A Snapchat Guide For Beginners: 5 Tips for Snapping Like A Pro
Whether you are brand new to Snapchat or simply looking for some tips on how to take your Snapping game to the next level, this blog post is for you.
With over 191 million monthly users and counting, Snapchat is one of the fastest-growing social media apps in existence today.
What makes it so special?
Well, for starters its most prominent features are its snap filters, geo-filters, and mostly disappearing content. Users can take video selfies or send prerecorded videos known as “snaps” to their friends using a variety of different filters that warp their appearance in unique ways.
Sounds weird, right? Even though it may seem like a challenging app to use at first, once you get the hang of it – snapping becomes second nature.
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a mobile app that was released in 2011, and quickly became one of the most popular social media apps on the planet. The app is owned by Snap Inc., a company that also owns Spectacles, a pair of smart glasses that record 10-second video clips.
In short, Snapchat is a snap-friendly social media platform that allows you to connect with friends, family, and other people in your life by sharing photos and videos
Guide to Snapchat for Beginners
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of how to use Snapchat and what makes it so special, let’s first go over some terminologies.
Screenshots
Taking a screenshot of someone’s story will not only alert them that you took a picture, but it will also save it to your camera roll and you will be able to re-share it.
Stories
These are pieces of content that live for a maximum of 24 hours. They are visible to all of your friends on Snapchat and are a great way to share what you are doing, and get others excited about your adventures.
Snap
Snap is simply shorthand for taking a picture or video on Snapchat.
Snapchat Filters: How They Work and Which Are The Best
The backbone of Snapchat’s functionality is its filters, which are special effects that users can apply to their pictures or videos to change the way they look. You can choose from a variety of different filter options including face morphs, color filters, black and white, and more.
The best part about Snapchat filters is that they are easily changeable, meaning you can use as many of them as you want without having to worry about overusing them. Some of the most popular Snapchat filters are the dog ears, the rainbow puke, the rainbow vomit, and the lo-fi filter that makes your snaps look as though they were taken in the early 2000s.
How to Take a Good Snapchat Photo or Video
When taking a picture or video on Snapchat, it is important to remember that you only have 10 seconds to get your point across.
Many people make the mistake of simply holding down the shutter button, but this is a recipe for disaster.
Instead, you want to keep your snaps short and to the point by following these tips. Once you are done, simply select the “send” option to send your snap to your friends.
- Hold down the button for 2 seconds
When taking a photo, hold down the shutter button for 2 seconds to make sure that you capture the entire subject.
- Keep it close
When taking a picture, make sure that whatever you are snapping is close to your lens so that the entire person/object is in a frame.
- Go for the natural angle
When taking a picture, always go for the most natural angle possible. Avoid tilting your phone upwards or downwards as this will distort the image.
- Stay out of the frame
Avoid taking selfies unless necessary. If there is someone behind the camera, you can simply ask them to snap the photo for you.
5 Tips For Snapping Like a Pro On Snapchat
Now that we have gone over the basics of how to use Snapchat, let’s dive into some more advanced tips that will help you take your snapping game to the next level.
- Mix up the types of snaps
Don’t simply snap selfies all the time. Try snapping photos of your surroundings, videos of you doing interesting things, and guest snaps of people you meet on your travels.
- Customize your profile
You can resize your profile picture by pressing and holding it. You can also change the color of your username by clicking on it and choosing a different color from the menu.
- Make sure you are using the right settings
There are multiple settings that you can play around with, such as the “last seen” feature, your privacy settings, and more.
Make sure that you are using the right settings for the type of snap you are sending.
- Take advantage of the screenshot notification
You can take advantage of the screenshot notification by putting a watermark on your snaps so that people know you don’t want them to be saved.
- Take full advantage of the creative tools
There is a wide variety of creative tools available within the app that you can use to enhance your snaps.
Conclusion
Snapchat is a unique social media platform that allows you to connect with people in an entirely new way. Whether you are connecting with your friends or trying to make new connections, the key to success is experimentation.
Simply put, the more you use the app, the more comfortable you will become with it. In turn, this will allow you to take your snapping to the next level and have a ton of fun along the way.
Recommended Reading: What is TikTok: Everything You Should To Know
