Instagram feeds are inundated with so-called “photo dumps,” a carousel comprised of up to 10 photos or videos. Opposing the curated and posed Instagram posts that have taken precedence, photo dumps are the new trendy way to convey one’s carefree life in a supposedly casual, low-effort post.
Photo dumps are intended to be a step away from the highly-edited posts prevalent in the profiles of so many users. Photo dumps can be content ranging from artsy photos to group selfies, to funny quips, or, oftentimes, a combination of these elements and more. There is no one way to cultivate a photo dump which means a lot of thought can go into achieving the perfect “vibe” before hitting the post button.
But how often are the photo dumps on our feed posted without any inhibitions? Has Instagram truly made a return to its casual roots? Oftentimes, users have expressed a desire to “make Instagram casual again,” an escape from the highly-filtered posts that have become the norm. Users seem to miss posting spontaneous photos of their food, excursions, and so on without a second thought. One may argue that posting on social media is far from casual; you are sharing a part of your life with the world (aka your followers) willingly. That, in itself, is bold.
Tiktok user @jacimariesmith shared her “recipe to a perfect photo dump” which received over 235,000 likes. Her TikTok was so well received, even model Karlie Kloss commented “if you say so” accompanied with an emoji insinuating she was taking notes.
Jaci outlined her guide to an ideal photo dump, starting with a “fire selfie” followed by an “outfit pic, a candid pic [with your] partner or friends, food, BeReal, screenshot(s) [of a text or song you’ve had on repeat], camcorder moment or screenshot, a horizontal photo posted vertically, personality pic,” or a “~very~ candid/effortless photo.”
It seems like Jaci has photo dumps down to a science. And, of course, this is not the only way to partake in this genre of Instagram posting. But, it offers insight into how even the most casually-intended social media posts can still be impacted by the pressure to portray a certain look. Jaci’s guide helps those who desire a cool photo dump within their feeds to know the essential elements.
We have established that photo dumps are not confined to this layout. In fact, photo dumps are essentially limitless. That, in my opinion, is a huge aspect of their appeal to Generation Z. They are a vessel for sharing experiences with your followers in a consolidated and (almost) carefree way — however that looks for you.
The moral of this story is to post whatever and however you want. You can follow Jaci’s recipe, mix it up, or adopt your own way to share your desired content. It is really up to you, that’s the magic of photo dumps! Social media isn’t real anyway, so just make sure you are having fun with what you decide to upload.
With the pressure to construct a certain image online, it is up to you to figure out what path you want to go down. Choose the one that fulfills you, not others. So, if you want to post your “fire selfie” accompanied by candid personality pics, so be it. If you want to post a chaotic spread of photos and screenshots, feel free! You are posting for yourself, and those who get you will get it.
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