20+ Experts Best Instagram Picture Tips

Don't worry about being perfect

For a long time, I worried about the perfect lighting, the most Insta-worthy backgrounds, etc. Instead, I should have focused on just posting and being myself. Most of my pics that I deemed to be non-Insta worthy did BETTER than the photos I obsessed over. Especially now, people want to see you.

Not a filter, not a perfect background - just YOU living your authentic life. Stop trying to make every picture perfect and instead be consistent and make genuine connections with your audience.

Make images multidimensional

Something I learned quickly when beginning my Instagram for Foolproof Living is that you want to do whatever you can to bring more dimension to these 2D images. Incorporating a variety of textures not only makes the picture more interesting but also pulls it out of the page and helps followers to imagine what the subject is like in real life.

When photographing food like myself, use garnishings to add another level, remove a bite to tell a story or take a spoonful to suggest movement in the shot. Keep image quality crisp and lighting clean so the different textures can shine through.

Create visually compelling content

You don’t have to have professional photography equipment (although it helps!), but you do need to have good lighting and your products need to be sharp images that really grab your audience’s attention. Ideally, they should tell a story. Ask yourself, “What am I trying to convey to our followers?” Once you have a message in mind, use your images to get that message across. This will ensure your customers are excited enough about your product to purchase.

The rule of thirds

One tip that I got to know very late when I started Instagram was the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds refers to the balancing of images. It divides the image into a 3x3 grid and aligns the image in the gridlines to create balance. It would have helped me grow faster as it makes the shot look professional.

Always post a picture of me, leave a comment,and follow someone

One of the tips I wish I knew is to always post a picture of me, leave a comment,and follow someone because the only thing other people see about my profile is the name and photo. People are left with the choice whether they are going to click on follow or not solely based on that photo. It is also necessary to keep the picture in high quality and alludes to the type of content you usually post.

One of the ways that my instagram account would have helped me grow faster is that I could have always engage with other people while on instagram, comment on their photos because is a great way to get positive response from them, I have to spend time giving valuable comment on other people's photos while glancing through the feed.

Less is more

The one tip that helped me was that, even though people say you should post on Instagram multiple times each day, this may not always be the best strategy. While brand recognition is beneficial, over-posting may be perceived as spam by your prospective followers, who may begin to lose interest in you. Furthermore, if you begin posting repeatedly and then start to slow down, your intended viewer's engagement levels may drop. If you can't produce high-quality images every day, upload less often. It's always preferable to share a few high-quality photos every week rather than a lot of low-quality stuff. The major problem with posting too much is that viewers lose interest in overly promotional blogs. When you keep getting email marketing posts from brands offering sales and discounts, don't all of us unsubscribe or even shift them to spam or trash? That is how viewers feel when we constantly push our brand down their throats with too much content. Hence, why I believe quality always surpasses quanity.

Get Creative With Angles And Reflections

Using reflections and playing with angles is one of my favorite methods to photograph. Consider yourself on a busy street. To get them both in the shot, you'd have to walk back, put on the wide-angle lenses, and try to squeeze them in while avoiding tourists. You could use your camera to capture the church's reflection in the building's glass windows if you turned it to the right. By doing so, you will be able to combine both topics into a single photograph, creating an intriguing scenario. To get recognized on Instagram, you must be unique. Most individuals try to take the easy way out by photographing everything that catches their eye.

Although there is nothing intrinsically wrong with such a method, a superior approach is slightly different.

Choose your brand first

Most people nowadays use social media platforms in their everyday lives. It became part of their everyday routine to check on their phones and update their social media accounts. Different social media platforms are existing on the internet. One of the most popular now is Instagram. Instagram is where users can post photos, videos, stories, and reels. Users could also communicate through direct messages with their friends. Some people utilize Instagram as well as part of their job, such as endorsing, trying on products, etc. These users make partnerships with brands and post their products to gain income. On the other hand, some users just post photos based on their likings or aesthetic. They choose a theme for their feed to make it pleasing to the eyes whenever someone visits their profiles.

