Instagram is a free app that makes mobile photography and sharing fast, beautiful and fun. Instagram is a story telling service and a global photography gallery, that brings together mobile photographers from around the world. Mobile photography can be a diary of moments and emotions, visual poetry and an easy, quick way to express yourself. With Instagram’s toolbox you can stimulate your creative genius by experimenting, creating and sharing your creations with people across the globe.
- Instantly enhance your photos with the Lux feature.
- Easily add beautiful vintage effects to your hurried snapshots for a more artful experience.
- Connect with your friends.
- Take part in a the global mobile photography movement to establish mobile photography as a new form of art.
- Have fun and stay motivated developing your artistic mobile photography.
Getting Started with Instagram
Sign up for an Instagram account, choose a username and add a profile photo, a biography and a link to your website. If you like you can set Instagram up to instantly share with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare, and Posterous. Add your friends from Facebook, Twitter or your iPhone/Android contact list.
Taking and Making Photos With Instagram
Instagram's Lux feature
- You can either snap photos with Instagram or use a photo from your camera roll
- In just one tap, Lux works its magic by making your photos more vibrant, sharp and detailed. Lux is especially good for backlit or low contrast photos. Use it with a filter or without.
- Optionally choose between elegant filters with a retro feeling
- Add or remove borders (use the icon at the top left)
- Save and share. Or to use Instagram to edit your photos without sharing them at that moment, or even at all, simply turn on Air Plane Mode in Settings. Now your edited photos will be saved to your camera roll instead of shared and you can still share them later on.
Advanced Instagram Photo Tips
Using Instagram
- Make your photos stand out by not using the filters in Instagram. Instead use other mobile photography filters/apps to edit your photos and then share your photos on Instagram
- Experiment with filter effects, by “layering” filters. Edit a photo that’s already been filtered: mobile photography Quick Tip: Use Multiple Instagram Filters
- Experiment with Tilt-Shift blur effects for extra depth of field.
- Use Instagram as a scrapbook, an artist’s sketchbook or to give a “behind the scenes” peek into your business.
- Learn new techniques at Instagram Tips.
- Get inspired by reading about the creative process of fellow Instagrammers in the series How I Shoot.
Taking Your Instagram Experience to the Next Level
- Be selective. Post your best photos.
- Don’t upload all your pictures at once. Some of your followers might miss your photos, especially those in other time zones than yours. Others might feel like you’re flooding their photo stream. Instead, try spreading out your photo postings over time.
- Check your newsfeed so you don’t miss the conversation.
- Participate in your own supportive community by connecting with other photographers and leaving likes and generous comments.
- Hashtags are a great way for others to discover your photos on Instagram. Here are some Instagram hashtag tips.
- Meet fellow instagrammers in your area. Instagram Meetups
- Participate in competitions and prompts like the “weekend hashtag project“
- View your Instagram photos on the web and analyze your progress with Statigram.
- Use Emoji to make your comments more creative
Turn Your iPhoneography into a Compelling Hobby
Get iPhone photography tips, and a free mini-course to awaken your slumbering creativity, right to your inbox. Join Club Marmalade Moon.
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By AG Ambroult February 10, 2012 - 6:54 pm
it’s funny, because I have had Instagram on my phone for a while now, but never really got “into” using it. I guess it’s just because I never knew too much about it. Thanks to this post, I’m going to explore it a little more, and maybe start taking part in that “global mobile photography movement!”
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By Kate February 10, 2012 - 10:07 pm
Amy, it took me a long time too, before I gave Instagram a real go. I was so fed up with social media and noise, but as soon as I tried it out I felt that it was so rewarding! Because it’s image driven, there’s very little noise. In Instagram everyone’s creating something, and everyone who uses it, both shares and takes something out of it personally – their growing photography skills!
I’d love to hear how it goes for you! In an erratic, almost shocking surprise move, I’m marmalademoon on Instagram, connect with me there if you like. :)
By Mousy Brown February 10, 2012 - 9:02 pm
Oh me too! I have it on my ipod but never really understood what to do – I will reading this post in great detail! xx
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By Kate February 10, 2012 - 10:09 pm
How exciting that you feel inspired, Mousy Brown! Like I just said to Amy, it took me a long time before I “got” the idea of Instagram too. I’m marmalademoon on Instagram, find me there if you like!
By Barry J. Wilson February 13, 2012 - 4:37 am
Thanks for this reliable tips on instagram, i think your one of the expert when it comes to instagram.
By Kate February 15, 2012 - 10:44 am
Thanks, Barry! :)
By jacqueline February 13, 2012 - 2:05 pm
Dearest sweet Kate, i don’t have instagram but i see alot of peepz uses it to share photos. :) These are really wonderful tips! Thanks so much for sharing. Have a lovely merry happy Valentine’s week and love to you!
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By Kate February 15, 2012 - 10:44 am
Thank you and a happy Valentine’s to you!
By Frank Kern February 14, 2012 - 10:38 pm
Thanks for the detailed write-up – I hadn’t even heard of Instagram (yes I do live in a cave) and had instead been doing the laborious iphone photo, upload to the well known photosharing site and maybe a little photoshopping if I wasn’t happy with the image.
Now, all done in one place, so thanks again, sorted!
By Kate February 15, 2012 - 11:11 am
Frank, I’m so glad you found this post helpful! That’s a great way of putting it, Instagram simplifies by handling a variety of different photo tasks. Like a Swiss army knife for your iPhoneography.
By Tracy February 16, 2012 - 11:41 am
Great lessons, Kate! My hubby just got iPhone 4 and lately installed Instagram…I can’t wait to test it out! ;o) Hope you’re having a LOVE-filled Valentine week, my friend ((HUGS))
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By wini February 22, 2012 - 3:38 pm
Hi Kate, thanks for this excellent write up about Instagram!! I LOVE creating photos using the apps. It is so quick and easy. Thanks for alerting me to the Lux feature. I cant find it on Instagram so it must be a new update. Its good to be able to increase clarity when needed. And the technique for adding multiple filters is also useful. Thanks again!
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