What do you think?
Rate this book
InstaStyle: Curate Your Life, Create Stunning Photos, and Elevate Your Instagram Influence
Gain Instagram followers, grow your personal brand, and influence others with your authentic personality, beautiful photography, and stunningly curated grid.
Instagram is the place where trends break, tastes are made, and brands are launched. Plus it's packed with insightful analytics and handy business tools to help you elevate your social media presence to the next level.
Create, connect with others, and share the way you see the world! Whether your passion is fitness, fashion, food, or anything in between, you can turn that passion into a business, inspire others, and meet amazing people. Learn from Tezza (@tezzamb) and her friends how to tell compelling visual stories on the fastest growing social media platform, with topics including photography tips, brand engagement strategies, and advice for finding management.
InstaStyle is a must-have guide for a booming industry, full of beautiful imagery and easily understood guides to help you achieve your Instagram goals. You'll learn how you can create an immediately recognizable grid aesthetic and showcase your life while remaining true to your personal brand.
With contributions from successful influencers, you'll be inspired to curate category-specific content to share with the Insta-universe. Hear from:
* @emily_luciano - fashion
* @travel_inhershoes - travel
* @thewoodenskillet - food
* @xandervintage - beauty
* @amberfillerup - family
* @alexajeanfitness - fitness
* @annemariebarton - interior design
* @designbyaikonik - flat lays and products
Instagram is the place where trends break, tastes are made, and brands are launched. Plus it's packed with insightful analytics and handy business tools to help you elevate your social media presence to the next level.
Create, connect with others, and share the way you see the world! Whether your passion is fitness, fashion, food, or anything in between, you can turn that passion into a business, inspire others, and meet amazing people. Learn from Tezza (@tezzamb) and her friends how to tell compelling visual stories on the fastest growing social media platform, with topics including photography tips, brand engagement strategies, and advice for finding management.
InstaStyle is a must-have guide for a booming industry, full of beautiful imagery and easily understood guides to help you achieve your Instagram goals. You'll learn how you can create an immediately recognizable grid aesthetic and showcase your life while remaining true to your personal brand.
With contributions from successful influencers, you'll be inspired to curate category-specific content to share with the Insta-universe. Hear from:
* @emily_luciano - fashion
* @travel_inhershoes - travel
* @thewoodenskillet - food
* @xandervintage - beauty
* @amberfillerup - family
* @alexajeanfitness - fitness
* @annemariebarton - interior design
* @designbyaikonik - flat lays and products
192 pages, Paperback
Published October 23, 2018
93 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 21, 2019
I picked this up on a whim and I’m so glad I did! Not only is this book breathtakingly beautiful, but it’s super helpful too! I learned so many tips and tricks for my bookstagram account. Tezza describes her grid as her personal magazine and storybook and I love that! I’m seeing things from a fresh perspective and I’m feeling so inspired! From photography to editing to telling your authentic story, Tezza shares all you need to know about the Instagram industry. I highly recommend this to any social media influencer or to anyone who is looking to create a personalized aesthetic! It’s a quick, light read and it will encourage you to send your creative energy out into the world. 💫
August 12, 2020
I wanted to like this book because the author has a beautiful Instagram page. I really wanted to like it.
Pretentious is a word I would use to describe the book. It encourages you get a professional photographer and an agent to build your business on Instagram and to me it seems as though it encourages people to be inauthentic.
What has Instagram become these days? That is the question that comes to mind after reading this book.
Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend reading this book unless you are brand spanking new to IG and have an authentic desire to be a “fashion/lifestyle IG blogger”
Pretentious is a word I would use to describe the book. It encourages you get a professional photographer and an agent to build your business on Instagram and to me it seems as though it encourages people to be inauthentic.
What has Instagram become these days? That is the question that comes to mind after reading this book.
Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend reading this book unless you are brand spanking new to IG and have an authentic desire to be a “fashion/lifestyle IG blogger”
October 23, 2018
I love using Instagram as a way to connect with others and capture moments, and I was excited to read this book in order to do that better. In some ways, it more than delivered. The author gives lots of basic tips on how to take better pictures and use Instagram. It's also filled with lots of inspirational photos to give you an idea of how great photos can be.
That said, the book missed the mark for me in a lot of ways too. I didn't realize from the title that this book is primarily instructions for how to make a living on IG, and what a full time job that is. Tessa Barton writes, "Truth be told, I'm never not working. I'm constantly planning posts, gathering inspiration, scouting locations, styling outfits , and meeting with brands. It's a 24/7 job." She says from the beginning that you need a partner or a team and that it's nearly impossible to be successful on IG on your own. Even the other "influencers" featured in this book talk about their staff. One mommy influencer talks about spending hours every night at the office and scheduling it for 7 to midnight so her kids are asleep for most of it. I guess I'm naive, but I wouldn't look at some smiling young mom on IG and think that she has a staff and an office to create this seemingly perfect little family life. It's all a carefully curated illusion with a ton of work by multiple people behind it.
