There’s much more to what we see on Instagram. There is always a message or a story behind it.
And that’s what savvy social media marketers and content creators strive for — to convey the message or story to their audience.
What are better ways to do that than level up their photo editing effects for a clearer and better Instagram post? Here they are.
The Top 10 Photo Editing Effects For a Better Instagram Post
Instagram is an all visual platform that relies mainly on its users to upload images or videos for their followers. It helped pave the way for the consistent innovation of photo editing effects which reinvented the uploading of pictures on social media.
1. Fade out images
In graphic design and video editing, the term “fade out” describes the transition effect of an image that dissolves until it gradually disappears and turns black.
How to make fade out images in 4 easy steps:
- To fade out images, drag-n-drop your photo’s PNG or JPG format to the Pixelied editor. Or upload one.
- Click the opacity button on the menu bar located right above your image.
- Reduce the transparency and opacity of the uploaded photo with the slider to achieve the fade-out effect.
- Once done, download the fade-out image in your preferred file format and save it.
2. No filter images
The #nofilter hashtag is popular on social media, especially on Instagram. It means taking a photo with your phone without using any visual enhancements and uploading it on Instagram as it is – in its raw and original form.
For individuals, the no filter effect is a means of courageous self-expression. It’s a challenge for most women, especially celebrities, to come out without makeup and upload their unedited photos on Instagram.
This photo trend is for brands that advocate and want to relay the message of authenticity and honesty to their consumers.
A great example is an ad about a hair removing cream that shows the unedited photo of a woman’s hairy underarm.
The no filter is about getting real and being proud of one’s flaws. It shows how imperfections can turn into a beautiful mess.
3. Text overlay
A text overlay effect enables the user to paste a text over an image or a video stream. You can use different colors and fonts when applying the text overlay effect. It’s especially beneficial to posts that require subtitles.
Messages can easily be missed, especially if they’re from a long piece of contextual content. Using text overlay on images saves you from that. It allows you to emphasize a message you want your audience to notice.
How to do a text overlay on Instagram?
- Open the app and go straight to the photo editor.
- Choose the photo from your phone gallery that you wish to upload.
- Scroll down the bottom of your screen and select the overlay among the options.
- Instagram on mobile offers various text overlays that can be previewed and added to your photo for a better Instagram post.
4. The Pink Color
Pink, as they said, is the color of affection and tenderness. It’s a calming color and is associated with kindness and love. What immediately comes to mind when we think of pink is femininity. And all things soft and girly. It also evokes romantic thoughts on holidays like Valentine’s Day.
Pink and the purchasing power of women
Are you wondering why pink makes it to the list of trends on photo editing effects on Instagram? Kindly look at the stats.
- All the positive connotations of pink make it a favorite color for brands. It’s gentle on the eye and is relatable.
- Over 30% of active IG users in the U.S are between ages 25 and 34.
- In today’s economy, 85% of all purchasing decisions are made by women, which accounts for an impressive $7 trillion in business and consumer spending.
- Almost 52% of the 1.2 billion Instagram users are female. Social media marketers are aware of it and are banking on this Instagram marketing opportunity.
5. Black and white
The classic black and white photos are still effective in 2022. An image that prioritizes patterns and shapes is better viewed in black and white. You can easily manipulate the black and white image to make it stand out when other colors are eliminated. The absence of distracting colors directs the viewers to focus mainly on the image.
This photo trend effect conveys a classy or “old school” message, ideal for a business that caters to an older or upper-class audience. Black and white images are proven to generate 18% more likes on Instagram.
4 Easy steps to achieve the BW effect on Pixelied
- You can either choose from the available stock photos or upload your own, and drag-n-drop it to the Pixelied editor in PNG or JPG format.
- Find the “image effects and filters” button on the toolbar located above the image you uploaded, and click on it.
- Select “black and white” on the Filters option to turn the picture into black and white.
- Download the edited image once you’re done and save it in the file format of your choice.
But before we get to the next 5 effects, here’s a question:
Photo editing effects: why try them?
Let’s let the figures speak for themselves.
- Each month, over 130 million Instagram users click on a shopping post to window-shop virtually.
- By 2025, social commerce is going to be a huge $80 billion industry. And one in four of Instagram’s Gen Z users are expected to do their online shopping via social media platforms. (eMarketer)
- In 2021, an average Instagram user spends around 30 minutes per day on the photo and video sharing platform.
- 17.6% of the world’s total population use Instagram.
- 71% of businesses in the US say they’re using Instagram. And over 80% of these businesses consider engagement on the platform an important metric in tracking sales.
- 29.7% or the equivalent of 407.3 million IG ad audiences aged 18 to 24 years.
- 2.1% or 29.4 million IG total ad audience is 65 years old and above.
