interactiveInstagrammer

THE
INSTAGRAMMER
LIFE CAPTURED
ISSUE 6 | February 2019

EDITORIAL
THE
INSTAGRAMMER
What is The Instagrammer? Foremost, it’s a magazine
created from passion – for travel, for photography and of
course for Instagram. We believe that the enjoyment of
traveling and perfectly captured moment are two elements
of a happy life, and more and more of us are in a position to
enjoy both on a fairly regular basis now – so much so, that
taking and choosing the right shot can become daunting at
times. This is where we come in.
Each issue of The Instagrammer will contain detailed
tutorials that will help you get the best out of your iPhone
camera, interviews with prosperous Instagram photographers,
as well as new places and profiles – chosen because they’re
relevant, interesting, or have simply caught our attention.
We made sure that The Instagrammer is a visual feast.
Beautiful imagery and design can turn a simple volume into
an inspired one. It is aimed at our inner creative self. With the
goal to make something timeless, by curating an experience
that is going to entertain, motivate and inspire, we hope to
become your morning read.
3

CONTRIBUTORS
© 2019 The Instagrammer
Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director
Nikoletta Hristova
Writers
Jose Luis Saez
Nancy Young
Mike Murphy
Cover photo
Lower Antelope Canyon
by Kyle Huber
@asenseofhuber
Cover design
Nikoletta Hristova
Distribution
UK and EU
Purchase a copy
www.theinstagrammermagazine.com
Published
Monthly by FUTURE PUBLISHING
https://www.futureplc.com/
Every effort has been made to contact
relevant image holders and references
have been supplied to properly
provide copyright images.

@jasonmpeterson
Chicago, Illinois
FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER

THE INSTAGRAMMER | FEBRUARY 2019
CONTENTS
ISSUE 6 | FEBRUARY 2019

CONTENTS
3
Letter from the Editor
9
#Iphonetography
The secrets behind taking stunning black & white photos
on your iPhone
19
#ASenseOfPerspective
Exclusive interview with Instagram photographer Kyle Huber
27
#MustFollow
The Instagram account that reveals the “visual sameness”
photo: Zack Melhus
@zmelhus
7

8

#Iphonetography
GET
SET
SHOOT
by Jose Luis Saez
Do you want to take jaw-dropping black and white photos
with your iPhone? Capturing beautiful black and white
photography may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to
be. In this article, you’ll discover amazing secrets for black
and white pictures - secrets that will immediately take your
images to the next level!
9

#Iphonetography
The secrets behind taking stunning
black and white photos on your iPhone
Use backlighting for dramatic black and white silhouettes
Do a bit of planning for the best black and white photography
If you want to create amazing black and white photos then
you need to plan your shots in advance. It’s as simple as that.
The best photos take thought and previsualization. If you just
go out and see what you can find, you probably won’t capture
anything incredible. There will be too many things left up
to chance. So don’t leave things up to chance. Instead, you
should plan your shots in advance. Previsualize your images.
Think about what you want to convey.
Do you want to create a sense of awe and wonder? Then
identify some huge buildings that you might include in your
shots. Do you want to create drama? Then think about the
lighting. What lighting will best create a dramatic image? Do
you want to create a sense of tension? Then think about the
composition. Figure out how you can put your subjects off
center–so that there is clear visual tension. Once you have all
of these elements in your head, only then should you go out
and shoot. That’s how you’ll get incredible images.
If you’re looking to create drama in your black and white
photos, then I have a very simple trick for you. Use backlight.
To get a backlit photo, place your subject between you and
the sun. The light should be coming from behind the subject–
toward you. Backlighting is easiest on sunny mornings or
evenings. That’s when the sun is low in the sky. And this is
why planning is essential. You want to make sure that you’re
in the right place at the right time–when the sun is low in the
sky and backlighting your subject.
How does backlighting create drama? When you backlight
your subjects, the light source comes from directly behind
them. The light is extremely bright. And this ensures that
everything in the photo loses detail. Any objects become
silhouettes. And silhouettes are fantastic for creating drama.
To create the best silhouettes, I recommend using the
manual exposure feature in the Camera app. This allows
you to adjust the brightness of your image. Before you take
your shot, simply tap on the sky or light source behind your
subject. A small yellow square will appear around your finger.
The iPhone will darken the photo to compensate for the
bright background. And your subjects will become dramatic
silhouettes. If the image isn’t quite as dark as you like, you
can always swipe down on the camera screen right after you
tap. This will darken the image.
That’s why you need to use backlighting. It’s the ‘secret
sauce’ of dramatic black and white photography.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
11

