For lovers of all things pretty and creative, Instagram serves as an artistic outlet. It is fun, interactive, and easy to use. A well-coordinated feed can also leverage your professional brand, particularly for those in creative fields. If you’ve spent some time surfing the app, you’ve probably gaped at accounts with a consistent theme and carefully-shot photos. From photography basics to app suggestions, here are some tips to step up your Instagram game:
Composition
Find your focus by choosing a subject for your photo. It could be a person, a building, the snow-capped mountains, or perhaps your morning latte. A single point of interest catches and holds the viewer’s attention.
There are certain techniques to enhance the focal point. Most frequently, your subject can occupy a large part of the frame to make it prominent. You can also use contrasting colours to make your subject stand out. Imagine a white dress against a green grass or a red jacket in a snowy landscape. Another way to make your subject noticeable is to surround it with negative space. This refers to the area surrounding an object. An uncluttered background (such as a wall, a tabletop, the sky, the ocean, etc.) eliminates distractions and draws the eye towards your subject.
Grids are your best friend. When opening your phone’s camera, you may notice a series of nine evenly-spaced lines on the screen. You may also notice the same grid when cropping an image or uploading it to Instagram: (Shot with iPhone 6 and edited with VSCO.)
This grid, usually a 3×3, is based on the rule of thirds. This is a key concept from photography. The rule of thirds suggests placing objects on the intersection points or along the lines for a more balanced composition. In the photo above, I use the horizontal lines to divide the water, the mountains, and the sky. I also used it to straighten the horizon line (where the water meets the mountains) so that it isn’t slanted compared to the bottom edge of the photo. Slanted lines that should be straight are distracting and should be avoided.
Consistency
Develop a visual style. Think of your feed as a whole. When you open an Instagram profile, photos are laid out as a grid that form one visual unit. Upon first impression, they aren’t seen as separate pieces but as a single mosaic of colours, shapes, and textures. To harmonize your feed, follow a colour scheme or similar levels of brightness. Think about whether you prefer warm vs. cool tones, or bright vs. muted colours. Will your feed be lively and fun, neutral and earthy, dark and moody, or airy and minimalist? Perhaps you prefer a #nofilter look with little editing. Whatever your style, keep in mind how a photo will flow with the rest of your feed. (This Instagram user opts for bright, airy photos with warm earthy colours.)
Mobile editing apps can help you achieve a style. You can correct the photo by adjusting the exposure, highlights, contrast, saturation, and other basics. I usually do this through VSCO or the Instagram app itself. Other apps include Snapseed, Adobe Photoshop Express, or your phone’s default photo editor. Filters are another way apply a certain look to several photos. I usually experiment with VSCO filters due to their customizability. However, steer away from over-editing. Use these tools to enhance, not destroy, your photo! Both VSCO and Instagram allow you to adjust the intensity of each filter, allowing a subtler effect.
Creativity
Experiment. Take pictures of rarely-photographed subjects. Take pictures of frequently-photographed subjects, but from a different perspective. A phone is lighter than a DSLR camera so it’s more portable when shooting different angles. Crouch, climb, walk forward/backward, or take a bird’s eye view. Play with perspectives! Also, don’t be afraid to break photography conventions. Not every photo must be confined to a 3×3 grid. These ‘rules’ are simply theory-based guidelines to compose an image. Breaking these conventions every now and then can produce creative ideas.
Be yourself. Let your personality shine through your posts. Instagram isn’t only for showcasing style, but also your personality and interests. Use it reflect who you are, what you like, and what you do. Stay genuine; don’t fake or exaggerate! Avoid comparing your feed to others’. Most people only showcase the best (not the whole) version of themselves. Despite the pressure to “do it for ‘gram”, remember that it is just an app and to enjoy life outside of it.