I have no desire to be an "influencer." Even the name turns me off. I don't want to convince people to do anything or buy anything, or to set myself up as better than them and as something perfect to aspire to. I really just wanted good ideas on how to take better pictures, edit them better, and make the most out of IG as a regular person.
I was also hoping for more information on how to edit pictures to make them look great, but the author frequently talks about using her expensive presets that she sells on her web site to make her pictures look better. Even my teenagers have given me advice like to subtly turn up the brightness, contrast and saturation to instantly improve pictures. I know that tips like that won't work for influencers with a million followers, but information like that would help regular people who just want to post better pictures. How many of us could really make a living traveling the world and posting pictures on Instagram, after all? Especially if we're not 20-something, tall, skinny, beautiful and blonde, which is what every influencer she features in the book seems to be.
Pretty soon into this book, I realized that I would honestly hate to do this for a living. It seems artificial, exhausting and like living a full time life as an ad campaign. I use my IG account for a wide range of things, all of which are part of my life and not me as a brand. There are pictures of our 5 kids, pictures of recipes I make that I plan to post to our family blog, homeschooling shots, foraging shots, quick images of crazy weather or beautiful scenes or fun adventures or things that did well in the garden. I like to try to make my photos attractive, but that involves 30 seconds of tweaking and picking a nice filter. I had hoped to get some helpful advice for stepping that up a notch, but I am just not Tessa's target audience. If I want to take a nice picture of acorn flour mini donuts, I'm going to have to just wing it the way I have been, because I'm not going to spend 6 hours with light boxes and 17 props in the correct colors and then edit it and add presets and then adjust them, too. I want Instagram to record my life, not be my life.
If you are looking to make it big on Instagram and devote your life to "building a brand" then this will probably be a great guide. It's also got lots of good basic information and an interesting peek into this world that appears so beautiful and effortless from the outside but that I realize now is actually so contrived and fictional. Ultimately, I felt tired and a little depressed reading the book instead of inspired and motivated. Your mileage may vary.
I was able to read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
That said, the book missed the mark for me in a lot of ways too. I didn't realize from the title that this book is primarily instructions for how to make a living on IG, and what a full time job that is. Tessa Barton writes, "Truth be told, I'm never not working. I'm constantly planning posts, gathering inspiration, scouting locations, styling outfits , and meeting with brands. It's a 24/7 job." She says from the beginning that you need a partner or a team and that it's nearly impossible to be successful on IG on your own. Even the other "influencers" featured in this book talk about their staff. One mommy influencer talks about spending hours every night at the office and scheduling it for 7 to midnight so her kids are asleep for most of it. I guess I'm naive, but I wouldn't look at some smiling young mom on IG and think that she has a staff and an office to create this seemingly perfect little family life. It's all a carefully curated illusion with a ton of work by multiple people behind it.
I have no desire to be an "influencer." Even the name turns me off. I don't want to convince people to do anything or buy anything, or to set myself up as better than them and as something perfect to aspire to. I really just wanted good ideas on how to take better pictures, edit them better, and make the most out of IG as a regular person.
I was also hoping for more information on how to edit pictures to make them look great, but the author frequently talks about using her expensive presets that she sells on her web site to make her pictures look better. Even my teenagers have given me advice like to subtly turn up the brightness, contrast and saturation to instantly improve pictures. I know that tips like that won't work for influencers with a million followers, but information like that would help regular people who just want to post better pictures. How many of us could really make a living traveling the world and posting pictures on Instagram, after all? Especially if we're not 20-something, tall, skinny, beautiful and blonde, which is what every influencer she features in the book seems to be.
Pretty soon into this book, I realized that I would honestly hate to do this for a living. It seems artificial, exhausting and like living a full time life as an ad campaign. I use my IG account for a wide range of things, all of which are part of my life and not me as a brand. There are pictures of our 5 kids, pictures of recipes I make that I plan to post to our family blog, homeschooling shots, foraging shots, quick images of crazy weather or beautiful scenes or fun adventures or things that did well in the garden. I like to try to make my photos attractive, but that involves 30 seconds of tweaking and picking a nice filter. I had hoped to get some helpful advice for stepping that up a notch, but I am just not Tessa's target audience. If I want to take a nice picture of acorn flour mini donuts, I'm going to have to just wing it the way I have been, because I'm not going to spend 6 hours with light boxes and 17 props in the correct colors and then edit it and add presets and then adjust them, too. I want Instagram to record my life, not be my life.
