With 113K of followers on his Instagram profile, one could say Michele Grimaz knows what it takes to build a successful account better than most. His dreamy photos,’ preferably with a touch of blue’, narrate his experiences, through water reflections, playful touches and open skies. Here in InconnuLab we are more than happy to interview him for our Creative Minds series, where he will share with us his inspirations and tips on how to become a successful #instagramer !
How long have you been on Instagram and what made you open an account there?
It’s been more or less 4 years now. I don’t remember the exact moment but none of my friends was using it at the time. In the beginning I didn’t realize the potentiality of Instagram, but I was shooting a lot of pictures with my phone, and I liked so much the vintage look you could add with the filters. Today I would not use them even under torture ! So, post after post, Instagram became an important part of my daily routine.
Can you tell us a bit about your background? How do your experiences influence your photographic style?
I worked several years as a graphic designer and I have always been attracted by the images and photography although I have never specialized in it. From early age by the time I got my first camera I started accumulating photographs of my experiences. At the same time I was always attracted to the Internet and the social media. It was when I bought my first iPhone that I was able to merge all of these interests and everything became easier because I could fit this two passions into my pocket.
How would you define your photographic style?
I don’t know how to define my style since there isn’t a real research of a style. I mostly like to photograph whatever I stumble upon during my everyday life and in my free time. I pay a lot of attention on having a neat presentation of the image and the geometry of the elements. …and, of course, I love everything that’s blue!
What is the process of creating the perfect Instagram snap?
There are no rules but the will to communicate something. I follow a lot of intagramers and most of them are really different between each other. The a story behind the shot is, often, more important than a super professional photo, and sometimes it’s vice versa.
Where do you find inspiration for your photos?
I find inspiration from the territory which surrounds me. Fortunately in my region, which is Friuli Venezia Giulia in the northeastern Italy, there is no shortage of amazing and different landscapes. We have the Alps, picturesque hills, a beautiful coast and a magnificently blue sea.
What are your plans for the future?
As you might know I work a lot with my partner Marco on our project Dezen Dezen where we manually print traditional foulard designs on already sewn garments like t-shirts, dresses, sweaters, scarves and, of course, foulards. At the moment we are very concentrated on opening a cool little serigraphy workshop in Trieste and we are very excited about it! So stay tuned!
For Michele’s Tips on building a flawless Instagram account and gain more followers, read on!
Instagram is a social media, so: BE SOCIAL!
Follow the people you like, write comments and put a lot of little red hearts on the photos that astonish you. It will take time, but step by step you will build your community and before you even notice it your virtual friends will became your real friends!
Use those hashtags!
Use hashtags and geo tagging, but don’t forget to use the space under the photo to write something about you and your shot! If you don’t know what to write it’s probably because you have nothing to tell and your photo likewise, so what’s the point of posting it?
Be original and consistent!
I’m sure that everyone has a special point of view on things and spaces that surround us. You just have to identify your style, and that might take some time. We are already seeing a lot of coffee cups on Instagram so I don’t think that yours can make the difference, or make the world a better place!
Check out Michele’s work on : Instagram , Tumblr and for Dezen Dezen
