Ten photography tips to improve your Instagram feed

Instagram is undoubtedly the new home of infinite visual treasure. The app actually revived people’s interest in Photography. Dan Rubin, co-founder of The Photographic Journal says about Instagram,

“I loved it right away and it made me shoot every day. I think the ease of sharing instantly made me feel like taking pictures wherever I went.”

Every day, almost 160 million new photos are uploaded on Instagram. Of course, not all of them are equally engaging or visually strong. What makes an Instagram photograph worthy enough of the audience’s attention? How to capture an eye-catching image while doing everyday phone photography? The formula for amazing Instagram photography is very basic. One just needs some fresh perspective and a few upgraded techniques to draw a large number of followers. Here are some photography tips and tricks to polish your skills and improve your Instagram feed

Give some depth to your image

The technique to keep the focus on your subject is adding depth in the image. Make the subject stand out by adjusting the contrast between the subject and the backdrop. The more contrast you will add from the foreground, the better will be your image, making the subject more prominent.

It is probably the most used Instagram technique to add details in the frame. While taking a picture, see if there is something in the foreground which you can add for better and interesting details and hide any unwanted negative space.

Now there are many other techniques to add depth to a picture. Some of them are playing with perspective:  Look out for any object or building that is providing an interesting perspective adding depth to it. This method is related to how artists use their perspective when they want to reflect depth in their sketches.

Here in this image, foreground has been used to make a contrast with the background. The only thing in focus is the subject creating marvelous depth of field.

Rule of thirds

Rule of third is one of the most basic ground rules to get your composition right. Keep in mind how you want to compose your subject so that it remains the focus of the picture. Always imagine the grid when you are taking the picture. Decide how you want position the subject to create the perfect outcome of the rule of the third

It depends on the size of the subject as well. Larger the subject, more likely it is to put them on the intersection of the grid like the image given above. But as the subject gets smaller, the trick is to place them on the farthest edges of the grid. In this picture below for example, Maxime is positioned at the extreme edge of the image to create more a sense of expanse for the background.

Play with symmetry

Symmetrical photographs naturally draw more attention than the rest. In your daily routine, look out for the frames which reflect symmetry. If you don’t find them naturally, at least try to make one. Symmetrical photos aren’t easy to capture but they are worth the effort. Moreover, Instagram’s square frame is the best medium to exhibit your symmetrical photographic vision. It’s a ‘made for each other’ combination.

 The Instagram user (pketron) has more than 834,000 followers. He says,

“In order to capture the symmetry in a scene, you have to centre yourself, make sure all your lines are straight, and be a perfectionist when it comes to your square crop”.

Keep in mind that symmetry does not have to be balanced or necessarily in geometric shapes. There can be many interesting compositions reflecting symmetry in their own way.

Take a look at this image below for example, the reflection of beach is creating a rare symmetry on the horizon line. Scenes like these give you a perfect chance to capture unique symmetrical visuals which immediately draw attention.

Use Diagonals

Diagonal principle is another basic technique of creating a marvelous composition. It is actually about creating a sense of balance by equalizing the vertical and horizontal elements in the image. Try to experiment with the diagonal lines every now and then to click some interesting images for your Instagram feed.

Here for example the chocolate bar in the foreground is blurred, while the horizontal screen is in focus putting emphasis on the announcement of our new website.

Lead the eye

In the language of photography, leading lines are the imaginary lines that draw the path of attention for the viewer’s eye. However, it is difficult to work with these lines in the square images due to the lack of space (still, it can be done, depending on the nature of the subject). Also, to make things a bit easier the use of stretching foreground into background can be done to maintain these lines.

Use empty space

Simplification is the new black on Instagram and there is a reason for that. The square box in which Instagram images are displayed, is small. There is hardly any place to position multiple subject without making the picture ‘confusing.’ Therefore, try keep things clear and simple in your images. Make the right use of positive and negative space. In fact, keep a little more of the negative space so your images could reflect a balanced out composition. 

One message per picture

Instagram has become a medium of storytelling. Therefore, it is necessary to deliver one message at a time in an image, one powerful story. Too many subjects make the picture crowded and complex. It adds confusion for the viewer who then fail to understand the purpose of the photograph. Therefore keep your pictures simple, with a single clear message.

While capturing a candid action in an event, one must make sure the context is clear for the audience. In this picture for example, the image reflects complete focus on the two subjects, even the background is blurred in order to highlight the importance of the action or the story.  

Play with shadows

The right use of light and shadows can enhance the soul of your photographs on a greater level. Shoot at the golden hour when the sun rises or sets, creating beautiful hues in many directions. To capture the perfect picture of in golden hours, you must have an understanding of Chiaroscuro. The concept was used by painters and photographers who worked upon the variation of light and dark.

Highlighting the details with darkness and light is a skillful art. Something all photographers love to do. The secret, however, is to hide the unwanted detail in the dark and emphasizing on the textures more.

Edit your picture. Really.

No matter how perfectly you have clicked a photograph. It still has the capacity for improvement by editing. The modern editing tools are easy to use, quick and honestly, give magical results. Even the dullest images can be transformed into something exceptional by a little help of the editing tools.

App stores are literally filled with all the latest photo editing apps. You need to decide which app works best on your phone. Moreover, which editing app has suitable filters for Instagram. On the other hand, the feature of filters, modern editing apps have a lot of other tools which you can upgrade the quality of a picture. For example, the snap tool which can remove any unwanted object from the frame, and lighting options by which you can vary the exposure of an image.

Some of the best editing apps to edit your Instagram pictures are listed below:

• Adobe Suite (Lightroom, Sparks, Photoshop)
• Snapspeed
• Autodesk Pixlr
• Darkroom

Break the rules

It is important to know the rules. It is even more important to know when to break them. Creativity has no boundaries. Instagram gives you infinite opportunities to experiment with your photography and see what works best.