Bookstagram is such a fun and welcoming space. I’ve been in the bookstagram community for almost a year at the time of writing this and my bookstagram photo style has done almost a complete 180 since I started! Just take a look below of when I first started, to now 🫠
November 2022
December 2023
This is not to say that there was anything wrong with the first bookstagram photo, but it just didn’t feel authentic to me? It was just me, holding up a book, it didn’t feel creative or special to me. So over time, I started to introduce props, play around with locations, backgrounds, lighting and editing styles until I found my current style.
Over the past year, I’ve learned a lot about taking photos so I put together this blog post to try and share my tips on taking aesthetic bookstagram photos.
Just some quick disclaimers:
- This is a lengthy read. I’ve spent weeks putting this post together!
- There is no right or wrong way to take bookstagram photos, this is just what worked for me. The most important thing is you’re taking photos that YOU enjoy and that are achievable to you.
- This blog post will focus on bookstagram flatlay photos. There are so many other kinds (scroll down to see some inspo!)
1. Your equipment
Your equipment, while important, should be one thing – affordable to you. There are some bookstagram photos I take with just my iPhone, but there are others I take with my Sony A7C mirrorless camera. No matter your budget, taking bookstagram photos should be as accessible and affordable as possible to you.
Budget Options
The budget option assumes you have something that most people in 2023 have – a phone! Most modern phones come with a LOT of camera customisation options that almost make having a DSLR or mirrorless camera a luxury that’s not even needed.
Below are some of the phones I have used in the past with great camera quality. But use what you have!
iPhone 13 Pro (Current)
The iPhone 13 Pro is a stellar option for book photography, boasting a triple-camera system with wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses. Its advanced computational photography features, including Smart HDR 4 and Night mode, ensure optimal exposure and vibrant colors even in challenging lighting conditions. With its powerful A15 Bionic chip and improved image stabilization, the iPhone 13 Pro enables seamless and high-quality photography, capturing every bookish moment with clarity and rich tones, whether it’s a detailed book cover or a cozy reading nook.
Samsung Galaxy S20
The Samsung Galaxy S20 presents an excellent choice for book photography with its versatile triple-camera setup, including wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses. Equipped with advanced features like Single Take mode and Bright Night mode, it delivers impressive low-light performance and allows for the effortless capture of detailed book covers and cozy reading settings. The Galaxy S20’s robust image processing capabilities and Pro mode offer users the flexibility to fine-tune their shots, ensuring that every bookstagram photo showcases vivid colors and intricate details, making it a reliable companion for all book enthusiasts and photography aficionados.
Options with more flexibility
As I said earlier, I used to be a freelance photographer. Through this passion I have used A LOT of cameras and there really is an option for most budgets! Here are the three best cameras for varying budgets at the time of writing this!
Best Budget – Sony Cyber-shot WX350
SONY Cyber-Shot DSC-W800, your ultimate companion for capturing stunning bookstagram shots effortlessly. With a powerful 20.1 MP webcam resolution and integrated image stabilization, every shot taken with the DSC-W800 is crisp and clear, even in challenging conditions. Whether you’re aiming for detailed close-ups of your favorite book covers or seeking to capture the cozy ambiance of your reading nook, this compact camera with 6x optical zoom ensures that no detail goes unnoticed. With user-friendly automatic exposure control and a sleek, portable form factor, the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W800 is designed to empower your book photography journey, making every literary moment a visual masterpiece.
Best Mid-Range – Nikon Z50
Nikon Z50, a dynamic DSLR that amplifies your book photography experience with its impressive 20.9 MP webcam resolution and advanced optical image stabilization. Equipped with an APS-C photo sensor size and a versatile maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 seconds, the Z50 captures every literary detail with exceptional clarity and precision. Its evaluative metering description ensures accurate exposure in diverse lighting conditions, while the compact DSLR form factor makes it an ideal companion for bookstagram enthusiasts seeking professional-grade performance in a portable package. Whether you’re delving into intricate book covers or capturing the essence of your reading space, the Nikon Z50 empowers you to elevate your bookstagram feed with stunning visuals and impeccable image quality.
