If you’ve ever been scrolling your Instagram feed and seen prompts like “post a picture of” then you’ve officially been invited or “challenged” to join in on the photo fun. In this post I’ll tell you how you can join a challenge and how to host the photo event
How do I participate in an Instagram challenge?
You can easily play along by following the prompts and posting photos.
This was originally posted in September
September is a great month to start a photo following.The month when temperatures drop and leaves begin to fall and we all tend to take things at a slower pace. This is also the time where all those fun activities and travels are wrapping up. The kids are back in school, if you have any, and are looking for something to do.
To help rev up your creative inspiration, here is this month’s easy photo-a-day challenge!
How easy is it? It’s only 9 days long. I choose the number 9 because September is the 9th month, and nine seemed like an obtainable number for any beginner to try doing a photo challenge with.
Follow the prompts
All you have to do is follow the photo prompts (#hashtags) to get your photos seen. By using these photo prompts to spark your imagination, you will create an awesome Instagram feed, and possibly find new followers. If you post one picture each day one you will essentially be making a time capsule with your photographs.
When you join the “EASY PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE FOR INSTAGRAM” this month, be sure to use the hashtag #IGTravelChallenge to share your work and to be featured on the @gallivanting Souls feed.
We all need inspiration for our photography. Joining this easy photo-a-day challenge is one of the best and easiest ways to help jump start your fall photo creativity.
Not only will it help you look for things to photograph daily, but it will also help to change the way you see things.
Engage participants
Make sure to engage with the other players.By interacting with others who are also participating in this photo challenge, you will find people noticing your photos and possibly gaining new followers. In turn you will have people checking out your social media on Instagram, twitter, and facebook again and again and again.
How easy is this Photo-a-day challenge?
Is it really easy?
This photo-day challenge is so easy because it is only nine days, and can be outlet for you to show off your great travel photos and photography skills.
Each day will there will be a theme posted. From architecture, to beaches, to new friends. No thinking about what kind of photo to post!
Great for new and pro instagrams-ers
Whether you’ve ever wanted to get involved in an Instagram travel photo challenge or are just hearing about it for the first time, this is the one for you
A photo-day challenge will be a great opportunity if you have never done one before because it is only nine days long. Just enough to dip your toes in the water, but not long enough to get board.
If you decide that you love commitment and want to do a longer one, you will be all set. Many other challenges are true photo-a-day challenges and last 30 days and some even 365 days.
So follow along with this easy photo-day travel challenge on Instagram. I will be your host @GallivantingSoulsTravel
Prompts for photo challenge on Instagram
Why join photo travel challenge?
- Find new Instagram accounts to follow & get new followers.
- Discover new destinations to dream about.
- Share your pictures with other travel photo lovers.
- We will be re-posting our favorites throughout the month so it is an opportunity to have your photos seen by a wider audience.
It all starts September 1st! I look forward to seeing your travel photos!
How to take part in a photo challenge:
1.Follow your hosts on Instagram so you know what the daily topics are. We are:
Gallivanting Souls (@GallivantingSoulsUTravel) and co-hosts (@beckymeets) & (@family.meets.world).
2.Post a travel photo that matches the topic for the day.
Include the hashtag #IGtravelchallenge in your post so we can find your photos!
Helpful details
Add description to your photo-a-days.This will be like an emergency kit, saving you time by having what you need when you need it.
(example) 1. Architecture. Add description or story with hashtags that you would normally add.
How di I pick which photo to use on a photo challenge?
Choose photos
Start by picking out pictures that meet the theme of the contest. Grab your pumpkin spice drink and start to scroll through all of your pictures to find the right ones.
To help you organize and better know where the file went create a new folder just for this game.
Begin by creating a folder just for the challenge. Next, add photos to the folder. Don’t rename the pictures just yet. You might find others you like better even better.
When you’ve gone through all your pictures and you think you have the ones you want to use, grab the list with the daily theme.
Next, open the folder and begin to re name your pictures. They probably have names like PHX pixel 133441222. (Right click on them and choose rename.)
To make it easy, I named each picture the theme name and number. Example: “Architecture day one”.
What kinds of travel photos should I use?
Don’t worry about not have the right travel themed photos. This travel game is super easy for beginners, and experienced Instagram users, and even for those with limited time. I choose photo topics that most traveler or armature photographers would readily have on hand.
Look through your photo files or camera, you probably have all of them already.
Above all, please make sure any photos you post are your own. Don’t “borrow” anyone else’s photos.
An example is the photo below of the big shoes. While touring the Walled City of Cartagena, Colombia, we found the Monument of the Old Shoes.
This photo is one of my favorite travel photos to date.
Which day would I post this photo? I would choose “Favorite travel photo” (day nine)and I would probably comment something like:
Instagram post example:
My size 12-shoe hubby found an even bigger pair of shoes on our travels through Cartagena, Colombia.
