excellent platform to showcase your work.

Use Hashtags with Your Posts

 As with Twitter, hashtags are helpful in finding categories of images or certain topics that are of interest.  When posting an image, consider which hashtags would work best for that particular image.  There are countless hashtags to use – really any word can be set up as its own category – but it’s best to try and pair your images with the most popular hashtags so that they have a chance of being seen by more people. You can search for hashtag words to glean how many posts are already in that category.

Some of the most popular hashtags include:  #picoftheday, #instagood, #instacool, #bestoftheday, #follow, #iphoneonly, #instamood and #iphonesia.   There are also very active categories for travel such as #traveling, #travelgram, #vacation and #wunderlust.  Location specific hashtags – #NYC, #london, and #paris – also elicit great interest.

Create Conversations & Combine with Hashtags

 A picture may be worth a thousand words but that doesn’t mean the words aren’t important, too!  When posting an image, the photo is a great start but adding an important detail regarding the photo or asking a question, such as “Where is your favorite weekend getaway?” can encourage connection and conversations.  Coupling your photos with questions or fun facts will encourage others to respond, generating more attention for your posts.

Connect Your Facebook Account

 If you haven’t connected your business’ Facebook account to your Instagram account, now’s the time to do so!  Many of your family and friends also have Instagram accounts – about 20% according to recent data – so this makes it easy for your customers to find and follow you.

It can also give you the opportunity to return some support by liking and commenting on customer photos, which will reflect favorably on both your business and your brand.

Invite People to Contribute

 Collaborate with friends and give them center stage by inviting them to submit photos for you to share on your Instagram account.  For example, ask them to contribute their favorite vacation photo and ask what made it so special.  They will enjoy being featured on your account and you’ll continue to have fresh and interesting images to promote. They may also ask you to do the same.

Highlighting others’ images can also give you another way to cross-promote on Facebook, as you can give them props for their images and they can share your attention with their Facebook friends.  This strategy can then lead to their friends finding you as well – on both social media platforms.

Take Time to Comment

In the Instgram world, comments are preferred over likes.  Likes are great, and you should spend a bit of time finding other photos and liking them, but taking the time to comment can help bring more people to your account. 

Pick a few hashtag categories that fit with what you’re promoting on Instagram and add comments to your favorites.  A simple “nice shot!” or “love this view!” will encourage those accounts to look at your account and what you’re posting.  This is one of the most proven ways to earn more Instagram followers.  Yes, it takes a bit of time but creating an Instagram following is a combination of online science metrics and relationship building.  

Road Trip Photography: The Big Picture

Road trips are the kind of vacation often met with a combination of anticipation and dread.  Traveling with family, especially with small children, isn’t easy and the logistics of planning a driving holiday can confuse even the most organized among us.  Still, the rewards far outweigh the hassles, which is why we still load up the car and the kids and take off down the interstate.   So, the adventure begins and so does the opportunity to share your story.

A road trip is really a fantastic adventure story, isn’t it? Documenting the fun and frustrating parts is key in sharing the entire narrative, so it’s important to remember that during the entire trip.  Here are few tips to help you make the most of this experience:

Begin at the Beginning:  So often, we don’t start taking photos until we’ve arrived at our destination, but taking photos even during the packing and planning stages helps set the stage for what is to come.  Snap a few shots of the suitcases being filled, of what your daughter is planning to put in her backpack, of art supplies being prepared to keep kids entertained while on the road.  No need for posed pictures or asking the kids to smile.  Candid photos are best at the beginning, and in fact, some photos of only the cases or preparations may be more visually interesting from a storytelling perspective than requiring family members to occupy every shot.

Shoot Every Stage:   Keep your camera in hand and feel free to shoot during the day.  Don’t wait until you arrive at a particular location, as you will find rich material and interesting sights out your window during the entire journey.  We don’t always know which images will resonate with us until we review them later, so shooting throughout the day may reveal some gems you might have otherwise overlooked.

Experiment with Multiple Viewpoints:  Whoever owns the camera is usually the one behind it, but that also means that the primary photographer is left out of most of the photos!  Also, each of our travel partners will have his own perspective and viewpoint.  Share the camera and encourage others to take photos of what interests them.  Even the younger kids can take great photos with a bit of instruction but counsel only on how to handle the equipment and not what to shoot.  Let each person’s imagination wander while behind the lens.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.