Keep your images simple for the best compositions
How do you decide on the best compositions for black and
white photography? How do you arrange the elements within
the frame? Here’s a huge tip. Keep it simple. In practical
terms, this means that you should eliminate as much as
possible from your photographs. For instance, cut down on
the number of subjects in your images.
Ideally, you should only have a single subject. Once you’ve
identified the main focus of your image, scan the background.
Look for anything that might overlap with the subject or
distract the viewer. So just keep your images as simple as
possible. If you can do that, you’ll be well on your way to
creating beautiful black and white photos.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
photo: David Balyeat
@davidbalyeat
13

#Iphonetography
Include a person small in the frame for the best story
What’s the best way to engage the viewers of your black
and white photography? Use your photograph to tell a story.
This may seem difficult. How do you tell a story with an
image? But a story doesn’t have to be complex. It can be a
feeling. Or it can be a brief, compelling moment. In fact, black
and white photography is fantastic for telling stories. Black
and white images lack color. And so the story comes through
much more powerfully.
If you want to tell a great story, then include people in
your photos. People are great for establishing interesting
characters. Plus, when there’s a person in your photo, the
viewer is often drawn to them. The viewer wants to know
what is the person doing, why are they exactly there, or how
are they feeling?
A final tip for telling a great story is to include mystery in
your photographs. That is, make sure that there are some
aspects of your photos that leave room for interpretation.
In fact, you already know a great technique for adding mystery
which is shooting silhouettes! Silhouettes lack detail. The
viewers will start to wonder: Who is this person? What are
they doing? So, if you want to create brilliant black and white
photographs, then tell a story.
Use burst mode to get your subjects in the perfect position
In black and white photography, the placement of your
subject is extremely important. You need to make sure that
your subject doesn’t overlap with any other distracting
elements. You need to make sure that there is a single
element that the viewer can focus on. This is even more
important if you’re shooting backlit silhouettes. If your
silhouette overlaps with another object, then the whole shot
is ruined. So the placement of the main subject is critical. Yet
this can be tough if your main subject is a person. After all,
people are always on the move!
“If you want to create
brilliant black and
white photographs,
then tell a story”
So how do you ensure perfect placement of the main
subject? How do you get them in the perfect position? You
use burst mode. Burst mode is an iPhone camera feature that
allows you to take over 10 photos per second. It’s fantastic for
ensuring that you capture that perfect moment! With burst
mode, you never have to worry about missing a critical shot.
To use burst mode, simply hold down the shutter button
when your subject begins to move into the frame. Keep
holding down the shutter button–and don’t let go until the
moment has passed. Your iPhone will take dozens of pictures.
And after the shoot, you can go through all of your images.
You can pick out your best ones and delete the rest. If you
use burst mode, you’ll start capturing all the shots that you
would usually miss.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
15

#Iphonetography
16

FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
Edit to enhance your black and white photography
It’s important that you get beautiful black and white
photos in the field. But you can’t let this be the end of your
photography process. If you want the best black and white
photos possible then you have to edit your images. Let me
tell you a secret: Editing isn’t about making your photographs
fake. It’s not about pushing them beyond reality. Instead,
editing is about creating the photo that you imagined from
the beginning.
How do you edit black and white photography? I use the
Filterstorm Neue app. Snapseed is a free alternative. VSCO
offers some nice black and white filters, as well. In fact, most
basic photoshop apps include all of the necessary tools. I
start by envisioning the final image. This is key. You have to
think to yourself, “What is it that I want to achieve with this
image?” This should go back to the previsualization you did
at the very beginning. Now, I always shoot my images in color.
Then I convert my images to black and white using an app
like Filterstorm Neue or Snapseed. However, you can start by
shooting with a black and white app such as Blackie.
The Camera app has a decent black and white filter, too:
the Noir filter. I like contrast-heavy filters. And the Noir filter
is sufficiently contrasty for my tastes. You can access the Noir
filter in the Editing module of your photo library. To use the
Noir filter, open your photo in the photo library. Tap on Edit.
Then simply tap on the Filter icon, and then select Noir. Then
tap Done to save the edit.
I always add lots of contrast to my images. Contrast is
extremely important for black and white photography. It adds
drama and helps create a sense of tension. Adding vignettes
to your black and white photos can help, too. Vignettes create
a slight darkening around the edges of a photo. You can use
them to emphasize the main point of interest.
Editing is always essential. I use it to create the image I
originally envisioned. So edit your images. You won’t regret it.
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18

