Instagram and Unrealistic Colors

[mollyc]

In my experience it makes any landscape too small, IG is just not the platform for those type of images and it's a shame really.

no, i agree, but i was just refuting the statement that crops have to be square. i don't think anyone uses IG to showcase the best quality images.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

the grid shows square images but you can post 2:3 landscapes and 4:5 portraits

But then doesn't it put white bars around the image to fill out the square frame?

 

[Eric]

But then doesn't it put white bars around the image to fill out the square frame?

Yes, that was my point when I said landscapes are out on IG, it takes your beautiful landscapes and ruins them doing just this. It will also automatically enforce restricted sizes by cropping them.

In the end you need to properly size it yourself before posting as you would want to see it in a 1:1 format, this way at least you get to decide exactly how it will be displayed. I have a lot of wide (landscape) images that I would love to share on there that I simply won't.

 

[mollyc]

But then doesn't it put white bars around the image to fill out the square frame?

No, not if you use those specific ratios, or use squares.

I put white bars around my verticals because I want to keep them in 2:3 ratio, so to fill out the required 4:5 ratio I have to pad them. But 90% of my photos are standard 2:3 landscapes and the grid still shows just squares.

Here is my current grid. Today's photo was a vertical, so I did add bars in PS so that I didn't have to crop it. But the other ones you see here are landscape (oh, the third image in the second row is also vertical with bars added), cropped to squares by IG (other than the bw images, which are natively squares).

 

[mollyc]

I didn't used to pad verticals; scrolling down my grid you can see every photo here is a square, even though this grid does show a mix of vertical and horizontal. But then I had a couple of images that just didn't work as 4:5 for vertical so I started adding padding to show the entire image when clicked on.

 

[Eric]

No, not if you use those specific ratios, or use squares.

I put white bars around my verticals because I want to keep them in 2:3 ratio, so to fill out the required 4:5 ratio I have to pad them. But 90% of my photos are standard 2:3 landscapes and the grid still shows just squares.

Here is my current grid. Today's photo was a vertical, so I did add bars in PS so that I didn't have to crop it. But the other ones you see here are landscape (oh, the third image in the second row is also vertical with bars added), cropped to squares by IG (other than the bw images, which are natively squares).

View attachment 18870

Great example here of what you can't do, which is post a proper wide landscape image.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Does Instagram have a file size limitation, that is if your photo is 1080 pixels x 1080 pixels does it automatically compress it if above a certain file size (Mbytes)?

 

[mac_in_tosh]

the grid shows square images but you can post 2:3 landscapes and 4:5 portraits

I'm confused by this. It all ends up in a square canvas, right? So your photo can have any arbitrary x:y, it will end up square with white areas filling in where there is no photo (whether done by IG or you).

 

[Eric]

I'm confused by this. It all ends up in a square canvas, right? So your photo can have any arbitrary x:y, it will end up square with white areas filling in where there is no photo (whether done by IG or you).

Yes, they'll enforce it no matter what the original aspect ratio of your image is. This is why most photographers who know they're going to post on IG make those edits to the size before even posting, otherwise IG is doing it for you and most of the time it crops it in a manner that can look pretty bad.

The key thing to remember here is that the app is designed to be viewed in portrait mode on mobile screens, so any really nice and detailed widescreen landscape type of photos have to be shrunk down to sizes that make it way too small to be enjoyed.

As Molly said you can do it and get bars but in the end you will be forced into a square box, so you'll lose a lot of the image and what remains is tiny. They also reduce the original resolution of the photo as high resolution doesn't matter so much in a mobile view.

Here is a good example, while you may be able to post the image as taken, you'll be more confined.

 

[mollyc]

My point is that I don't really see the "bars" when you are in feed mode. It just blends into the background. You only see the bars when you are in grid mode. YMMV on that though I guess.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Does Instagram have a file size limitation, that is if your photo is 1080 pixels x 1080 pixels does it automatically compress it if above a certain file size (Mbytes)?

No one has answered this and I can't seem to find the answer online. If there is a limit I would like to adjust the file size myself rather than let IG do it. All the sites I've checked out only address pixel size, not file size. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[mollyc]

No one has answered this and I can't seem to find the answer online. If there is a limit I would like to adjust the file size myself rather than let IG do it. All the sites I've checked out only address pixel size, not file size. Any suggestions? Thanks.

I think you could probably upload a full res image if you really wanted..but IG will downsize everything, and no one actually knows what those settings are.

 

[epiclarisse]

Hello, Eric. I do agree with you that mentioning an account with a huge follower base can increase the number of your followers, but usually, this costs money, in some cases, a very big amount of money. In my opinion, the paid advertisement campaign from IG helps gain followers; also, if you don't have a huge budget, you can try to approach reliable promotional services like fanhype.de. They are cheap, and you will be able to increase the number of your followers and likes in a short period without wasting tonnes of money. Let me know if you will need additional information.

