CURATING THE PERFECT INSTAGRAM POST
Your hands are shaking, your mind is going 100 miles an hour, and you’re just a little bit sweaty. You might think I’m describing taking a midterm, or maybe a job interview. Believe it or not, there’s something even more stressful — posting on Instagram.
Okay, clearly, I’m joking, but if you’re anything like me, posting to your Instagram feed really is that serious. The images have to be in the perfect order, edited to be consistent, and have the perfect song to match my vibe. Some would argue that there is an art to posting on Instagram, or a formula that makes a post the perfect amount of aesthetic.
Whether you believe that there is a “technique” to posting on Instagram or not, let’s talk about a few elements that can help elevate your post from basic to bold.
FINDING AND CAPTURING INSTA-WORTHY MOMENTS
#1: IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE FACE
The most tempting thing to post on your Instagram is all the photos you have of yourself — after all, it is your account. I’m guilty of this: if you scroll through my Instagram page, every cover photo is my face, over and over and over. When you get a good photo of yourself, you obviously want to show off your lethal face card. However, I’m here to tell you that your face is not the only thing that makes you interesting.
The clothes you wear, the food you eat, the places you go: these can all be subjects of images in your posts! Obviously, you can add multiple photos of yourself, but try to break them apart with scenic images, relatable moments, or pictures you took of others. A good rule of thumb is to have as many face images as there are non-face images (or if you’re really trying to break away, one face image for every three other images).
#2: CAPTURE THE LOWKEY MOMENTS
When you think about it, anything can be a photo. Street signs, footprints, doodles — the sky is the limit. The hard part is knowing when to take a photo. If you’re out with friends at dinner, all dressed up, you’re probably going to take pictures together. However, when you’re making dinner at midnight after a long day of classes, it might not seem so picturesque.
It’s all about how you take the photo that matters. Even a dull moment, like your late-night dinner, can be an Insta-worthy pic. Arrange items that are lying around to look cohesive and thoughtful, make the lighting moody, and BAM! You have turned an everyday moment into something visually interesting that will capture all your followers’ attention.
#3: WHAT MAKES A PHOTO GOOD?
Now that we’ve decided when to take photos, we need to figure out how to make those photos good. While this is subjective, there are a few key rules that you should follow when trying to take the perfect, effortless shot.
First, switch up your camera app settings to help you. Turn on the grid and level features: these will tell you whether the phone is at the right tilt for the setting, as well as where the key elements of your image fall on a 3×3 grid. If you are a photographer, you’ve probably heard of the rule of thirds: that elements of images are best placed on the grid lines of a 3×3 matrix, or at the intersection points of those lines. Keep this in mind when taking your pictures.
Next, consider the lighting and composition of the image. Taking a picture at noon and at sunset will yield extremely different results — make sure you time your photo to achieve the lighting you want. Think about the angle as well. We all have had a photo taken that made us wonder, “Do I actually look like that?” This distortion has to do with the angle at which the image was taken. To get things perfect, consider taking a test image to show your photographer so that they understand your vision.
Now that we have the perfect images taken, let’s talk about how to put them together for a post.
POST-PRODUCTION: HOW TO EDIT AND ARRANGE
#1: SPICING THINGS UP WITH GRAPHICS
A recent trend on Instagram is the use of external elements to add interest to posts. Scrapbook-style carousels have been rising in popularity, with users adding quotes, frames, stickers, and more to their images. This is a great way to 1) get creative with how you use Instagram and show off your pictures, and 2) get around the 20-image limit imposed on the app.
To achieve this result, a variety of programs are available online. I personally use SCRL, an app designed specifically for creating and editing Instagram posts. It allows users to upload photos, videos, stickers, and more, and arrange them in ways not possible on the Instagram app itself. It also comes with built-in elements, such as Polaroid frames, scrapbook stickers, and text boxes.
#2: USING MUSIC TO TELL A STORY
Listen, I’m not here to weigh in on the debate over whether you should put songs in your Instagram posts. Some people love it, some hate it, and some think it’s a silly thing to debate in the first place. Wherever you land on this spectrum, we can all agree that music is just another way to personalize your post.
Adding a song to your post can help convey the vibe you’re going for and uniquely speak to your images. For example, if you went to Florida with your friends and got a little too crazy, you might use an upbeat techno song like “Von Dutch” by Charli XCX. However, if you had a chill night in and watched a movie, you might opt for a more low-key vibe, for example, “Snooze” by SZA.
#3: MORE THAN AESTHETICS: HAVE FUN!
At the end of the day, we can try to make our Instagram accounts as aesthetic as we want, but that’s not what the app was made for. It’s meant for sharing moments that make us happy, proud, bittersweet, and everything in between. The most important thing is that you post the photos you want, not the ones you think will be the most aesthetic or popular.
When I scroll through my feed, some of my favorite images to see are ones where people look genuinely happy to be there! Whether it’s a hug with a friend or a funny candid, people love to see you thriving and smiling! In my opinion, what makes a picture go from good to great is the emotion it conveys. Always post what fills your heart with happiness, even if you don’t think it’s the most “aesthetic” or “Insta-worthy” image.
QUICK TIPS AND TRICKS
Here’s a few extra things you might want to consider next time you’re curating the perfect Instagram post:
- Wipe off your camera lens — this helps to avoid blurriness and ensure clarity of the image
- Try out new poses — this adds diversity and interest to your images of yourself
- Find fun places to take your pictures — a fun mural, interesting texture, or complementary-colored background can make an image really stand out
- Have fun with filters — applying the same filter to all your images can make your post feel cohesive
- Come up with a creative caption — use quotes, emojis, jokes, and more to up the interest of your post
Whether you’re an avid poster or prefer to stay a little more lowkey, consider this advice next time you update your feed. No matter what, always remember that there’s no one right way to post on Instagram. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. Get out there, capture what you love, and share it with your friends!