My Tips for Creating Engaging Content from Home

It’s officially been over three weeks since we’ve left our house. The first week I was feeling pretty unmotivated in every way and creating content was the last thing on my mind. I started trying to get my life together a little bit more during week two (aka putting on a little bit of makeup and going on walks with the boys), and I started missing taking photos. It’s a creative outlet for me and something I really do enjoy. Social media is also such a big source of community and has been more important than ever during this time of isolation. I had my routine down before all of this happened, and now all of that has been turned upside down. I can’t have my little sisters help take my photos or help with the boys. Given the fact that we don’t leave the house I can’t scout out photo locations while driving around or really take photos outside of the house or our yard. Things are completely different and a lot more challenging now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create engaging content. For me it’s been all about reframing my thinking and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I’ve been focusing on capturing memories and taking photos that I hope will make people forget about everything that’s going on for a brief moment. Shooting at home poses a different set of challenges for everyone and I know a lot of you are dealing with a similar situation so I wanted to share a few things that have been helpful for me:

1.Adapt to your new normal

Step 1 is to accept the fact that things are completely different now, and probably will be for a while. If you’re a travel blogger or content creator who typically attends a lot of events, it’s time to pivot. You can drive yourself crazy thinking about how things used to be, but that’s not going to get you anywhere. Use this time to think about how you need to shift or what your new niche will be. Maybe you can start focusing on quick easy meal recipes, homeschooling ideas or quarantine outfits. Now is the perfect time to test out different types of content to see what will resonate most with your audience. It’s the freaking wild west right now, so experiment and pay attention to what you get the best reaction from.

2. Think outside the box

One of my biggest challenges is that I really do not like taking photos at home-or photos indoors in general. Our lighting is crappy and it doesn’t help that it’s been gloomy and raining for weeks now. Despite the weather, I had deadlines and collaboration photos to take so I had to get creative. For the photos in this post, I had been envisioning them for a while and finally brought them to life. It was a gloomy day so I used my ring light to help with lighting. When it’s sunny outside I try to get outside to take photos that include us doing some of the activities we’ve been doing to stay busy and sane. Come up with creative ways to showcase how you’ve been spending your time or to try to make light of the current situation. Use colored paper as a backdrop, style a photo so it looks like you’re upside down, the possibilities are endless. Instead of thinking about being at home as an obstacle, think of it as a challenge and an opportunity to get creative.

3. Use props

It’s no secret that I love using props in my photos. I used to love picking up fresh flowers from Trader Joe’s to use in photos, but that’s just not an option anymore. I also don’t want to spend a bunch of money on unnecessary items so I’ve just been using items I have around the house. Some of my favs have been: my record player, food or drinks, books, magazines, a Japanese parasol and fan and some board games. Look around your house and find some fun items to incorporate into your photos! Try to use things that you’ve been using lately so they’re even more relevant.

4. Have fun with edits

Colorful walls, gardens and interesting buildings are some of go-to locations so it’s time to think of some alternatives. If you do not have kids, you might still be able to go to isolated areas to safely shoot content. With two little ones, that’s just not an option for me. Since I can’t do much about my location (aka my house), I’ve been trying to have some fun with edits.

I got the Stay Home & Stay Positive sticker pack for free here. Rosemary was kind enough to offer this for free and she also sells amazing presets!
I love using the Tezza App for my stories and used it to add the yellow ‘Social Distancing Vibes’ text
I use Bazaart app to add stickers or backgrounds. I suggest playing with it and looking for videos for ideas!
Photoshop is always a great tool to use. I’m not a pro but I like to use it to add overlays to photos.
Lightroom is my go-to and I use the desktop version to add presets to every single photo I post. Some of my fav presets are:

Emily Vartanian Presets You can see an example of a photo edited with her Mon Cheri preset here
Roaming Retro Presets You can see an example of a photo edited using her 1961 preset here
Sophia Elrae Presets (these are the presets I’m currently using) Here is an example of a photo edited using her Honeysuckle preset

5. Try a new platform or type of content

Although I haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, everyone seems to be using this time to make a TikTok account. If you are funny, love dancing or creating tutorials this could be a great platform for you. It’s always smart to be an early adopter when a new platform comes out! Now could be a great time to dabble in creating video content. Try to make an IGtv, start a Youtube channel or make a video to post on your feed. Another thing I’ve been experimenting with is Pinterest stories They’re currently in the beta testing phase so make sure to try it out if you have access to it! The cool thing about them is you can pin them to a board so they don’t disappear like story pins!

I hope these tips will inspire you to have some fun creating content from home! Make sure to pivot your content to reflect what’s going on in the world right now. Above all else now is the time to create content that educates, inspires or entertains. Happy creating!