In my experience as an individual who uses Instagram, my single tip when using Instagram is to choose your brand first. Decide what kind of content do you like to post on your account. There are different kinds of content to post, like fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, or fashion. Determine which content you would like to share with your followers. It is an easy way to gain followers.

Be consistent

When I started using Instagram, I lacked consistency in posting, content, and engaging my followers. I posted randomly with no apparent frequency and with total disregard of optimal hours. My content varied between posts, and I engaged my followers in some posts and snubbed others. On some occasions, I put up posts daily, while I would post once a week in other periods. I not only lacked consistency, but I also lacked commitment.

I have since learned that to make the most of Instagram, you'll need commitment and to form a pattern. You have to establish frequency when posting. Also, the Instagram algorithm pushes your post upwards if you are active for at least 15-30 minutes before and after posting. Hence my random posting did me no favors. By not engaging my followers every time, I lost the loyalty and following of some. Posting at non-optimal hours hindered my posts from getting as much attention and engagement as they should have. Additionally, diversified content ruined my chances of creating a niche following, as I would have with dedicated content.

Use photography composition rules

My life-hack for Instagram pictures is to use photography composition rules.. It's a simple and universal recipe on how to compose an appealing picture.. For example, according to the rule of three, you must divide your image into thirds and identify crossing points. Those are strong points: areas most likely to catch the eye. By placing the focal point of your photo there, you focus the viewer's attention on that part. Humans follow strong points unconsciously, so applying composition rules will help you stand out from the crowd of Instagram photos.

It's all about the visual

On instagram, it's all about the visuals. But you need to find what works for you. So first thing first, think about what aesthetic you want to present on your business instagram account, after that, you should focus on design branding guidelines so you can stay consistent. What is needed here is to pay attention to your color palette. I've seen some of the most successful instagram accounts tend to use a select color palette for their photos, assist them to crate a distinct style.

Text plays a huge role in every platform's content, so it's extremely important to also think about the font you are using and how it relates to your brand's message or other marketing material.

Having the natural lights in a photoshoot

As a blog editor and ambassador, one of the regrets I had before was not knowing the power of good lighting or having the natural lights in a photoshoot. Instagram indeed has a lot of filters to fill in the impurities in the photos but it is different to have good lights while capturing. This makes the photo look more natural and authentic, making it more convincing and engaging. Using this technique can attract more viewers and make them more hooked.

Build a perfect instagram bio

You should start with the right profile picture. You can decide whether it's a logo or a headshot, depends all on your businesses' feature. And next, write a great bio that tells the world what you do and why your prospect should follow you. If you want to develop personal brand, don't be afraid to throw in a few emojis to add some personality. However, do not overuse it, there will be chances that too many emojis can backfire you.

Make sure that you're communicate the right thing. You can change out your bio as often as you want, so ensure that you highlight the important information, your latest promotion. You can also mention another account when a user taps it as they will hop to the other account. Besides, a branded hashtag is a must to your bio. You can also use a tightly-niched hashtag where your content rules the top posts.

Use Hashtags Wisely

As you are undoubtedly aware, hashtags on social media, particularly on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, are a terrific method to participate in hot topics and discussions that allow you to get your business recognized.

However, this should not be interpreted as a license to utilize ALL of the famous hashtags that you come across. Remember that relevance and attention are essential in social media. This is a waste of time and a definite method to undermine your brand's reputation and professionalism. If you want to utilize hashtags in your posts, stories, or even your social media profile bio, make sure that they are 100% genuine to YOUR brand and help you emphasize your actual brand identity.

Look for creative ways to lure new followers

From experimenting with hashtags, posting times, and types of content, I am always looking for creative ways to lure new followers and optimize my Instagram account. But I used to set the worst profile pictures as it could have said that my choice was the worst. However, I knew that a profile picture is more crucial in grabbing anyone’s attention. Because of my poor image choice, I couldn’t attract more people. If I had considered it before, hopefully, I could have achieved more success. When you like a post, follow someone, leave a comment that things people see about your profile are your name and photo. I overlooked the high-resolution criterion of a profile photo, and consequently, the audience didn’t follow me back.

