In a world ruled by social media, it’s important to evolve with current trends and changes in algorithms. Companies and even bloggers rely on their platforms to represent who they are as individuals and as businesses. I believe that having the right filters, content, consistency, and theme for your Instagram is critical to get noticed.
For the longest time, I researched for different ways to step up my Instagram game up a notch. I’ve also become more selective when it comes to my pictures. Why is this important? Think about what impressions you get when you visit your favorite store. Is it tidy and clean? Is it messy? How are your favorite products being displayed? Are they visually appealing? The same thing is applied online. Since people can’t physically see the item, it’s important to capture their attention with stunning pictures and creative content.
If you are looking to switch things up on Instagram, then you’ve come to the right place. The first question you need to ask yourself is, what type of theme am I going for? I would do a little research and start saving some of your favorite Instagram feeds. That way, you can refer to it and get some ideas.
Once, you’ve figured that portion out; then the rest is quite simple. Before getting started, I want to say that you don’t need to spend a fortune on programs to edit your photos. If you’re just starting out, start small. Trust me, your phone is all you need. Half of my pictures have been edited and taken on my iPhone Plus. It’s all about having the right applications and the perfect pictures. So, with that being said, are you ready? Let’s do this.
1. Snapseed
I discovered this application through another blogger, and I’ve been using it for a over a year. With this application, you can enhance your wardrobe outfits, change the saturation, brightness, and contrast by simply selecting a portion of the picture and adjusting the settings. Here’s an example:
BEFORE
Look closely to the red dress above. The color isn’t as vibrant as the one below. As you can see, sometimes pictures don’t capture the object’s true color, which is why, I enhanced the color and brought it as close as possible to its original color in the picture down below. It’s a subtle change, but it makes a significant difference.
AFTER
2. VSCO
I recently started using this application (I know I’m a little late in the game), and I love it. I’ve been trying to add more whites to my photos and this app has helped me achieve my dream theme. Take a look at the picture down below:
Day and Night, right? The filter used here is Q1. Once you’ve selected your desired filter, you can make all the adjustments in the filter’s settings.
In the picture above, I wanted my background to have whiter tones, more brightness, and light. When I first took this picture (see darker picture), I placed it in an area where there was minimal sunlight, which would explain the darker tones. I played around with the settings in Q1 and adjusted it to my liking. I was pretty happy with the results. I recommend using Q1 with lighter tone objects and lighter settings for better results.
THIS IS WHAT THE APPLICATION LOOKS LIKE
Buildings in San Fransisco
The following picture was taken at the L.A Zoo. For this example, I’m still using the VSCO application but using a different color scheme and filter. The filter used is A5, which is a dark tone filter. Personally, I didn’t like the background in the original picture, so I made it darker and focused the attention on the flamingo’s in the front (see after picture).
Before
After
3. FaceTune
Another great application is FaceTune. Similar to Photoshop, I can edit any blemishes and even smooth out my face (just a little) to give it that flawless look. See the example down below:
Before
After
Again, it’s a subtle difference but you can see the changes in my skin and the mole on my left arm. Can you see it?
4. ColorStory
ColorStory is one of my favorite applications because it allows the user to change from different filters, color schemes and ability to add more flare and a bokeh twist to any photo. Check out the examples down below:
Before
This is the original photo
After
FLASHES OF DELIGHT | EVELYN
BOKEH AND FLARE EFFECTS
What do you guys think? As I mentioned, you don’t need to spend a fortune on applications such as Photoshop to make your photos pop with color and life. I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks
-Dawn
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