If you are looking to make it big on Instagram and devote your life to "building a brand" then this will probably be a great guide. It's also got lots of good basic information and an interesting peek into this world that appears so beautiful and effortless from the outside but that I realize now is actually so contrived and fictional. Ultimately, I felt tired and a little depressed reading the book instead of inspired and motivated. Your mileage may vary.
I was able to read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
October 9, 2019
Personally, I think that anyone who uses the words "influencer" and "authentic" in the same sentence is lying, either to themselves or to you. Their single job, if you want to call it that, is to literally influence you into buying more things you don't need, but which the brands/companies have paid this authentic soul to tell you about.
In my day, we didn't call those people influencers, we called them corporate shills. I'm just saying.
That said, the advice in this book is to be authentic. And apparently, being authentic on instagram means hiring a professional photographer, staging photoshoots with an incredible amount of (totally authentic) props, and doing a bunch of math to figure out if your "engagement" is impressive enough to get brands to pay you. Oh, and also to travel a lot, because otherwise, your feed will get boring.
I think we may have a different idea of what "authentic" means.
Here's the thing: I did learn a thing or two about some of how instagram works. Like, technically. Where to put stories and how to categorize bookmarks and even how to make my feed not just look like I woke up one day and puked up a pile of pictures of my dog on it. (My IG is just dog photos and pictures of trees, because I have a style, y'all. It just isn't pretty and doesn't require props or a photographer being paid by the outfit.) There's a fairly good section on how to take good photos, too. It's the reason this is two stars and not a DNF.
I think if you are young and need lots of attention (and are white, because I don't think I saw a single person of color in the entire book, to be honest) and have a lot of family or husband money, this book is a fairly complete introduction on how to manipulate large groups of people for your corporate overlords.
(Ahem.)
In my day, we didn't call those people influencers, we called them corporate shills. I'm just saying.
That said, the advice in this book is to be authentic. And apparently, being authentic on instagram means hiring a professional photographer, staging photoshoots with an incredible amount of (totally authentic) props, and doing a bunch of math to figure out if your "engagement" is impressive enough to get brands to pay you. Oh, and also to travel a lot, because otherwise, your feed will get boring.
I think we may have a different idea of what "authentic" means.
Here's the thing: I did learn a thing or two about some of how instagram works. Like, technically. Where to put stories and how to categorize bookmarks and even how to make my feed not just look like I woke up one day and puked up a pile of pictures of my dog on it. (My IG is just dog photos and pictures of trees, because I have a style, y'all. It just isn't pretty and doesn't require props or a photographer being paid by the outfit.) There's a fairly good section on how to take good photos, too. It's the reason this is two stars and not a DNF.
I think if you are young and need lots of attention (and are white, because I don't think I saw a single person of color in the entire book, to be honest) and have a lot of family or husband money, this book is a fairly complete introduction on how to manipulate large groups of people for your corporate overlords.
(Ahem.)
July 9, 2020
BOOK REVIEW: InstaStyle: Curate Your Life, Create Stunning Photos, and Elevate Your Instagram Influence by Tezza (Tessa Barton)
Genre: Business Book… With a focus on photography and social media tips for Instagram
A quick read with quick concise tips on upping your Instagram game.
I found Tezza's brand and style to be completely different from mine. However I found her tips to be absolutely on-point and could be easily adapted to any brand and style.
I especially loved the tips on:
• Grid design
• Tags
• Learning how to dive into your trends and analytics
• Learning how to set up for sponsored posts
• And… The inside scoop on all the best photo apps
Plus… The overall great “pulling it all together” strategy tips on how to create an engaged and authentic relationship with your audience.
Tezza is absolutely crushing it on Instagram with 868,000 followers… That's 868K and counting! So the girl really knows what she's talking about!
Genre: Business Book… With a focus on photography and social media tips for Instagram
A quick read with quick concise tips on upping your Instagram game.
I found Tezza's brand and style to be completely different from mine. However I found her tips to be absolutely on-point and could be easily adapted to any brand and style.
I especially loved the tips on:
• Grid design
• Tags
• Learning how to dive into your trends and analytics
• Learning how to set up for sponsored posts
• And… The inside scoop on all the best photo apps
Plus… The overall great “pulling it all together” strategy tips on how to create an engaged and authentic relationship with your audience.
Tezza is absolutely crushing it on Instagram with 868,000 followers… That's 868K and counting! So the girl really knows what she's talking about!
January 12, 2021
***DNF***
Although I DNF, I’m rating this book a 2 because I read it 2 years back and decided to re-read and brush up on some pointers.
