The Focus Committee invited Instagram guru Tony Irving to do a guest post on how he uses Instagram. Here is what he had to say. Thanks so much for writing for us Tony!
HOW TO
By Tony Irving (@tirvingz)
Many have been asking me questions about Instagram (IG). So I thought I would share some tips on how I Instagram.
1. Styles
Only post your absolute best dslr or phone shots.
Post square cropped shots to give you the best opportunity to get featured by an IG hub. Getting featured grows your profile. I was an administrator of an IG hub with over 80,000 followers and we would only feature square shots not landscapes. Learn to shoot for the various output sizes and media you plan to use for your photographs. Square is a size style the same as landscape, and is growing in popularity due to the success of social media platforms like IG.
2. Work Flow
My simple workflow
– I upload to Lightroom edit in and out of Photoshop and other plugins for noise reduction, etc. to get a finished result.
– I save the landscape version into a folder designated by the type of shot, location and date, using 2300 pixels on the longest edge, 300 dpi and 100% quality (this is so I can use the image for viewing on a screen, posting to Facebook, Flickr, 500px, etc.etc.
– I then make a virtual copy and create a 1:1 crop same settings as above and save that into a folder of IG photos designated by the year they have been taken eg. IG 2014
– These processes keep the file sizes to between 1 to 3 mb – not too big and not too space consuming.
– These folders are synced with my phone and iPad so I have the landscape and square version with me on my mobile devices for posting.
– I then post to Instagram the square shots from my mobile devices.
– Sounds long but it is simple and the virtual copies on Lightroom don’t take any space on the computer just the smaller saved versions
3. Editing
There endless apps for editing on your mobile devices. The most popular and one I use and is used by many of the IG accounts is an app developed by Nik Software called … Snapseed. http://iphonephotographyschool.com/snapseed-tutorial/
IG also has now great editing tools for that last tweak prior to posting. Saturated colourful photos are popular on Instagram.
4. When to Post
Post to suit when majority of people are online. The most users are in the USA. Look at when you get interactions from followers and where your followers live … check out “Iconosquare” … on the web.
Best times – 5am to 7am, 2-5pm and 10pm or later
5. Posting
Don’t post too many. One at a time only, no more than 2 or 3 max in a day. Sure when you start go for it but as you build a following posting too many shots will result in you being un-followed.
6. Hubs & Tags
Tags do not get you followers!
You can search for tags the same as you can search for users, the functionality is a little different on Iphone and Android versions of Instagram.
Create your tags and save in your notes on your mobile device, then you can use them over and over.
Tags link you to IG hubs and give them approval to feature your shots.
An IG Hub is a profile someone has set up like an account to feature photos … for example @Australia has 933,000 followers worldwide … if your shot gets selected you will get around 40,000 people liking your shot.
Hubs are run by people like us and are very time consuming. If selected on an IG hub people are attracted to your profile and may follow you. There are hundreds of IG Hubs asking you to tag your photos to their site.
Check out some of the following great hubs I like:
@Australia
@Australiagram
@pro_ig
@epic_captures
@clubsocial
@nature
@magicpict
@ig_exquisite
@exklusive_shot
@jaw_dropping_shots
7. Community
Instagram is interactive … and encourages the building of online relationships by liking and commenting on each other shots. IG is the most interactive social media platforms.
Definitely follow the hubs you are trying to get featured on and their administrators and moderators. Some have process of searching you as a follower before featuring your shot.
Always thank those that comment on you shots.
8. Composition
Horizons must be straight; this really shows up on the small square IG app on an ipad or phone. Rule of thirds applies as does breaking the rules completely.
Be consistent with your style… And yes, random is also a style
9. Spam
As with all social media there are spammers, and others up to no good online. Instagram is no different and in some ways worst than others as it is popular, and easy. IG has worked hard to reduce this but I have noticed it creeping back as these people work ways around the security.
If spammed or followed by someone up to no good and those with no photos (my rule)
- Report
- Block and then …
- Delete the account and comments from your feed.
Be active not passive.
I hardly ever see them anymore as I Report Block and Delete them straight away.
10. Web Interface
The following are good web interfaces to check out
- Iconosquare (formerly Statigram) – Check this web interface … great for getting graphs and data.
- Instagram … you can access your account online via Instagram web interface www.instagram/yourusername
Thank you
Tony Irving … IG : @tirvingz
RunningLightPhotography
Focus on Instagram
In case you didn’t know Focus has an instagram account @focusaustralia, check it out for posts by other Focus Members.
Tag your posts on IG with #focusaustralia to add them to the group
Do you have an instagram account? Why not let us know what it is in the comments!