How Can I Take the Best Instagram Pictures on My Smartphone?

The key to taking fantastic pictures isn’t in the quality or price of your camera but lies in the skill of the one holding the camera. You may think you would need to take photography classes to be any good, but all you need to know are the fundamentals of a good picture.

Once you know what makes a good picture, you can pull from those qualities to make your own stunning images to gain followers on social media.

The best Instagram pictures all follow the basic principles of photography, so let’s dive into what those are.

Lighting

Pictures need to be well-lit to look good. This may seem like a no-brainer, but what is good lighting versus poor lighting?

The best lighting is natural light. The best use of natural light is in the morning or that “golden hour” of sunset. When the sun is right overhead you will have to work around bleached-out colors.

If you can’t avoid photographing outside in the middle of the day, wait for a bit of cloud cover. This helps diffuse the sunlight and create a softer look to your pictures.

Smartphone Tip: To combat overexposure, you can tap your screen to see a little yellow sun. When you slide your finger up or down, it adjusts the exposure to help preserve the colors you’re wanting to feature.

The Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds goes all the way back to the 1700s, when the English painter John Thomas Smith documented it as the best method for composition.

It may sound difficult, but simply put, the rule of thirds is breaking your desired picture into a grid of thirds both horizontally and vertically. Whatever you want to focal part of the image to be, center it on two bisecting lines either in the upper third or lower third.

Using the rule of thirds presents a more interesting composition instead of a perfectly centered picture.

Smartphone Tip: In the “camera settings” on your phone, you can enable “Grid,” which will overlay the grid lines to help you get a better understanding.

The Right Perspective

People expect pictures to be taken from a level perspective elevated several feet above the ground. That’s the way we see the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way.

The best Instagram pictures challenge the viewer to see things from new perspectives. When you photograph something from an unexpected perspective you give the viewer a surprise and a chance to see things a new way.

Smartphone Tip: By setting your camera to selfie mode and laying your phone flat is a great way to get a straight-up shot that you can preview and tweak to perfection.

Depth

Photography gives the viewer a window to see your world, and if your pictures come off flat, they will be scrolled past. Up your photography by creating space in your pictures. You can do this by backing up a little further than you were planning, or trying to capture a broader scope of your surroundings.

Smartphone Tip: You can create depth by using portrait mode or tapping on your screen to focus on your subject. Depth can be established by something out of focus in the background or the foreground.

Quantity and Quality

When taking Instagram pictures, one picture just isn’t enough. Your smartphone will have both a live photo and photo burst options. These are useful when photographing something with unpredictable movement because you can take several pictures quickly and choose the perfect shot.

The Best Instagram Pictures Develop Results

When you follow these Instagram photo tips, you’ll be sure to get more follows and earn a commanding presence on social media. Taking the best Instagram pictures is an important part of gaining more followers. This could take some time, though, and as your honing your photography skills, there are other ways to grow your audience.

Famoid.com is a safe, reliable resource that helps you gain followers in no time at all.

If you’re looking for more ways to grow your business or tips on marketing, check out our Business blog. We provide helpful insights and tips on everything you need to be successful.