Creator Tips – MLE Travel Diary https://mletraveldiary.com A travel blog by Marissa Ellsworth. Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:23:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/mletraveldiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-IMG_0759.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Creator Tips – MLE Travel Diary https://mletraveldiary.com 32 32 214466929 What You Need To Know About Content Creator Tax Write-Offs https://mletraveldiary.com/blog-tips/content-creator-tax-write-offs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=content-creator-tax-write-offs https://mletraveldiary.com/blog-tips/content-creator-tax-write-offs/#comments Mon, 22 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://mletraveldiary.com/?p=6543 As a relatively new field, content creation requires careful tax considerations. Content creators need to track income sources and deductible expenses. This content creator taxes guide aims to inform creators about different income streams and content creator tax write-offs, though it is not a substitute for professional tax advice.

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As a content creator and/or blogger, it’s super important to understand everything you can about content creator tax write-offs to make sure you’re maximizing your income. As the Content Creator profession is still relatively new, there is not a lot of guidance when it comes to being informed during tax season! 

I’ve compiled a list of the most common income streams and expenses for content creators, especially travel bloggers, to help you through the tax season, including valuable insights into content creator tax write-offs.

A calendar, calculator, and pen arranged on pink paper, symbolizing organization and planning for tax season to work on content creator taxes.

When I started my travel blog in January 2023, I had a hard time finding resources for what I had to include as income, and what I could or could not write-off as a content creator. Did you know you have to include the value of everything that was gifted to you as income? Or that if you have a home office you use for your business, it can be included in your content creator tax write-offs?

And if you’re just starting your blog this year, make sure to start a spreadsheet to keep track of all your income and expenses! This will save you a ton of time and headaches come next tax season.

If you don’t want to create your own spreadsheet from scratch, you can now download the Content Creator Income + Expense Tracker that I created to help you stay organized!

content creator income and expense tracker
content creator income and expense tracker
content creator income and expense tracker

This post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you. I make sure to only link products and retailers that I use myself and recommend. Thank you for your support! Learn more.

What counts as income for Content Creators?

First and foremost, it is probably more than you think! But secondly and more importantly – do not stress over this part, especially if you did not keep track all year. 

Making money off of being a content creator is something to be celebrated! Plus, once you get going, you’ll find it’s a lot easier to track everything down than you think. And we’ll get to all those content creator tax write-offs in a bit, which will reduce your overall taxable income.

Cash Basis vs. Accrual Basis Accounting

Something you might hear is cash vs accrual basis accounting. To put it in very simple terms with examples:

Cash Basis Accounting: Record your income when you receive the cash payment or the free product or hotel stay. If you posted an Instagram Reel for a client in December 2025, and received the cash from the client in January 2026, the income will get recorded in 2026. 

Record your expense (aka content creator tax write-off) when you pay cash for it. If you pay for a course in December 2025, but don’t actually take the course until 2026, the expense will get recorded in 2025.

Accrual Basis Accounting: Record your income when you perform the service or send the requested deliverables to the client. If you posted an Instagram Story for a client in December 2025, and received the cash from the client in January 2026, the income will get recorded in 2025. 

Record your expense in the period (month or year) it is related to. If you pay for a flight in December 2025, but the flight takes off on January 4, 2026, the expense will get recorded in 2026.

Most content creators use cash basis accounting, myself included.

Girl standing on balcony with sun setting in background
free hotel stay I had as a content creator in 2023!

In-kind exchanges (gifted campaigns)

You know that new skincare product that ABC Company sent you for free in exchange for a shoutout on your Instagram Story? Yep, that product counts as income.

Gifted exchanges are very common, especially when you are just starting out as a content creator! Make sure to capture the value of any goods or services you receive in exchange for content. Here are a few common examples:

Hotel Stays

Be sure to include the value of “free” hotel stays. I typically pull a screenshot from the hotel’s website of their nightly rate before taxes, and include that amount in my income.

If you want to work with hotels as a content creator, check out my Hotel Pitch Deck Canva Template. You’ll be able to personalize the deck on Canva with your unique brand colors, fonts, images, and more to land hotel collaborations.

Complimentary Meals

If you got a “free” meal from a restaurant in exchange for posting them on your socials, this is income! Include the value of the meal before tax as income.

