Image via Complex Original
Usually we're complete cynics around here about sneakers, but since Thanksgiving came around, we got a little sentimental and realized something: How thankful we are for the abilities of those 25 people that actually take decent pictures of their kicks for Instagram every week. We decided to put together some steps to help keep you from looking like a lame sneakerhead. Really, it's not so hard to do if you put a little extra thought into it. Check out the 5 Tips For Taking the Perfect Sneaker Instagram photo.
Don't Overdo It With Filters
There seems to be an app to do damn near everything these days, but just because you can make your kicks turn into Optimus Prime doesn't make you an honorary Autobot. Ain't nobody gonna like your kicks pic if they can't tell what the hell it is. And some of those filters make your skin look like you've got some sort of communicable disease, and that ain't getting you anywhere with the ladies. Be easy with it. Sometimes natural is best.
Make Sure Your Kicks Are Your Focal Point
Most people are looking at Instagram on their phones, so staging an artsy shot where your sneakers are off in the distance isn't going to help things. Yeah, it's cool when done for the web, but if there's a bunch of crap in your picture AND the background is more in focus than your sneakers, you're failing, bro. Keep it simple and keep the blur tactics to the stuff that's off in the distance. Otherwise, nobody is going to be able to tell what kind of kicks they are, let alone like them.
Check Your Background
No offense, but we're not trying to see your bro in his drawls. Having some random sh*t in the background in a pic is the quickest way to end up as the next Internet meme everyone is clowning on. And yeah, we know you've got drugs, guns, and fancy cars to show off, but if you were really living that life, you'd have an assistant managing your Instagram and you wouldn't be reading this. (Although sometimes it's fun to stunt with a second pair of grails behind the pair you're actually shooting — we know how it is.)
Angle is Everything
We get that you're trying to show off your entire fit, but keep the crotch shots to you and your smash. We ain't tryin' to see that, player. General rule of thumb, if you're shooting from the hip, you're doing it wrong. If you can, take the picture from close to the ground to show as much of your kicks as possible. Otherwise it just looks like you're 12 feet tall and showing off your fly, uh, fly.
Get Your Lighting Right
Yeah, we know that glow-in-the-dark-outsole is the new hotness, but taking pics in the club isn't going to get you any love. If you're looking to get that 3M popping, sure, use the flash on your phone, but for most shots, the best lighting is natural light. You don't go shopping for sneakers in the dark, do you?