Stop for Signs:  Road trips are a fantastic opportunity to discover unique, interesting, historical and funny signs alongside of the road.  Keep your eyes open and your camera ready.  If one catches your eye, pull over for a posed photo.  You can use the image to create a postcard to mail to friends or enlarge and frame it for your desk to remind you of the holiday.  Check out the many ways we can turn your memories into mementos: 
www.FortWorthCamera.com

Car Capture:
Photographing objects while shooting from a moving car can be a challenge but the opportunity to experiment makes it more fun.  It’s better to shoot objects that are far away as opposed to close up; your ability to get clearer shots will improve if your subject is father away.  You can also play with a panning technique, but usually panning is used when the subject is moving, and in this case, you’re the one moving!  You may shoot some blurry duds, but you may get a few photos that capture your moment in contrast with the scenery.  It’s worth a shot (pun intended)!

Taking Your Show on the Road

One of the best ways to celebrate summer’s arrival is with a road trip.  With the expense and hassle of traveling by air, packing up the car for a weekend adventure is an increasingly popular alternative. 

All great road trips require a bit of planning.  Our camera gear is often an afterthought, but with a little preparation, you can be ready to capture all the great moments during your holiday. 

Location, Location, Location:  Where you will be traveling and what you plan to do will make an impact on which items you’ll need to pack in your camera bag.  For example, will you be in the countryside enjoying nature? This means packing your macro lens would be in order so that you’re ready to capture blooms and bugs.  Or, if you’re going to be spending time in a city or hill country locale, using a multipurpose lens such as a 70-200 or a 28-300 might be all you need.

You’ll also want to consider how much walking you’ll be doing during your holiday.  If you plan on having three kids in tow and walking in a variety of terrains, less is more in this instance.  You’ll also want the right bag to handle being on foot for much of the day.  Don’t have one? Check out our extensiveselection of quality bags, perfect for your next trip! 

Often Overlooked, But Oh So Important:  Smudged or hazy images are often the result of a dirty lens.  Don’t let a stray fingerprint or dust ruin your vacation photos.  Keeping a compact cleaning kit in your bag is an easy way to keep your gear in tip top condition.  We know you want to use your shirt to clean your lens but don’t risk scratching your glass.  Use a microfiber cloth designed for lens cleaning.  Our compact cleaning kit takes up minimal space and will come in handy – trust us!

Take Your Tripod!   There’s a reason that we regularly promote the use of a tripod.  A quality tripod can greatly affect not only the quality of your images, such as eliminating camera shake by providing stability, but a tripod can also expand the kinds of images you are able to shoot.  It can help you shoot locales and people with a kind of flexibility that you may not enjoy with strictly handheld shooting.  We have a variety of styles, designed for every trip and budget.  Check out our impressive array of choices here.

Storage Solutions:  Camera image files continue to grow, demanding more and more space on our camera cards.  Make sure that you’ve tucked away an extra media card (or three) so that you’re free to shoot away without worrying about running out of space.  Our ProMaster media cards are known for their lightning fast read/write speeds and quality construction.  Pick up a couple before you hit the road.

Spring Break Photo Contest 2012

It’s that time again…

Just coming back from a well-disserved vacation. Before you forget where you put your camera, take out your memory card and back up all your files by saving them in you computer and burning a back up DVD. But don’t stop there! go thru your images and find the one that you just can’t stop looking at. Fort Worth Camera is having an open contest, looking for happy images to lighten up the store. The subject should be shinny happy people, just enjoying life, please keep in mind this is a photo contest, where exposure focusing, composition and general photography knowledge should be at play. This time we will be displaying a huge 40x60 print in our store, to go along with our new “ We Make BIG Prints” Event. Keep in mind, a large image like this would have to be done from a high-rez file, so please do not submit Smart Phone images for this contest. The finalists will be public voted on by our loyal Facebook followers. Please submit your image by E-mail to FortWorthCamera@gmail.com by Thursday March 22, 2012 no latter then 1:00 p.m.

The winner will get a $25.00 Fort Worth Camera Gift card and a 20x30 BIG Print.

Good LUCK!

