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What’s even the point of visiting a winery if you’re not going to Instagram it? How will your friends and family know how much more fun you’re having then them? Well fine, wine drinking isn’t just about the social media clout, but it’s still fun to snap a few pictures for your online profiles. Whether they’re an aspiring wino or just someone who wants to up their social media game, I have 10 tips for instagramming your winery visit that you can totally steal. I won’t tell.
10 Tips for Instagramming Your Winery Visit
How you go about instagramming your winery visit is going to depend on your own personal style. If you’re the influencer type, then you’ll probably want to get yourself in most of the pictures. Some people like to focus on the beauty of the winery itself, or turn their pictures into mini blog posts about the wine and winery.
These tips will work for almost any Instagram vibe!
Don’t go alone
Selfies aren’t cool anymore. If you want pictures with you in it, bring someone along who can help. Or else you’ll be at the mercy of whoever is kind enough to snap a photo of you (and who may or may not do a good job.)
Even if you’re not taking pictures of yourself, you’d be surprised how nice it is to have some extra help (or an extra eye) when it comes to taking photos.
Take lots of pictures – even if you won’t post them all
As a photographer myself, I know to always take way more pictures than I think I’ll need. Even if it seems like I captured the perfect shot, I like to take a few extras just to be safe. Maybe I don’t like how my hair falls in one, the glint of a sun in another, and so on. You’ll also have more to choose from when deciding what to share with your followers.
It can be challenging to see your photos clearly in natural light because of glare, too. So you might not see small imperfections until you’re back at home. Especially if you’re using a DSLR with a small screen.
Avoid rushed tours
If you’re serious about your Instagram photos then you might need a little extra time to get the perfect shot. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there is something wrong with holding up an entire tour group because you need just one more.
Instead, opt for self guided winery visits or save your Instagram moments for open areas that aren’t part of the tour.
Bring along a real camera
Instagram photos are mainly just posted from mobile phones, but that doesn’t mean everyone is using their cellphone camera to take their Instagram pictures! Use a good quality DSLR camera (ideally mirrorless if it’s in your budget) with a real lens. It will make a huge difference in the quality of your photos!
You might also want to consider learning how to edit your photos with professional software on the computer rather than using Instagram’s filters.
Improve your photography in general
One of the easiest photography tricks I like to share is the rule of thirds. That means you divide your frame into three even portions and center your photo within one of them. A lot of people place the subject in the middle of the picture, which does work, but it also looks amazing to center the subject into one of the other thirds too.
This is called ‘balanced asymmetry’ and will make your photos stand out. Turning grid lines onto your phone or camera might help!
Make it interesting
When you’re taking photos for Instagram always think about what you’d like to see. Remember, they’re not there and they might not find your wine glass as exciting as you do. Look for opportunities to post pictures of people or photos that tell a story.
If you’re posting pictures of yourself don’t just smile. Be more expressive! It will make your photos come alive.
Look for unique photo opportunities
I’m going to be real with you: there’s enough pictures of people in wineries out there. Unless you’re already an influencer you’ll probably need to do more than the ‘typical’ to stand out. Fields of grapes, rows of barrels, or a photo of you walking through the field is nice, but not very unique.
Instead, look for unique photo opportunities. Does the winery you’re visiting have something that sets it apart from others? Did you find a striking pop of colour? Grab photos of that stuff too.
Make it look natural
There’s nothing that looks worse than a forced picture. Hopefully you’ll get plenty of opportunities during your winery visit to snap natural, in the moment instagram worthy photos. But, if you want to stage a few, do your best to make them look as natural as possible.
That goes for pictures of yourself, too. Don’t look like you’re trying too hard! Let the natural beauty of the winery do the work for you.
Use hashtags
If you want more people to see your photos then you’re going to want to add some hashtags to your winery visit Instagram post. Check to see if the winery has their own tags (and don’t forget to tag them in your photos).
Some hashtag ideas for winery visits include: #winery #winelover #winerytour #winetasting #wine
Be in the moment
Once you get a few shots for Instagram put down your phone and spend time in the moment. After all, that’s why you’re visiting the winery in the first place! You don’t need to capture everything for social media.
I like to plan for a couple posts and then spend the rest of the time living in the moment.
Make it you
You can read all the tips and tricks to be an Instagram influencer or better photographer, but at the end of the day you have to put your own spin on anything you do. Especially if you’re trying to grow a brand or following.
While following these 10 tips for instagramming your winery visit keep your own flare and aesthetic in mind. Sometimes that means breaking the rules! Don’t be afraid to be yourself and have fun with it.
