Bookstagram Cliches

I love book photography. I think, deep down, I kind of want to be great with a camera… to be that person with a fancy DSLR running around capturing beautiful moments and posting them to Instagram with vague inspirational quotes and matching emojis.

As much as I may like the idea of being that person, however, motivation and inspiration seem to elude me, haha. But while nature photography can feel daunting and picture-perfect family moments (complete with great lighting) are difficult to capture, book photography is a simple, creative way to share what you’re reading AND be artistic. Plus, who doesn’t love a stunning book cover?

But if you’ve spent any time looking at Instagram (particularly #bookstagram) you’ll start to notice that certain props and elements get overused. A lot. So for those of you who might want to try your hand at snapping a pic of that hardcover you finished, here is a helpful list of items to be aware of and possibly avoid using too much.

First, a disclaimer: I’ve used most of these personally! I’m not trying to bash anyone here, I’m just poking a little fun at myself and book lovers in general. In fact, I’ve purposely chosen real examples I LOVE just to show that you can utilize these props successfully and creatively. Please feel free to try whatever you like in your book photos. 🙂 Many thanks to Abbi at adventuresofaliterarynature for letting me share her gorgeous IG work–follow the link to see so much more!

Okay, here we go…

1. THE CANDLE.

I’m 90% convinced you won’t even be allowed to post on bookstagram unless you own at least one candle. Maybe all these people have eyestrain from reading too much and need the extra light?

2. THOU MUST HAVE COFFEE.

If coffee is not readily available (shame on you) tea is an acceptable alternative. Just make sure it’s in your finest china. ‘Cause that’s what we all get out when we laze around in our pajamas reading.

3. THE TWINKLY LIGHTS.

If you have twinkle lights AND candles, you get bonus points. But truly, isn’t this book wreath stunning?

4. KNITS.

Mostly blankies. I’m starting to see a pattern… something to do with being cozy…

5. STACKS WITH MORE BOOKS.

Shelves, piles, between bookends, wherever–as long as there are lots of books! You can’t have too many!

Well, that’s all for today, friends and book lovers… hope you had a good chuckle with me and maybe I’ll see you here or on Instagram. 🙂 What’s your favorite candle scent, and which of the elements listed above do you like best?