Despite this book being really short and easy to get through, I was so bored and could not pick it up. When re-reading, I realized how boring all of her points were. Most seemed like common sense and everything useful I picked up and remembered the first time I read, so it wasn’t useful to have as a reference guide.
I wanted to re-read to recreate my brand, which proved really unhelpful. Like I said, I think there are some really great pointers (ex. using the grid feature while taking pictures, planning out/generating ideas prior to taking pictures) but all of it was “influencer” focused.
Although I DNF, I’m rating this book a 2 because I read it 2 years back and decided to re-read and brush up on some pointers.
Despite this book being really short and easy to get through, I was so bored and could not pick it up. When re-reading, I realized how boring all of her points were. Most seemed like common sense and everything useful I picked up and remembered the first time I read, so it wasn’t useful to have as a reference guide.
I wanted to re-read to recreate my brand, which proved really unhelpful. Like I said, I think there are some really great pointers (ex. using the grid feature while taking pictures, planning out/generating ideas prior to taking pictures) but all of it was “influencer” focused.
July 17, 2019
Snatched up INSTASTYLE on NetGalley as soon as I saw it as I’m interested in expanding my online presence to this visual star of social media.
So glad I did, as this informative guide has the 411 I’ve been looking for. Learned that it’s the platform where brands gain traction and trends develop. Also, Instagram has loads of helpful analytics and biz tools to gauge social media success and advance it to the next level.
Author Tessa Barton (@tezzamb) and other successful Instagram influencers share how to create visual stories that gain attention, photography tips, brand engagement strategies, and advice for finding management. Highly recommended!
Pub Date 23 Oct 2018
Thanks to DK and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#InstaStyle #NetGalley
So glad I did, as this informative guide has the 411 I’ve been looking for. Learned that it’s the platform where brands gain traction and trends develop. Also, Instagram has loads of helpful analytics and biz tools to gauge social media success and advance it to the next level.
Author Tessa Barton (@tezzamb) and other successful Instagram influencers share how to create visual stories that gain attention, photography tips, brand engagement strategies, and advice for finding management. Highly recommended!
Pub Date 23 Oct 2018
Thanks to DK and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#InstaStyle #NetGalley
April 29, 2020
There is no substance here. Just another blonde who wants to hit the next viewership mark on Instagram. The popularity is rooted not in some method, but in publishing a young and rather attractive woman with a lot of skin exposed. The book is the woman's pictures, links to her friends, and a lot of fluff. So for "create stunning photos" you have to know how much a nameless source valuates Instagram, what DM means and more trivia that is vaguely Instagram related.
February 6, 2019
It was okay and guess it was helpful, but you can find even more specific information on how to do these things for free online without buying this book.
January 6, 2019
I wanted to like this book a lot more. And parts of it I found very valuable for growing my business on social media. The challenge was the book seemed to not be sure of it's audience. One minute it's going over the absolute basics of the platform, and posting your first nine photos. Then it's getting into sponsored posts, and other advice that really only applies to someone with a larger following. The book is beautifully crafted much like the authors Instagram, but I think the book would have been better served with one clear audience group in mind or divided into the stages of growth of an Instagram page.
August 21, 2018
A great book for those looking to use Instagram as a professional medium, but also for those just looking to learn to do better photo editing/photo shooting. There's advice across the board of how to get inspired and how to get your profile out there more, and also down to the tiny details of every day editing.
April 11, 2020
Great book for beginners who want to get some tips and inspiration
January 23, 2020
Great thorough introduction to Instagram, including photography tips and app recommendations.
Obviously written from her own perspective for Instagramming in her own style, but gives value nonetheless.
Obviously written from her own perspective for Instagramming in her own style, but gives value nonetheless.
December 1, 2022
I shouldn't be surprised, since it's a book about a superficial platform . . . but this book is superficial and not very informative. I spent 20 minutes with it, and that was more than enough.
July 31, 2018
InstaStyle by Tezza MB is going to be a hit with a lot of people. It hands you the keys to creating an aesthetically pleasing, well-branded, focused and influential instagram account, which you can set up for monetization of your online efforts.
If this is what I wanted to do with my instagram, I would have been thrilled myself. It's a beautifully produced book, containing stunning photography and streamlined how-tos on everything from finding inspiration, developing narratives, fostering engagement, and editing images. Additionally, it provides niche-specific advice, including lifestyle, fashion, travel, food, beauty, family, health & fitness, interior design, and flat lays & products.
