How to Take Instagram-Worthy Photos

insta_postIt’s an understatement to say we’re foodies here at DMA. It’s hard not be when you look at gorgeous fresh produce all day! And like any true foodie knows, it’s essential to document all your appetizing endeavors via an Instagram-worthy photo. As fresh produce marketers, you should do the same! Here are some tips we use to make sure our foodie-photos are truly Instagram worthy:

Cropping:

Taking a larger picture is simple. But we’ve learned that the magic of cropping can go a long way. Taking pictures of single objects over and over can quickly lose appeal. Try cropping to only show half or even a quarter of the object. The audience will see the picture and their mind will envision the whole object in their head.

Color Scheme:

When your audience looks at a picture, you want them to both see it and feel it. Taking a photo that can evoke an emotion can be monumental for a brand. The best way to evoke emotions is through the use of a color scheme. Think of what feeling you want the reader to connect with, then choose a color scheme that comes to mind when you think of that feeling. Within your photo include several items in this color scheme. For an autumn feel we would choose a warm yellow and orange tone to lead the audience in thinking of the season just through sight.

Spark Imagination:

Instead of just placing one item in a frame, think about other items that could compliment it. Placing other items partially in the context of your photo can engage your audience’s imagination to create their own story in their head. For example, a photo of just a strawberry might not mean much to someone. But if you mix in a basket, table cloth, plate, and cup, the audience can associate the photo with a picnic. Since we can’t always target exactly what the audience wants to see, we can let them turn the photo into whatever story they want it to be.

Closer is Better:

Just because we don’t always zoom when we take a photo doesn’t mean we shouldn’t zoom when posting it to Instagram. Instagram is all about seeing photos at a small and quick glance. If a picture is zoomed in to show texture, it is more likely to catch the eye of a viewer more so than a zoomed out photo where it is hard to even tell from a distance what it is.

Start experimenting with these quick tips and see the kind of response you receive. Let us know what you find works well for you! If you’d like some additional help with your Instagram photos and strategy, consider a social media assessment with DMA.