Corcus Featured Creator ❤️ Lydia Penn (@lydia.r.penn)
Hi all,
This week, we’re excited to introduce to you Lydia (@lydia.r.penn), the Las Vegas-based creator who never fails to brighten up our day with her colorful travel and lifestyle posts! We’re confident that she will be a great source of inspiration for those who are just getting started.
Sections:
About Lydia
Tips + Advice
Working with brands
About Lydia
Tell us a little about your background. When did you start creating content? What got you to start?
I've lived in Las Vegas for five years and have been blessed to travel the world since my family moved to Thailand when I was eight years old. About two years ago, I started realizing that I could use Instagram to create an online community with other travelers and content creators and therefore further expand my horizons! I started planning my trips based off photos and stories I found on Instagram, and I received feedback that some of my followers were taking tips from my posts to influence their future travels as well! At that point, Instagram switched for me from just a photo-sharing app to an active community where I could interact with and learn from thousands of people from around the world!
Do you see creating content as your full-time job or more of a hobby that you do in your free time?
At this point, Instagram is still more of a hobby for me than a full-time job. I don't own a fancy camera and I'm not an experienced photographer, but I'm constantly watching editing tutorials and behind-the-scenes videos from bigger creators, and as a result, I've learned I can create great content myself with just an iPhone, access to Lightroom, and my husband as a photographer!
Tips + Advice
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced or you are facing as a creator/influencer?
My biggest challenge is finding time to create my posts. I do have a full-time job in marketing and sales, so normally I have to wait for the weekends to get my shooting done. However I'm blessed to live in a city with a vibrant art scene, access to beautiful outdoor hikes, and world-renowned architecture, so I have no shortage of backdrops for my photos.
What are some tips for creators who are just getting started?
My biggest tip to other content creators is to follow people who inspire you. I can't tell you how many posts I've saved from other influencers that have inspired me to travel somewhere new or try a new creative pose or style.
I also advise you to be open to constantly learning new editing techniques or photography styles. If you scroll through my Instagram you'll notice that my posts from two years ago are very different from my posts today. Be open to evolving and changing your style.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions that people have about you that you’d like to address?
I receive feedback occasionally from followers who say, "I'm so jealous of your photos! I wish I could create content like that! You look so great in all of your photos." We all have to be aware that Instagram only shows the very best of most of us. My followers don't see how much behind-the-scenes work, research, and editing goes into every single one of the photos I post. I've scrapped many photos for not being up to my standards! Keep in mind that in order to achieve a gorgeous cohesive feed, you must be prepared to put a LOT of work in!
Working with Brands
What have you found to be the biggest challenge in working with brands?
I have a small follower count compared to a lot of content creators, but I focus on active, genuine engagement over the number of followers, and I've found that many brands are more interested in engagement over followers as well!
What brands have you worked with in the past? What are some that you would like to work with?
I will only work with brands that I genuinely believe in and that fit nicely with my feed. As a result, I've gotten to work with brands such as Crazy Compression socks, which I actually wear on long plane trips and hikes, and Dunkin' Donuts, which is my go-to coffee joint! I would absolutely love to work with more travel-related companies such as Expedia or Vegas.com since travel is such a huge part of my life.
Keep doing the things you love and start building your community!
Love,
Corcus Team
If you are interested in being part of this series, please email lisa@corcus.io.