A Guide to Crafting the Perfect Instagram

Have you ever stumbled upon someone's Instagram account and simply loved everything they posted? It's not out of pure coincidence that you like every photo, it's because they have a thought process behind every post. When you first click on a new profile, the first thing you see is the grid. If the grid flows well and is visually appealing you'll most likely hit that follow button, right? As a blogger, Instagram is where I spread the word about new posts or updates so it's important for me to have the perfect profile. And by no means is my feed perfect, but I am working on it haha. But whether you're a brand, blogger or doing this for fun there are a few things you should keep in mind when crafting the perfect grid.

Be Picky

If you're not 100% about a photo then don't post it. Instead, share that photo on Facebook or Twitter because one image can make or break your grid. If the photo isn't clear or is blurry toss it!

Find Inspiration on Instagram

What kind of photos do you like to take? What kind of photos do you like to look at? What accounts are your favorite? There are so many Instagram styles out there that it’ll be easy for you to find the perfect theme that suits your personality. When finding inspiration it's important to look for one that best matches who you are or who your brand is.

Instagram: @sincerelyjules

Instagram: @asrth

Taking the Photos

Now that you found a theme you want to go for, keep that in mind when taking your photos. Thinking about your theme before you take the photo will help you because you won't have to hope whether the photo fits into your overall theme. If you like minimal photos, then taking your photos in natural light and with white backgrounds will suit you best. Personally, I like photos that incorporate blue, pink and white backgrounds or objects. When I take my photos I try to incorporate those colors in my them so my Instagram feed stays consistent and flows well.

To stay consistent take your photos the same way you take all of your photos, using the same angles, the same camera, etc. Natural light is always best and try not to use flash. Instead, take advantage of those daylight hours.

Editing

I like to edit my photos on Photoshop before I use an editing app. I use Photoshop to adjust the contrast, brightness and color specs. But my go-to editing app is VSCO. I take the same steps to edit every single photo. First, I edit on Photoshop, add the filter (and yes I use the same filter every time), re-adjust brightness & contrast on VSCO, lastly, I lower the saturation. Using the same editing process in every photo allows for consistency and an aesthetically pleasing grid.

The problem with using various filters and editing processes is that your grid will look messy and will give off the message that you don’t have a consistent brand in place.

Instagram: @rachesilva96

Instagram: @ariellevey

Bonus Tip: Use UNUM to plan out your grid.  This free app looks just like the Instagram grid and allows you to see how images look in your grid before posting them.