- Businesses can sell on IG. More than 75% of its users have already bought once from the platform.
Now the remaining 5 photo editing effects:
6. The Clarendon effects
The Clarendon filter is used mostly on portraits and selfies. It softens and cools down your photos by increasing saturation and contrast and adding cyan tint to the highlights and shadows.
Clarendon is one of the most frequently used filters on Instagram due to its high contrast and saturation effect. The filter adds a cool hue to your images, but natural skin tone remains.
7. The return of the selfie.
It isn’t a post-pandemic world yet. The majority still reels from one emerging Covid variant to another, making people wary.
Most people are still in isolation and taking selfies on mobile devices — without the benefit of an eye-popping backdrop. Hence, the return of the selfie, where people can be themselves, more natural, and at home. Literally and figuratively.
- People on android devices around the world take 93 million selfies per day. 82% of these are in the U.S aged 18 to 34.
- 55% of American plastic surgeons had patients who have undergone either aesthetic or reconstructive surgery to look good on selfies.
8. Vintage effect
Vintage effects can be used to create the necessary mood — nostalgic to make objects or buildings look old;
romantic for renewal of vows portrait or wedding photos; or dramatic when taking shots that feature sorrow or age. The vintage filter enables you to transform your photos from “new” to retro with a different character and tone.
Turn your colored photos into vintage on Instagram.
- Reduce the saturation of your photo.
- Apply the vintage filter.
- Then the vignette.
- Adjust the warmth in your photo.
- Lastly, add either grain or noise.
9. AR (augmented reality)
An AR filter is a computer-generated effect specifically designed to lay over real-life images. It’s a fast-growing trend among businesses that engage in mobile computing.
AR’s state-of-the-art technology provides realistic images. The central figure that requires enhancement gets separated from the background, which needs different editing. It gives users that “AR feel,”, especially in still photos. AR’s promising photo editing capability provides never-before-seen graphics.
This filter works with your phone camera by adding imagery or another layer in the background or foreground of your image. AR filters add a hat to selfies and other related functions by just flipping your phone.
10. Collage
A collage is an image or a piece of artwork made from mixed and artfully combined
clippings, photos, or objects glued on a piece of paper or cloth.
Collage allows the easy posting and sharing of one image instead of several images. It’s a trend on Instagram because users take advantage of this feature. A collage can easily relate a story or wrap up an event without having to scroll through so many photos.
One of the graphic design tips from resourceful and highly skilled designers and content creators is to not depend on just one editing software. You can use multiple tools to do wonders for your Instagram posts. Let’s check out some.
The Recommended Tools
- Pixelied: offers a free and perfect online solution to convert your photographs to black and white. It enables the users to design unique retro and fade-out images in just a few clicks, widely used on Instagram and other social media platforms. It’s convenient and requires little or no technical skills, and there is no need to use any specialized photo editing software to produce images that adorn and enliven your timeline.
- Snapseed: offers user-friendly effects and “fade” filters. Most photographers use Snapseed for its tools, such as brush tool and “selective adjust,” which can be done on your phone instead of transferring the photos to and from a laptop or desktop computer. Editing preferences can also be saved and applied later to your photos.
- Pixelixe’s: default photo effect (application programming interface) API allows you to apply the Clarendon effect instantly. Play around with the contrast, saturation, brightness, and opacity of a photo directly from one API to create custom filters in a snap.
- PicMonkey: gives you access to its collage maker and other tools such as photo management and editing effects and cell-resizing that you can tinker with to create your preferred layout.
- Canva: is the online design tool that lets you create videos anytime you need to, wherever you may be. It’s mainly a video maker with video editing tools.
But it also has a reliable photo editing tool and web design. Its designer-made templates and photo effects provide its users with numerous intuitive tools to choose from to create, enhance, and edit their designs and graphics.
Instagram Marketing Tips This 2022
- The industry of content creation will be more competitive this 2022. So expect every Instagram post to be more engaging.
- The ideal time for posting on IG is every Tuesday, around 11 am to 2 pm CDT. Or same time on weekdays if you’re targeting an increased engagement.
- Use clickable hashtags (experts recommend using up to 11 hashtags) to make your content more accessible and visible to a broader audience.
- Add subtitles and catchy captions to your content.
Takeaway
One can make a lucrative career by taking photographs of just about anything and creating content out of those. Does that sound simple?
Yes, and no. Content creators and graphic designers learn and master the basics and the new tricks of the trade by studying, constant practice, patience, and dedication to continuously hone their craft.
Thanks to the fast-evolving innovations in digital technology. Photo editing now isn’t as intimidating as it was years ago. These visual experts can now take their jobs a notch higher by knowing what and where to click.
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