#ASenseOfPerspective
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
by Mike Murphy
KYLE
HUBER
INSTAGRAM PHOTOGRAPHER
Using forced perspective, Instagram influencer and photographer Kyle Huber challenges our idea of
what’s real and what’s possible. In the world of his photographs, cars, trees, people, and more shrink
and expand, creating scenes that are surreal and full of wonder. We went behind-the-scenes with
Huber to learn more about his path to becoming a photographer on Instagram, his career, and how he
captures a sense of magic in his photographs.
19

#ASenseOfPerspective
Go Inside Kyle Huber’s Unique Sense Of Perspective
In This Exclusive Interview
Mike Murphy: How did you get started in art and design?
Kyle Huber: I was born an artist and have been an obsessive
creator for as long as I can remember. After spending my
childhood drawing and painting, I went to the Kansas City
Art Institute to become a graphic designer.
“I was inspired by
California and I wanted
to share its beauty”
MM: What brought on your transition from fine art to
photography, and how has your background influenced
your artistic choices?
KH: After graduating in 2010, I moved to Los Angeles to
pursue my career as a graphic designer. While I loved the
work I did designing mobile apps, websites and branding
packages for various companies, I knew that I had my own
art to create.
When I got my first iPhone, I became addicted to taking
photos and I started capturing moments around me
wherever I went. I was inspired by California and I wanted
to share its beauty. Then Instagram came along and the
rest is history! My design background definitely made me
the photographer and advertiser that I am today. I’m a
perfectionist who’s drawn to color, lines, symmetry and
other graphic elements.
MM: Why did you decide to focus on perspective
photography in general?
KH: I have always been fascinated by magic, so that’s
probably why I have been so drawn to forced perspective
photography. I love the idea of creating illusions by making
the foreground and background subjects interact in clever
ways. I think this makes fun and memorable photography.
I’ve challenged myself to keep trying new ideas, and it’s kept
my interest in this technique going strong.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
MM: How do you choose the music that complements
your videos?
KH: Music is a huge part of my life. While I admit to having
no musical talent, I love discovering and sharing tunes
that make me feel a certain way. I try to use music that
compliments the visual vibes of my work. Sometimes I will
hear a song that I know right away needs to be used in a
video. Other times, I have to spend hours going through my
library searching for the perfect moment in a track.
MM: How did you grow your Instagram presence?
KH: An insane and consistent amount of hard work since
I joined the app almost 5 years ago. I became addicted
to using Instagram as my daily creative outlet. The more I
engaged with other photographers on and off the app, the
quicker I was able to develop my presence. Over the years,
my creative vision and skills have grown just as much as
my audience has. Being a suggested user by Instagram two
times allowed for a great boost in my numbers as well.
MM: What do you think are the elements that make a
good photograph?
KH: I think a good photograph is totally subjective. For me,
it needs to make me say “Wow!” when I see it. This tends
to be content that I’ve never seen before, whether it’s an
incredible landscape or something graphic with clever use
of color. Originality, strong subject matter and clean craft
are very important.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
MM: Where did you get the idea for your turtles? Which
one is most photogenic?
KH: I got my first turtle as a pet when I was 12 years old. I
thought it was the coolest thing, and they quickly became
my favorite animal. After living in Los Angeles for a few
years, I discovered that I could buy them in Chinatown and
I just couldn’t help myself. I started collecting them and
before I knew it, I owned eight at one point!
I came up with the idea of #TurtleTuesday when trying
to think of what to say as my caption for the first picture I
took of my new little pets. I got a lot of reaction from it and
decided to start posting new photos of them every week.
Three years later, I had never missed a single Tuesday and
it officially became “my thing.” I have a lot of fun taking
the turtles around with me on adventures and put them in
unexpected locations.
They’ve traveled all over LA and to San Francisco, San
Diego, and even Vegas! My followers seemed to love the
photos as much as I enjoyed making them, so I stuck with it.
I think the smaller the turtle, the more photogenic it is.
MM: What are factors you consider before deciding to
collaborate with brands?
KH: When my style and audience became appealing to
brands, I started taking on collaborations that allowed me
to get creative and advertise in a way that still felt on-brand.
With my strong background in graphic design, I’m able to
visually communicate in ways other photographers can’t.
I almost never say no to a paying client, but I do know my
limit. Some brands just don’t make sense to promote. I will
also never post something that I don’t love, whether it is
sponsored or not.
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#ASenseOfPerspective
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FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
MM: Lightning round: Favorite Instagram filter?
KH: None. They’re just awful.
MM: Favorite spot in LA?
KH: Santa Monica Pier.
MM: Staple camera gear?
KH: iPhone and Sony A7R II with a 24-240mm lens.
MM: Somewhere you want to travel?
KH: Iceland or Hawaii — both are screaming my name!
MM: What kind of advice would you give to aspiring
artists and social media photographers?
KH: Be original and be creative. If you want to be an artist,
you need to challenge yourself by coming up with your
own ideas. I constantly see photographers going to the
same locations taking the exact same photos. Don’t just
recreate or copy what others have already done. Where’s
the fun in that? I feel strongly about using as much screen
space as you’re allowed when sharing your work online
(post portrait crops rather than landscape crops). Also, you
should pay attention to the details! Good craft goes a long
way: Don’t rush, straighten your horizontal/vertical lines,
and don’t over-edit!
25

