Apart from being almost everyone’s favourite social app, Instagram also allows us to live vicariously through the pages of influential posters. Many are the times that we ‘regular’ people look at the goofy selfies we take and wonder why can’t we look as classy as Rihanna’s on the ‘Gram. When travelling, you will inevitably get the urge to take some photos and share your experiences with your followers. The following 6 tips will help you take better Instagram photos than you’re doing.
Sit Pretty
The essence of taking Instagram travel photos is to show your friends and followers all the cool places you visit. Well, apart from also showing them how much fun you’re having and how good you look while you’re at it, you need to do it the right way. Anyway, always take travel selfies while sitting down so your audience can not only fawn over your perfect makeup but also have a great view of your background. Taking pictures while standing cuts out some potentially magnificent views, especially if you’re tall.
Horizontal Shots for Better Instagram Photos
As mentioned above, the key is to capture as much background detail as possible into your photos. This works better when your phone is in the horizontal position where the wider screen will capture more expansive views. Of course, when uploading to Instagram, you’ll need to crop and edit images in an upright position, but by then you’ll have more options. For one, you can crop the parts you think are not interesting or cut the picture into two pieces to reflect all of the captured backgrounds.
Ditch Your Phone
Yes, smartphone cameras have improved in quality and functionality over the last several years, but they’re still way behind mirrorless DSLR cameras when it comes to image quality. For one, DSLRs have faster shutter functions, larger fields of view and better lighting controls. You can always edit the images on your phone before uploading.
There’s a reason why all the celebrities and Instagram models hire professional photographers as opposed to merely whipping their iPhones out when they need to capture a moment. Using high-quality digital cameras is one of the Instagram tips for photos that many people are ignorant about, which explains why most people’s photos look cheap and shady.
Get Creative With Your Travel Photos
An ordinary picture of people walking on the street taken at an ordinary angle won’t get you much adulation, and shows lack of originality and creativity. Instead, always look for ways to spice up your snaps, however dirty and embarrassed you may get in the process. Do not be afraid to climb trees, lie down on the ground or get on top of buildings (with owner permission, of course) just to get the right shot. Don’t also hesitate to capture different views of scenarios you like. A bit of creativity can make your photos travel a long way in the ‘gram world.
No Shame in Using Editing Software
Sometimes, all it takes for your travel photos to look amazing is a few tweaks here and there, particularly the lighting and contrast aspects. For basic editing, the options on the Instagram posting dashboard will suffice. For that glossy, professional look, however, use specially-designed photo editing apps like Afterlight and Snapseed.
Lots of Research and Practice
Good photography skills are very rewarding, but they don’t come easy. You must be prepared to spend a lot of time on research and practice before you can develop an understanding of how to take better Instagram photos. Go through your favourite users’ pages and study their poses, their best angles and the various filters they use. Additionally, do some research on photography techniques, lighting and photo editing on Google and watch relevant how-to videos on YouTube. Most importantly, do plenty of research and look to improve every day.
