17 Subtle Ways to Get Your Dude to Become the Instagram Boyfriend You've Always Wanted

By Ginny Hogan
09 August, 2019
17 Subtle Ways to Get Your Dude to Become the Instagram Boyfriend You've Always Wanted

There are so many benefits to having a boyfriend: You get to delete your dating apps indefinitely (okay, at least for a week or two), you gain a laundry buddy who carries your clothes up and down your five-story walk-up apartment, and you can finally stop listening to multiple men mansplain Billy McFarland to you (as if you haven’t already seen both Fyre Festival docs).

But one huuuge perk that not enough people are talking about is the photos. If you’re out-and-about with your man, selfie sticks are now just a thing of the past. He’s on call to be your personal paparazzi at all times, and that’s just awesome. I mean, have you even looked at Lili Reinhart’s Instagram? Who do you think is actually snapping those pics? Jughead’s got skills too, ya’ll.

But sometimes, if your partner is shy about taking photos or has literally never posted in IG in his life, you may need to give him a little nudge. Here are 17 subtle tricks to get your mans to start snapping more pics of you, without ever actually asking him directly. In these times, we not only need boyfriends (or girlfriends!)—but Instagram boyfriends, too.

 

  1. Express envy about candid pictures of your friends. Tell him how much you love the pic of Sarah, smiling naturally on a beach, as if she didn’t almost break up with Brad pre-vacay, and he'll take a hint. After all, no one wants to be the douche who got dumped for not taking enough candids. (And clearly, Brad's doing damage control.)
  2. Tell him you specifically changed something about your appearance. If you got a haircut or your teeth whitened (why does no one ever notice this?!), you’ll want to share it with the world, and pointing it out to your man can help a lot. Once he realizes those earrings are new, he’ll be sure to snap a pic—mainly to just later jog his own memory.
  3. Snap some pics of him. Men respond well to copying what you do—that’s how I got my last boyfriend to start flossing. And honestly, I cured him.
  4. Openly struggle with selfies. Every guy likes to come rescue the damsel in distress, so pretend to sprain your wrist or something. 
  5. Stand for more than four seconds in the same dramatic pose. Anything from the “YMCA” dance will do—this is a surefire clue. He'll wonder what you’re doing, and then think it’s silly enough to be pic-worthy.
  6. Bring up how much you like getting “likes” on Instagram. If this doesn’t work, try saying it another time, and then switch to Twitter and/or Facebook likes and engagement.
  7. Sneak the phrase “a picture is worth 1,000 words” into conversation at least 12 times. From an economics perspective, it’s not true. But it will remind him of the importance of taking candid photos. Examples include: “I wish I could send a picture to my future self. I’m just so happy at this *exact* moment. You know what they say, a picture is worth 1,000 words.”
  8. Mention candid photos others have taken of you. I’m not saying you should bring your ex into this, but I’m not saying you shouldn’t. I mean, if your ex is the famed photographer behind the 300 likes you got in your Nantucket candid, it’s worth letting you new beau know. 
  9. Laugh loudly and adorably at something he says. Then ask if he wants your Instagram fanbase to know how funny he is. When he says “yes”, strike another pose laughing and remind him that you can tag him in the caption—he'll get the idea.
  10. Twirl and un-twirl your hair 14 times. This is just so stinkin’ cute, he'll have to take a photo. After all, you’re hypnotising him (trust me, I paid a hypnotist $600 to help me stop biting my nails, I know how hair-twirling works).
  11. Sigh and say, “I wish my mom could see this sunset.” Then hand him your phone, ideally unlocked, and stand in said position as #5 stated.
  12. Put in your Tinder bio what your relationship expectations are, including photo-taking. If ever your partner seems to be forgetting, just remind him to think about “what he agreed to” without explicitly stating anything.
  13. Go on a lovely rant about how Instagram is the great art form of our time. Sometimes, guys just don’t realise how important it is—especially if they don’t have that many followers. Reminding him of its value (like, “hey babe, we can make money from selling tea that makes us shit!) will remind him to snap a pic. Make a dramatic “thinking face.” When he asks what you’re thinking about, say, “trying to think of a cute caption for a photo.” When he asks what photo, hand over your phone and strike a pose.
  14. Ask if he noticed your shirt was new. When he doesn't (he won’t), make him feel guilty, then say that he should take a pic of it so he remembers your wardrobe always.
  15. If you’re at an event with other couples, run around offering to take photos of every other partnership. “Oohh” and “ahh” over how cute they are, and make a big deal of airdropping them the pics so they can post ASAP. Your partner will, at the very least, want to know what all the Airdropping fuss is about, and when you say it’s because of photos, he’ll remember he’s supposed to be taking candids.
  16. Learn sign language. Sign to him to take your photo. Then, when he doesn't know wtf you’re saying, just hand him your phone. That’s the clearest sign of all.
    1. Learn sign language. Sign to him to take your photo. Then, when he doesn't know wtf you’re saying, just hand him your phone. That’s the clearest sign of all.
    Credit: Cosmopolitan
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