I truly believe you don’t need to be a stellar photographer for your photos to stand out on Instagram. And yes, as a photographer, I’m admitting to this. Photography is my life and I love everything about it, but not everyone has a passion to pick up a camera and compose a great photo.
I think we get wrapped up in the illusion that either we need to be a photographer or hire a photographer to be seen and noticed on Instagram. This is so untrue!
Have you ever caught yourself admiring someone’s account because their grid looks amazing or they have a certain color palette picture after picture? Have you found yourself asking, “How did they do that?”
I’m going to spill the beans on some Instagram design magic right here!
It’s all in the apps! Choosing the right app to enhance your photo is key, but remember, be consistent!
6 Best Editing Apps for Instagram
- Lightroom CC – Created by Adobe, Lightroom is the app to adjust the exposure, highlights, shadows, tints, vibrance, texture and clarity. The app has some presets, but I’d stay clear of those because they tend to be a bit dramatic and will make your photo appear fake or tampered with. You want to make subtle adjustments while maintaining the photo’s original quality.
- VSCO – Ever wonder how some Instagram accounts have a certain filter/look applied to each picture throughout their grid no matter where they took the photo (cityscape vs. in the home)? They probably applied a VSCO filter! To find your perfect look (bright and airy, vintage, golden), search Pinterest for VSCO filter codes. Once you upload a photo to VSCO and apply the codes (saturation, exposure, grain increments), you can copy/paste the code to each picture. Simple!
- Facetune – Selfie! Facetune is probably one of the easiest apps to make the adjustments to your face and skin. Zap that zit or hide those bags under your eyes. I recommend uploading your selfie to Facetune, click RETOUCH, choose auto. This usually does the trick to simply brighten someone’s face and even out skin tone. The app also has a lot of filters, but be forewarned! Some filters can be very dramatic and make the face look fake. Nobody wants to look like Barbie. You do have the option to click on a filter and control the intensity. Have fun with it.
- WordSwag – Perfect to put quotes or taglines on your photos.
- Canva – Visual branding is definitely an important component when it comes to posting on social media. This platform is perfect to create branding graphics. Tip: design your graphics first on a desktop, then you can download the app, sign in and access your graphics from your phone. When you’re ready to upload a new photo, use the app and download the graphic right to your mobile device.
- Photofy – in addition to Canva, this app is perfect for quick collages! The templates make it super easy to use and it’s fun!
In addition to these amazing apps, I have free stock photos to help you post with ease on Instagram. Ready for more? Check out Boss Lady Insider, a lifestyle stock photo subscription that saves you time, helps you build momentum in your business and ultimately gives you social media confidence!