I started staying consistent with overcoming this issue and sustaining my journey beyond family and friends. I found a niche topic to post about and posted only without posting random things about my life. The consistency of posting things on Instagram must be daily. I have experienced things from my journey that if the account goes dormant, you will quickly lose followers. When it seemed monumental work to complete before the deadline, I planned out content or kept a reminder on my device to lower the issue of missing a post.

Split pictures horizontally

I love horizontal, panoramic, pastel-color-style landscapes. As a fresh Instagram user, I didn’t know how to adapt my preferences to mostly square cadres. I started to watch more experienced Instagrammers and finally, I found out how to show the pictures I like in an attractive, engaging way.

It’s splitting pictures horizontally. Thanks to this method I can easily present panoramic views. Here is an example of how I did it for Ksar Ait Benhaddou in Morocco:

Utilize rule of thirds & white space

In photography principles, the rule of thirds is a composition guide. Divide up your frame in three evenly-spaced vertical lines and three evenly-spaced horizontal lines. You’ll end up with a nine-part grid.. Where the lines intersect are where subjects in focus can be placed. This is an alternative to the perfectly centered shot.

For some photos, you may really want to isolate your subject. In that case, using the rule of thirds in combination with white space would create a powerful result.

You Should Storyboard Your Instagram Stories Ahead

You should maintain consistency on Instagram when building your account - especially when using Instagram Stories. Your content will be shared at the most convenient time for your audience when you schedule it with Later!

The Later app allows you to edit captions, link to YouTube, collaborate with your team, and visually plan and schedule Instagram Stories - a feature you won't find on any other marketing platform.

You will receive a notification on your mobile device when it's time to post.

You will be able to post your Instagram Stories within seconds after you click that button. Your stories will be downloaded to your phone, the captions and links will be copied to your clipboard.

Drive traffic to a third-party website.

People have the biggest problem with Instagram marketing because clickable URLs are not allowed anywhere except in your website box. In a photo caption, a URL appears as plain text, which means users have to copy and paste the URL into a web browser.

It is possible to sneakily get people to visit your Instagram profile, which contains a URL, by utilizing your photo captions in such a way that they are encouraged to click on the link. You should then update your URL regularly to point to your latest blog post, YouTube video, product, or offer.

Additionally, you can add links to your Story if you have a verified Instagram account. Here are more details about this feature.

Shoppable Posts let you sell products from Instagram

As you (or after) post new content on Instagram, you can tag people. You can now tag products and link them to product pages where viewers can buy what they saw.

Shoppable Instagram posts require an Instagram Business account. Select Edit Profile on your Instagram profile and tap Try Instagram Business Tools.

For product tags to work, your Instagram Business account must be enabled. On your profile page, click the gear icon and select Products. Tap Continue to create a product catalog for your business.

Your Instagram Business account now has the ability to tag posts with products you find in your product catalog.

Post your stories frequently

It is less permanent content, rather it is more in the moment content that you can post for your followers to see. The images come in both photos and videos, and they automatically disappear after 24 hours. You can see them at the top of the feed. Simply put, stories offer a more casual way to communicate, share, and interact with your followers.

Increasingly, stories are being integrated with other forms of social media.

You can easily add a tweet to your story if, for example, you use Twitter and find a tweet that resonates with you. Tap on the tweet, then select Instagram Stories. The tweet will appear in your story. (This feature is only available on iOS.)

Invest in professional photography

We’ve invested in professional photography for our business to be used in a number of places, including Instagram. This enhances our marketing strategy, is more appealing to viewers, and shows off our professionalism.

On Instagram, this type of impressive photography is a must if you hope to take your account to the next level. We’ve seen a steady rise in engagement and activity since we started posting better, higher-quality images. If you want to get more likes, followers, and make a bigger impact with your posts, then I believe you’ll have to spend money on getting professional photos taken!

Company branding

Company branding is a big part of our Instagram strategy. We want someone to recognize our content as soon as they see a post of ours and this is done through consistent fonts, colors, and layouts.

We follow a similar recipe for each post and if you look at our profile, you’ll see a consistent flow of branding that gels with our brand image. This is important to us, especially as UX designers who focus on helping our clients look good!