Products

If a company shipped you their product(s) in exchange for you posting a story, reel, carousel, etc, include the value of the product(s) in income. Please note, this is not relevant if you are doing UGC (User-Generated Content) for the brand.

Services

If a company gifted you a free service like a yoga class, coaching call, etc, in exchange for you promoting their company on your Instagram, include the value of the service before tax in your income.

Paid collaborations

Ah, the ultimate goal of becoming a content creator: to make money on Instagram! Any time you receive payment for your content, make sure to keep track and include it in your income.

If you want to start getting paid as a content creator on Instagram or other social media platforms, I highly recommend researching your value. One of my favorite tools is this Rate Calculator by @through.the.llyns – use this as your starting point!

From there, you’ll want to prepare a Media Kit to show brands that has your information, both qualitative (your background and what you bring to the table) and quantitative (your audience demographics). Check out my Media Kit Template you can download today and get started working with brands!

Remember, only include the actual cash you received during the year for these collaborations in your annual income. If you received the cash payment after December 31, that will count for next year’s income!

Now on to the fun part…the content creator tax write-offs.

What counts as content creator tax write-offs?

This is the fun part – adding up all of your content creator tax write-offs to get to your net income number!

Identifying content creator tax write-offs involves examining various expenses related to your content creation activities that can be deducted from your taxable income. These can range from equipment purchases, software subscriptions, and internet bills to travel expenses, advertising costs, and even portions of your rent or mortgage if you work from home. 

Embracing the process of adding up these content creator tax write-offs not only helps in reducing your tax burden, but also sheds light on the growth opportunities within your content creation business.

Girl in pink dress taking photo outside of car window
Make sure you're tracking those car-related expenses!

Vehicle

Do you own or lease a car that you used to drive yourself to shoot content and work with brands? If so, then you’ll qualify for a vehicle deduction!

Make sure to keep track of your mileage while you’re working. I use a Google Spreadsheet to write down when I drive somewhere to take content or stay at a hotel.

Here are other vehicle-related expenses to keep track of that you will be able to write-off as part of your vehicle content creator tax write-offs. Remember that you will deduct a portion of these expenses, unless your car is 100% used for business.

Gas

Keep your gas station receipts! Or, I like to use my credit card when I buy gas so that I can easily calculate how much I spent on gas for the year. (It pays to Discover…haha a lot of credit cards, like Discover, will keep track of your spending categories so you can see it all in one place!) 

This really helps me stay organized with finding all of the different content creator tax write-offs at year end.

Parking Fees

Make sure to keep track of any parking fees you pay while traveling for business. I like to put these on my credit card whenever possible, as it is a bit harder to keep track of cash payments, like for parking meters.

Car Insurance

Usually this is a bi-annual or annual payment so should be easy to track. Include the total amount you paid for your car insurance for the year.

Maintenance and Repairs

Especially if you own your car, maintenance and repairs can add up big time! Make sure to save those receipts to make it easier when calculating all of your content creator tax write-offs.

Registration Fees

Depending on the state you reside in, you can often deduct a portion of your Car Registration Fees. Hold onto that letter they mail you with the registration fee breakdown.

If you lost the paper or threw it out, do not worry! You can usually look this up online.

Home Office

This is huge for all of my renters or homebuyers out there! You’ll be asked for the square footage of your entire home and the square footage of your home office to calculate the percentage of your home that is your office.

That percentage will be applied to the following deductible home office expenses, giving you your total content creator tax write-offs as it relates to your home office.

Rent or Mortgage Payments

This should be pretty simple to calculate. For support, you can use your Rental Agreement or bank statements.

Utility Expenses

This includes expenses like household gas and electric, your water bill, trash removal, etc.

Maintenance and Repairs

Again, especially if you own your home, maintenance and repairs can add up big time! Make sure to save those receipts and add them all here.

Renters or Home Insurance

This will include the total amount of insurance paid for the whole year.

Other Home Expenses

This can include things like home security cameras or systems, homeowners associations (HOA) fees for the year, housekeeping, other cleaning services, and more. Although these may not seem like content creator tax write-offs, they are all part of providing an environment for you to do the necessary work.

Communications

For my fellow content creators and influencers on Instagram, I know you’ve got cell phones so this will be big! You’re able to deduct a portion of your cell phone service bill and your internet service bill as part of the content creator tax write-offs.