A Few Photo Tricks for Your Halloween Treat Bag

The kids have been dreaming of costumes and candy, and their excitement to hit the streets searching for sugar can be felt days before Halloween. In the frenzy for fun, make sure to take these photo tips in your bag of tricks so, when Halloween is over, you’ve got some treats of your own!

Keep the Kids’ Perspective: This holiday is all about the kids, so make sure the photos you take keep their perspective into account. Shoot lower than normal, at their eye level, as opposed to standing over them and shooting downward. The images will highlight the sense of play and connectedness to the subjects.

Have Fun with Flash: What better time to experiment with lighting than during the spooky celebration? If you’ve got an off camera flash, use it! Experiment with position and let the kids get involved, too. You can also hand out flashlights and ask the kids to strike their scariest poses. Have them hold the lights under their faces for extra spooky shots. Bump up the ISO on your camera a bit for extra help and encourage a little clowning around.

After the sun goes down, experiment with flash and without. Flash-free photos might better capture the scary aura of the evening but some other shots may escape you unless you have flash as an option. Check out our line of quality flash products here: http://www.fortworthcamera.com/flash

Grab the Glow Sticks! We use them as a signal to cars that our kids are walking on the roads trick-or-treating, but they’re also the perfect lighting accessory for tricky photos. Use them to illuminate Jack-o-lanterns, put them underneath decorations and experiment with angles to give your photos that extra eerie effect.

Pet Adoption Event at Fort Worth Camera

Fort Worth Camera, West Side Animal League, and Glamour Paws Present:

A Pet Adoption Event, and Pet Food Drive for

“Don't Forget To Feed Me: Pet Food Bank”

October 8th, 2011

From 10-2 p.m.

Fort Worth Camera

2900 West 6th Street

Fort Worth, Texas 76107

Join your friends from Fort Worth Camera, West Side Animal League,

and Glamour Paws on

Saturday, October 8th, from 10-2 p.m.

for a pet adoption event, to be held at Fort Worth Camera.

West Side Animal League will be bringing fostered

animals who are seeking homes with compatible prospective owners.

A representative from Glamour Paws will be on-site with

treats and samples of their premium lines of food that they

offer in their store, along with information about

their full line of grooming services. With every animal that is adopted,

Fort Worth Camera will offer a $25 gift card to our store, and

Glamour Paws will offer a free bath at their grooming salon.

In addition to the Pet Adoption, Fort Worth Camera

will also be conducting a pet food drive for

Don't Forget To Feed Me: Pet Food Bank beginning

September 26th, in store. During the economic

downturn, Americans have been hit hard. Many

families struggle to find enough food for their whole

family, including beloved pets. While animals are

known to increase our quality of life, many families

cannot afford the rising cost of food and care for

themselves as well as their pets. The Don't Forget to

Feed Me Pet Food Bank recognizes the challenge

facing families as a record number of pets are being

abandoned or left in shelters, often as a result of the

downturn of our economy. They offer hope to

families who feel as if they are losing everything,

including their furry best friend.

For every pet food donation (either a bag of dog or

cat food, or six or more cans of dog or cat food),

Fort Worth Camera will offer a coupon good for

25 4x6 prints from our in-store printing lab in

appreciation for your donation.

Thanks again for your support!

How Photography Calms Anxious Kids While Traveling

Those who travel with kids, especially younger ones, understand that there times when these pint-sized companions get cranky. Maybe they’re tired of waiting to board an airplane or they’ve spent too much time in the car. This is where your digital camera can help improve their mood--and yours.

Hand it over.

That’s right. Take your digital camera, place the security strap around your child’s wrist, and ask him to take a few pictures for you. Of course, you wouldn’t do this with a high end DSLR (although you could let the child ‘help’ you take photos while you hold the camera), but today’s compact cameras are actually a great fit for a grade-schooler’s hands.

The digital camera is a wonderful way to redirect a child’s energy, and at the same time, it can help you see your vacation travels in a new light. A child’s perspective is distinctly different from our own, something that is readily apparent when viewing the photos after the travels have ended.

Sure, there will be plenty of blurry photos and some odd choices of subjects, but there will also be a few gems hidden in the bunch. Print a few of your favorites and put them in your child’s room as a reminder of your summer adventure.

