5 ways to use Instagram without missing out on your vacation

Mini Grand Central StationI think I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: I’m a geek. A tech junkie. A fanboy. I love me some newfangled devices, from my smartphone to my iPad and everything in between. When Instagram, the photo sharing app with the funky filters, finally came to Android, I was skeptical at first. What was with all the hype? A voice in my head kept telling me to give it a try, I’d probably like it. And I did. I joined the millions of other Instagrammers around the world who take pictures of anything and everything in their daily lives.

Pictures for all…and of all

Instagram’s ease of use made it possible for just about anyone to feel like a professional photographer. But at what price does all that convenience come? If your face is stuck behind the screen of your smartphone, how much are you missing in your travels? As a professional cameraman & photographer, I often think about this when I travel, and I’ve come up with a few tips to keep you from missing out on the good stuff. Here’s how to Instagram your vacation without missing out on it.
  1. Sunrise on Old Orchard Beach, MaineTake a pic, move along– It’s easy to want to take a whole bunch of snapshots and get the perfect shot, but Instagram wasn’t really meant for high production value photo shoots. Take your shot, and then pocket the phone. Let your eyes and mind paint the rest of the picture for you.
  2. #Latergram – One of my favorite features of Instagram is the ability to snap a pic and upload later. It’s hard to pick just the right filter when the sun is glaring down on your phone’s screen. Use the cameraphone to snap a picture, then upload & filter in Instagram later, when you can crop the photo and filter it to your liking.
  3. Tag images– Instagram uses hashtags similar to Twitter to make it easy to search. You can also tag people in Instagram photos. Tagging will help you later on when you search for all those great pictures you took with your significant other at Stonehenge.
  4. Share when you’re back at home – Don’t worry about sharing your pictures right away. Instagram is great for sharing, and will do so as soon as you upload, but if you’re in a cellular dead zone, don’t worry about it! Just enjoy the scenery. Instagram will upload the pictures later.
  5. Put the phone away  – Believe it or not, you don’t actually have to take pictures on your holiday. In fact, without your face plastered to your smartphone’s viewscreen, you’re more likely to see more of your destination, and truly experience what it means to travel. Put the phone away and enjoy where you are.
Chris Cavallari

About Chris Cavallari

Chris is a longtime digital content producer based in Maine. Since 1999, he has been an early adopter and active participant in blogging, podcasting, and social media, and has been guiding small and mid-sized businesses in leveraging video, social media, and digital publishing to the fullest. With an avid love of travel and the outdoors, Chris started PartTimeVagabond.com in 2009 to give him a platform to showcase his outdoors and travel adventures, and to help educate others in doing the same.