Finally, someone with bigger shoes than him! 🙂
.
.
.
.
.
#igravelchallenge #Cartagnea #Colombia #shoes #zapatos #monument #travel @gallivantingsoulstravel @beckymeets @family.meets.world
Since I posted the picture of the big shoes, I must share the poem that goes with it.
Our tour guide VicMan read it in both English and Spanish. English on left and Spanish (the most beautiful sounding) on the right.
|
To my Native City Noble corner of my grandparents: nothing Well, it has passed, walled city, But today, full of rancid scruff, |
Luis Carlos Lopez |
Monument to the old shoes, Cartagena, Columbia. My favorite travel photo to date.
|
A mi Ciudad Nativa Noble rincón de mis abuelos: nada Pues ya pasó, ciudad amurallada, Fuiste heroica en los tiempos coloniales, Mas hoy, plena de rancio desaliño, |
Luis Carlos López |
Will this photo game be time consuming?
Participating in this Photo-a-day travel challenge for Instagram should not take up much time. With only 9 days worth of photos to find, organize and post, you might be able to do in just a few minutes. You can plan ahead, or post on the fly. It’s up to you!
Originally, I had planned on doing the photo challenge for a full 30 days, but decided that I wanted to test drive the challenge. I came up with the number 9 for the ninth month! Creative, I know! This will be a great photo challenge for those new to Instagram as well as seasoned IG-ers.
In 30 minutes time, I was able to browse through my photos and reminisce and add to a folder.
Because I changed the challenge to be only 9 days, I will just need to go back into the folder and ax the ones I’m not going to use and possibly change the names since I narrowed down my possibilities even further.
Organize photos
You might ask how can I organize my photos if I want to get them ready before hand?
How to organize your pictures:
- Have the list with the categories handy.
- Make a new folder on your phone or computer title something like Instagram Photo Challenge.
- Save a copy of each photo you would like to use.
- Re-name the photo (example: 1 Architecture).
I don’t know about you, but after traveling for a while now, I have so many photos in my Google photos. Some of my favorites are Belize, Mazatlán, and cruising from Alabama. By choosing your photos ahead of time, if will save you time from hunting through possibly thousands of photos.
It can be a hassle to scroll through so many pages of pictures and videos, especially when I know I have the perfect one. I really am trying to make this an easy challenge for beginners, since I am a beginner myself.
Can I join a photo challenge if I’m short on time?
You can definitely do this photo challenge, even with limited time.
Many of us are short on time these days. Maybe you have school or work, or heck, maybe even a baby coming at any moment, but still want to participate.
My motto is always
Work smarter,not harder.
Use technology
Getting organized for the challenge is really easy. Since you keep all your photos on your computer or phone (a small computer), they are already stored on your computer, so all you have to do is find them and organize them.
You are wondering if there is a way to get them ready before posting. Finding one picture in thousands is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Who has time for that? Maybe you know you will be busy during the time frame of the challenge and will only have a moment to just hit send.
With so much technology available to us, there’s got to be a way to make planning and posting photos easier.
There are different apps available,but I am going to tell you about the one I use.
It is free, and is called Preview App. There are other ones you can try, but at the time, this was an option that was free and easy
Preview app is available to both Android and Apple users. The app can be downloaded in your app store. Just search for Preview app or Instagram scheduling or something like that.
Preview app is handy because it allows me to schedule my Instagram photos in advance or real time. I usually only do it a week ahead, because that’s usually all my attention span will allow.
How does preview app work?
When you choose your photo for Instagram, you also add any descriptions, stories,etc. You can then search or add any hashtags you want to add and then choose the day you want to schedule the post for.
Although Preview app does not do automatic posting, I find this app is very useful. At this point, I am unwilling or unable to pay for an app that auto-posts for me.
When you open the app, if you have any scheduled posts, it will let you know. You just click on it and it will copy your predetermined text and hashtags and then post to Instagram.
You also get to see what your photos will look like on Instagram before you post. If you didn’t like the look of a blue picture next to another blue picture (because you are going for a certain look or feel), you can drag the pictures around until you find the look you are going for.
See how Preview app works in this Youtube video below.
Or get preview app here.
Final Thoughts on the challenge
This September, let’s try out this easy Photo-a-day Instagram Travel Photo Challenge together. If you are reading this and the challenge is already over, not to worry. There are challenges all the time.
(This will be my first one too!)
In just nine short days, I hope we all have fun, see great travel photos, and maybe even gain some new followers and/or accounts to follow.
Recapping:
- use the hashtags #igtravelchallenge
- the daily description hashtag if you can
- tag the hosts @gallivantingsoulstravel, @beckymeets & @family.meets.world
- Have fun!
Let me know below if you enjoyed this Photo-a-day Instagram Travel Photo challenge or if you plan on running your own challenge.
Share your thoughts on how to make future photo challenges easier on the host and attendees.
Look for a follow up post after the challenge is over.
