Ever since we first saw Melissa Ya (AKA MilkThistles) bright and colourful Instagram shots pop up in our feed, we’ve been huge fans of her gorgeously unique style – not to mention that she’s long been sharing the kikki.K love too. And with over 40,000 followers, it seems we’re not the only ones.
So who better to share her secrets for taking the perfect Instagram photo? We grabbed 5 minutes with Melissa to find out her tips to taking better Instagram pics.
How did you build your impressive following?
I’m indebted to all the wonderful people who appreciate the photos I produce. I started Instagram without any expectations, so when I recognised that others actually enjoyed my feed, I was overwhelmed (and it was a little beyond me, as well!). All I can say is that it took time and effort but it’s such a rewarding feeling to know that other people are enjoying my content. I’m extremely flattered and humbled for the ever growing love and support. I will always be grateful for that.
How do you decide what to take pictures of?
My content is largely inspired by my personal and daily life. It’s a simple subject matter to visually document, but I like the idea of looking back and remembering how I spent my time on this and that particular day. I enjoy having the creative freedom to take images of anything I like. Maintaining my own style is very important to me, especially if I’ve been kindly asked to collaborate with brands. I approach it with how I work best: making the products fit in with my personal style.
What are your top styling tips?
1) Brighten up your space! Natural light is a beautiful and the best source; artificial is a no no. I always shoot with a window that’s positioned in front of me.
2) Colour coordination. White on white can be lovely, but contrasting items with the background always works well for me. Limit the colour scheme to three different colours, have hue variations of one colour and be mindful about what colours complement each other and clash together.
3) Spontaneity. I find that items don’t have to be perfectly aligned and centred to look aesthetically pleasing. Embrace white space, allow things to spill out, learn to adore clutter, create a mess. Asymmetry can look prettily organised.
What type of content do your followers respond to best?
My followers seem to love flowers, my desk and study spaces, and any organisation/planning related shots.
What’s one quick fix everyone can try to take better photos?
Use as much natural lighting as possible!
Ready to start Instagramming? We think out stylish new Life is Sweet and Winter Leather collections are the perfect place to start. Make sure you share your results with the hashtag #kikkiKLove.
Discover the pieces Melissa used…
- A5 Feature Journal
- Vision Board Kit
- Leather Pencil Case
