Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Jessica Tupper @jess_tupper

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

I’m SuperJess! I’m a Seattle-based dessert blogger out to taste test all the sweets in town. I love shooting around the city and at home with a Canon Rebel t2i and 5D MkIII.

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

I post desserts on Instagram, particularly Seattle made desserts. I do travel, and have included images from Edinburgh and Portland. All desserts, all the time. I’m always on the lookout for unusual or fun desserts, like green tea and red bean mille feuille. I also really like reviewing pastries made by solo bakers, who I actually mainly find on Instagram.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

I’m Jess_Tupper on my twitter feed (and SnapChat!) and I wanted to keep things consistent.

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

I edit on Lightroom for white balance/contrast. (My white photos are shot at home in my studio and come out looking pretty much like what you see.) I also use the Instagram in-app tools for editing, as I like to only brighten and clarify images.

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

There’s this movement towards having feeds of drippy, decadent cakes with flowers and meringues and glitter, and it’s amazing. (They haven’t hit Seattle yet and I’m super jealous.) I’m inspired by @goeatyourbeets – they always have amazing light in their images. It feels so warm and inviting on their feed.

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

Good crepes! I was at Caravan Crepes today, and picked up a lime and sugar coated crepe. Bit messy, but so incredibly good. It’s easy to skip past crepe shops in Seattle because everyone’s always busy.

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

When people get super excited about finally trying a place. A lot of my friends just needed a nudge to try that chocolate or that bakery, and now I do that for so many people. Seattle has a lot of ‘hidden in plain sight’ type shops, and I want them to be less hidden.

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

-Review your brand and mission before you try an idea. Check them again before you start.
-I’m a big fan of Erica Mills’ idea of “what-who-how” for building campaigns. Know what you want to happen, determine your audience, decide how to reach them. I’d rather build a campaign that meets needs than a campaign that sounds cool.
-I maintain authenticity by asking myself if it sounds like me. I try to write Instagram posts quickly for that reason, because I find it’s easy to be too cheerful on the feed if you edit.

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

That I’d rather see content that matches your feed and your ideas than simply beautiful shots. I’ve seen feeds that switched photographers after a campaign, and the next images all feel forced. It’s best to keep things growing and changing organically.

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

That we can build something together. As a food photographer, I spend a lot of my time reviewing on my own. I love seeing how products come together and learning their stories and histories.