The Evolution of My Bookstagram Theme
The platform I would say I'm most active on is bookstagram. I've been on bookstagram for about two years, find me at @goddess_ofbooks. It seems simultaneously like it's been forever and no time has passed at all. I don't think past me posting her first photo could have known the incredible journey I'd embark on and the amazing people I'd meet.
But, my account has changed in a lot of ways since that first post. I've changed my photo style, grown my audience from one, and become a different person in many ways. I'm proud of my development over the course of more than two years and I believe today is a better reflection of me as a person. Saying that, I also like to remember where I came from all the way back to joining bookstagram.
Today we'll be going through some of the various themes I've had since starting my account.
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Pictured above are some of my first bookstagram posts ever. To say I had a theme is a bit of a stretch. It was more just me living my life with books and finding some good shots along the way with absolutely zero cohesion. I hadn't yet figured out many of the photo styles that my account relies on today including flatlays and stack shots. But humble beginnings and all that.
Looking back, I'm proud of myself for taking that leap into bookstagram. The photos weren't the best, but they were the foundation of what my account would become - to which I am infinitely grateful. If I hadn't started with these types of pictures I never would have developed my skill.
These photos show my first real attempt at an actual theme. It was very cool-toned to the extreme as I got a little trigger happy with the temperature slider. There were a lot of close-up shots from awkward angles and unflattering layouts. My backdrop back then was an old white blanket and some items I picked up in Walmart's craft section. I was really just beginning to come into my own and lay the groundwork for what my account would be.
I do still have a soft spot for these pictures. They encompass one of my favorite styles - that dark colder theme, even if that isn't my style. I've learned I can admire a theme from another and simultaneously realize that it's not how I take pictures. It was a long road to that realization but here we are.
This theme is really where I started aiming for more aesthetic photos. I was just discovering what I could do with my pictures. It consisted of tons of fiddling with different varieties of setups. This leaned toward a lot of faraway shots which I still enjoy even if I don't rely on them. I actually bought my first official backdrop for this theme with the dark wood - which I sadly no longer use even if I still have a soft spot for it.
There are quite a few things about this picture that really display my starting to come into my own. You see the shift toward warmer colors and more experienced photo taking - though not perfect at all. Many of these props I still have and use when the opportunity arises.
At this point in my account, I changed my theme with the seasons. These were taken for a spring and summer theme as you can tell by all the brightness and flowers. I still really love the look of these photos and I do miss that style. My theme today is so different but I look back on these photos fondly, even if I wouldn't go back to them.
I had so much fun with my spring/summer theme and taking them really allowed me to hone my skills. I played with different layouts and was simply enjoying taking photos I liked. There was no pressure around followers or what I thought my content needed to look like. Creatively I had so much fun with this theme.
If I could reverse time and go back to one theme it would be this one. I loved the warmth and simplicity of these pictures. At the time, I was so proud of them - and I still am. These were the first pictures where I really felt like I was coming into my own, for the better.
They weren't extravagant or particularly detailed by any means but I loved them. They were the closest I came to my present-day style. If it was permanently autumn I may have even stuck to it - but that doesn't really matter too much.
I was less proud of this winter-esque theme. It felt like a regression and I just didn't like feeling like I had to change my theme for the season. I started to wonder if I could incorporate the best elements of my seasonal theme with a more year-round feel. I love winter but cool toned pictures are not my jam and I've accepted that about myself.
I was officially starting to go full bookstagrammer though with tons of new props from home-decor stores. Some of my staple pieces such as my mug and globe that are still around today made their first appearances. I think this theme was necessary for my development but I'm giving it a hard no.
Today, we arrive at my current theme. It took quite a lot of time to arrive at what I now consider my forever-theme, further development pending. This theme is a mixture of warm comfort and lightness which I love. I'm definitely still experimenting with photos as this was the first theme where I put pictures of myself on my profile.
I started to really have fun with a style that felt entirely me. My followers also started to see more personal content from me such as inclusions of my cats and my face which was a daunting step to take for me. I'm content with where my account is and, even if I don't have entirely glowing things to say about past themes, I know they were much needed to get to where I am at the moment.
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