Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Felix Christian Caritativo @@makieph

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

I’m an 18 year old college student from the Philippines. My dream is to become a photographer and a blogger. I want to influence other students like me in terms of fashion, life style and to improve their life perspective and of course their confidence. I want to be the fashion blogger who shows everyone that style doesn’t require expensive clothes. And of course, in terms of lifestyle, I want to show them that they don’t have to be just like the bloggers they see on Instagram, they don’t have to be pressured by those who are now on the top. That they could start with what they have now.

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

My interest are photography and style. Most of the time I post my shoots and my outfits. I always post some of my “artsy’ photos that I edit on Photoshop. Maybe in the future there will be more ootds on my account cause right now I’m on vacation and I don’t have any photographers with me, lol, the straggle is real. So instead of posting ootds I post my vacation photos instead. But I’ll be back on the #OOTD game soon.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

Makie Cruz. Well Makie came from the word Maximus which means “the great” and Cruz is my dad’s middle name. I first used this name for my photography “business” and decided to use it as my social media name as well cause I don’t want everyone to get into my personal life by knowing my real name. And aboht my username, @makieph, well it’s a bit simple, nothing deep, lol, it’s Makie plus the Philippines equals @makieph.

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

I only use two apps to edit my photos, first VSCO and second Snapseed. I don’t usually use Snapseed all the time, I just use it when I have to make photos flawless, crop photos and brighten or darken a photo. That’s great about Snapseed is they let you decide where you want to adjust things. Its very easy to use. And of course, VSCO, well I use it all the time. Its the best app for Instagram users. It has tons of filters to choose from. I only have 5 steps when it comes to editing my photos, first I choose my filter (C8), second I decrease the contrast (-1), thirst saturation decrease as well (-1), fourt I sharpen the photo (+2) and last highlight save (+4). Its that simple.

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

I have tons of favorite Instagrammers, like, @cupofcouple @mikewillfly @dgrazon @jameswhl @jpbdeleon. But @cupofcouple inspires me the most. They post tons of ootds and travel photos. They have an awesome feed. I just love them so much. I want to purge their wardrobe and wear their clothes. They are the reason why I bought clothes that you wont usually see in my wardrobe. Like a brown pants, beige jackets, colored shirts and a skinnyy/straight cut jeans. I mean come on, its out of my comfort zone lol. I’m saying good bye to my street style and yeezy style.

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

Try to not imitate other Instagrammers. Lol just kidding. Hmm, I think they should try and look for locations that are near their house or school. When ever they’re planning to do an OOTD photo they should at lease have 3 locations in mind. And in terms of brands, they should check Mogao Philippines, Oxygen, and other online shops they can afford. They don’t have to follow the trend of buying from Forever 21 and H&M. I’m not saying they shouldn’t buy from those brands, I’ll a hypocrite if I say that, what I’m trying to say is, style doesn’t have to be expensive. If you’re planning to buy from those brands make sure you can afford it. Be practical.

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

My favorite part of being an influencer is, getting to know other people because of Instagram. It’s nice to have conversations with people who shares the same passion as me. It’s amazing how an app can connect people who never knew each other. And of course hearing feedbacks from those who sees your works. It feels really nice to get positive feedbacks. But I’m still a bit awkward knowing I have “fans”. I remember it when one of my batch mates told me that she’s my fan, its so awkward, I don’t know what to say. I mean, she keeps on telling me that she loves my outfits, my post and she really wants to be my friend. I don’t want to think of her as a fan, I see her as a friend.

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

Know your audience, you need to know who are using your brand and how they’re using it. Its very important to know your audience/costumer. I think it’s very important to know what they’re up to, know the trends regarding what generation you’re selling your brand. Be on point, always. They will stay loyal if you talk to them, get feedbacks and to deliver what they want.

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

Instagram is not just about posting photos and videos. Instagram is a form of art. You need to make sure that the quality of your post are great, not just in the quality of the photos but also in the content (your captions). I think its important to show your personality and your brand. Influence them with your post. Being original is also important. As an Instagrammer your post have to be original, don’t download photos from Google and post it on you account. Get out of your bed and explore your neighborhood, be artsy and be a photographer. BE CREATIVE.

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

It feels great when brands choose you as one of their influencer. I haven’t tried it yet. But maybe in the future I will. I’m very open with partnerships. Notice my please lol.