Girl in blue shirt and black shorts on phone in doorway

Supplies

Supplies will include anything that you purchased to use in your content creation or blogging business. These are typically things that last less than a year! Some examples to be included in your content creator tax write-offs are:

Books or Industry-Related Guides

You know all those guides that Instagram coaches or other content creators are selling? You can deduct the full cost of those! If you’re looking for a guide to help you launch your own blog – check out my 6 Weeks to Success Guide (and then write off the cost with your other content creator tax write-offs!).

Computer and Phone Accessories

This would include items like a tripod, external monitor, hard drive, laptop stand, and more. I’ve linked a few of my favorites if you’re looking for any of these accessories.

Other Supplies Necessary for your content

This will be very specific to your own blog. For example, if you run a food blog, then part of your supplies will include the food purchased to create your videos.

Advertising

This is exactly what it sounds like! You get to deduct any advertising expenses, like Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Pinterest Ad Campaigns, fees paid to advertising agencies, and more.

Whether it’s investing in social media ad campaigns, collaborating with influencers, or hiring marketing professionals, every dollar spent on promoting your content can be leveraged as deductible content creator tax write-offs, ultimately reducing your taxable income.

Meals

Most work-related meals are 50% deductible, meaning you can only write off half of the cost. Deductible meals include meals during business travel, office snacks, meals at a conference, and meals while conducting business.

Business Travel

As a travel content creator, business travel deductions can be one of the biggest content creator tax write-offs you claim. This category includes:

Airfare

Keep track of the cost of all of your flights you take for business! For example, if you are flying to a hotel to take content for a brand, hotel or other business, you are able to include the cost of your roundtrip flight in your content creator tax write-offs.

I like to save the email confirmations from my flights as support for these expenses. You can also track this on your credit card or bank statements.

Hotels, Hostels and Airbnbs

You are able to deduct the costs for your business travel lodging. For example, if you traveled to a conference related to your line of content creation business and stayed in a hotel overnight, deduct the cost of your hotel.

Rental Cars

If you rented a car while on a business trip, you are able to deduct the cost of the rental car and all related expenses (gas, insurance, parking, etc.) with your content creator tax write-offs.

Taxis and Ride Share Services

For example, any Ubers, Lyfts or taxis you may take to or from the airport for business travel.

Other Fees

While this is really an all-encompassing bucket that you’ll need to tailor to your specific business as a content creator, there are a few content creator tax write-offs I’d like to call out. These deductions are essential for maximizing your tax savings and should not be overlooked.

Banking, PayPal, Stripe, Other Financial Institution Fees

I personally have quite a few PayPal and Stripe fee transactions that I include in this section. Sometimes clients will pay you via PayPal or Stripe, which will take a cut of your earnings. The good news is that you get to include these fees in your content creator tax write-offs.

Domain Fees

If you have a website for your content creation business, you are able to deduct the related domain and hosting fees. If you’re interested in starting your own website, I highly recommend Bluehost – this is what my site is hosted on!

Business Subscriptions

This can include things like iPhone app subscriptions that you use to create content. For example, VSCO, CapCut, Adobe Pro, and any other editing software you subscribe to and pay a fee for.

Startup Costs

You are allowed to deduct up to $5,000 in startup costs for your new business within the first year of starting your business. This is really helpful, as you can include some larger purchases here in your content creator tax write-offs (like a laptop for example) that you would normally have to write-off over a longer period of time.

Conclusion and Disclaimer

If you’re seriously lost and wanting more help with your content creator tax write-offs, I recommend checking out Cookie Finance, which I found while I was starting up my blog. This is not sponsored or in any way affiliated with them, but Nate has been super helpful to me personally!

And as always, feel free to send me an email or DM on Instagram with any questions! Good luck with tax season; navigating through content creator tax write-offs can be complex, but with the right guidance, you can make the most of your deductions and minimize your tax liability.

The information contained within this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax, or financial advice from a professional accountant.

Presentation of the information via the Internet is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an accountant-client relationship. Internet subscribers, users and online readers are advised not to act upon this information without seeking the service of a professional accountant.

Any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this website is not intended to be used for the purpose of avoiding penalties under U.S. federal tax law.