This book just isn't written for a person like me, who already has a full-time job and only wants to use social media as a creative outlet and a way to connect with like-minded people. InstaStyle makes it abundantly clear that if you wish to develop an account like Tezza's, it's going to require a lot of work:
"Gotta work for it: Truth be told, I'm never not working. I'm constantly planning posts, gathering inspiration, scouting locations, styling outfits , and meeting with brands. It's a 24/7 job. Granted, it's a pretty dang good 24/7 job, but it really can be exhausting. It's important to know that before jumping in. It takes pushing yourself every day to come up with something new and finding ways to stand out and be different." ~ Tezza MB
Clearly, it's not for dilettantes like me! Recognizing that I'm not the target audience doesn't mean I'm going to dismiss the book as a bad one. It's not bad at all. In fact, I think it will be an excellent resource for a lot of people. If you're like me, however, and want something that encourages playfulness and experimentation, then you might want to save your precious book money for something else.
This book also promotes an aspect of Instagram that I find off-putting: it's just too sleek and polished. The images show glamorous skinny people doing glamorous things using fancy products and basically living a life I'll never have. It can be downright depressing to look at too much stuff like this online. I'll look, from time to time, because it's hard to turn away from something so perfect that's begging for my attention, but I prefer to follow accounts that are a little rougher around the edges and show people I can relate to doing regular people stuff...like petting a fat cat on the belly (it's a trap!), or eating a tub of ice cream while binge-watching the 100 on Netflix.
I do appreciate Tezza's frequent reminders to keep your expectations realistic, practice positive self-talk, and remain authentic:
"Don't lose sight of the goal. Let your experiences shape your life, and don't get caught up in doing things for the sake of the 'gram. They're not authentic when they become a chore." ~ Tezza MB
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.
If this is what I wanted to do with my instagram, I would have been thrilled myself. It's a beautifully produced book, containing stunning photography and streamlined how-tos on everything from finding inspiration, developing narratives, fostering engagement, and editing images. Additionally, it provides niche-specific advice, including lifestyle, fashion, travel, food, beauty, family, health & fitness, interior design, and flat lays & products.
This book just isn't written for a person like me, who already has a full-time job and only wants to use social media as a creative outlet and a way to connect with like-minded people. InstaStyle makes it abundantly clear that if you wish to develop an account like Tezza's, it's going to require a lot of work:
"Gotta work for it: Truth be told, I'm never not working. I'm constantly planning posts, gathering inspiration, scouting locations, styling outfits , and meeting with brands. It's a 24/7 job. Granted, it's a pretty dang good 24/7 job, but it really can be exhausting. It's important to know that before jumping in. It takes pushing yourself every day to come up with something new and finding ways to stand out and be different." ~ Tezza MB
Clearly, it's not for dilettantes like me! Recognizing that I'm not the target audience doesn't mean I'm going to dismiss the book as a bad one. It's not bad at all. In fact, I think it will be an excellent resource for a lot of people. If you're like me, however, and want something that encourages playfulness and experimentation, then you might want to save your precious book money for something else.
This book also promotes an aspect of Instagram that I find off-putting: it's just too sleek and polished. The images show glamorous skinny people doing glamorous things using fancy products and basically living a life I'll never have. It can be downright depressing to look at too much stuff like this online. I'll look, from time to time, because it's hard to turn away from something so perfect that's begging for my attention, but I prefer to follow accounts that are a little rougher around the edges and show people I can relate to doing regular people stuff...like petting a fat cat on the belly (it's a trap!), or eating a tub of ice cream while binge-watching the 100 on Netflix.
I do appreciate Tezza's frequent reminders to keep your expectations realistic, practice positive self-talk, and remain authentic:
"Don't lose sight of the goal. Let your experiences shape your life, and don't get caught up in doing things for the sake of the 'gram. They're not authentic when they become a chore." ~ Tezza MB
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.
November 28, 2018
This book had a lot of great tips, but the way it was written was very redundant. Barton kept making the same points over and over, and would explain them at different lengths each time. Because of this, I found myself saying "Yeah, yeah, you said that already," and zoning out.
The way it was written wasn't very cohesive, and I wish it was a little more organized, explaining each tip thoroughly before heading on to the next one. But overall, it does have some pretty great tips.
NOTE: This book is mainly for fashion/lifestyle/travel bloggers. If you're looking for something containing tips on blogging not-so-much-about-you, this is not the book.
The way it was written wasn't very cohesive, and I wish it was a little more organized, explaining each tip thoroughly before heading on to the next one. But overall, it does have some pretty great tips.
NOTE: This book is mainly for fashion/lifestyle/travel bloggers. If you're looking for something containing tips on blogging not-so-much-about-you, this is not the book.
