Although most social media platforms give us the chance to flex our photography skills, Instagram is the one that really champions imagery in all its forms. As a photographer, an Instagram account is a must. Helping you to promote your own work, build a following and use others accounts as inspiration for your next photography project.

With 500 million daily active users on Instagram, as well as 40 billion photos shared since it was launched in 2010, your work could be seen by so many people! A clever use of hashtags and genuinely interesting content is key.

Top tips to improve

Filters – With over 40 filters to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming as to which one to use. Similarly, you may have a fondness for a small selection of filters but not so much for several others – how annoying that you have to swipe through them all to get to the good stuff…

Not anymore. Swipe all the way to the right of the filters on your chosen image to the ‘Manage’ button. Here you can drag your favourite filters to the front of the selection and even untick certain filters that are never going to float your boat!

Another good tip to help you decide whether your image should have a filter or remain #nofilter is to compare each filter to the original. Simply hold your finger down to see the original photograph and release to see the filter in action – the choice is yours.

Travel photography pitfalls - Because of the vast number of users and the sheer volume of imagery already on Instagram, you need to focus on how to differentiate yourself from the masses. When travelling the world, it can be easy to fall in to the tourist trap of getting your photo of a certain landscape, monument or piece of art. By all means, snap away for your personal collection but maybe think twice before sharing with the Insta masses.

This video from photographer Oliver KMIA highlights how ‘samey’ these images can be. You don’t want to be putting out content that already exists 1,000 times over!

Screenshots – If you are testing out your video skills, Insta stories is a great place to get some practice in. Just 24 hours after you post your story, it disappears, so you don’t have to live with any posts you later regret.

However, a new feature of the stories tool is that you will be notified if a user screenshots your story. This is not technically in the spirit of having a temporary story but can be quite flattering, especially if you are showcasing your photography work. Be aware that this also applies to you too, so no sneaky screenshots can be done anymore. Big Brother is watching…

For some influencer photography tips check out Influencer Photography