Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Linda Dunsmore @lindagoeseast

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

I grew up in Germany with a German mother and an American father. Growing up in Europe, I had the opportunity to start traveling to a lot of countries early on and having a parent from a different continent ensured overseas travel. I’ve always been interested in foreign languages and learned French and Spanish in school. After I graduated highschool, I decided that I wanted to see more and became very interested in Asia. I started studying Mandarin Chinese and moved to Guangzhou, China, to pursue an internship at a German online marketing company for 6 months in 2012. While pursuing my bachelor’s degree in San Diego, California, I met my now-husband Jeongsu, who is from South Korea. After graduating, I moved back to China for a year before joining Jeongsu in South Korea, where I have been based since May 2015.

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

Being based in South Korea, I love exploring all the different places around Asia. I post about my travels around Asia and my daily life in South Korea on Instagram, but also share travel (and food!) moments from other places around the globe.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

My Instagram name is the same that I chose for my own blog. While I was living in China, it used to be called “Linda Living in China” but after moving to South Korea, I needed a new name. I was looking for a name that reflects my passion for Asia. This is when “Linda Goes East” was born.

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

Most of the photos I share on Instagram were captured with my Nikon D500 DLSR camera. The first step of editing for me is to import the photos in Adobe Lightroom and applying my presets (you can purchase them on my site!). Sometimes, I continue editing my photos in Photoshop when there is more to edit. Finally, I put them on my phone and do some final touches with VSCO or LENS DISTORTIONS (for some special effects!). I then organize my Instagram-ready photos in the app UNUM, that lets you plan out your Instagram feed in advance. This allows me to see exactly how my feed will look like with the new images and allows me to rearrange them to make it look all nice and cohesive.

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

There are so many amazing Instagrammers I’ve been inspired by lately! I especially enjoy following rjkoehler74’s adventures through South Korea and try to visit some of the places he’s been to to see what photos I can capture. I am also inspired by the amazing night/city shots by 4_23 he captures in China.

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

Long-exposure shots! I’m obsessed with them and they just make any photo look so mysterious and interesting! Many people think they only work when it’s dark (aka at night) but you can actually by ND filters that work like sunglasses for your lens. This allows you to also capture long exposures during the day.

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

Definitely the amazing people I get to meet in all kinds of industries! Being an influencer has allowed me to take part in some of the most amazing experiences that I would never otherwise know about. For example, I was invited to join a tour to Jeju Island sponsored by UNESCO Korea. During this tour, we got to experience what it’s like being a “Haenyo”, a female diver. Most of them are 70 years or older and they don’t use any modern tools to fish or harvest shellfish underwater. This was an absolutely incredible experience to take part in.

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

You definitely have to keep your posts as authentic as possible and shouldn’t include too many calls-for-action. A good Instagram shot inspires others without even having to tell them what to do. Simply tagging a brand in a photo should be enough to get others interested in the product. You don’t really have to spoon-feed them with information.

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

Today, it isn’t enough to just share some funny shots of yourself on Instagram. The quality of the images shared has become more and more important and users expect to see high-quality images. While this might seem daunting, it’s actually a great opportunity to get inspired by fellow Instagrammers and push yourself to capture better images. Since using Instagram and connecting with fellow influencers, my photography skills have massively improved because of the content I see from others. It makes me try out new things and capture more interesting photos.

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

I like partnering with brands that offer helpful, innovative and exciting products that make life better. I love sharing these products/services with my audience to improve their lives. When I work with brands where I actually get to meet the people behind the scenes, hotels for example, I am inspired by the different people I meet along the journey and get a much better sense of a brand’s mission.

Topics:

• Fashion
• Food & Drink
• Hair & Beauty
• Photography
• Travel

Country:

Germany