Best Professional – Sony A7 IV
Sony A7 IV, a cutting-edge mirrorless camera that redefines the boundaries of book photography. With an astounding 60 MP webcam resolution and a full-frame (35mm) photo sensor size, every shot taken with the A7 IV captures the essence of literary moments with unparalleled detail and clarity. Equipped with both optical and digital image stabilization, this camera ensures steady and blur-free images, even in challenging shooting conditions. Offering a versatile range of shutter speeds from 1/8000 to 1/4 seconds and a seamless blend of manual and automatic exposure control, the A7 IV provides photographers with the ultimate flexibility to bring their creative vision to life. The sleek and compact mirrorless form factor adds portability to its powerful performance, making the Sony A7 IV an essential tool for bookstagrammers and professional photographers alike, enabling them to capture every literary nuance with precision and artistry.
2. Find Your Style
Your style is absolutely the best thing about taking bookstagram photos, it’s what makes you stand out! Firstly, I want to say it’s absolutely okay to change your style if you find you’re just not feeling it after a while.
There’s so many different ways you can take photos. Do you want to focus on flatlays? Do you want more lifestyle focused photos? Do you want to be in the photos? Do you want dark and moody photos or light and airy? The sky is the limit! I’ve put together some inspiration from Bookstagram accounts that I find inspiring below 💖
Lifestyle - @morallygreykay
Flatlays - @thereaderandthepainter
selfies & books - @literaryfaery
dark & moody - @bibliotherapy.session
light & airy - @hellomisty_reads
Dark Academia - @bellasbookishworld
3. Light & location
These two steps go hand in hand. If you have the space and means to use artificial light, your options for location are a lot more open. Whereas if you’re using natural light, your locations are limited. Where you take your bookstagram photos entirely depends on how much space you have available to you. For me, I live in a small cottage with three pets and a husband who likes to take up a lot of space so space is limited for me. Here are 4 location ideas for your bookstagram photos.
on your bed
This is where I take 95% of my bookstagram photos. It is the largest flat space I have in my house that is away from the elements. I can fill it up with props and move all around for the best angle. My bed is directly infront of the window which makes for great natural lighting.
windowsill
The windowsill is a great way to utilise natural light if you don’t have any flat surface infront of a window.
Pro Tip – if you have shallow windowsills, put a box on a chair and cover it with fabric to make your backdrop!
floor
If you have a lot of open-plan floor space, this is perfect! If your floor is clean you can use the floor as your backdrop which makes things a lot easier! You can use natural or artificial light here.
outside
There are so many amazing photo opportunities outside! The possibilities are endless. Want a soft, natural backdrop? Use grass! Want a cosy lifestyle backdrop? Head to a coffee shop.
4. take the shot!
I could get very technical here with camera settings, but the best advice I have is simply to just experiment. Experiment with props, experiment with lighting, experiment with camera settings. Find your own style and settings for your bookstagram photos
5. edit
This is my favourite part of the process. Editing your bookstagram photos is really where you can make a good photo great. You can balance colours, make a photo happy and bright or dark and moody. There are so many photo editing apps out there.
While I recommend you edit your photos on a desktop, I realise that not everyone has the means to access this. So I have a few mobile app options, and also my absolute go-to for desktop.
snapseed
Snapseed is a powerful photo editing app for mobile devices. While it has paid options, the free features are still incredible. With hundreds of filters to choose from and powerful photo manipulation tools, it really stands up as one of the best apps.
vsco
VSCO is a fantastic photo editing app for the vibes. There’s so many ways to make your photo fit a certain aesthetic with this app since it’s the app’s main focus. While it lacks a little in photo manipulation, if all you want is to give a photo a filter, VSCO is the perfect app.
lightroom & photoshop
These are my absolute go-tos when it comes to editing my bookstagram photos. While they do have mobile apps, I find the Photoshop app in particular very lacking compared to the desktop versions.
I use Lightroom to colour grade and balance the lighting, and then Photoshop for any major edits. I like to use Photoshop to add flames to my candles (fire safety first!) and the burn and dodge tools are amazing.
6. POST!
That’s it for my Bookstagram photo guide. I cannot believe it’s taken me almost a month to write this 🙈 There’s so much more depth I could have gone into but to be honest, I’m not sure people would read it all! If there’s an area you want me to go more in-depth on, please let me know!
Tag me on Instagram @starsandvellum if you use this guide for your photos, I’d love to see them!
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would or have used myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, allow me to earn a small commission on qualifying purchases.
