How to succeed on Instagram
Incredible as it may seem, 500 million people look at Instagram every day, with users spending an average of 28 minutes scrolling, posting and ‘liking’ pictures, Stories and videos. It was only ten years ago that co-founder Kevin Systrom first posted a picture of a stray dog near a taco stand in Mexico. ‘Had I known it was going to be the first picture on Instagram I would have tried a bit harder,’ he joked. A decade on and most professional photographers have an Instagram account – they use it to introduce their work to a global audience, connect with fellow photographers, find new clients and receive feedback on their projects. The app was designed to encourage communication via images, so it seems a natural fit for photographers. However, building a following, keeping up-to-date with changes to algorithms and communicating with fellow users can be time-consuming, and it’s easy to lose heart if you don’t see instant results. It’s become so huge, too.
Having just opened my own Instagram account (@tracy_ calder_photo) I decided to bend the ear of four successful Instagrammers to find out what, when and why I should post. Their tips range from opening multiple accounts to ignoring pre-set filters and following your passion.
Composition is key
It's not the camera club.
