Let’s Discuss | Bookstagram

A month or so ago, I read a really interesting Bookstagram advice post by another blogger. In it, they spoke words encouraging more people to get involved with bookstagramming. It’s as easy as having something that can take pictures, books, and an Instagram account, they said. But is it really that simple?

I have an Instagram account that I like to post the occasional bookstagram picture on but have never gotten into doing it regularly. Why?

My pictures just never look right!

• I only have a camera on my phone and it’s not a super new phone or one with a great camera so my pictures often aren’t as crisp or clear as I would like.

• The light in our flat is atrocious so pictures often come out looking very dark and unappealing, and I struggle a lot with getting out of the house so it’s rare that I get to post bookish pictures in nice settings where the light is better.

• I don’t have eye-wateringly large bookshelves crammed with beautiful editions of books or the latest releases.

• I maybe only have a handful of accessories to feature in pictures so they’re never as visually attractive as other bookstagrammers posts.

When I went and had a look at the bloggers Instagram pictures to get inspiration I noticed that they had all of the above things – nice, crisp photos, beautiful accessories, great lighting, piles and piles of books to feature, and as a result lots of followers.

As someone who is on a very low income, I do struggle with envious feelings towards bloggers and bookstagrammers who have access to things which contribute to their success. Whether that be a nice camera for taking photos with, lots of cute accessories which are part of a seemingly neverending collection, or even just a nice home as a backdrop. I try not to feel jealousy or compare myself to others, but it can be hard to contain those feelings when you feel like you’re really missing out.

Does anyone feel similarly to me in terms of bookstagram envy?

For those of you who bookstagram, especially those of you on a super tight budget, do you have any advice to offer on improving pictures and making them prettier or stand out more?

If you don’t bookstagram, is there a reason why or is it just not something that is appealing to you?

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