26 October 2012

Tips and tricks for instagram



I use instagram a lot.
I love its simplicity, the filters and the concept of photo sharing. 
I have also picked up a few tips along the way...

1. Take photos with the built in camera on your phone. I have an android (I don't know what the deal is with the iPhone) but the camera that comes with the app is pretty useless. Most of the time I snap my pictures on the go on my phone camera. When I get home I sit down and upload them to instagram. Just click the camera button and select "from gallery". Easy and good quality! 

2 Even if you don't have internet, instagram will save to your phones photo album. To do this turn off internet and upload a photo to instagram. Add an effect etc and try and click publish. Obviously it will fail. Click on the little cross. Now go and pay a visit to your phones photo gallery and lo and behold there is that photo that didn't publish complete with the effect you chose. 

I like to do this, turn my internet back on and upload the failed picture again. You can now add another effect over the top. 

This picture was first taken with the "Valencia"effect saved and then I added the "nashville" effect over the top. 

Possibilites are endless! 

3. Use the blur tool. It's just so lovely. It's the little tear drop icon for those not in the know. Just pinch the screen to expand and turn the blurred area. 

4. This is a personal preference but I think there is a fine balance with hashtags. Too many and you like you are twelve but a well phrased witty hashtag will always make me chuckle! 

5. Storing instagrams. There are so many options for this but I like to have mine on my laptop. 
You could plug your phone in or (because I am lazy) I use Ink361. 
You log in, your pictures come up and then you can save them to your hard drive. I try and update mine every week or so. 
I feel my instagram photos are as valuable as my SLR photos and are worth taking the time to save. 

Oh and a final point. Recently I have found that there are quite a few spammers out on instagram now. I have had a few follow me and then leave advertising in the comments section of each photo. This is just annoying. I have therefore made my profile private and except people who I know. This irritates me because it makes it less sharing but if it stops the spammers I am cool with it! If you want to follow do stop by because I love excepting people who follow my blog! 

9 comments:

K said...

Hi Abi, I've recently become a fan of instagram, the effects rather than the online sharing. I have recently started uploading photos from my computer that I've tarted up a little (mainly cropping) onto my phone, altering them on instagram, resaving on my computer (someties repeating the process to add more effects) before taking them to be developed. I'm hoping to get some scrap pages done with them soon, photos that I've hidden away as they're not all that great suddenly have a new lease of life, yay!

Unknown said...

Hello Abi,

I just came over from Shimelle! You seem to be such a lovely, nice person and you have a really sympathic smile! Just like someone one would like to have a coffee (or tea) with and chat^^ I like the idea of finding the special things in everyday life. You started university recently? What do you study? I do psychology... And I'll FINALLY get a smartphone this year for christmas, can't wait to start "instagramming", too.
Best wishes
from Germany.
Moni/Penny Lane

humel said...

I haven't properly got my head round Instagram yet so these tips are particularly useful, thank you :) I got distracted by your knitting though, it looks amazing! Vertical stripes? How are you doing that?! And what will it become?

alexa said...

Thanks for these tips, Abi - I don't have a mobile that takes photos, but following some of your links, I have located actions for photoshop instead :).

Maria Ontiveros said...

Thanks for the tips! I hadn't realized that you could go back t photos you didn't take in instagram.
Rinda

Karen said...

I just started using Instagram regularly this month. Usually, I use Camera+, then Instagram, but I hadn't figured out the blur feature, and I've never tried playing with a photo the second time. This was a great post, and very helpful.

Louisa-Jane said...

Hey, I just hada spammer too. Blocked and reported then decided to go private too. Added you today. My name on instagram is loujervis

Abi said...

I'm sorry to hear that. It's annoying isn't it! Thank you for your request, I can't wait to see what photos you post on instagram!

albina N muro said...

I like to do this, turn my internet back on and upload the failed picture again. You can now add another effect over the top. easiest way to get quality backlinks