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Pictures Are a Snapshot Into The Mind
Today we’re going to take a little trip down memory lane for Throwback Thursday!
I want to take a look back at one of my older posts and reflect on what I wrote then and how things have changed over time. This particular post was titled ‘Pictures Are a Snapshot Into The Mind’, and was an expression of how I view and feel about bookstagram and the book photo community. Discussing my own struggles with finding a theme and what really was, and is, important to me as a photographer in my book photos.
A little back story on the context is important here I think. In May 2018 I made the decision to start an Instagram account to share my love for reading and all the books I was loving at the time. I was wildly impressed with all the beautiful photos on Instagram and with my photography background, I thought I could easily hop right right into that world.
It didn’t take long before I felt completely defeated and out of place. I didn’t have the beautiful home or libraries that the big accounts did that made their photos look so amazing. But over time, I found my own style and an aesthetic that really reflects me as a person in photo form. But this took a lot of years before I reached that point.
Bookstagram is and I think always will be a struggle for me. I still don’t understand the algorithms or how to get my posts to take off, but that doesn’t really matter to me. Just like writing on my blog, it’s there for my own creative outlet and to be a place I enjoy sharing my thoughts and ideas with those that might relate or want to discuss books.
Comparing Then and Now
I encourage people to feel confident in whatever they share about books, because it’s not about being like everyone else, but about finding what works for you and makes you happy. You can see a lot of things that stayed in common for me from when I started to today. I always have a cup of coffee and there’s always flowers or plants. Those are a big part of my aesthetic and the things I love to highlight alongside an amazing book!
My Main Photo Props
I live in a small space and therefore use a setup for all of my photos that include a white blanket back drop and some of the below items to create my own aesthetic. There are so many choices out there for building your own aesthetic, find what works for you!
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Do you use Instagram to talk about books?
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Looking for book recs…
Adventures in Literature 
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