Aesthetic Instagram: Blogger’s Guide to The Perfect Photo

One of the most commonly asked questions I receive on Instagram revolves around how I edit my photos and who helps me capture them. Addressing this question isn’t straightforward, so I’ve decided to share my process here.

So, let’s dive into it!

Who I Shoot With and My Instagram Photo Editing Process

I often collaborate with fellow bloggers and Instagrammers to shoot each other’s content. This not only makes the process enjoyable but also helps forge connections in the industry, all while being cost-effective. Shoutout to my friends Cristina, Vanessa, and Lefteris for being awesome photographers!

On occasions when I can’t find a shooting buddy, I just use a tripod, and I rarely shoot with professional photographers. My go-to gear includes my trusty Sony ZV-E10 paired with a 16mm and a 30mm lens. I also have an iPhone and use an Apple SD card reader for transferring photos.

You can check them out here:  

The Editing Process

1. After every photoshoot, I transfer the images using the SD card reader. Lately, I’ve been saving them in RAW format, allowing me to import them directly into VSCO in their unprocessed state.
2. Working with RAW files provides more flexibility in terms of brightening and editing your photos.
3. I sift through the multitude of pictures, selecting my favourites initially. Then, I revisit my favourites and deselect some to narrow down my choices.
4. Once I have 2-3 selected photos per look, I edit them. After assessing how they fit into my Instagram feed, I usually use 1 or 2 of these.
5. For advanced editing, I turn to Photoshop 2023, which I have as part of the Adobe Creative Suite. I also have the mobile version.
6. I prefer mobile editing for its convenience, using apps like Snapseed and VSCO. I pay a yearly fee of around 18 pounds for VSCO, which grants me access to all filters and editing tools.
7. With VSCO, I’m particularly fond of the C8, C9, and G9 filters for their ease of use and stunning results. Importantly, it allows direct import of RAW files from the SD card. Snapseed also offers powerful tools, and I mainly use the Selective tool to adjust brightness and saturation in specific areas of the image.
8. My editing routine usually starts with Snapseed and concludes with VSCO, where I apply the filter as the final touch.
9. Currently, I edit on my iMac more and use Lightroom with presets I made. Let me know if you’d like me to share my Lightroom editing process as well.

Here are some before and after’s. These photos have been edited in Snapseed and VSCO.

The top image is after editing.

Planning My Instagram Feed

Now, let’s talk about planning my Instagram feed, a fun but sometimes challenging part of the process. I have two methods:

1. I use the UNUM app, which is fantastic if you aim for a themed feed. It lets you upload and arrange your future post images to achieve the desired layout. I typically plan at least one week of content here. Although it has some limitations, you can post directly to Instagram through the app.
2. The second method is more straightforward. I create a separate album, naming it “Feed” or anything I prefer. I add my latest three Instagram photos and all the upcoming posts I have prepared. Then, I move the ones already on Instagram to the bottom and arrange the rest as I like.

Voilà!

I hope that has given a bit of an insight into behind-the-scenes!

If there is anything you’d like me to blog about more, let me know in the comments. If one of you has a question, that means more people are wondering, so ask me away.