Issues 13th March 2015 by Victoria Stokes

5 Hot Tips For Taking The Perfect Instagram Photo

Your Instagram game's about to get real good. Here's how to take your IGs to the next level.

We confess; here at STELLAR we’ve got a major Instagram addiction. We love snapping our fave new beauty products, ‘gramming pics from our shoots, and sharing some deadly #inspo, but there’s a knack to taking the perfect photo. Here’s a few of the tricks we’ve picked up along the way.

Light it right

The most important element in your photo has gotta be lighting. Aim for natural light and no flash for the best visuals. A key trick? Tap on the darkest area of your photo. It will add the most light into your lens and brighten up those darker shadows in your image. Taking a selfie? Stand in front of the window so your face gets the natural light and makes you look extra beaut.

Keep it simple

The rule? Clear any clutter and opt for a neutral, bright surface to keep the image clean. You don’t want anything too busy or it will detract from the object of your photo. After all, if you’ve got half of all your belongings in the background, how are we gonna see your deadly new mani or fabulous new handbag? The exception? If your snapping a city scape or a bustling town centre, busy is better.

The rule of thirds

Here’s a sneaky trick to make your shot stand out. When you take your photo line it up with the horizontal and vertical lines that divide the screen into thirds. Placing the object of the photo (e.g. Your morning latte) along the intersections of these lines makes the photo more visually interesting. It’s a simple photography trick to get you more likes. You’re welcome.

Edit it

So what if your snap didn’t turn out quite as planned? There’s a lot you can change with a little photo-editing know how. A few cheeky tweaks to brightness and contrast can make a huuuge difference to your snaps, while adding text or frames can make it really unique. Apps we love are Photo Editor By Aviary, Snapspeed and InstaSize.

Find a filter

Filters are a girl’s best friend, and the ones that we like most? Nashville and Valencia, ’cause they add extra light in to the frame. Steer clear of anything that adds nasty shadows into your snap and opt for a filter that makes the colours pop. You’ll know instinctively when you see the right one. The key rule though? If it doesn’t need a filter, don’t add one. Some snaps are just beaut on their own. Permission to post #NoFilter, granted.

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