It’s officially been 10 years since Instagram was first released! In the past decade so much has changed in the realm of photo editing and sharing. For example, does anyone remember when we actually used the built-in filters such as “Valencia” and “Lo-Fi”? Most of us who like to enhance our Insta pics couldn’t be caught dead using such old-school ways of editing.
So, if you’re a fan of craftily curating your photos so your feed represents you, I have a few easy and free apps to share that are sure to boost your profile and your editing skills!
1. NOMO
If you’re anything like me, you love the vintage and romantic look of film photography. However, real film photography can take a lot of time, effort and a chunk out of your wallet. NOMO can give you cute film photos without all the hassle. It’s as easy as pointing your camera and shooting or uploading the desired photo from your camera roll. It even has an adorable authentic feature that allows you to watch as your photo develops, and you can even shake your phone just like a polaroid to make it show up faster!
2. VSCO
Okay, yes, your first thoughts when you read the word VSCO are probably something along the lines of a “VSCO girl” or “sksksk and I oop.” But trust me, as someone who has been using this app for years, it is much more than a fad or something to make fun of on social media! This is my go-to for editing all my pictures. It has all sorts of options from color-balancing, exposure and a whole range of different high-quality filters to choose from. It’s also great if you want to keep a cohesive look or tone to your profile as you can use the same filters on all your photos.
Pro-Tip: If you upgrade your membership you can also filter videos!
3. Afterlight
Courtesy: Apple Store
Afterlight has been around for years and is such a handy app to keep on your phone. While I recommend VSCO for lighting and filters, Afterlight also has a wide range of filters if none of the former app’s suit you. However, my absolute favorite part of this editing app is its light leak and dust features that you can place over your picture. If you want to give your picture an authentic or vintage vibe, a dust filter can do just that. If you want to add a splash of color to your photo to make it pop, there are dozens of light leak options that you can play with!
Pro-Tip: Use the light leaks to hide that random stranger awkwardly standing in the background of your pic!
4. Kira Kira
Courtesy: Apple Store
I have a newfound passion, and it is editing all my pictures with Kira Kira. This app puts a dazzling array of sparkles on your pictures, and you can save them in either photo or video form! It works best with nighttime photos and will seriously add the perfect amount of glittery fun to your pictures. Trust me, everyone will be asking you how you got your photos to look so amazing!
Pro-Tip: It also comes as an Instagram story filter. Head to @Chrislprice on your phone and click on the smiley face next to tagged photos and save the effect to use later!
5. Preview
Courtesy: Apple Store
After you’ve spent time editing your new pictures for your bomb Instagram feed, download Preview, the app that helps you plan out exactly how you want your profile to look. With Preview you can upload your existing Instagram photos and also add your new pictures onto a platform that looks just like the layout of your feed. This way you can decide which photo looks best in what place in comparison to the rest and also help you maintain a common color scheme or theme throughout! Get out there and go stunt on the ‘gram!
All apps are available on the Apple App Store.
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