{"id":5908,"date":"2018-07-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/?p=5908"},"modified":"2020-04-02T05:35:43","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T19:35:43","slug":"how-to-up-your-insta-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/tips\/how-to-up-your-insta-game\/","title":{"rendered":"How to up your Insta game in 8 steps (without a DSLR)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Instagram is easy to use, but a lot harder to master. Here are eight ways to up your holiday-snap game without shelling out on an expensive DSLR.<\/p>\n

1. Get inspired<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Follow other Insta users that inspire you and remember that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. @CanonAustralia<\/a>, @NikonAustralia<\/a> and (your fave) @Wotifcom<\/a> are great places to start \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

2. Think composition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the easiest ways to improve your pics is by changing up the composition (aka: layout) of your photos. There are two well-known \u2018rules\u2019 that will help you out:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> The Rule of Thirds. Pretty self-explanatory \u2013 this rule recommends that the focus of your pic should be at the intersecting points of an imaginary 3 x 3 grid. Your camera might even have a grid-view setting to help you visualise this while taking your photos.<\/p>\n

This pic plays by the Rule of Thirds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n
See? This grid proves it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

2.<\/strong> If you really want to go next-level and spiral<\/em> out of control, read up on the Fibonacci ratio. It\u2019s a mathematical principle that many believe explains why all our favourite paintings and photos look so good.<\/p>\n

Just a cute pic of a donkey…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n
..or a cute pic of a donkey that\u2019s also a work of mathematical genius?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

3. Stay golden<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The \u2018golden hour\u2019 is the time just before and just after sunrise and sunset (but, let\u2019s be honest, holidays are for sleep-ins, so for us it\u2019s just sunset). Dusk is an incredibly special time of day, especially when the weather is great, so make sure you\u2019re out making the most of it. As well as taking pics, it\u2019s the perfect time to enjoy a rooftop cocktail or go on a scenic expedition.<\/p>\n

Or do all three.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/div>\n

4. Go manual<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Phone cameras have a come a long way, and most these days have a \u2018semi-professional\u2019 mode where you can adjust things like shutter speed, focus settings, white balance, colour balance, and ISO (how sensitive your lens is in darker environments). Don\u2019t be overwhelmed by the choices \u2013 you don\u2019t have to change each one every time you take a pic (unless you really want to!). Generally, I\u2019ll choose a preset tone balance that captures the colours the way I like. If the white balance isn\u2019t very forgiving (usually when it\u2019s cloudy or if I\u2019m under fluoro lights), then I\u2019ll manually adjust the white balance as well.<\/p>\n

5. Edit<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Instagram has some great in-app editing options. Not sure what they all mean and do? I\u2019ve got you.<\/p>\n

\u2022<\/strong> Balance your exposure (how much light you want to hit your camera lens) and luxe it up with the Sun<\/strong> icon<\/strong> at the top of the screen.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Choose a Filter<\/strong> from the options below your pic (if you wish). Don\u2019t be afraid to pick one that overdoes it \u2013 if you tap it twice, you can tone it back.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Go to Edit<\/strong>. Go directly to Edit. Do not pass Next. Do not collect $200. Tapping Edit will unlock some extra tweaks you should definitely make the most of, like…
\n\u2022<\/strong> Adjust<\/strong> will help you make sure that horizon line is perfectly straight (handy, as we generally don\u2019t want to make our audience feel seasick \ud83d\ude09).
\n\u2022<\/strong> Brightness<\/strong> and Contrast<\/strong> are pretty straightforward. They help make the light and dark areas pop.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Structure<\/strong> brings out detail you didn\u2019t even know was captured in the image.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Warmth<\/strong> lets you adjust the tone to warm it up or cool it down, which is helpful if you didn\u2019t adjust the white balance when you took your original photo.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Saturation<\/strong> lets you make those colours really pop, or you can de-saturate to flatten your colour curves. If you want to fully de-saturate and go completely black-and-white, make the most of your Structure, Highlights, and Shadows\ud83d\ude0a
\n\u2022<\/strong> Colour<\/strong> is a tough one to master, but it will let you \u2018wipe\u2019 a colour over your highlights or shadows. Try to choose one that will complement your pic, like purple over the shadows in a sunset, or green over the highlights in a rainforest. A double-tap will let you scale that colour wipe right back or take it to the max.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Fade<\/strong> is another straightforward one and can sometimes be helpful when you\u2019re at risk of over-editing to the point of \u201cThis must be a fake photo!\u201d
\n\u2022<\/strong> Highlights<\/strong> and Shadows<\/strong> help bring out the focal details.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Vignette<\/strong> overlays a soft, dark shadow from the outside in. It\u2019s best used when the focus of your pic is in the middle of your composition.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Tilt Shift<\/strong> is one of my faves, but it isn\u2019t right for every pic. It lets you blur parts of the photo in either a radial (i.e.: circular) or linear (i.e.: rectangular) area. You can then tweak the size and position of the blurring by pinching around where you\u2019d like the image\u2019s focus to be.
\n\u2022<\/strong> Sharpen<\/strong> will offset a blur, so it\u2019s also helpful for bringing out details.<\/p>\n

Remember, less is more. Don\u2019t be overwhelmed by the choices, just see how you can take a good photo and use Instagram\u2019s tools to make it even better. Don\u2019t overdo it or your photos will come out looking over-edited or fake. Here\u2019s a video of how it can all come together.<\/p>\n

\n
\n