Top tips to get your Insta looking lush
Let’s be honest – these days, Instagram is way more than holiday snapshots and photos of your breakfast. And if you do post either of those things, they’ll be perfectly posed with lovely lighting and a beautiful backdrop. The things we do for the ‘gram!
If you want to up your Insta game and get your grid looking gorgeous, there are a few quick and easy ways to make your pics pop. Here are our top tips…
Consider composition
The first step to a successful Instagram feed is taking a great photo. And that doesn’t mean you need a fancy, expensive camera – it’s all about setting up the shot. Whether you’re armed with a DSLR or just your phone, take a few seconds to frame your photo, considering where the focus point is and what you want the eye to be drawn to. The rule of thirds is useful for creating an interesting shot – split your frame into three and position the main subject off-centre in the left or right ‘third’.
Find a theme that fits
All the biggest and best Instagrammers stick to a certain theme – some go for bright and colourful shots, others like the vintage look and many keep it black and white. Having a theme for your photos makes them instantly recognisable and gives your grid great cohesion. Look at the last few photos you took – is there something similar about them? Are you drawn to bold shots or do you prefer soft, romantic scenes? Choosing a theme that fits the kind of thing you photography makes it more natural and easier to stick to.
Edit, but not too much
The days of harsh filters and stark contrasts are over – subtle editing is now the name of the game. On apps like VSCO, you can choose pre-set filters that suit your style and then tweak the exposure and temperature, straighten, crop and add or reduce shadows.
Utilise hashtags… in the comments
You’ve got your shot, it’s edited to perfection and you’ve just thought up the best caption… why ruin your post with a load of spammy hashtags? Hashtags are great for increasing your visibility, but they do ruin the aesthetic a bit. Luckily though, your hashtags will still work if you stick them in a comment under your pic instead of in the caption itself, so you can hide them away but still reap the rewards of using them. Result!
Follow other IGers for inspiration
There are so many beautiful accounts to follow on Instagram, from fashion to food and everything in between. Keep your feed curated so you only see things that inspire and interest you, and don’t forget to double tap and comment to share the love – being an active member of the IG community is the best way to grow your following!
Here are some of our fave people to follow:
@hannahfgale for fashion inspo that works for real life
@annestreetstudio for photography and creativity from Provence, France