Photographs are emotional time machines: they transport us to places of which we’ve only dreamed, remind us of past experiences we long to recreate, and spark inspiration for future adventures. Read this article to know how to create the perfect Instagram images to bright your feed.
It is not the photographs themselves that stir up these emotions, but rather a the memories and aspirations we associate with them.
Instagram is a visual platform, so the best brands on Instagram understand the images they share are essential components to building their brands.
But beautiful images of their products aren’t enough.
Instead, great brands share their images on Instagram to create genuine connections between their products, and the requirements and ambitions of their followers.
Tell a Captivating Story
Instagram is such a perfect tool to create an emotional and compelling connection to your brand.
Instead of posting images that merely showcase your products, try to share images to evoke the feelings, dreams, and ideals you want associated with your brand.
Today, it’s fairly easy to compose and post beautiful images, but unfortunately, aesthetic beauty is not enough to be successfully marketable on Instagram.
The key to establishing a loyal and enthusiastic following is to use your Instagram images to tell a story that captivates and engages your followers and allows them to be part of the adventure.
Achieving both of these goals — composing beautiful images and sharing them in an engaging and emotional way —takes some work. However with preparation and attention, you have the potential to organize a dazzling feed that will keep your followers scrolling.
Preparing Your Images for Instagram
There are four ways that your images can help or engage your followers. They can:
- Educate your followers
- Entertain your followers
- Assist your followers in solving a problem
- Motivate or inspire your followers
To attract attention, be sure that your images tick at least one of the five categories below:
- Timely or topical: publish information about an upcoming event or festival that connects to your following
- Trending: post the type of content that is currently hot and trending on Instagram
- Original: post unique and imaginative content to set yourself apart
- Snackable: post content that is easily digestible, I mean they’re simple to understand while your followers scroll their feeds
- Actionable: include a call-to-action in your post, directing your followers to like, share, or comment on your image
Instagram Themes
To curate an appealing, cohesive feed, it’s important to select a consistent style for your posts. From crisp minimalism to bold and colorful, there are thousands of accounts you can draw inspiration from.
Here are some examples:
Minimalism
Black and white
Colorful
Collage
Staging and Composing Your Images (1)
Now that you’ve decided on the style and emotion of your images, it’s time to introduce some basic photography tips to help you compose visually-appealing images that fit the tone of your account.
Size
Instagram images are 1080 x 1080 pixels. Instagram then resizes the images to 612 x 612 pixels, which display in users’ feeds as 510 x 510 pixels. On Instagram, quality is more important than quantity, so keep in mind that you should post photos that are at least 1080 x 1080 pixels. If you’re tempted to share smaller pictures, it’s better to do so on other social media platforms.
Color Scheme
When choosing a color palette, keep it simple. Share photos that use only a few main colors. These colors should remain consistent throughout your feed.
Design seeds is a great place to find inspiration for your color palette. In addition to this, you can also use Coolors.
Lighting
The best photos are taken in bright and natural light. If you’re outside, avoid shooting in direct sunlight. The best lighting conditions exist in early morning, early evening, and overcast days.
Image by Felix Russell Saw
Image by Chirobocea Nicu
Subject
The rule of simplicity also applies when choosing a subject. Some of the best shots feature a single, appealing subject. Because your photo will feature just one subject, it’s worth spending extra time to stage and restage the shot to ensure that you capture your subject from the most interesting perspective.
Image by Kelly Sikkema
Image by Ronald Cuyan