Patience and Skill: The Essentials of Being Zera’s Instagram Husband
Let’s talk about the one person in my life who doesn’t get nearly enough recognition – my Instagram husband. His name is Zane and he is also my boyfriend.
Zane and I have been together for almost ten years now, and he’s been a huge fan of Zera for the entire time we’ve been together. Things have changed a lot since I launched Zera in 2011, especially with the rise of Instagram.
Just last week, I led a workshop at the Next Blogger Network event that delved into how to optimize your Instagram feed, create a brand aesthetic, and how to use Instagram to grow your blogging business. There’s no denying that Instagram has become an important part of any blogger’s strategy.
A big part of that? Outfit photos. Or, perfectly “natural” shots of you drinking your coffee and looking effortlessly stylish. Raise your hand if you’ve ever ordered coffee for latte art (even if you’re not a dairy drinker)!
Having an “Instagram husband” is almost non-negotiable if you want to take quality photos. Otherwise, you’ll always be taking selfies and mirror shots.
To be clear, you don’t need a boyfriend, husband or significant other to be an “Instagram Husband”. All it takes is someone in your life who is willing to step up and take a picture of you.
For years, my girlfriends have been my go-to photographers in London, but now Zane has joined the ranks!
But here’s the thing: it’s not just about finding someone with a camera. Rather, it’s about training them to take the best photos for you. We’ve all taken some embarrassing photos – why did you only get my double chin? Or why didn’t you notice the dog poop at my feet?
A little Instagram husband training goes a long way. To help, Zane and I shared some tips for taking the perfect Instagram photo.
My Tips for Training Your Instagram Husband
#1: The wife sets the scene first
A lot of times, your Instagram husband is just doing it out of the goodness of his heart and not because he’s professionally trained. They don’t always see the highlights of a photo like you do.
The best advice? Take one yourself before your husband steps in. Compose the picture and then indicate where you want to stand. That way he’ll have a clear idea of the composition you want.
#2: Ask for 5 times the number of photos to be taken
When my best friend Ella and I take photos together, we both know to keep snapping until we’re both sure there are enough to choose from.
Zane has learned this too – don’t stop until you’ve taken at least 20 photos. Sometimes, even after we’re done, we’ll keep snapping. One little detail – a strange expression, uncoordinated hands – can make or break a photo. The more options you have, the better! You can always sift through and pick your favorite photos and delete the rest.
“Even if in reality your husband is struggling to keep his coffee cup balanced and trying to take the perfect photo of your cold coffee, you want your latte photo to look serene and beautiful.”
#3: Be prepared with visual references In order to get the perfect shot, some people will strike some pretty funny poses. Think about it, in order to get the perfectly styled coffee photo, your necklace will catch the light – he may have to stand on a table to get the perfect shot!
It’s a good idea to have a reference image ready beforehand to share with your Instagram husband so he doesn’t zoom in too close when you ask for an overhead shot. You want space and serenity around your latte, not an overly tight composition!
I like to save images from Instagram or Pinterest that show the style of photography I want. That way, Zane can see exactly what I’m thinking.
Becoming a “best friend” on Instagram is not easy. It takes patience, good observation and a lot of practice. But with a little guidance, you and your partner can create some Instagram wonders together. Have fun shooting!
4. Learning Together
It’s been a side-by-side journey to discover what works best for my Instagram visual style. The workshop I led at the Next Blogger Network event focused on finding the ideal color palette and enhancing the beauty of Instagram over time.
By now, Zera and I have a pretty good understanding of which backgrounds, colors, and compositional techniques work best. We make lists of favorite places to shoot and know how to highlight specific outfits with the right poses.
The lingo between us has become second nature: “Mid” (above the waist), “Detail” (close-up) and “Scenario” (me standing in front of a cool background). background).There’s no universal terminology for shooting on Instagram (at least not for us!) ), but over time, you’ll create your own quirky shorthand between Instagrammers.
We’ve learned that cloudy days are a photographer’s paradise (bright sunlight casts harsh shadows), while on sunny days we know that we should step out into the shade on the side of the street to get the best shots.
Learning and growing together is such a rewarding experience, and it’s one of the reasons I love working with Zera so much. We celebrate the birth of the perfect photo, and when things don’t go well, we work together as a team to solve problems.
Of course, there’s nothing better (especially for Zera) than capturing the perfect Instagram moment on the first try. It means he can finally enjoy his food while it’s hot!
5. Respect your Instagram partner’s time and effort
As Zera said, I did blame him for the imperfect photos at one point. But after calming down, I realized that bad photos are often because of me – maybe I didn’t set up the shot correctly or overlooked important details.
If something isn’t working as expected, take a moment to think about how you can tweak it to do better. Maybe the location needs to be changed, maybe the outfit needs to be altered slightly, maybe a shady spot needs to be found.
As mentioned earlier, teamwork is crucial, so try to work together to solve problems.
Zera and I would schedule the shoot ahead of time to make sure we didn’t have to improvise just as he was getting ready to leave the house or just settling in for a break. While Zera is always willing to help (he’s really great and very supportive of the brand), it’s important to me to show my appreciation for the effort he puts in. When we’re out shooting, I’ll buy two cups of coffee (hot, of course!) or take us out for a great meal to show my appreciation.
Without Zera (and the occasional Instagram partner replacement!) , I wouldn’t be able to create the content I share on Instagram. So showing my appreciation is vital to me.
Zera’s Top 5 Tips for Being an Instagram Partner
I asked Zera to share his insights with other Instagram partners and here’s what he had to say …… His approach is a little different than mine:
- Don’t expect hot food to still be edible. Coffee cups are more for display than for drinking.
- Be prepared to take responsibility if the photos don’t turn out well, whether it’s your fault or not.
- You’ll essentially become a walking coat rack.
- A 10 minute walk can easily turn into an hour.
- Despite these difficulties, it’s an amazing job, and being part of the creative process is incredibly satisfying.
What about you?
Do you have an Instagram partner? Or are you looking for a partner?
Do any of these scenes I’ve shared relate to you?
If you haven’t seen it before, this hilarious spoof video still makes me laugh! Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to publicly thank Zera on Glamour.co.uk for helping me.
Thank you so much to all my Instagram partners and especially to my IG partner Zera – I’m so touched by your support, patience and sincerity!
Love.
Monica x