Fellow Instagrammers, let’s admit it — we’ve all creeped on those accounts with creative and eye-catching feeds and wondered how we could jazz up our own. The good new is that you don’t have to be a professional photographer with an expensive camera and an art degree to master an attractive 'Gram feed.
I've stalked (#sorrynotsorry) some of my favorite Instagrammers and put together six tips you can try that will add some energy to your Instagram.
Work that Angle
The first part in vamping up your Insta is the actual picture-taking part. Step out of your comfort zone and get creative. Take photos of things you love and things you find interesting. Always take pictures straight on? Try taking is from above or from the side - and always try to take it on a clean or popping background for an extra pop!
Brighten it Up
I’m going to state the obvious: Perfect lighting is not a 24/7 deal. There are plenty of great apps (Afterlight and VSCO, for example) that let you brighten up your photos, alter the contrast, boost color and more. For a cohesive feed, edit your photos with the same techniques.
Plan Ahead
It's not always easy to plan out your posts .... especially if you are a day to day type of person and just pictures as you go (like I do). So while this may take a little extra time and brain power, it’s definitely worth it. Download a picture collage app (I like Diptic), and select the 3x3 layout (nine photos). This should look fairly similar to an Instagram feed and will allow you to rearrange photos so you can get a sense of what your photos will look like next to each other before posting.
A helpful guideline for this is alternating between close-up detail shots, pictures of people and landscape photos.
Ditch the Borders
Before Instagram allowed full-size portrait and landscape photos, I was all about fitting my pictures with a border to preserve the entire photo. Landscape or portrait, I was slapping a border on it. Now, you’re able to post the original photo while your feed displays the traditional, square-cropped version. This adds an overall cohesiveness to your feed and doesn’t look messy with a variety of bordered photos.
Cut Down on Pic Collages
I'm a fan of picture collages because you're able to include a few photos in one post. However, too many can look busy. Try to use them sparingly, and select photos that have similar lighting and content. More than three photos in one collage can be a tad overwhelming, so focus it on a few of your favorite photos.
Settle on a Theme
One of the key elements of a pretty Instagram is consistency, so think big and pick a theme that will give your feed cohesiveness. If you’re going for a clean, minimalistic look, you’ll want plenty of negative space (sky, walls, blank canvas) in your photos along with color continuity. Photos with lots of white make for clean photo feeds. Maybe you’re into bright and airy photos, in which case you'll want to boost up the exposure. Whatever look you’re going for, try to keep it uniform for at least nine photos before switching things up.
