Congratulations, you’ve mastered the art of taking Instagrammable photos! But, your journey towards creating an eye-catching Instagram feed doesn’t end there. To truly put personality into your posts and make your feed unique, consider learning to edit photos like a pro. 

Here are some tips to get you started. 

A great Instagram post starts with a great foundation — your photo! 

When it comes to editing photos, keep in mind that you can only do so much for a picture. No amount of editing could fix a photograph that wasn’t shot well. So, take time framing that shot, planning how you want it to look, and making sure all elements are in place before you click snap! You can read more about how to take amazing photos with your smartphone here.

Make the Most of Instagram’s Editing Tools

A common misconception about editing photos for Instagram is that you need pricey third-party apps to create amazing images. The truth is, the platform’s editing tools are enough for newbies —and even pros. You just have to learn to use them well. 

Choose Your Filter Wisely — Filters set the overall mood of your photos. Depending on what you want to achieve, you may choose filters with a yellowish or orangey look for a warm mood. A bluish hue typically results in a cool mood. You can also select grayscale or an analogue type of filter. This will make your photo look like it was taken with an analogue camera — all with grains and (sometimes) light leaks. 

Adjust Your Settings and Framing — Sometimes, you need to do more than just use a filter to achieve what you’re going for. To adjust your photo’s settings, click the Edit option beside the Filter option. From there, you can crop, straighten, or modify the angle of your shot. You could also play with brightness, contrast, structure, colour, saturation, and warmth. 

Do you need to do more than just throw in a filter and adjust your settings? No problem! 

Pick an App and Get Familiar With It

You’ll find many options for editing your Instagram photos. Some even allow you to post directly from their app to Instagram, which is excellent, so you won’t have to switch apps! 

Before getting an app, decide what exactly you need a photo-editing app for. What do you need that you don’t get from the Instagram editing tool? 

If you’re looking to erase or delete elements on your photo, for instance, consider using Adobe Lightroom Mobile. Its healing tool lets you remove any part on your photo. Simply select the section, and the app will do the rest for you. Additionally, it has a selective adjustments tool, which you can use to enhance any part of your photo.

Another thing you could do to edit your photos like a pro is to add elements, like a light leak, ray of light, shadows, and even stars. Many apps are now offering these functions to help you create even more attention-grabbing photos. 

So, try a few editing apps, and see which works best based on your needs and editing skills. Just a word of caution, though, it can be really fun experimenting with photo-editing apps. Have fun with them, and go make the IG feed of your dreams!  

Not sure if you can do it on your own? No problem, we can help. Get in contact here for more information on our social media services and coaching.