Unique theme attracts like-minded audiences

Instagram is one of those unique platforms where you can use your creativity and imagination to express things to your audience. Its a perfect tool to influence or build an image one would like to create.

Instagram is considered as one of the most competitive platforms where the users want to post unique things to stay superior and trending among other Instagram users.

As an entrepreneur, even I thought, I should be posting contents far better than others to stay in the trend. When I first started, I believed in shiny designs and templates for my Insta page. However, after using Instagram for a few months, I realized that your unique approach of presenting things and the actual ideas you communicate is the ultimate strategy to stay in limelight.

Today, I wish I knew before that these templates are not the actual reasons, but the unique theme or the idea is actually the factor that attracts like-minded audiences to your page. I have been able to promote my products and brand by giving some useful information to people who are actually interested and are in need of these tips. In this way, my posts have attracted thousands of followers to visit my page. Your Instagram followers are not just followers, but they are following your ultimate way of life or the idea that you share through your pictures and posts..

Learn about the Instagram algorithm

I wish I really know how crucial it is to comprehend how the Instagram algorithm works and how to utilize the system to grow your account. As per my experience, you should stick up to these factors so the Instagram algorithm analyzes your activities and boost the performance by picking out the audience for you.

• The interest of the account owner in posts and activities.
• Engagement with audience
• Consistency and timeliness regarding content
• How frequently an individual uses the Instagram app
• The most traffic-driving post.
• Account optimization. Is the information relevant to the niche stated

In addition to focusing on producing high-quality content, you also made sure to take care of all the other details that will help the account grow rapidly. Made some efforts to match the content with the account's niche. As it's so vital, visitors to your account will be disappointed if they see irrelevant content on your account's wall, and you'll lose your targeted audience as a result.

First understand the light

There are many photography tips and tricks which you can use to make them reach more people. To grow your Instagram account, you must first understand the light from where the object is exposed to. There are many different types of light for example background light, foreground light, sidelights, etc.

The best use of light in the objects or food photography is to expose the product sideways to the light. Try mixing up the angles so that there must be one perfect photo to be posted on Instagram. Try taking aligned photos with the grid so that you don’t have to crop them afterward. You should create space, use angles, use the layers to create a depth effect in your photos.

Is that you in that picture?

IG photos are very small and hardly noticeable unless people really do pay attention to it for any odd reason. However, for business purposes it's best to use a photo that is relevant to your business. Are you the face of your business? Use a good and professional headshot so you start branding your social media channel. If you hide behind a log (which is totally ok), then use that so people recognize your brand. In our case, we wanted something more raw and that shows the vulnerability in all of us, so the photo up until very recently was minimally edited. Lately however, we moved on to our logo for more of a branded content and look. Our business is about just being healthy and happy as fathers (single or otherwise), so I need to show that in our forefront, and look like something people will recognize on any social media platform.

According to Daniel Neale from Gadget-FAQs.com:

If you're looking to take your Instagram game up a notch, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll share our best tips for taking amazing photos that will get you likes, comments, and follows. First, let's start with the basics: 1. Find your light: Good lighting is key for any photo, but it's especially important for Instagram pictures. When taking a photo outdoors, try to find a spot where the sun is hitting your subject directly. If you're indoors, look for a room with lots of natural light. Avoid using flash whenever possible. 2. Use a filter: Filters can make all the difference in an Instagram photo. They can help to improve the overall look of your picture and make it more eye-catching. Experiment with different filters to see which ones you like best.

According to Ciuca Valeriu from Currency-Convertor:

• 1. Make sure your photos are high quality. This means they should be in focus, well-lit, and free of any unwanted blemishes or objects.
• 2. Choose an interesting subject matter. Your photos should be of something that will capture the attention of those scrolling through their feed.

According to Domantas Raulusevicius from Socceleb:

If you're new to Instagram, or simply looking to up your photo game, these tips will have you snapping the best photos in no time! 1. Find Your Aesthetic Before you start posting away, take some time to browse through other accounts and figure out what kind of look you want for your own feed. Do you prefer bright and airy photos? Vibrant and colorful snaps? Moodier tones? Once you've found a style you like, try to replicate it in your own photos.