#AllThings in Boston
Cara Llewellyn is one of our favorite Instagrammers out there. She is bad ass; we worked with her on our DK Travel Discover More campaign and can speak from personal experience. Her feed brings pure joy with its unique portraits and amazing landscapes that evoke a strong sense of place. Follow her, for real: @llewllewtoo
Place you live: My basecamp is in Boston’s south end.
Place your Instagrams were taken: All of my photos were taken in the city itself or within a few hours’ drive of Boston.
Can you sum up Boston? It’s got all the things! Ocean, city, mountains, rocky bits… and the weather changes drastically, too. I’d say the only thing we’re missing here is the desert (so I put a cactus on my windowsill to remedy that).
What is a perfect day in your spot? Pretty much any day I’m out shooting is a perfect day. There’s no such thing as bad weather in my book!
If Boston was a person or character who would it be and why? I’ve said this before, but I’m pretty certain if Boston were a character it would be a lobster. The people here can be hard and pinchy on the outside, but once you get through their shells they are often quite sweet on the inside. They also tend to turn bright red when exposed to heat.
How long have you been using Instagram? Since August 2012.
Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? iPhone.
What is your editing process? Always be knolling! (VSCOcam is good too).
Do you create images outside of Instagram? My fridge is covered in Polaroids! I also post some non-square projects on my website, still all taken with my iPhone!
Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? Without a doubt. My father is a professional photographer so I grew up in a photo studio, but illustration and graphic design had always been my main creative outlets until I discovered Instagram. The stunning work others were posting on the app really jumpstarted my brain and punted me out the door to go find things to photograph. I don’t own a “real camera” so it’s all on my “telephone”, as my father says.
Can you give a couple of tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? Be yourself, as cornball as that sounds. I have frequently been asked how I come up with such humorous images and captions. Jeepers, I am just like that in real life! My organization and obsessive neatness comes across in my feed too, I think. Show followers your own brand of weird! I also can’t emphasize enough the importance (and delightfulness) of getting out there and meeting other Instagrammers … even if it seems scary or daunting, you’ll be so glad that you did.
Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? Aww shucks such a hard question. Here are some of my favorite ladies on IG right now: @ashleymcky, @saysthefox, and @lolamyers. If you want more recommendations, check out my following list, because I adore them all to pieces.
Want more Instagram tips and inspiration? Check out all of our Best of Instagram features and learn from the masters.
Want to be featured on our best of Instagram series and bask in the glory? Follow Global Yodel on Instagram and tag your best local shots with #GlobalYodel!
Name:Cara Metta Llewellyn
City:Boston
Best place to eat:
Mike & Patty’s for breakfast (get “The Fancy”), the courtyard café at the Boston Public Library for some literature with your lunch, and Delux for dive bar flare and the best quesadillas in town.
Best place to drink:
Does coffee or tea count? Render Coffee and The Thinking Cup are more my style of libations.
Best outdoor activity:
Falconry in Western Massachusetts with a dude named Chris.
Must do:
Escape the city and head due west to the Berkshires for the weekend. Shoot the sunrise with a friend and a kayak on Stockbridge Bowl.
Local tip:
There’s a magical hidden garden in the center of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum here in the city. You can also see the empty frames still hanging there from an art heist 20 years ago. And did I mention you get in for free if your name is Isabel?