How to Edit Instagram Photos like a Pro: Step by Step guide

If you scroll through your Instagram feed, you’ll probably notice that all your favorite accounts have something in common: captivating images that catch your attention. So it’s no surprise that quality photos are the most important piece of any Instagram strategy.

Fortunately, you don’t need to be a professional photographer to produce stunning images for Instagram.

All you need is your smartphone camera, a few editing tools, and a little practice.

In this post, you’ll learn how to edit Instagram photos to grow your audience and establish a compelling brand aesthetic. You’ll also get a breakdown of some of the best photo-editing apps that can take your images (and engagement) to new heights.

How to edit Instagram photos in 6 easy steps

1. Start with a quality shot

The ultimate shortcut to crafting a great Instagram post is to begin with a quality photo. Try shooting in natural light, and take a bunch of shots. That way you have choices.

The HDR mode on your smartphone camera is your friend when shooting in dim light, close up, or outdoor portraits.

If you’re strapped for time or inspiration, try customizing stock photography. There’s a whole wide world of free, quality stock photography out there to choose from. Going this route can be a smart choice for brands who don’t have physical products ready for release, or smaller companies who don’t have a budget for professional photos.

Pro tip: Start with a photo that’s sized for Instagram. If your photo is too small, it may appear blurry or grainy, no matter how much you edit it. Photos that are 1080 pixels wide will look best. Instagram will crop your photo as a square by default, but you can adjust it to its full width or height if you prefer.

2. Choose your filter

Filters are like ice cream flavors: tastes vary by person, but some are more popular than others. And when it comes to figuring out your own preferences, the tried-and-true method is to sample widely.

According to a U.S.-wide study, the best Instagram filter is Clarendon. It offers brightening and highlighting effects that flatter most pictures, contributing to its universal appeal. (The fact that it’s the first one on the list might also have something to do with it!)

Runner-up favorites include Gingham, Juno, and Lark.

Some filters add a vintage flavor with vignette or fading effects.Others enhance brightness or warmth.

Explore the range of options to find a filter that complements your brand aesthetic. Or, keep it simple and go with the one that catches your eye.

Pro tip: You can adjust the intensity of any filter by tapping it a second time and adjusting the sliding scale from 0 (no effect) to 100 (full effect).

Once you’ve found your favorite filter, use it on all of your posts to establish a distinctive look for your feed (like celebrities do). This can help build and reinforce your brand identity. Sixty percent of top brands use the same filter on each post for that reason.

Another tip: Reorder your Instagram filters (or remove ones you never use) by scrolling to the end of the list and clicking “Manage.” Then simply drag the filters to your preferred order.

3. Adjust the Lux setting

Once you’ve applied your filter, you can adjust the Lux setting by clicking on the sun icon above your photo.

Lux adjusts the contrast and exposure of photos, adding dimension and making the features of the photo pop. It’s sort of like contour, but for your pictures instead of your face. This can be particularly helpful for enhancing underexposed photos.

Adjust the Lux by sliding the scale. Moving it to the right increases contrast and intensity, and moving to the left decreases them.

Above, you can see the effect of Lux on this beach photo: brighter colors and sharper contrast.

4. Adjust your other settings

Next, tap the edit button on the bottom-right to adjust other settings.

I always check the alignment, and if you’re the kind of person who is annoyed by a crooked painting on a wall, you should too.

The edit options allow you to create a sort of custom filter. You can:

• Add a vignette effect for a Polaroid-like photo
• Adjust the structure setting to increase contrast and sharpness (two effects that evoke film photography)
• Scale up saturation for vivid colors, or tone it down to create a faded effect

Before you get carried away, remember Coco Chanel’s timeless advice to take one accessory off before leaving the house.

You don’t need to pile on every effect. You just want to enhance what’s already eye-catching about your photo.

5. Tweak individual photos in a multi-image post

If you’re sharing multiple photos in a single post, you can edit each one separately. Tap the Venn diagram icon in the bottom-right corner of the photo to bring up individual editing options.

If you don’t do this, Instagram will apply your edits to every photo the same way. If your photos were taken in different conditions, or feature different subjects, editing them individually is worthwhile.

6. Post to Instagram now, or save for later

Not ready to post your picture yet? Click ahead to the next screen where you would write your caption, then click back to your edited photo, and press the back arrow again. Instagram will ask if you want to save your image, including all your edits, as a draft.

The next time you go to make a post, your draft will be waiting there for you. This option makes it easy to pre-edit multiple photos and post them as you’re ready.