💙mariss

<p>The post What You Need To Know About Content Creator Tax Write-Offs first appeared on MLE Travel Diary.</p>

]]> https://mletraveldiary.com/blog-tips/content-creator-tax-write-offs/feed/ 1 6543 Perfecting Your Photos: 4 Tips For Your Instagram Boyfriend https://mletraveldiary.com/creator-tips/perfecting-your-photos-4-tips-for-your-instagram-boyfriend/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=perfecting-your-photos-4-tips-for-your-instagram-boyfriend Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://mletraveldiary.com/?p=7106 Want to turn your partner / friend / sibling / parent into the perfect "Instagram Boyfriend"? I've got all the best tips for you!

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Want to turn your partner / friend / sibling / parent into the perfect “Instagram Boyfriend”? I’ve got all the best tips for you!

If you’re not familiar, the term “Instagram Boyfriend” refers to whoever your personal photographer is when it comes to shooting your IG content! From here on out, I’ll be referring to this person as “IB.”

These tips I have literally implemented with my own boyfriend and, I must say, have proven to work. Keep reading for precise tips you can share to improve your content today!

This post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you. I make sure to only link products and retailers that I use myself and recommend. Thank you for your support! Learn more.

1. Turn on the Grid on your phone camera

To locate in your settings: Settings -> Camera -> Grid, turn button on. These instructions are for iPhone, but I believe all phone cameras have grids you can turn on as well.

This is super helpful, because then you can give your IB precise instructions on where to capture you in the frame. So I usually tell my IB to keep the top of my head below or on the top line:

I’ve found that a lot of people focus on YOU and then literally just take the picture of you and get no scenery in the background. This has also helped, because then I can edit and crop the photo however I want.

2. Take a "practice" shot

This is pretty much what it sounds like; you’ll want to position the other person the way you want your photo to look, and then take a practice shot of them. 

Then, you can show them the photo you took so that they have an example to go off of! Here’s an example from when I went to La Jolla with my mom (also, isn’t she cute?!):

This has really made a big difference. I think we all have these “visions” in our head of what we want the perfect picture to look like, but it’s SO hard to communicate that to your IB without an example.

Also similar to this, if you have inspo you found on Pinterest or Instagram, show it to your IB! Any visuals where you can point out things for them to focus on or specifically capture will help a lot.

3. Take note of possible height differences

If your boyfriend is a foot taller than you, that will drastically change the angle of your photo! And vice versa, maybe your friend is shorter than you and that’s what is causing your photos to turn out differently than you expect.

We learned this one recently – I was so confused why the practice photos I took didn’t look like the ones he took. And then I realized, he just needed to hold the camera a little lower, like where I would hold it and we were golden.😂

4. Ask them to just click away

If all else fails, just position your IB exactly where you want them, camera angle and all, and have them snap away. And make sure your live photo is on!

Case in point from when we were in Paris:

This way, you’ll really increase your odds of getting that perfect shot. Sure, you may end up with 200 extra photos to sort through, but I think you’ll also end up with way more cute candids.

Let me know if you try out any of these tips and how they go for you! For more content like this, follow along on Instagram!

💙mariss

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]]> 7106 How To Design A Creative Media Kit https://mletraveldiary.com/creator-tips/how-to-design-a-creative-media-kit/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-design-a-creative-media-kit Mon, 06 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://mletraveldiary.com/?p=7024 Are you wanting to work with brands, and wondering how to design a creative media kit? Sharing all the things every media kit needs.

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Are you wanting to work with brands, and wondering how to design a creative media kit? I’ll be sharing all the things every media kit needs. Plus tips that helped me put together my media kit that I’ve learned through this process!

I started having brands reach out to me at around 1,000 followers, and have since partnered with 3 brands. I am always making edits and improving my media kit as I continue to grow and learn more.

Working with brands is a really exciting step to take when building up your account! A great media kit helps you make a strong first impression, and give brands a better idea of who you are and what your audience is like. 

Click here to get the actual Media Kit Canva template I use!

This post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you. I make sure to only link products and retailers that I use myself and recommend. Thank you for your support! Learn more.

1. Bio / About Me

You’ll want to start off with a bio that tells brands who you are and who your content is for. This helps them to get a better idea of your personality and what you bring to the table!

I also share my niche, and how long I’ve been creating content in that niche, and in general. Any other credentials you have, I suggest sharing them here. For example, if you’ve been featured in Forbes, or are a licensed travel agent, or other relevant prior experience.