 

[rdrr]

@Eric Maybe this thread is not the right place to put this question... Did you already have talent for taking photos, or did you go somewhere to get tips and or research on how to capture good photos and just build from there? On my upcoming trip I want to capture and post some worthy photos, but I don't want to spend a lot of money into gear or get scammed by all the learn iPhone photography scams. Any info would be greatly apprecaited.

 

[Eric]

@Eric Maybe this thread is not the right place to put this question... Did you already have talent for taking photos, or did you go somewhere to get tips and or research on how to capture good photos and just build from there?

Years of practice and seeking out unique locations, I also keep maybe 1 out of every 50 shots I take. I'm always researching online for ideas but there's nothing like actually getting out there and seeking with your own eyes. Just my experience.

On my upcoming trip I want to capture and post some worthy photos, but I don't want to spend a lot of money into gear or get scammed by all the learn iPhone photography scams. Any info would be greatly apprecaited.

IMO anyone just getting into it shouldn't worry much about gear, when I host group sessions I always tell everyone to bring whatever camera they feel the most comfortable with, even a phone camera as they're all really great point and shoots these days.

Once you get the hang of it and feel like you want take it to the next level you can then take a look at more pro options but I would recommend really just getting a feel for it with what you have first.

I know I've mentioned this on here before but I still use my old Canon 6D that was made way back in 2012 over my much newer Sony with all the bells and whistles, it's all about composition, proper settings and capturing the moment... not so much the gear, that will all come into place.

 

[Clix Pix]

It's also about actually truly "seeing" a potential shot, an interesting scene, etc., and at times spending some time working with that (trying different points-of-view and angles, looking at how the light is falling and affecting the scene, seeing what happens when one changes camera position, etc.), deciding what makes the scene most interesting, etc. What attracted your eye to the subject and/or scene in the first place? How can you best shoot it as it initially appeared and appealed to you, but also maybe approach it in a different way, too? This means taking the time to shoot more thoughtfully and carefully than just firing off one or two exposures of the subject/scene and then quickly moving on to something else.

Spend some time now at home before the trip, taking the camera or cell phone, whatever you have, out of the drawer, out of your pocket, and experiment, just go out and have fun with it, play "tourist" in your own home area, see what happens.... The more you shoot the more comfortable you'll be with the whole process and as well be developing skills as you go along, too, while also beginning to realize just what you DO like to shoot and why as well as how.

 

[Citysnaps]

IMO anyone just getting into it shouldn't worry much about gear, when I host group sessions I always tell everyone to bring whatever camera they feel the most comfortable with, even a phone camera as they're all really great point and shoots these days.

Excellent advice!

IMO, there are more important things to ponder/consider that will help drive making a successful or strong photograph.


With respect to evaluating potential scenes and shots to make photographs of...

When I approach a scene, usually one with people (sometimes without), I mentally consider if the scene has the potential to stir a viewer's imagination. And if so, would it be enough for the viewer to come up with some kind of narrative. And that could be any narrative, and not necessarily what I might have come up with. And with that, hopefully there's a little bit of mystery or ambiguity for the viewer to contemplate.

And that gets into my second sentence above with the word make. I use the word make instead of take with respect to creating photographs. Taking photographs to me means little thought has gone into the process - you point the camera at something and release the shutter without giving it much thought.

Making a photograph to me means there's a number of decisions to consider before releasing the shutter: what should be or not be included in the frame, considering light and its quality, are shadows working for or against you, understanding that gesture(s) of people in the frame is really important, wondering if some tilt would be appropriate to create a feeling of uneasiness, considering letting some details drop into the shadows to stir imagination, to blur or not blur the background (or foreground), capturing motion or no motion, etc, etc.

For me, that makes creating photographs both challenging and fun.

 

[mollyc]

I also suggest you study images of people you like or who are taking (making) photos like you want to capture. What draws you in? Lines, light, shapes, framing, buildings, people, etc....If you study multiple photographers, you may find common elements among them all that will help you shape what kinds of images you want to take. I'd suggest making a Pinterest board or similar (men probably don't use Pinterest, lol) and collect images that speak to you to study and analyze.

 

[MandyQuartko]

Wow, it's great to see how your IG has taken off after getting a few big mentions! And it's interesting to see how the saturation levels can have such a big impact on the number of likes and engagement.

 

[RebeccaWax]

It can be a challenge to keep up with the trends on social media, but if it's helping with growth and sales, then it's worth considering. Have you thought about exploring other platforms like TikTok? TikTok is a hot spot for creative and engaging content, and "iam auto likes TikTok" could be a helpful resource for you to boost your presence on the platform and reach a wider audience. Good luck with your social media endeavors!