Are you sick of taking the same old photos for your Instagram? Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get more creative with your mobile photography. Whether you want to make a big statement or tell a story through images, these tips will help inspire you to get out there and take some amazing photos that will wow your friends and followers.
Table of Contents
Turn your camera around and capture what’s behind you.
Turning your camera around to capture different views is a good way to try for your new Instagram ideas. You can:
- Use a selfie stick to get a wider angle.
- Try shooting from different angles, like below or above.
- Use the rule of thirds to make your photos more interesting.
- Experiment with different aperture settings for a shallow depth of field effect that draws attention to the subject in your shot (more on this below).
Learn how to shoot in manual mode.
- Set your camera to manual mode
- Adjust exposure by changing the shutter speed, ISO, and/or aperture (f-stop)
- Adjust white balance by selecting daylight or tungsten as your lighting source
- Adjust focus by zooming in on a specific part of the photo or making sure that both foreground and background are sharp (this can be done with refocusing after you’ve taken the picture)
- If necessary, adjust ISO so that it’s not too bright or too dark
Play with symmetry by putting devices in unexpected places.
Play with symmetry by putting devices in unexpected places.
Symmetry can be a great way to make your photos more interesting, and it doesn’t have to be used solely for balance. You can use symmetry as a focal point or even as a background element that doesn’t necessarily need to be centered in the frame (although it will be if you’re going for the most aesthetically pleasing result). Some examples of symmetrical objects include mirrors, staircases and architectural details like columns or arches.
Create patterns with the things you love.
This is a great way to make your photos unique, as well as showcase your interests and hobbies. For example, if you love flowers and hanging out at the beach, try taking photos of the sand forming patterns on a flower petal—or even using sand itself in place of the flower!
Another fun way to create a pattern is by arranging objects in an aesthetically pleasing way. This can be done with items from nature like leaves or rocks, but also by grouping together items that are aesthetically pleasing in some way—for instance: fruit slices set out on plates or flowers that have already been arranged in vases.
As long as it’s something meaningful to you or something that brings back happy memories, there are endless possibilities for this one!
Show off whatever you’re making in the kitchen.
If you’re the kind of person who enjoys cooking, Instagram is the perfect place to show off your food. It’s a great way to build an audience that appreciates what you do in the kitchen and will likely share their appreciation with others.
If you want to take photos like these, there are a few simple tricks that can help:
- Use natural light whenever possible—your photos will look better without having to rely on artificial lighting
- Consider using props like flowers or herbs instead of just leaving them on their own (they can add color and texture)
- Try using timers so that your camera isn’t set up with flash when taking pictures
Create a grid of photos for a larger impact.
A grid of photos is a great way to showcase a collection. Whether you’re showcasing your favorite things, places, or people, a grid will help you show off everything at once.
Step back to give yourself some space.
The Rule of Thirds is a compositional technique that divides your image into thirds both horizontally and vertically, like a tic-tac-toe board. When composing your shot, place important elements like people or objects near those lines or intersections. You can also use this method when taking photos of landscapes and cityscapes by aligning the horizon with the top two lines instead of dead center. By doing so, you’ll create more pleasing images that evoke a feeling of movement and vitality—and they’ll look great on social media!
Photograph your favorite meals in a new way.
For example, use your mirrorless camera instead of your DSLR camera (if you have one). This will give you more flexibility with the depth of field when shooting food photos, as well as live view to see exactly what is being photographed while it’s being shot! If you are using the flash on your camera, set it to forced flash instead of automatic flash so that everything looks natural and even in lighting conditions indoors or outdoors where there may not be sufficient light available for good photography quality results overall when taking photographs using an SLR Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera (DSLR) model such as those manufactured by Canon or Nikon etc…
Experiment with different creative portrait poses.
The best thing about Instagram is that it’s like a digital scrapbook, and you get to decide what goes in it. This means that you can put your own stamp on the platform. The only caveat? You’ve got to put some thought into what makes your posts stand out from the crowd.
One way to do this is by experimenting with different creative portrait poses—you know, those photos where people look directly into the camera and smile or frown for effect! If you don’t have experience taking selfies or photographing people (or animals), here are some ideas for how to take better photos:
- Pose yourself in an interesting location—like next to an interesting object or backdrop—and try looking into the lens while smiling at one corner of your mouth instead of fully smiling. This will make your face look more appealing while still maintaining a sense of mystery and intrigue in your photo!
- Use props like hats, scarves, glasses and other accessories if they help draw attention away from areas where other people might be focusing when looking at pictures online such as hair length/style (eek!). It’s also nice adding color contrast between backgrounds vs foregrounds so that colors pop more easily against each other without having too many competing colors within one shot location but rather just having one dominant color scheme throughout all three areas (i) background(ii) foreground(iii) subject matter(iv) lighting techniques etc…
Shoot on location at interesting places, like parks and alleyways.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, try shooting on location at interesting places. These don’t need to be far-flung locations—you can shoot in a park or alleyway right around the corner from your house. As long as it’s a place that has meaning for you, chances are good that it’ll also have meaning for your followers.
You don’t need professional models to get great Instagram photos!
If you want to create great Instagram photos, it’s not going to be easy. You can’t just take any old shot and expect it to look good—it takes a specific kind of photo that will grab people’s attention and make them want to keep scrolling through your feed.
But don’t worry! You don’t need professional models or photographers (unless those are things you enjoy doing). People are the best subjects for Instagram photos!
The key is making sure your subject has a personality. Even if they’re just sitting there with their eyes closed, if they have a funny expression on their face or something interesting in the background, then your picture will get more likes than usual because viewers will be intrigued by what they’re looking at.
Conclusion
We hope you have fun trying out these ideas for your next Instagram post. Remember that the most important thing is to have fun, experiment and keep it authentic!