2. Stats / Numbers

Although the number of your followers is not THE deciding factor of whether or not a brand will work with you, it is definitely a factor. Along with all of your other quantifiable data; monthly impressions, monthly blog site page views, engagement rate, audience breakdown, etc.

Depending on how far along in your journey you are, you can share different metrics that highlight your strengths. For example, nano and micro-influencers tend to have higher engagement rates and communities that trust their opinions more. Or maybe you have 5,000 followers, but 90% of them are located in one city, which would be so ideal for local brands.

This will be very specific to your own account and community; which you know best! I also include an updated screenshot of my IG like this:

3. Photo / Videos

Your actual content! Again, tailor this to your specific account and brand you are reaching out to. For example, if you’re pitching a fashion brand, you’ll want to show them content where they can envision their brand being featured.

If you’re a photographer, it likely makes sense to share mostly photos, and vice versa if you’re a videographer. Canva is really great because it lets you put in any media forms and share your media kit as a PDF, or as a website.

I have 9 featured photos in my media kit. I am always reassessing these and updating them in my media kit to make it brand-specific.

4. Packages + Rates

On the second page of my media kit, I have my rate card. This shows what services I offer, with their prices. I also suggest adding a line for bundle options, where you can offer a discount if brands purchase multiple offerings from you.

Again, depending on what you are pitching, you could also opt to just have 2-3 packages that brands can choose from. If you’re curious what rates to charge, I recommend checking out Chasity Hobbs (@throughthellyns) – she has a really great rate calculator you can use.

5. Contact Info + Links

Last but not least, make sure you are including your contact information, and links to all your accounts on each platform! Make it obvious where and how the brand can reach out to contact you.

I include my website, email address, and account name (@mletraveldiary), which is the same across all platforms. 

If you’re interested in using my exact template, be sure to check out my media kit template on Canva! If you have any questions, send me a message on Instagram!

💙mariss

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]]> 7024 3 Greatest Challenges I Faced When Starting My Social Media https://mletraveldiary.com/blog-and-creator-tips/3-greatest-challenges-i-faced-when-starting-my-social-media/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=3-greatest-challenges-i-faced-when-starting-my-social-media Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://mletraveldiary.com/?p=6676 Starting my social media account was so exciting, but came with a few challenges as well. I'll be sharing the top three issues I faced, plus solutions to help!

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Starting my social media account was so exciting, but came with a few challenges as well. I’ll be sharing the top three issues I faced, plus solutions to help you if you’re running into similar challenges!

It’s been totally worth it, though. I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m amazed by all the support and connections I’ve made with like-minded people!

I previously shared the three greatest challenges I faced when starting my blog if you are looking for more tips! If you’re interested in starting your own blog and social media account, but not sure where to start, check out my full guide to launching a successful blog!

This post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you. I make sure to only link products and retailers that I use myself and recommend. Thank you for your support! Learn more.

Challenge 1: Starting over from square one

I considered turning my personal Instagram account into a travel account, but ultimately decided to create a new one. I don’t regret this decision at all, but it was pretty wild starting at zero and being like, “ok well now what?”

I think the blank slate can be really refreshing and also let you be more authentic. I didn’t want everyone I ever met seeing me “attempt” to start a blog; what if I wasn’t successful?!

Solution: Think of it as a rare opportunity

With my new Instagram account, I was able to really think about what I wanted to post and the purpose of my account. This was so exciting to me, and helped me get over some of the stage fright of posting to reach a bigger audience!

Challenge 2: Deciding what, when and where to post

When I first created my new Instagram account, I was SO overwhelmed with what to start posting. Everywhere I looked, I saw all this advice like “Reels are the only posts that matter” or lists of like 15 things I “needed” to do every single time I posted.

I don’t think all of the advice out there is bad, but there’s definitely a lot of it, so it can get a bit overwhelming. I would also post the same short-form videos on TikTok and YouTube, but sometimes get confused with what I had already posted to each platform. 

Solution: Keep it simple (and structured)

After a few months, I decided to simplify the number of platforms I was using, and now post solely on Instagram and my website. I may start posting again on YouTube and/or TikTok in the future, or whatever new form of social media may be out there.

I also created a content calendar to keep track of what I wanted to post and when. Send me an email if you want a copy of my content calendar!

Now, I sit down every Sunday and make sure my calendar is filled out for the upcoming week! And not just filled out, but having the posts and captions ready to go. This helps me manage everything coming up and frees up my time during the week!

