The Perfect Snapshot Three Instagram tips

The Perfect Snapshot

Photo bloggers Judith Niederwanger and Alexander Pichler from South Tyrol spill their secrets on how to take great Instagram photos

TIP #1

RULE OF THIRDS Simply putting your subject in the centre of your photos is a bore. Using the rule of thirds will make them more interesting. The only thing you need to do is break your picture down into a total of nine squares of exactly the same size by drawing two horizontal and two vertical lines in your mind. Your subject should then be positioned on one of the four intersections, and the horizon should be in the lower or upper third. Many cameras even feature this grid on their viewfinders or displays.

TIP #2

GUIDING LINES AND OLD FENCES These kinds of elements will add to the depth of your picture and guide the viewer’s eye to your core subject. As a guiding line, you could use a path leading to the mountain or a weathered fence by the roadside. The old fences found all over South Tyrol even make for a great eye-catcher themselves.

TIP #3

HIGHLIGHTING SIZE A common problem is that while you managed to get

a nice shot of a mountain, waterfall, or similar, the size of the subject doesn't really become clear. To highlight dimensions, just add another item to your picture that everyone knows the size of: a person, a hut, or an animal. This will not only perfectly emphasise dimensions, but also add another eye-catcher to your picture!

Top: Europe’s highest situated pilgrimage church: Santa Croce di Lazfons/Latzfonser Kreuz

Centre: Tre Chiese/Dreikirchen in Barbiano/Barbian

Bottom: Cross on the summit of Monte Fana/Pfannspitz at Plose

South Tyrolean mountains or anywhere in the world: travel, photography, and hiking always go together. Judith Niederwanger and Alexander Pichler are the authors of a successful blog called roterrucksack.com (“roter Rucksack” is German for red backpack). Their Facebook page of the same name has over 10,000 followers, and more than 6,000 people have subscribed to their Instagram feed. In 2019, they released their first book called “Die schönsten Touren und Fotospots in Südtirol” (Raetia, approx. 180 pages, 19.90 EUR, in German) featuring stunning tours handpicked by the pair. For each tour, they present tips on picture composition and how to best set your camera. They reveal the GPS coordinates of the most popular and beautiful photo spots—so get out your hiking boots and hunt for the perfect picture.

www.roterrucksack.com Facebook: RoterRucksack Instagram: @roterrucksack

Send us your best shots!

Post your pictures from Bressanone/Brixen, Chiusa/ Klausen, and surroundings, using the hashtag #cormagazine on Instagram (or send them to info@cormagazine.com)! The best shots selected by Judith and Alex will be printed in the next issue of COR Magazine.

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