February 6, 2019
InstaStyle was a beautiful book that really helped me to connect the creative side of taking photos with the strategy of grid planning. I have been in a creative rut with my Bookstagram account for some time without knowing how to really create a cohesive account. I enjoy structure and this read provided me with tools that I plan to use to combine structure and creativity on my Bookstagram feed. I picked this up after reading a review on Instagram by @abigialscupoftea and am happy that I did! That being said, this book focuses on creating a brand/career on Instagram rather than improving the hobby, which is something to keep in mind when picking up this book.
December 30, 2018
Very informative book on Instagram and how to maximize your potential on the social media site.
The color photos are beautiful and the author does give helpful pointers on the nuances of Instagram and how to take better pictures. It is better suited for someone like a blogger or an "influencer" that has made this a full time profession. Could be a little overwhelming for a lay person. It was very enlightening however to see everything that goes behind taking those "perfect" pictures on Instagram.
The color photos are beautiful and the author does give helpful pointers on the nuances of Instagram and how to take better pictures. It is better suited for someone like a blogger or an "influencer" that has made this a full time profession. Could be a little overwhelming for a lay person. It was very enlightening however to see everything that goes behind taking those "perfect" pictures on Instagram.
November 16, 2020
The photos presented were highly stylized, and creative, with some good tips. However, it was hard to ignore that the influencers chosen to be highlighted have a cookie cutter look, all young white females, with flawless bodies, and blond hair except one, making it oddly repetitive. It sends the message you must look this way to have success. It would appeal to, and inspire, a larger audience by representing a broader spectrum of influencers, perhaps a man, a woman of colour, and someone of an older generation.
July 13, 2018
I received a copy of InstaStyle through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
InstaStyle is both an art book and a guide book to getting a brand or identity going on Instagram. It covers many different potential focuses for Instagram accounts, like lifestyle, fashion, travel, food, beauty, family, health/fitness, interior design, and products. So it’s likely that no matter what type of account you’re looking to start, you’ll get a good idea of where to go from here.
Personally, I run a Bookstagram account, so I was reading this book for tips on that. That meant mostly that the product ones applied the most to me, as well as the generalized tips, posing and hashtag advice, and so on. Still, I found it incredibly helpful. They suggested some tricks that I sincerely wouldn’t have thought to try on my own, like trying to find the best time to post, and how it’d vary day to day.
I also loved the suggestion of varying up the subject, giving subcategories a chance. It makes sense not only for followers, but to prevent burnout for the creators. Little tricks like that can really go a long way when it comes to maintaining social media presence long term.
Along with a bunch of helpful tips, tricks, and guides, this book also includes examples from real Instagram accounts. There’s one included for each of the listed genres above, and they’re all real people (and of course their information in included should you choose to follow them). I thought this was a nice touch.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
InstaStyle is both an art book and a guide book to getting a brand or identity going on Instagram. It covers many different potential focuses for Instagram accounts, like lifestyle, fashion, travel, food, beauty, family, health/fitness, interior design, and products. So it’s likely that no matter what type of account you’re looking to start, you’ll get a good idea of where to go from here.
Personally, I run a Bookstagram account, so I was reading this book for tips on that. That meant mostly that the product ones applied the most to me, as well as the generalized tips, posing and hashtag advice, and so on. Still, I found it incredibly helpful. They suggested some tricks that I sincerely wouldn’t have thought to try on my own, like trying to find the best time to post, and how it’d vary day to day.
I also loved the suggestion of varying up the subject, giving subcategories a chance. It makes sense not only for followers, but to prevent burnout for the creators. Little tricks like that can really go a long way when it comes to maintaining social media presence long term.
Along with a bunch of helpful tips, tricks, and guides, this book also includes examples from real Instagram accounts. There’s one included for each of the listed genres above, and they’re all real people (and of course their information in included should you choose to follow them). I thought this was a nice touch.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
June 15, 2020
My sister handed me this book today after I was complaining about Instagram. I just don’t get Instagram, and she has been a social media influencer on various platforms (though retired after being doxed & receiving multiple death threats...yeah I don’t know any of us even take the risk of being on social media at all 🤷♀️). Anyway, I want to get on Instagram to promote my blog, and I don’t know where to start. This book probably won’t help all that much for me, since I run a book blog and not fashion, food, travel, beauty, etc type of account.
One problem is that the book doesn’t seem to have a specific audience in mind. Maybe this book is only for Tezza fans? But, who in their right mind wouldn’t know what a “feed” was but also need to know how to hire an agent or a photographer.
There are some great tips, but this book seems more aspirational than anything. These are not influencers. They are all beautiful women with impeccable grooming and clothes in beautiful, exotic, and/or expensive locales.
The production value of the book is very high. It is a beautiful reading experience and very well organized and written. It’s easy to read and not overwhelming at all.
The book also had some really useful tips and tricks. As a newbie, it was nice to get all the basics explained (though even I knew most of them!).
