50 Questions with travel influencer Kelly Hill

Long blonde hair braided down her back, visits to epic destinations including Tulum, Bali and Portugal, and with a photographer/surfer for a husband – travel influencer Kelly Hill was just made for Instagram. And the IG community is taking notice – with Kelly encroaching on the 100K milestone on the Gram as followers vibe on her tropical hues of orange and aqua.

With this year seeing Kelly turn her passion for content creating into more of a full-time gig – while still working on the side as a consultant and contractor in app design and web development [fun fact: Kelly first began computer coding at age 11] – we decided to catch up with the NYC influencer to find out everything that’s been going on in her life behind-the-feed.

Here, Kelly reveals snippets of info into what makes her tick – from how she edits pictures to how she got started on IG to happiest moments…

Missed the last articles in the 50 Questions series? Click the links to read interviews with Salty Luxe, Fiona Barron, and Karina Anne Hunt.

1. Best beauty product of all time? It’s a 10 leave-in-conditioner
2. Five beauty products you can’t live without? Mascara, bronzer, tinted moisturiser, eyebrow pencil, lip liner
3. Hair “done” or messy? Probably done – in a braid. Messy if I’m on the beach
4. Favourite fragrance? Alaia Paris
5. Favourite item of clothing? Bikini or jean shorts
6. Favourite fashion brand? Free People is always a fave, also Aritizia. But I love shopping at random side-of-the-street local carts/shops in different countries on my travels – generally cheap, simple, and authentic to the country
7. Gym or exercising outdoors? Outdoors
8. Healthy eating or treating yourself? Healthy
9. Can you cook? Love it, yes! My specialities are roasted veggies and veggie soups
10. Favourite food to indulge in? Pizza (with ranch) or chips and guac. Ice cream too…

11. First thing you pick from the mini-bar? Champagne
12. Best place to eat out? Brunch: Two Hands in NYC, Lunch: Butcher’s Daughter, Dinner: Malatesta in NYC or Gitano in Tulum
13. Happiest moment? My wedding
14. Saddest moment? When my grandma died a month before my wedding
15. Blog or YouTube? Blog
16. Iphone or camera? Camera
17. Type of camera? Canon
18. Facetune or untouched? Untouched
19. Lightroom or VSCO? Lightroom
20. Favourite filter? My own presets for Lightroom =)

21. Favourite way to edit pics? With a colour theme I’m feeling in at the moment – usually it is focused on specific colours, adjusting blues a lot. Contrast, lots of clarity, and grain
22. 9-5 job or full-time influencer? This year I became sort of full-time. I still work as a consultant and contractor for web development, app design, UX/UI design
23. How did you first get your start in Instablogging? I was on my honeymoon in Barbados and my husband is already a photographer – we started taking more photos and posting and I noticed people started following me more than usual from it. So I’ve kept posting and creating ever since then
24. How much time goes into a normal picture found on your Instagram account? Anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours
25. What’s your top Instagram tip? Quality. Edit consistently. Post consistently. Make your page beautiful in your eyes, but do what you do normally – stay true to yourself
26. Who takes your pics? Usually my husband, but whoever I’m with too
27. Career highlight since being an influencer? Having the freedom and flexibility in my schedule
28. Career lowlight since being an influencer? You get rejected a lot – but it’s okay. I don’t really have a low – I’m enjoying my career path more than ever
29. Best campaign you’ve ever worked on? I can’t decide! So many great ones…
30. Worst thing that’s happened to you on a photo shoot? We were trying to shoot at a location in Portugal and just couldn’t get a moment without people. For hours, haha!

31. The best gift you’ve ever received as an influencer? Messages and stories shared from my followers. But also my Away suitcase – I love it
32. Last thing you googled? Time in Bali vs NYC
33. Favourite film? ‘Lord of the Rings’
34. Favourite book? Harry Potter
35. Favourite song? Currently ‘Taki Taki’
36. Living in the city or living by the beach? BEACH =)
37. Favourite travel destination? Costa Rica
38. Most Instagram-worthy spot? Any palm tree or beach. The Brooklyn Bridge is always a good choice too
39. Top three essentials to pack when traveling? Portable charger, water bottle, eye mask
40. Going out clubbing or quiet dinner with friends? Dinner with friends

41. Partner or single? Partner – married =)
42. Siblings? 2! A younger sister and brother (Hannah and JT)
43. What city are you currently living in? Virginia Beach, VA
44. Celebrity/influencer crush? Alyssa Bossio @effortlyss
45. Pets? I have a cockapoo named River
46. What is your best asset? My nose or my booty 😉
47. Biggest misconception about you and your job? That I don’t work and just travel and hang out – no days off in this life. But I love it, I’m sort of a workaholic
48. Top five Instagram accounts to follow? @effortlyss, @tezza, @weworewhat, @sukainarajabali, @debiflue
49. Favourite quote you live by? “Always make deposits into the ‘Good Will’ bank – you’ll never know when you’ll need to withdraw”
50. Top career tip? Make time for the things you love – you don’t know how they will weave into your future career. Exceed expectations by 150%. Always be nice.