Please subscribe to get notified of our latest updates and itinerary changes.
Thanks for trying out the photo-a-day challenge and happy posting!
Winner
Congratulations to Emily Lupo, NY.
Updated 4/22/2020
Is hosting a photo challenge worth your time?
Have you ever been cruising around on social media and found ideas that might help you increase your followers. I found a post on how to increase Instagram followers by have hosting an Instagram Travel Photo Challenge. I gave this idea a go. I bet you are wondering: Is hosting a photo challenge worth your time?
Here is my experience of the September 9-Day Instagram Challenge.
What was the challenge?
The challenge was sharing 9 days of photos on Instagram. On each day there would be a theme for the photo.
The themes that were chosen were types of pictures that most any would be photographer would have in their camera, computer or able to take.
From Architecture to local transportation, to new friend. Showing views from above, to sharing pictures of weather. Your favorite beach photos to photos of things out windows. Your best sunset to your favorite travel photo in general.
People were asked to share their favorite photos in these categories.
Hashtags used
- IgTravelChallenge
- Architecture
- LocalTransportation
- HeyIJustMetYou
- AViewFromAbove
- Weather
- BeachPlease
- OutAWindow
- BestSunset
- FavoriteTravelPhoto
A view from above. You can’t get much higher than 30,000 feet.
What was involved in the challenge?
- Decide I wanted to undertake challenge
- Post on Twitter to find Co hosts
- Collaborate on details
- Find and organize photos
- Write advertising (pre) post
- Design Pinterest Pins for both post and Instagram
- Post daily photos to challenge
- Comment and like challenger’s photos
- Post to Twitter to encourage other’s to join
- Choose winner of challenge
What was the most difficult part?
For me, the hardest part was really thinking about which photos I wanted to use. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time when I have too many choices. Choosing photos from my thousands of photos was really difficult.
I had many shots to choose from and some times making the choice was not an easy one.
Originally, I had chosen a different photo for my favorite photo, but when I came across the one of our family standing on the deck of the ship, I knew this is the one I wanted to use.
Since I already had my Instagram account for a while, I already had shared some of my favorite photos.
I had to really take into consideration should I use a photo that I had previously posted? An example of this was my favorite sunset picture.
This one was posted before, but still knew it was my favorite one and probably people who hadn’t followed me before would be seeing the photo for the first time.
The other difficult part of running the Instagram Travel Challenge was trying to get people to sign up to win the prizes. The instructions kept direction participants to the blog to use the raffelcopter, but very few did this. They just kept posting on Instagram that they posted the picture and hashtag of the day.
Very hard to give away prized when no one wants to enter.
Here is Gallivanting Souls Travel Instagram feed for the photo -a-day challenge on Instagram.
Find Co Hosts
My first chore was find some other travel bloggers to help me host this photo challenge. I set out on Twitter were there are many bloggers looking to hook up for various projects.
I I sent out a tweet to other travel bloggers that might be interested in co hosting a photo challenge.
I I found 2 other travel bloggers that (I believe) worked really well with. I enjoyed working with both @BeckyMeets and @family.meets.world.
The other part that took the most effort was the pre challenge decisions and organization.
Designing Pinterest Pins
First I had to design Pins to pin on Pinterest to advertise that we would be holding a photo challenge.
I did this by using Canva. On Canva you can manage and design all sorts of graphics that you can use on websites, business, and even parties. Canva is great for graphics you want to post on social media.
I also made graphics that I used on Twitter and Facebook to advertise about the Instagram Photo Challenge. I made count down images, FYI’s, and save the dates.
I enjoyed this part, as it brings out my creativity.
Final results
For my nine photos, I got an average of 23 interactions (likes).
This is actually less interaction than most of my photos have previously obtained.
Did I get any extra views on my blog?
Short answer: No.
Did I get new followers, probably not.
Would I do another Travel Photo Challenge? Maybe.
Would I host another Photo Challenge?Sure.
I met two other bloggers from Canada, that were easy to work with. @BeckyMeetsOutdoors and Family.Meets.World were both easy to work with. I’m not sure if their results were similar to mine, or how active they’ve stayed in their Instagram, but I hope they too had a good time trying out something new, like challenging others to post photos on Instagram!
If you like taking photos and you have an Instagram account, I encourage you to give photo challenges a try. They get your brain thinking about the travel photos that you have taken in the past. Being involved in a photo challenge helps you to be more creative, it might help you find new followers, new friends or a new hobby.
For whatever reason you participate in travel challenges, I hope you end up enjoying it. I enjoyed hosting the Easy Instagram Travel Challenge and look forward to be a part of other challenges, and I challenge you to try one out soon!
Interested in doing a photo challenge on Instagram? Pin this information for later
What are your experiences? Have you participated in Photo-a-day challenge? Have you hosted one?
Tell me what you thought. Is it something you would do again? Should I host another challenge?
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