I’m a social media junkie, but my favorite (by far) is Instagram! As a blogger who really enjoys photography, it’s a match made in heaven. As an Android girl, I had to wait a long time to join the fun. Maybe that means I appreciate it even more?
It’s rare that I don’t edit my photos before I share them. For me, it’s the same as when I share photos on my blog, I want them to look their best before posting. It’s also fun to take a photo with your phone and make it look great!
So today I’m sharing…
1. Pixlr
Pixlr is the most comprehensive editing app of the bunch – the one I use when I wish I had my computer. You can crop, adjust the brightness and color saturation, apply filters, choose borders, and almost anything else you can think of.
One of my favorite features to use on this app is “Color Splash”. You can use this to bring the photo black & white, except for a pop of color. Use the magic option to bring back a single color – or brush to color in certain sections of the photo. Price: FREE
2. Line Camera
Next on the list is what I use when I have less time and just need to make a quick edit to the photo. Similar to editing directly in Instagram, Line Camera allows you to choose filters and borders from their collection – but you get to choose each individually. I like being able to choose which border goes with what filter (too bad you can’t do that on Instagram!).
My favorite filter is Beauty, which is great for adding a flattering light for selfies. You can also adjust the level of each filter – a great option! Price: FREE
3. PhotoGrid
There seem to be a lot of photo collage apps available, but this is the one that I have used since the beginning. Not only can you use it make the standard collage, but I’ve recently started using it to get around the square photo limitations of Instagram.
If you choose a single photo, PhotoGrid will add a border around it to fit within the square requirement. Sometimes a photo just doesn’t want to be cropped and this is a great way to work around that! Price: FREE
Don’t forget you can use multiple apps when editing your photos! For the photo above, I started with Pixlr to crop it, adjust the saturation, & increase the vibrancy. Then I opened the edited photo in PhotoGrid to add the white square border around the image. Finally, I shared the photo in Instagram. 3 steps, but worth it for the result!
4. Paper Artist
This is the most recent find and so much fun! I use Paper Artist for the photos that aren’t really that good or exciting on their own, but with some manipulation are much more interesting. It might be that I’m too lazy to take another photo.
The app filters each have two layers. It starts by adding one filter to the photo, then a second filter is applied where you drag your finger over the screen. In the photo below, you can see the middle section has more color where I swiped my finger through the original. Price: $2.99 (It was free when I downloaded)
It’s taken me some time to find the right apps that work for me and these four have made the cut. I hope you’ve found something new to help you improve your Instagram photos!
If you like this, I’d love for you to share it on your favorite social media channel. And then you should follow me on Instagram! 🙂
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Questions for you:
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What’s your favorite social media platform?
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Do you enjoy taking photos?
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Any other apps for Instagram photos that you love?