SOMEONE
DID IT
FIRST?!
26

#MustFollow
Déjà Vu Vibes
Wander. Roam. Replicate.
Everyone on Instagram is living the same life. If it seems when
you scroll through your feed that everything looks similar,
that’s probably because it is. That artfully constructed shot
of your latté and avocado toast brunch? The shot of your feet
dangling over the edge of a waterfall? You in the back of a
canoe? It’s been done before. To death.
27

#MustFollow
New Instagram account @insta_repeat
reveals the “visual sameness”
“I live in Alaska and constantly see imagery pop up around
me from ‘adventurers’ and ‘explorers’ from around the world
on Instagram”, the creator behind the account recently told
“There is a lot of mimicry everywhere in media, not just on
Instagram. A purpose of Insta_Repeat is to critique originality
in media creation through the lens of this one ‘genre’ of
Instagram photography accounts.”
The account @insta_repeat collects and displays groups
of near-identically framed photos from across the photosharing
social network Instagram. The account’s 86 posts (so
far) range from what seem easily replicable, like photos of
people, wearing hats, looking away from the camera and out
into the distance, or photos of phones taking photos, to the
slightly more impressive, like images of people standing on
the top of a mountain, or standing in dramatic cave openings.
Humans are creatures of habit. Just look at how we all
act whenever we’re near a tourist spot. And it’s no great
revelation to discover that humanity’s lack of creativity has
extended from the physical world to the digital.
But how we portray our experiences today is exacerbating
that sameness. In the past, if you went on a trip to somewhere
far from home, you’d probably just snap a few photos to look
at later. At most, you’d make a slideshow if you wanted to
be really excessive. But now that we’re able to document
every aspect of our lives, in real time, we, apparently, are
doing things solely “for the ‘gram” and it’s scrubbing much
experience of originality.
People make livings off of their Instagram accounts. We
call these people “influencers”, although it’s not clear what
influence they actually have on the course of humanity.
They post aspirational photos of their amazing lives, their
wonderful vacations, their gorgeous homes, replete with
#love, #instagood, #mood, #travel, and various other
indications that their lives fit neatly into indexable search
terms. @insta_repeat is taking on one sub-genre of these
influencer-style accounts: the “adventurer.”
The creator of Insta_Repeat is a 27-year-old filmmaker and
artist, who wants to remain anonymous. ”I’m not trying to be
the arbiter of what photos have value and what don’t. I am
just making observations about the homogeneous content
that is popular on Instagram”, she said. She tells she is baffled
by how many shots there are of humans in canoes and atop
SUVs — but does see the positives in the repetitive nature of
Instagram. “I also think there’s an incredible amount of value
in emulation both when someone is learning and continuing
their craft,” she says. “Building upon what has been done is
an important part the evolution of art.”
The internet has brought the world closer together, while
also making it easy for anyone to mimic or parrot the styles of
anyone else. Every city in the world now has areas that look
like Brooklyn, and businesses are designing their products
and spaces specifically to be Instagrammed. Publications
make lists of food designed to be photographed and of art
made for people to take a #selfie in front of.
“What gets likes gets created, and viewers will like what
is familiar,” @insta_repeat’s creator says. “So more of the
same is created. New art and boundary-pushing imagery isn’t
comfortable and isn’t as easily digestible on a quick scroll by
and thus doesn’t seem to be created as much. It’s like the
content is part of a self-feeding loop.”
So it’s not really surprising that all our photos look the
same. But perhaps, sometimes, just enjoy wherever you are.
Put the phone down. Your friends and followers don’t always
have to know.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | THE INSTAGRAMMER
@insta_repeat
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© 2019 The Instagrammer
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