MEMORIES FOR THE 'GRAM

Insta-Hacks To Make Your Pictures Perfect

“4 Insta-Hacks that’ll Spruce Up Your IG Feed Instantly”

[ Source Credit: Humphrey Muleba ]

Gone are the days where you need a professional camera to capture a stunning image. Today, the only tools we need can be found in our hands or around us: our phone and a few tricks up our sleeves. After all, years of Instagram have taught us that photos can be produced anytime and anywhere! Well, now that Phase 2 is here, and your calendar is filling up with appointments for work, errands or social meet-ups – why not use this as an opportunity to head out and snap new photos and spruce up your feed?

To make you a better photographer after the circuit breaker, we’ve collected some ideas to help make your photos double-tap worthy. From finding unique backgrounds to customising filters, these tips and tricks will help improve your pictures. Forget Asian squats or standing atop dining chairs! If you’re planning a visit to Mess Hall soon, you’re in luck. Continue scrolling to see where and how you can try these hacks today.

1) Look out for unique backgrounds

[ Source Credit: Mess Hall ]

Singapore may be small, but it’s filled with picturesque spots in every corner. Our city might be lacking in high mountains or deep valleys, but it sure makes up for it with a mix of modern architecture and heritage buildings that have the potential to make photos stand out.

Here at Sentosa Island, we recommend getting your shots snapped outside Mess Hall. This beautifully preserved colonial-style property sits amongst luxurious hotels like Village Hotel Sentosa, The Outpost Hotel and The Barracks Hotel Sentosa. Lined with huge palm trees, well-kept gardens and open skies all around you, anywhere can serve as your background for your next shot.

2) Take advantage of natural light

[ Source Credit: The Barracks Hotel Sentosa ]

Twelve hours of daylight in Singapore means plenty of opportunities to snap photos in the day, which can light up your feed when it comes to portraits, and even more so when it comes to the perennial favourite: #OOTDs. For a soft, natural photo, time your photos wisely. Heading out in the evenings? Position your camera for a backlit photo, and you’ll have bright, golden flares as natural filters. Be careful to avoid flash! Or glare spots will appear on reflective surfaces like glasses and jewellery.

When at Mess Hall, be sure to take a walk down the corridors of its first level. As natural light shines in to hit the pillars, it’ll cast beautiful shadows that – when positioned with an angled view of the hallway – can create a seemingly never-ending hallway. In other words, this is where you can start posing to your heart’s content.

3) Bring your photos to life with props

[ Source Credit: Village Hotel Sentosa ]

Adding a good prop can give context or accentuate the mood of a photo. But that doesn't mean you need to lug around a bag full of accessories with you. Look around, and you'll see that the city is full of hidden surprises – from flowers around you to a book that you're reading, even food and drinks! Simply look for props with a contrasting element and it’ll give your photo that extra dash of energy and colour.

What’s next after your photos at Mess Hall? We suggest investing in a staycation at one of the three hotels currently operating amidst Phase 2, The Barracks Hotel Sentosa. Explore the grounds of this heritage hideaway, sweeten your stay with an afternoon tea session, or enjoy a splashing good time by the Barracks Pool.

4) Experiment with edits and filters

[Source Credit: Mess Hall ]

Getting the right shot is 50% of the battle. To take your photos to another level, you’ll have to edit them and bring across the style or lighting that you’re going for. For instance, if you prefer the warm tones of summer, pump up the saturation and contrast in your photos and layer on additional highlights in warmer hues like red, orange or yellow. But if the vibe of your feed is cooler, airy and light, you might want to explore lowering the saturation, brightening your photos and adding on cooler hues like blue.

These may sound complicated at first but get the right photo-editing app and you'll be set for a long time! Popular favourites include Snapseed, Afterlight, Lightroom and VSCO. The best part of these apps? It’s got to be how easily and quickly you can apply your favourite filter to any image – thanks to predefined edits! Simply customise a setting you like and save it. For future edits, just tap on your filter and off you go!

The beautiful thing about photography is that there are many ways to approach photo taking. If you stumble on a method, angle or filter that works – keep going! What matters most is that you have fun along the way, because it’s only when you do, that it'll come through in your pictures.

For those of you planning a trip to Mess Hall or thinking of booking a staycation at The Barracks Hotel Sentosa, be sure to share your photos with us on Instagram by tagging @shopfareast! We'll be the first to double-tap.