How to be a Power Instagrammer

We asked Florence-based blogger Tiana Kai (@tianapix) to unveil her Instagram secrets.

Q: When did you join Instagram? What were your first pictures?

A: I joined Instagram more than two years ago and initially used it as a portal to share my life with my personal friends. It then became an extension of my blog and focused more on my deep love for photography by capturing unique shots of what I see in Florence and on my travels.

Q: What are you using Instagram for? What is the main focus of your feed?

A: My focus on Instagram is to share the best of Florence and my travels, to inspire people to travel and notice the beauty in everyday things. I’ve been obsessed with photography since I was eight years old, so Instagram lets me share my passion with the world and anyone willing to check out my feed.

Q: Tell us a little bit more about your side photography project – @notmynonni.

A: Italy has the most adorable nonni (meaning grandparents in Italian) and soon after moving to Florence my grandfather passed away and I would see him in many of these old people, so this project is dedicated to my grandfather.

I post a photo every morning of an elderly woman or man, mainly taken in Florence although I capture them in every city I visit. It’s a very sentimental project for me, but also to many of my followers since they share their personal stories of their nonni with me. Nothing makes me happier than to read the loving comments from followers who fall in love with these nonni I photograph, telling me that @ notmynonni is their favorite account and that it reminds them of their nonni.

Q: How did you grow your followers? Any tips and strategies?

A: Instagram is a community unlike any other social app that I use, so I treat it as such. I like supporting the people I follow by liking, commenting and even sharing the images on other social sites. Many users have become personal friends throughout the years, so it truly feels like a community. As for tips, I suggest interacting with other users, not just those in your close circle. Sharing pretty photos doesn’t hurt either!

Q: What kind of editing tools are you using for your photos?

A: Snapseed handles a great amount of editing, but I like to play around with VSCO for @tianapix. For @notmynonni, I just use Snapseed and Instagram’s updated tools, which are amazing!

Q: What are your favourite #hashtags? Any tips for hashtagging?

A: Over the last year I’ve been using #inmyhand a lot when I extend my arm out while holding a cocktail or gelato. I think it’s fun and it gets people hungry, which is the intent…to have people feel so-mething when they look at my photos. I love hashtags and have created quite a few like #yousay-domeisayduomo and even more personal ones like #macintoshlovesclassics that’s about my dog posing with classic cars and vespas.

I recommend paying attention to how people use hashtags and even try to understand what they mean and who started them. It’s best practice to not spam the tag by using hashtags on photos that are unrelated to the hashtag.

Q: A whole community has developed around Instagram. What are you doing at the Instagram meet-ups in Florence? What was the Instameet #everchangingberlin in Berlin about?

A: The first instameet that I organized in Florence was so much fun. I invited some friends and posted an invite on my account the day before in case other people wanted to join. I took everyone down to the river bank where no one usually goes, to see a different side of Florence. The walk ended at my favorite wine bar with complimentary prosciutto and cheese plates plus wine because I wanted to thank everyone for joining. I have another one in the works…details will be revealed in a month when it’s all finalized.

#Everchangingberlin was an incredible weekend organized by Berlin’s top Instagram users: @ uwa2000, @thomas_k and @brainyartist. They organized instawalks, meals, parties and a big picnic on the last day at Tempelhofer Feld for 160 of us. The people in attendance where other Instagram addicts like myself from all over Europe. It was an opportunity to meet up with some users I’ve been following for a while and to meet new faces.

Q: What are some current trends on Instagram in your opinion?

A: Flowers are getting more popular, jump shots are still hot, and I see more people playing with portraits. Selfies will never die, but I I don’t post many selfies or portraits. The few times I post a selfie it’s usually silly to make people laugh. Pets are also popular— when I got my dog I was going to start an account for him, but right now I have fun just featuring him on my account sitting next to vintage Fiat 500s.