A Snapchat Guide

Time for a confession.. I'm still trying to get the hang of Snapchat. Anyone else too? (Tell me I'm not alone in this!) For the longest time, I just didn't get what the hype was about, and I got completely lost in the app when I tried to. It's been a couple of months now and I think it's time I hop on the bandwagon, all in..

Thankfully the rest of the Bloesem Team are quite Snapchat-savvy so they've pretty much convinced me that it's actually an interesting social media platform. As this is mostly based on real-time happenings and only allows minimal edits, viewers are able to get a true glimpse into your daily lives, therefore forming a stronger and more genuine connection with your Snapchat friends. A quick behind-the-scenes photo at the studio or even a short calming video of our new plants gently swaying in the wind sure is a fun and easygoing way to stay connected, don't you think?

How exciting it is to dive into something new.. I'm sharing with you today 5 basics I've learnt from the girls to get you started snapping away!

1) Finding your way around

I know when I first downloaded the app and arrived at the camera page, I just stayed there and remained stuck for a long time. Little did I know all the functions were hidden literally everywhere else! So, from the camera view you can:

Swipe down: to access your settings and add your contacts on Snapchat.
Swipe right: to view snaps you've received from friends - which you can only view once - and reply them, on top of a list of past interactions on the app.
Swipe left: to watch Snapchat updates from your friends which were made public, good for unlimited viewing for 24 hours!

2) Taking a photo or a video

This app allows you to take photos or short videos up to 10 seconds. A tap on the big button for the former, and press and hold for the latter! You're able to access both the front-facing and rear cameras, and flash for both too. Selecting the 'night mode' function on the top left corner also helps when you are in dim lighting.

3) Setting a timer for your photos

Now, for after you've taken your shot.. One of the unique functions that Snapchat is known for is how the snaps totally disappears once it's viewed! So if you're sending someone a silly shot, the timer is going to come in handy. Tap the stopwatch icon at the bottom and set it for shorter if you want to prevent your friends from taking a quick screenshot! Alternatively, set it for longer if you want your viewers to take their time and admire the scene.

4) Sending them out!

Once you're ready with your snap, tap the arrow at the bottom and you'll be brought to another page with a list of your friends. You can either send it privately to a couple of them simply by selecting their names, or you can post it to 'My Story' where it can be available to all of them to view for 24 hours.

5) Post-upload

This is only for those you've posted on 'My Story'. From the camera page, swipe left and you'll see everyone's public updates for the day, including your own. Tap the 3 dots on the right of 'My Story' to see how many people have seen each of your snaps. If you're having second thoughts about one you just uploaded, you can select it and delete them. But if you like a certain snap of your own and you decide you want to keep for good it in your photo gallery, same thing - tap the snap and press the save icon at the bottom! 

This is just the basics to get you started. We've got some fun tips and even hidden tricks coming up for you soon.. And it's going to be all about jazzing up the snap with filters, location stamps, and getting creative with the drawing function. Come join the party!