Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Joanna Kalafatis @losethemap_

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

I am a travel blogger and photographer based in LA, but I spend a lot of my year on the road and have traveled to 35 countries. I am from Athens, Greece, and visit frequently. You can usually find me acting in LA, exploring and photographing California and the Southwest US, or taking the next flight out to explore a new place.

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

95% of my photos on Instagram are travel photos. I love taking pictures of street scenes, landscapes, cityscapes, with occasional portraits thrown in there. I will occasionally feature a cool acting moment in LA, such as last year when I went to the Golden Globes or when I filmed with John Stamos, but the account is mostly travel-related.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

Lose the Map is the name of my blog, and it’s the way I like to travel; impulsively, without much of a plan, and more focused on discovering things along the way rather than going to pre-set destinations.

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

If I edit my photos, it’s either on Lightroom on my desktop or Snapseed/Mextures on my phone (though I use my desktop to edit more than my phone). However, most of my editing happens within Instagram itself – I find it provides most of the tools I need.

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

I love youngadventuress profile because she had great travel photos from all over the world, and I love bryanadamc and kylehouck for the aesthetic they have. Their photographs have a fairytale-like beautiful quality to them.

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

Use stories more! I always love seeing my fellow photographers behind the scenes, because you get to see how they get the perfect photo, and what they do with their day in order to accomplish the work they do.

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

I love showing destinations to people in a different light, and exposing others to lesser known places they may not even know about. I really believe that photos can inspire people to travel the world.

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

I always partner with brands that are actually a good fit for my travel philosophy and message, because I think going outside of my philosophy takes away authenticity. Also, I make sure the campaigns are actually benefiting my readers as well and doing something intriguing – for example, I’m now running a campaign for a travel gear company that sells many items I think my readers would actually find very useful.

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

I think quality and original content is what separates Instagram from so many other social media sites, which is why it’s my favorite. Instagram isn’t about endlessly sharing others’ work, it’s about showcasing your own style, personality and interests through your account. That’s why any collaborations need to be within the range of your personal preferences, so you can keep producing quality and original content while incorporating brand partnerships.

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

I like making collaborations that help both me and a brand I admire, and what I love most is if the collaboration can lead to new ideas for how to get readers engaged, participating and inspired.

Topics:

• Photography
• Travel

Country:

United States of America