Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Andrea Lavinia Miclea @andrea.miclea

1) Tell us a little about yourself. What are you doing now and where do you come from?

I am a first generation Romanian-American. My parents escaped Romania during communism to enjoy a life of freedom. Though Romania is no longer a communist country, I am nevertheless blessed to have been raised in America, where I have constantly been encouraged and pushed to pursue my dreams. These dreams consist of graduating magna cum laude in English Literature, currently pursuing my Masters in Early Childhood Development and (my favorite) expressing my passion for the arts through travel, lifestyle and wedding photography.

2) What are your topics of interest? What do you post on Instagram the most?

I will typically post photos of my travels, adventures (I hike and venture to numerous coffee shops through out the week), and personal work (weddings, engagements, elopements, etc.)

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

My name currently came about through zero effort on my part (he he). Andrea comes from my parents and Miclea comes from my husband, whose name I inherited when I married him. My photography name, Heirloom Foto, however, comes from my passion of creating quality-grade images and memories- hence the name Heirloom. Photos are something that hold so much meaning, as they can be passed down from generation to generation. Sometimes, photographs are all we have left from memories passed.

4) What are some apps you use to edit your photos? Share with us your photo-editing routine!

On my phone I’ll typically use VSCO. It’s quick, straight-forward and fits my unique aesthetic. On my computer I have a much different process. I’ll bounce back and forth from Photoshop to Lightroom. Both are great and achieve the look I’m going for. I’ll normally upload the image(s), back them up (safety first!), import them into Lightroom and then go through the highlights, grain, tone and fix as needed!

5) Any Instagrammers whom you really like? Which Instagrammer inspires you the most?

I love love love to look at instagramers like @indiaearl, @josevilla, @logancole, @benjaminpatch, @autumnnicole_ and I can keep going on. These photographers inspire me to keep pressing forward. They are candid and capture emotion so well.

6) If there’s one thing your fellow Instagrammers just gotta try now, what’s it gonna be?

As a coffee connoisseur, I would highly encourage my followers to try Bulletproof coffee, as it encapsulates two very important things for me- health and coffee. Bulletproof is known to promote better absorption of the antioxidants found in coffee. Moreover, it gives you more energy (I personally can attest to the increase of energy). It’s a win win in my book.

7) What’s your favorite part about being an influencer?

I get to share amazing products that may otherwise go unnoticed. If I am passionate about a product and believe it can positively impact the lives of others I am on board.

8) What are some of your top tips to brands for running campaigns? How do you maintain authenticity?

Something that I have noticed, which works every time is minimalism. The product doesn’t need to be drowning in other props. The more simple and breathable the photo is, the better your audience will respond. When one’s photo- sharing a new product or campaign- is simple, to the point, and is breathable (a lot of white space), people can connect better to said product. I personally maintain authenticity by posting products that I love, being myself when I write a caption, and styling it the way I like to style my images.

9) What would your advice be on the importance of quality and original content?

I am all about inspiration and looking at other peoples images. However, if I want to be authentic, unaffected by others opinions, I personally refrain from inspiration. I spend some personal time with the product and write up something from the heart, something that I believe is uniquely my way of thinking that also does justice for the content I am posting.

10) What do you like best about partnering with brands?

It emphasizes community over competition, making content creating fun and a different experience each and every time. I also enjoy trying new things. I am not one to shy away from new experiences, products or ideas. I welcome change.

Topics:

• Art
• Cooking
• Education
• Fashion
• Film, Music & Books
• Food & Drink
• Health & Fitness
• Nature & Outdoors
• Photography
• Travel

Country:

United States of America