When I first began the photography unit for an introductory journalism class, I didn’t even bring my laptop to the lecture. I knew I loved and wanted to pursue writing and that I was terrible at photography anyway. Why would I need to take notes? What I didn’t realize is that photography is a super practical skill to learn if you’re looking to curate a perfectly aesthetic Instagram feed.
As professional photographer Jon Buscall once said, “Content is a commitment, not a campaign.”
So, without further adieu, here are three photography tips I learned in journalism class that can translate well to the Gram.
1. Rule of Odds
This one is simple. In most cases, having a perfectly even number of objects in your photo looks unnatural. If you’re going for a more posed look, set this rule aside. But if you’re trying to act like you “woke up like this,” your two perfectly aligned pillows may shatter the illusion. The next time you take a picture for Instagram, check your surroundings and any props you’re using and eliminate any even numbers that may stick out to the viewer.
My advice: if you can’t change the number of something, either lean into the posed look or take the picture from a diagonal angle.
2. Frame within a Frame
AKA the mirror selfie. This rule is pretty vague, so just understand that it looks pretty cool to include a frame within a frame in your pictures. For me, I apply this by including a little bit of wall or mirror edge into my mirror selfies to add some interest.
3. Rule of Thirds
This rule seemed silly until I started trying it, but then it made a huge difference for my feed. Go into your phone settings, find the “camera” menu and enable the grid. Then, position your subject (typically yourself, food or another person) on a line, or if possible, a grid intersection.
I know your first instinct when taking Instagram pictures is to put yourself in front and center and that’s perfectly fine, too! But this rule can help switch up your feed and give you that Pinterest-y, effortless look.
Rules aside, my biggest takeaway from all these rules is that social media is completely and utterly fake. Even people who have no makeup, no plastic surgery and don’t use Facetune may still spend large amounts of time perfecting their framing and may take thousands of posed pictures before they find one good enough for an Instagram post.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Use these rules if you find them helpful and ignore them if you don’t! Instagram is supposed to be a fun way to connect with friends and share memories.