How I Shoot Instagram Content by Myself.
This is perhaps my most commonly asked question over on Instagram, so I thought I would write out a blog post explaining the process of how I can get photos like the one below, and the many other pieces of still and video content you see on my Instagram page. (p.s. if you’re just looking for a complete list of equipment, feel free to skip to the bottom.)
It all starts with getting your hands on the right camera. This will give you give you that crisp quality and depth of field blur to the background. This kit (lens and body) is the exact one I purchased two years ago when I decided to start taking content creation seriously. It has served me so so well and has paid for itself many times over at this point.
In the interest of full transparency, I am looking to upgrade my lens sometime this year, and will likely purchase this one.
For a lot of my time as a content creator I’ve had assistance, usually in the form of Austin, behind the lens. I would say in that era I shot about 60% of the content myself, and Austin helped with the other 40%. There’s no doubt that having someone behind the camera when shooting content is extremely helpful, but not necessary. Ever since Austin and I began long distance last fall, I’ve been shooting 100% of my content by myself.
There are two key tools to successfully shooting alone. First: a tripod. I use this one and it is sturdy yet collapsible which is exactly what I need.
Second, the Canon Camera Connect App that I have loaded onto my iPhone. This allows me to see what my camera is seeing while I’m in front of it. It also allows me to focus my camera hands-free. This app is the secret to the magic.
Lastly, I will note that learning to shoot content by yourself has some extreme trial and error. I often run into glitches and issues with both my camera and my app, as it’s much harder to navigate crowded areas as I have a constant fear of someone snatching my camera while I have it set up on the tripod. It’s difficult, but doable, and I have been able to make it work for the past almost year. The only way to learn is to try!
Full List of My Camera Equipment:
Canon EOS 90D and lens (most of my IG content)
Sony ZV1 (vlogging camera)
Fujfilm x100v (film-like digital camera I use to supplement my content)
I hope this helps and please feel free to leave any questions below!
- Faith