instagram // + likes + comments + followers

Sunday, November 24, 2013

It's hard to believe I finally get real and active followers on Instagram. As an active user for the past two or three years, I became addicted to Instagram thus developed my own ways to gain exposure among these crazy millions of users. 




How did I do that? Read my top 10 points on how to get followers, likes and comments on Instagram:

1. You like/follow/comment. They like/follow/comment.
This point not always applies to all of us but is really useful. Start by liking and commenting on the photos whose feed you like the most and are similar to yours. You don't actually have to follow them, just spam them with likes and comments to get noticed.

2. Time is important.
Why would you post a photo after everyone has gone to sleep? When you post something, do it during the time your followers are most active on Instagram. For example: - after they wake up / before they go to sleep - after school (don't post during school unless it's a really good photo). - at night from 9pm to 12pm - in the afternoons 4pm-6pm Because of time difference between my favorite followers and I is 6 hours, I post the most in the afternoon around 2pm-5pm and at night before going to sleep around 10pm-12pm. Keep in mind that most of us don't scroll till the last post we've seen so if you're in the top, they will probably see your photo.

3. Visual appeal.
Usually, people will be interested in your feed if they liked the first photos they see when they go to your profile whether it's a quote, abstract image, selfie or professional photo (tip: don't make your bio to long). If they are interested, they will eventually scroll down for more.

4. Your profile picture and username rock.
When you spam someone with likes, this person will go to your profile if you have a normal username or readable like smokeelovee than akgbdkro13. Also, how good looking your profile picture is will affect whether they will check out your profile or not.

5. Feed theme.
Most photographers use Instagram as a way to showcase their amazing work. Your likes, followers and comments are likely to increase if the theme of your feed is similar to them or if you post stuff about certain things they like. If you're a photography it's a bonus!

6. Keep your bio short.
Many people don't read the bio but go straight through your photos. If your bio occupies your whole profile, the chances to get likes or followers are zero. Remember, Instagram is about images not text.

7. Hashtags are useful.
One of the reasons you should hashtag your photos is to get more exposure. Even if there are a thousands of photos with the same hashtag like yours, there are chances you might get notice so just try it out!

8. Don't do spam.
You're excited about the photo shooting you had yesterday, it's fine, but don't spam your followers with 20 photos (even if they are good enough). Post at least a photo everyday or every 5 days to keep your followers interested but a maximum of 3-4 photos per day. Don't post them all at once. You can post them every 5 hours or at certain times of the day. Remember, keep it anti spammy.

9. Be active.
Don't just sit there and do nothing. If you want to get noticed all these points will help a lot! Just make sure you don't go off the road and post too much and boring content.

10. Be realistic.
If someone has around thousand of followers or even more (celebrities, for example), your comments and likes will be omitted and you will not get noticed. It is more logical to attract new followers who have less than a thousand. 

Have fun Instagrammers! Comment below with your tips.

#1 ootd + ootn

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

After a one week break from blogging, I'm back! I'm excited to share with you my new series in my blog: ootd + ootn. I will be sharing outfits I would wear day and night. Hope you like this fashion post as much as I do! This is the style I love...

Necklace ZARA / top FOREVER 21 / skirt FOREVER 21


balancing school and work

Thursday, November 14, 2013

We are so close to the weekend, yet there is so much to do. Since I started to work with clients on several design projects, I've been trying really hard to balance school and work. My job is very time consuming but productive, which is what keeps me doing it, besides for the fact that I love my job and that motivates me even more. 

This is what I'm currently doing at work and at school...

// work

Putting all your ideas into a visual presentation in a sketch is a great way to start any design project. As a graphic designer, I start by doing a sketch of the blog layout as my base and draw elements I wish to appear in my blog design. Once I know what I want, I meet my lover, Photoshop, to play with the color wheel, type fonts and creating my own graphics. It's been 1 week and a half since I started this amazing design journey (working with real clients). It all started on Instagram when I tagged my later-to-be client in one of my photos showing off my design and coding skills. By the way, I can't wait how her new blog design will turn out. I'm also busy designing a new blog template called ICE, which I will soon make it available for all of you to purchase at an affordable price. I will be posting shots of the blog design once in a while...

ICE Blogger Template will be designed with #photographers #bloggers #models in mind so if you're in one of these fields, you will completely fall in love with the layout.



The sketch looks as if a 3rd grader would have drew it, but once the design and code is done for the layout, you will want to get the blog design for yourself! (This is not the final sketch).



// school

One of the reasons I'm spending a lot of time on my computer is because I'm writing a lot of essays for my dual enrollment - college level - English class (FIU papers). I'm working on my final draft for my literacy narrative which I chose to write about my multicultural experience. Tomorrow is due a second draft of a 1000 word strong response essay to one recent article about a young girl who committed suicide due to bullying.

I can tell and feel that there is a huge improvement on my English skills since I attended an international American school in my previous country. Back in 2008, my English was horrible.









I wouldn't be able to accomplish any of my essays or design projects without eating chocolate ice cream and listening to my favorite playlist on repeat to keep me awake during these long nights. What have you been up to? if you work and go to school, how do you manage to balance both in a daily basis?


(Pardon me again for these terrible quality photos... I took them all with my iPhone 5, but hey, my lamp does not light up the room that much).

light leaks: let's create magic.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013


"Dreamland Light Leaks"
Ice // Summer // Ivy // Sunshine







































It's been a while since my last post. These past days I've been so busy with school and work, things are getting under control in a beautiful but crazy way. Anyway, today I will share with you one of my favorite things to do: photography effects! Well, digital photography is my second passion. I am completely in love with the visual appeal photos transmit. If you don't see me playing around with my lover, Photoshop, I might be digging some inspiration for my next digital photography project or... creating my own effects. 

(Pardon me for such awful quality photo there, I couldn't find the original though and this photo is one of the best I had stored in my computer...).

"Dreamland Light Leaks" is a complete set of 6 magical light leaks which I created a time ago. As a self-taught of all things pretty and creative, digital photography is something that makes me feel high and besides, it's - very - fun! Since the very beginning of my creative years, when I discovered my passion for graphic design back in March 2011, I've always been up to learning these kind of cool things, you know, things that make your mind blow without saying "wow" and make you come back for more, just like a kid eating ice cream in a hot summer day. Photoshop has always been there for me since day one.

I worked on several projects in the digital photography field including photo editing, retouching and composition. See me in action here

If you want to have your own gorgeous light leaks come over at my $5 services page for more! Always offering different high quality services at an affordable price you won't resist.
I am currently offering custom light leak effects for only $5! Trust me, it's worth. You may take it as a donation to support my work for pretty photo effects in return. Just think again about a kid eating ice cream 24/7 in a hot summer day.