5 Tips for Shooting Instagram Photos that Inspire

The appeal of Instagram is that you don’t have to be a professional to share beautiful photos. Everything you need to know, from composition to captions, can be summarized in five quick tips. Take a peek, and then get to sharing images that will inspire your followers.

Compose the shot.

If your camera has the option to display a 3x3 grid, use it as a rough reference. Keep focal points about a third of the way into the composition. If your subject is centered smack in the middle of the composition, the viewer’s eye may be bounced away from the overall design rather than drawn in. Also, pay attention to what’s in the background and try to avoid things like clutter and garbage cans. Yes, those things are there in real life, but that doesn’t mean they positively contribute to a great photo.

Get on the level of the subject of your photo.

This is especially true for photographing children. This may mean that you have to bend, crouch, or even lay on the ground to get that great shot. If you photograph subjects that are shorter than you at short range, the resulting image will make them appear even smaller than they are in real life. If the idea you’re trying to express is “rugrat” this might be a viable option, but if you want your kids’ brilliant personalities to shine, it’s best to be at eye level.

Pick a filter to bring out the best in your photo.

Apps like Instagram come with a lot of fun filters to give your photos different flavors. Don’t get stuck in a rut, though; a filter that works well for some photographs may not work at all for others. A lot of this just depends on the lighting of the photo. Flip through the available filters to try them out, and pay attention to which ones best emphasize the elements of the photo that you are trying to showcase.

Write a clever caption.

For comic effect, use some actual dialogue from the scene as a caption to tell a story about what’s going on in the photo. If you are going for a thoughtful or contemplative feel, find an appropriate passage or quote to pair with the photo. There may be times when a photo stands on its own and is better off without a caption. It’s okay to go without.

Use appropriate hashtags.

Using hashtags for comic effect is possible, but generally if you’re coming up with a hashtag that has no other associated posts on a platform, you’d be better off just adding a sentence or two to your caption. Stick with common high-level hashtags like #homeschool unless you’re really trying to start a trend. #ButWhatDoWeKnowWeJustMakeItUpAsWeGo.

Before you return to your own account, be sure to check out AOP on Instagram. We love to see what our followers are up to and provide a bit of inspiration throughout the homeschool day.