Can someone please explain why, no matter how lush the destination, no matter how snatched the dress, no matter how many hydrating products I slather onto my skin to reverse the effects of dirty plane air — I cannot get my vacation pics to pop off like they should?! The best someone for the job is, of course, an Instagram baddie with millions of followers, which is why when I got the chance to chat with Phaith Montoya, my un-photogenic prayers were finally answered.

There seems to be a secret sauce to translating the magic of vacation vibes into a killer IG Carousel that we civilians aren’t privy to. Like, why are my iPhone photos always falling flat? How am I, a grown adult woman, supposed to convince a literal stranger to shoot sexy solo shots of me? And for the love of God, should the hottest photo go first or last in my slideshow?! (“Always put the hottest photo first, you have to stop them in their tracks to keep swiping,” was just one bit of crucial content knowledge Phaith dropped during our conversation.) Lucky for you, I gathered all of her influencer-approved tips on how to take the best vacation photos, ever.

Phaith Montoya On How to Take Influencer-Level Vacation Content For The Double Tap

Image Credit: Courtesy of Phaith Montoya

An Influencer-approved Vacation Packing Guide

Good content starts before you board the plane. When I asked Phaith for her MVP travel essential when packing for a summer trip, she explained, “It’s so easy to forget that, even if you’re going somewhere warm, it also can get cold at night. Especially near the water!” Between the bikinis and pairs of sunglasses, Phaith always recommends making room for “a sheer shawl or sweater for cooler nights chilling on the beach.” Lately, she can’t live without a white lacey number from FINESSE. She loves the brand for pre-vacation shopping because of their “curve-hugging” options, like “summer dresses and bikinis that go up to 3X.”

Phaith also packs a few “one-and-done” fits, AKA single statement pieces that need minimal styling, like a maxi dress with a bold print (this one from FINESSE happens to be on sale) to “ensure I can get out the door quickly.” And, because it’s not a proper vacation if you don’t experience a few days when GRWM time is at a major deficit, Phaith also has a five-minute makeup routine for “in between a beach slash pool day and a fancy dinner.” Waterproof mascara, a face tint with SPF, blush, and a “refreshing” fragrance or mist are her must-haves.

How do influencers get their photos to look so high-quality?

For all the girlies struggling to get their photos to look straight out of a magazine (I am Naomi Campbell, no matter what my camera roll says), Phaith had one magic word: lighting. “Lighting is key — and even the newest iPhone or Android can’t fix a badly lit photo,” Phaith told me, confirming my sneaking suspicion that “of the ring lights available, nothing beats natural lighting!” Phaith advises to search for a location where “you’re facing a light source when you pose.” Then adjust the lens exposure, highlights, and shadows from there.

But Phaith also isn’t afraid to put her phone down. “I love using my digi to give a certain nostalgic aesthetic depending on where I’m taking a photo,” especially at sunset, Phaith told me. Phaith scored a Canon PowerShot from eBay, which produces photos with “a little fuzz filter on it,” making them “really crisp,” without having to be an editing genius. Even wiser, Phaith travels with an SD to iPhone converter so she can “get those pics in minutes,” on the road, a tip she and all of her friends consider “the ultimate hack.”

When it comes to posing, Phaith says she’s always most relaxed on vacation “surrounded by family, friends, and boyfriend,” so she likes to let her natural happiness shine through. That relaxed approach applies to her camera angle of choice, too, which is groundbreaking news to me after years of debating whether higher or lower looks best. “Straight on is my favorite [angle], honestly,” Phaith described. “It’s a pet peeve when I hand someone my phone and they put the phone super high or low,” though she occasionally opts for “0.5x from slightly above” when taking a selfie.

Tips On Asking People To Take Photos Of You In Public

No one wants to be that friend constantly asking the group to stop and take pics, but Phaith firmly believes that the “friend who takes SO many pictures” is ultimately “capturing these memories that you can hold onto for a lifetime.” It doesn’t hurt to remind the group of that little fact if you’re starting to feel annoying. “Always offer to take the same amount of content for them!” she added.

But what about those times when you’re out in the wild on your own? Instead of pestering a stranger, Phaith swears by an Octobuddy that sticks to pretty much any surface, including a pole — Phaith’s fave spot for “the best results.” Phaith also considers herself “a professional propper” who plants her phone up anywhere with good, front-facing lighting. If she absolutely has to bother a random, “I always offer first before asking, and that usually works.”

As for posing alone in public, Phaith leans into the experience of being the main character. “Might sound a little strange, but I pretend like no one else exists but myself. I know I’ll probably never see these people again, and they all have their own lives that I know nothing about, so essentially they are background characters.” Basically, Phaith imagines she’s in The Sims world, and anyone around giving “nasty stares” is just an NPC. Honestly, that’s Jedi mind trick brilliance.

How many pictures should I add to my Instagram Carousel?

I had to know Phaith’s take on how many pics are too many for an IG Carousel, now that the limit is a whopping 20 slides. “Never more than 10,” Phaith shared, though she usually keeps it between five and eight unless the content is “really juicy.”