I do take issue with the cult of “authenticity.” Nothing about Instagram is authentic. This book wants you to even curate a color scheme for your life. What’s authentic about that? I think it’s fine to have a beautiful, aspirational Instagram, but just cut the authenticity crap.
One problem is that the book doesn’t seem to have a specific audience in mind. Maybe this book is only for Tezza fans? But, who in their right mind wouldn’t know what a “feed” was but also need to know how to hire an agent or a photographer.
There are some great tips, but this book seems more aspirational than anything. These are not influencers. They are all beautiful women with impeccable grooming and clothes in beautiful, exotic, and/or expensive locales.
The production value of the book is very high. It is a beautiful reading experience and very well organized and written. It’s easy to read and not overwhelming at all.
The book also had some really useful tips and tricks. As a newbie, it was nice to get all the basics explained (though even I knew most of them!).
I do take issue with the cult of “authenticity.” Nothing about Instagram is authentic. This book wants you to even curate a color scheme for your life. What’s authentic about that? I think it’s fine to have a beautiful, aspirational Instagram, but just cut the authenticity crap.
August 24, 2020
Ok, bad things first because that's at the forefront right now: for all her talk of being authentic and genuine, you're encouraged just as much to curate a brand, use filters and Photoshop to edit out any "pesky" things that get in the way of making your photo "pop". For me, aspect of these things contradict, especially when she pushes them both to the extent she does. Did she mean be authentic in your intention to edit out perceived flaws, from that small bit of acne to that person in the background?
So parts of this book comes across as pretentious. The message felt contrived, and to be honest, it would've been fine had she ditched pushing the concept of being authentic and showing your true self - own that you're running a business without the need to feel morally good about it. Everyone understands the need to make a living, you don't have to justify it with some higher purpose goal.
And her lineup of fellow Instagrammer friends? Disappointing. You couldn't get any whiter if you tried. Though I could admire, aspects of what was on offer I didn't relate to and none resonated.
Anyway, that's just how it came across for me. Otherwise, there's some gold in this book worth digging for (yes, despite what I've just outlined so far!). I found the first part surprisingly inspiring and it's motivated me to experiment with taking photos and editing. There's plenty of tips to help you out - photo prompts, software recommendations, layout and design ideas - so get into it. Milk it for what you need and leave the rest behind.
So parts of this book comes across as pretentious. The message felt contrived, and to be honest, it would've been fine had she ditched pushing the concept of being authentic and showing your true self - own that you're running a business without the need to feel morally good about it. Everyone understands the need to make a living, you don't have to justify it with some higher purpose goal.
And her lineup of fellow Instagrammer friends? Disappointing. You couldn't get any whiter if you tried. Though I could admire, aspects of what was on offer I didn't relate to and none resonated.
Anyway, that's just how it came across for me. Otherwise, there's some gold in this book worth digging for (yes, despite what I've just outlined so far!). I found the first part surprisingly inspiring and it's motivated me to experiment with taking photos and editing. There's plenty of tips to help you out - photo prompts, software recommendations, layout and design ideas - so get into it. Milk it for what you need and leave the rest behind.
August 13, 2020
I have a YouTube channel, And I was looking for ways to improve my presence on Instagram. I always have found it difficult to have a more organic following. And I stumbled upon this book to day inside Dollar Tree of all places. I felt that this book was definitely useful and they gave a good outline on how to break down Instagram in an easy manner. A lot of the things that she mentioned are pretty self explanatory, however seeing it laid out in a book definitely allowed me to think outside the Box and gave me new ideas and a new perspective To update what I currently am doing and in the future do better at. I didn't realize that there is a lot of people who actually hire photographers. And even though that may be something with money that people do, I like that she included the phone option, so you have a better idea on how to do Instagram more on a budget. Over all this is a great book and totally and necessity for any social media influencer this time period
December 22, 2021
In all honesty, I purchased this book as a coffee table book because the cover was so aesthetic. However, as an influencer/blogger and photographer, I knew I had to also devour the content since Instagram is a huge part of my career - both personal and business.
Tessa is a HIT in the Instagram world and it's because of her beautifully curated Instagram photos. Every single pose, outfit, and/or prop has a meaning and has been pre-planned before her shoot. She even plans for the type of WEATHER to expect during a photoshoot *jaw drops open*.
As much as I've been a photographer and influencer for 5+ years, I will admit that Tessa is on a whole different level from me and I ADMIRE her for that. She's truly a role model - talented, beautiful, and sophisticated and she breaks down her top tips on how to get that ideal Instagram photo.
If you love using Instagram because it's for your career (or for fun as a hobby), I highly recommend checking this book out for some creative photography inspiration!