So, consider sharing your camera with your child. Even if you don’t get a photo worth framing, you might get an opportunity to improve his mood, and that alone is worth it.

Also consider investing on one of our many selection of Water Proof, Shock Proof and freeze proof camera. I will give you a piece of mind knowing that they will not break it and to keep from loosing it, add a neck strap, they will be less likely to set it down and forgetting it.

Make Dad Smile with our Father's Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day is right around the corner, and we know that you want to show him how much you love and appreciate all the things he does for you each day. We’ve put together some of our favorite gifts for you to consider. Trust us--he’s going to love what you choose!

Bring the Binoculars! Pick the perfect pair of binoculars for Dad this year; he’ll be able to use them in all of his summer adventures! Our PROMASTER series of binoculars incorporate the highest quality optical glass and our exclusive REPELLAMAX element repellent coating is designed to protect your lenses from dust, dirt, scratches and hazardous elements. And we also offer our lifetime no-fault PROMASTER warranty! See our selection here: www.FortWorthCamera.com/Binoculars and scopes

For the Hunters and Birding Enthusiasts: Hunters and adventure enthusiasts agree that a quality spotting scope can make all the difference in an outdoor experience. Consider our PROMASTER spotting scopes for this Father’s Day. The enhanced optics including PROMASTER’s high tech TRANSBRIGHT™ coatings and extra low dispersion optical elements deliver unsurpassed sharp, high definition images. We have several models to choose from!

What the Pros Wear: If Dad has never tried a high quality photographer’s shooting vest, he’s in for a treat. The ability to have shooting accessories organized and on your person while out in the field can greatly impact the entire shooting experience--and possibly help get great shots that would otherwise be missed. Our PROMASTER professional shooting vests are made to withstand the elements, carry everything from pens to lenses and more, and are built oversized to accommodate fully-filled pockets--no more tight fits! www.FortWorthCamera.com/Vests

Keep it All Together: If Dad is schlepping his gear in an old gym bag or a beat up sack, it’s time to treat him to a quality camera messenger bag or backpack. We have a variety of models designed for the weekend warrior, the traveling professional or the pro shooter. His gear is one of his most prized possessions, so give him something that will keep his technology protected, safe and organized. www.FortWorthCamera.com/Bags

Migrating Birds: Photo Tips

Spring marks the time when many birds migrate to their summer homes, and this annual event is an opportunity for bird lovers to witness-and capture--this intriguing behavior. You’ll want the steady support of a quality tripod (we have several options here: www.FortWorthCamera.com/tripods) When photographing birds in motion. You’ll also want to choose the longest lens you have and shoot in continuous AF mode when the birds are in flight.

Photographing migrating birds is a skill that does require practice and patience; don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a stellar shot on your first attempt. Consider this experience another step in expanding your skills and becoming a more versatile photographer.

An Easy Way to Get Great Shots?

Keep your camera with you! How many of us have come to rely on our cell phone’s camera function for most situations? While today’s generation of camera phones is improving, they still can’t compete with your compact digital camera.

While DSLR shooters may find it difficult to have their gear with them at all times, if you own a compact point-and-shoot model, think about keeping it in a place where you can access it more often. It might mean tucking it in your purse, briefcase or backpack. It’s just a slight shift in thinking from bringing your camera on special occasions to giving it the same priority as your phone. Imagine how many mediocre cell phone photos could have been elevated to fantastic if you’d had the right gear in hand. After all, today’s models are so powerful, sleek and light that it takes very little effort to make sure you’re prepared for the adventures that will come your way!

Ten Minute Photo Tricks:

Did you know that you can learn a number of new image editing techniques in just a few minutes a day? Just pick one thing you’d like to learn, such as changing a background in a photograph or colorizing one area in an image—and spend ten minutes a day reading about and practicing that technique.

It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the learning curve of many image editing programs, particularly when our lives are so full of work, family and community commitments. The trick is to not try to do too much at once. Jot down a few things you’d like to learn and then START SLOWLY. Block off ten minutes to read about the technique and absorb the concept. You can then choose a photo for the next day to use for practice. Then, whenever you have a free 10 minutes, experiment with the technique and play. You’ll be amazed at the experience you can amass in just ten-minute increments!