Blogstar-Faved Photog Valorie Darling Shares Her Pro Instagram Tips

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Unless you're blessed with your very own "beau-tographer" (the lens-toting S.O. known for snapping their blogstar other halves), curating a picture-perfect Instagram is apparently very taxing work. Whether you're building your own personal brand or simply want to beautify your behind-the-scenes broadcast, having a well-framed feed is key to having the best-looking year (in photos, at least) ever.

Nobody is more familiar with living a technicolor life than pro photog Valorie Darling (yep, that's her real name). In addition to being one-third of the Skinny-Fat Girl Diary and co-founder of Camp SoCal HeARTS, the stylish shutterbug is known for capturing the outfits, major moments, and more for a ton of LA's top fashion bloggers.

See all of her tips below and hit up our list of LA's most brilliant backdrops once you're ready to strike a pose.

A photo posted by Sophie Elkus (@sophieelkus) on Dec 23, 2015 at 3:08pm PST

1. Chase the light! Try to shoot in light and airy locations for bright and beautiful images.

A photo posted by V A L O R I E D A R L I N G (@valoriedarling) on Dec 17, 2015 at 9:59pm PST

2. Look for locations/backdrops that won't clash with your #ootd. They should have complementary colors to your attire and not distract from you.

A photo posted by V A L O R I E D A R L I N G (@valoriedarling) on Sep 7, 2015 at 5:51pm PDT

3. Use the rule of thirds. Place yourself closer to the edge of the frame to mix up your Insta feed and create clean, negative space that your eye draws across and makes your images more interesting.

A photo posted by V A L O R I E D A R L I N G (@valoriedarling) on Jul 2, 2015 at 6:59pm PDT

4. Have a favorite filter. Keep your feed consistent by sticking to the same filter or editing process. Having a clean and cohesive story will help give you a bigger following.

A photo posted by V A L O R I E D A R L I N G (@valoriedarling) on Oct 6, 2015 at 5:27pm PDT

5. Have fun! Be playful and shoot a story, not just poses. Grab a coffee, hit the beach, go to a museum and capture the process to inspire changing it up and helping your creativity to flow. I love movement and energy and images that make people feel something when they look at them.