Challenge 3: Growing a brand new account

Starting over with a new account is HARD. I remember being like “why would anyone follow me I have literally no posts.”😂

I had also never really “done” social media before, so a lot of what I did in the beginning was trial and error. And reading lots of OTHER blogs’ advice on how to grow a new Instagram account.

Solution: Engaging with similar accounts

This one is still a work in progress, and not the end-all-be-all solution, but the perfect way to start your account strong! Plus, I’ve been able to meet so many similar, cool people out there who are also doing something similar! 

I believe Instagram suggests your account once it has a sense of the people who may be interested in following your content. Therefore, I think it’s really important to engage with similar accounts!

It’s basically you telling Instagram, “hey this is what my account is, or will be, about.” Helps the app to figure out the best algorithm for your account and content!

If you’re running into a similar issue, or something different, feel free to send me a message on Instagram! Definitely also check out my guide to starting a blog; I’ve added tons of tips in there to help you along the way!

💙mariss

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]]> 6676 How To Edit Your Photos And Videos Like An Influencer https://mletraveldiary.com/blog-and-creator-tips/how-to-edit-your-photos-and-videos-like-me/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-edit-your-photos-and-videos-like-me Mon, 21 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://mletraveldiary.com/?p=6207 Trying to figure out how to edit your photos and videos? I'll be sharing what I do, from the settings on my phone to the exact Apps I use!

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Trying to figure out how to edit your photos and videos like an influencer? I’ll be sharing what I do, from the settings on my phone to the exact Apps I use! It’s not a very long list; after having edited my Instagram photos for over 10 years now, I’ve learned what works best for me and narrowed it down.

I thinking the word “editing” gets a bad rap, but to me it also literally means combining multiple short video clips into one long clip. If you’re looking for ways to use AI to fill your background with something totally different, this will not help you. I think people do that in Lightroom? I am not sure, and am definitely a long ways away from using something like that, if ever.

This post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you. I make sure to only link products and retailers that I use myself and recommend. Thank you for your support! Learn more.

1. Camera settings to start

First of all, you’ve got to make sure you get your Camera settings the way you want them! I have an iPhone, so my camera tips will be for an iPhone FYI. If you post on Instagram, make sure HDR is turned off (applicable to Androids as well)! 

There’s something about the resolution of HDR videos that Instagram is not yet able to process, so the lighting gets all messed up once you post there.

For photos, I use Apple ProRAW with a resolution of 48 MP and the Most Compatible setting. For videos, I record in 4K at 60 fps, with Enhanced Stabilization and Action Mode Lower Light turned on. 

I will warn you though, these settings take up the most storage. So if you are low on storage, I would not recommend using these settings until you clean up your storage! I am maxing out like every other week.😂

2. InShot for video editing

InShot is what I use to edit all my videos when I want to combine multiple clips. I think it maintains the quality pretty well, especially for being free! I also love that you can add live photos and turn them into videos, and set the exact duration for all of your photos at once. 

I export with the highest settings – Resolution of 4K and Frame Rate of 60fps. It exports your videos as a square, but then you can crop them in iPhoto to get them to the proper 9:16 ratio for Instagram / TikTok!

3. VSCO for preset filters

I use VSCO to edit both my photos and videos to get the lighting and color how I want them to be. I think it helps my Instagram come together a bit more, but honestly I’m not sure it makes that big of an impact. I usually use the C8 filter on +5, Exposure -1, and Saturation +0.4. Really nothing crazy, but I find it adds just a little extra color to brighten up my content!

I do pay for the annual VSCO Plus membership; I think the filter I like to use requires the upgrade, plus the ability to edit videos. It’s personally worth it for me because of the video component, but totally not necessary if you just want to use it for basic photo editing and filtering.

4. iPhoto editor to edit your photos easily

Sometimes I will also use iPhoto’s editor to brighten my photos before putting them in VSCO! Again, nothing too fancy here as I am not very familiar with all the settings, so I just hit the “Auto” button and hope for the best.

What’s your favorite photo / video editing app? Comment below! Feel free to DM me on Instagram if you have any questions or for more editing tips!

💙mariss

<p>The post How To Edit Your Photos And Videos Like An Influencer first appeared on MLE Travel Diary.</p>

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