Tessa is a HIT in the Instagram world and it's because of her beautifully curated Instagram photos. Every single pose, outfit, and/or prop has a meaning and has been pre-planned before her shoot. She even plans for the type of WEATHER to expect during a photoshoot *jaw drops open*.
As much as I've been a photographer and influencer for 5+ years, I will admit that Tessa is on a whole different level from me and I ADMIRE her for that. She's truly a role model - talented, beautiful, and sophisticated and she breaks down her top tips on how to get that ideal Instagram photo.
If you love using Instagram because it's for your career (or for fun as a hobby), I highly recommend checking this book out for some creative photography inspiration!
June 24, 2019
Picked a copy of this up in the library as I had not seen it before. Certainly is very thorough in its approach with all the things that you need to consider having their own separate sections.
It does say you can only post to instagram from a mobile device, but then says to use a DSLR to take photos without telling you how to get the photos from your computer onto your phone. There are scripting tools and apps you can use but these are against terms of service.
It also does not mention having to deal with trolls or having your posts removed by instagram and your account banned for no reason.
While it does make mention of growing your instagram account organically from things you are interested in, it also talks about "day one planning" so it is more suited for people wanting to run a business on instagram selling a product and not just as an influencer.
It does say you can only post to instagram from a mobile device, but then says to use a DSLR to take photos without telling you how to get the photos from your computer onto your phone. There are scripting tools and apps you can use but these are against terms of service.
It also does not mention having to deal with trolls or having your posts removed by instagram and your account banned for no reason.
While it does make mention of growing your instagram account organically from things you are interested in, it also talks about "day one planning" so it is more suited for people wanting to run a business on instagram selling a product and not just as an influencer.
October 17, 2018
When I was browsing NetGalley this book popped up. I have never heard of Tessa Barton but the description sounded interesting and the cover is absolutely beautiful. I had high hopes for this book and it didn't disappoint much.
The pictures are absolutely beautiful. I loved looking at her unique style and the different styles of other Instagram influencers. It was engaging and informative. The information will be great for those wanting to make money from their social media.
There is a little bit of everything for everyone. I'm an amateur photographer so I especially loved the section on composition & editing. If you're interested in upping your Instagram, I highly recommend this book because it will definitely help you develop your style.
The pictures are absolutely beautiful. I loved looking at her unique style and the different styles of other Instagram influencers. It was engaging and informative. The information will be great for those wanting to make money from their social media.
There is a little bit of everything for everyone. I'm an amateur photographer so I especially loved the section on composition & editing. If you're interested in upping your Instagram, I highly recommend this book because it will definitely help you develop your style.
February 9, 2021
As a self-proclaimed Instagram addict, I was intrigued by this book as I wanted to get some insider tips on boosting my own instagram feed through this book. The book is well written and easy to follow. It gives alot of good tips on apps, how to use instagram, and photography tips. The best part of the book for me is the visuals. I loved all the photo examples Tessa used! Knocked a star off because although I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I just wished there were more tips that other bloggers have have not already mentioned in their books but I guess if Tessa did reveal it all, then she'd have more competition in the field.
October 30, 2021
I picked this book up at Altar’d State. I flipped through it in the store and found the pictures really drew me in. As a wannabe blogger/influencer, I am kind of at a stuck point. I was hoping that it would give me some ideas to improve my Instagram page.
There was absolutely nothing revolutionary in the book at all… it’s all stuff I already knew, it could have figured out for free with a quick Google search. The author really emphasizes authenticity, but everything about her slick, filtered life seems very INauthentic. She lives quite the life of privilege and her ideas set an unrealistic standard for the average Instagrammer.
There was absolutely nothing revolutionary in the book at all… it’s all stuff I already knew, it could have figured out for free with a quick Google search. The author really emphasizes authenticity, but everything about her slick, filtered life seems very INauthentic. She lives quite the life of privilege and her ideas set an unrealistic standard for the average Instagrammer.
August 17, 2018
I received a copy of InstaStyle through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book - my skill level with social media being what it is(novice, at best). Front to back, Instastyle was easy to understand, well-organized, thorough and, yes, inspirational. Now, I'm not going to be starting my own Instagram anytime soon, but I surely do feel that I could - that's how comfortable Tezza MB's book made me feel with the technology of it all. I have to say, I was impressed.
#NetGalley #Instastyle
I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book - my skill level with social media being what it is(novice, at best). Front to back, Instastyle was easy to understand, well-organized, thorough and, yes, inspirational. Now, I'm not going to be starting my own Instagram anytime soon, but I surely do feel that I could - that's how comfortable Tezza MB's book made me feel with the technology of it all. I have to say, I was impressed.
#NetGalley #Instastyle
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews